Birmingham's Top Music Venues in 8 Beats
In the last decade or so, Birmingham has become known as
something of a culinary centre, and rightly so. From jambalaya to James Beard,
we’ve got a lock on the eats and drinks. But, truly one of the best kept
secrets of Birmingham is the music
scene. This was brought to mind recently when one of
our phenomenal listening places, Iron City,
was awarded the Nightclub
& Bar Award for Live Music Venue of the Year.
Which is why, in this measure, Iron City gets the first note.
BEAT 1: IRON CITY
From its food to location, to the historical renovation of
the building, Iron City scores big. With standing room for about 1,300, this
excellent intimate venue has attracted performers ranging from Willie Nelson to
BB King to the Trey Anastasio Band. While there’s not a bad seat in the house,
taking in a concert from the mezzanine is guaranteed to be a memorable
experience. And if you find yourself hungry after the show, make sure you walk
on around to The Grill at Iron City, where artfully crafted sandwiches and
cocktails are the order of the day.
BEAT 2: WORKPLAY
WorkPlay, so called because, in addition to the theatre,
there are working professionals with studios, a full-on sound stage and the
like, was built with the audiophile in mind. The developers selected everything
from dimples in the walls to the metal railings in order to create a superb
acoustic experience. It’s no wonder so many acts like to record their live work
(both on audio and video) here. With standing room for about 450, you’ll want
to ticket up early. Before the show, consider getting your burger on at Farm Burger.
You’ll find it within walking distance of WorkPlay.
BEAT 3: OAK MOUNTAIN AMPHITHEATER
With seating for 10,500, Oak Mountain Amphitheater is the
largest outdoor amphitheater in Alabama. With three tiers of reserved seating,
there’s not a bad view, and on a clear summer night, there’s hardly anything
better than taking in a show under the stars. Afterwards, you might want to
head into Birmingham to enjoy some top notch ramen, fried shishito peppers, and
flights of sake at Shu Shop.
BEAT #4: THE NICK
Billed as “Birmingham’s Dirty Little Secret,” The Nick is
music at its rawest. If the first three notes from this measure are clean, this
one’s got the sort of distortion you’d expect from Jimmy Page. And The Nick’s
been around about as long as Page, too. Here, you’ll find local, regional, and
national acts, and everything from blues, rock, punk, emo, hiphop, rap, pop,
and country, to metal, bluegrass, rock-a-billy, and roots rock. Enjoy
cocktails, take in excellent tunes, and shake your booty into the wee hours of
the morning. It’s The Nick, and it doth rock. Afterwards, you’re close enough
to Five Points where, if it’s not too late, you can bop into any of a number of
restaurants for noshes. And there’s always Waffle House.
BEAT #5: SATURN
With its retro-mod styling and cool coffee shop and bar
attached, Saturn is definitely one of the coolest new music venues in the Ham.
Located in the popular Avondale area, Saturn is the destination of choice to
get your indie fix. The venue was designed with music in mind, plus you can
step out of the concert area and into the bar for a cocktail. It’s also a
pretty cool morning hangout for a quick coffee and pastry to start your day. If
you decide to make a night of it, you’ve got any number of restaurant choices
right within walking distance – Melt, Hotbox, Fancy’s on
5th, Saigon Noodle House, Avondale
Common House & Distillery, Saw’s Soul
Kitchen, Hot Diggity
Dogs, and Post Office
Pies, to name a few.
BEAT #6: MOONLIGHT ON THE
MOUNTAIN
If you like getting up close and personal with your concert
experience, Moonlight on the Mountain is a must. It’s a great place to catch
local up and comers, old standbys, singer songwriters, and small groups.
Intimate is definitely the word for this excellent little listening room. And,
if you happen to find yourself up on Shades Crest around sunset (in other
words… before Moonlight… see what we did there?) , you might want to consider a
hamburger or hotdog from Tip Top Grill,
a classic little burger joint with an indescribable view.
BEAT #7: ZYDECO
The second oldest music venue in Birmingham, Zydeco is
really three places in one. The main concert hall has standing room for about
600, while depending upon the weather, the Patio and the Pub offer perfect
places to take a break from the music. Here, you’ll find a broad range of music
ranging from acts that have been around a while, to some of the coolest new
vibes to arise. The concert hall is intimate enough to feel like you’re
experiencing something special. Plus, you’re right up the street from Five
Points, which means there’s ample food in the area if you choose to make an
evening of it.
BEAT #8: GIP’S PLACE
No mention of Birmingham music venues can be complete
without mentioning Gip’s Place, one of the last remaining true juke joints in
the South. Acts from all over the country play here. The greats have stood on
the makeshift stage in old man Gip’s backyard over the years, people like Muddy
Waters and BB King. You’ll want to get directions to find it, and you
definitely don’t want to miss an opportunity to experience it. If you’re going
to make an evening of it, you might want to start at The Bright
Star
restaurant, a Bessemer institution since
1907. (Try the snapper throats… oh my!)
