Rock It Out In These 6 U.S. Music Cities

It’s hard for music lovers to go wrong in the self-proclaimed “Live Music Capital of the World.” On any given night, you’ll find a dozen shows spanning genres from punk to country. To catch a great blues or soul show, check in at C-Boy’s Heart and Soul, where you’ll find live music seven nights a week, as well as a major jukebox selection. Music history buffs should also stop by the Continental Club. Since opening in 1955, this spot has hosted acts like Robert Plant, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Social Distortion. View hotels in Austin, Texas.

Nashville is to aspiring country musicians what Hollywood is to actors, so it’s no surprise that you can hardly turn a corner without running into multiple live music venues. A literal church of country music, The Ryman claims to be the spot where June Carter and Johnny Cash first met. During the day, it functions as a museum, but in the evenings the stage is graced by the biggest names in country music as well as unknowns hoping to be discovered. If country music isn’t your jam, check out The Basement rock club, an intimate venue where big-name bands like Metallica and Mumford & Sons have been known to play secret shows. View hotels in Nashville, Tennessee.

Live music in Los Angeles is as diverse as its cuisine; there’s some of everything, and if you look hard enough, you’re guaranteed to find something that’ll blow you away. The stunning Art Deco backdrop of the Wiltern makes it the ideal setting for huge names like Macklemore and smaller indie acts like Crystal Castles. And rock as we know it might not exist without the Sunset Strip’s Whisky A-Go-Go, where bands like The Doors got their start. Today, you can still catch performances here by some of the genre’s biggest names, as well as get a preview of the latest up-and-comers. View hotels in Los Angeles, California.

Nothing happens in The Big Easy without music, from the street bands performing in the French Quarter to bars spilling funk music out onto the sidewalk. For a sound that is uniquely New Orleans, head over to Treme’s Bullet’s Sports Bar, home to some of the best funk and R&B in the city. Visit on a Tuesday and you might even catch trumpet legend Kermit Ruffins on stage. View hotels in New Orleans, Louisiana.

A city with a rough-around-the-edges reputation and a surprisingly friendly attitude, The Steel City has a music scene to match. Local indie bands can be found most nights at Brillobox, a bar and event space that’s become a mecca for the city’s younger crowd. Mr. Smalls Theatre, housed in a former church, is part of a complex that includes bars, a restaurant and even a recording studio. The theater attracts top names like Kesha, the Smashing Pumpkins and My Chemical Romance, making it a must-visit for those in search of a spectacular show. View hotels in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

“Eclectic” might be the best way to describe The Windy City’s musical taste. One of the epicenters of U.S. blues, the city also boasts a large underground indie and rock scene. The Empty Bottle is the ultimate “before they were famous” spot, with bands like The White Stripes and Arcade Fire playing sets here long before they were household names. But if you’re looking for blues, Kingston Mines has been a local favorite since 1968. With nightly live shows on two stages, this nightclub delivers some of Chicago’s best blues musicians no matter when you visit. View hotels in Chicago, Illinois.