This is a work in progress. It is acknowledged that there are places missing. This is all my opinion, not the rhetoric of the places listed. ~STAN
B. NC Music Factory
Large audience music venues like the Charlotte Fillmore and the Uptown Amphitheater. Also a lot of smaller bars and taverns, some of which have live music occasionally.
C. NoDa (North Davidson)
Chop Shop: An old converted warehouse that has two stage rooms with full soundboard & lighting. Larger rectangular room with the bar has the big stage, yet the other room has the taller stage. Well designed sound & lighting. My experience is that it’s great for multiple band shows to fully take advantage of the two stages.
Evening Muse: Small place that has some of the best sound in Charlotte. I’ve seen most genres of music there yet I find it’s great for an acoustic guitarist or mellower band. That’s not to say the Muse doesn’t rock.
Neighborhood Theatre: Converted theaters make for great concert halls. They’ve taken what looks to me like the shop next door and turned it into their bar area, offering additional side stage seating & also houses another, albeit smaller stage.
G. Plaza-Midwood
Petra’s Piano Bar: Petra’s is a very welcoming place by all definitions. Not as small of a bar as it seems, there are corridors to other rooms, back patio and more.
The Rabbit Hole: See the review on the other page.
Snug Harbor: Good place for music that maintains the local bar feel. Back patio bar away from the bands in the main room & front patio allow for conversations. Thomas Street Tavern: An eclectic tavern (as in they also serve food) that also has live music.
Tommy’s Pub: Neighborhood bar that includes a side room for live music. Its charm is that it may be the smallest live music venue in the Charlotte area.
Thirsty Beaver: Classic Honky Tonk, beer, pool and good people behind the bar, Johnny Cash fans will feel quite at home. (NMFH said)
F. Elizabeth
Crown Station: Another small neighborhood bar style place that also offers live music.
Double Door Inn: One of the oldest blues clubs,The bar and stage are in the main room with a back room for pool and other games. The sound is wonderful as it is essentially an old wood structure house converted into a venue.
Visulite Theater: A former art deco theater converted into a music venue, with tables and stools for seating, plus a lower pit area to get closer to the performers.
Southend
E. Amos’ Southend: A larger concert venue fitting between local and national level acts.
H. Tremont Music Hall: Larger venue, two stages fitting local to touring bands.
D. Uptown
Belk Theater: A large proscenium stage balconied theater.
McGlohan Theater: Small former church converted into music venue.
Knight Theater: A newer performance hall that recollects old theater styles, yet updated.
Outskirts
I. Comet Grill: A music place that serves food or a food place that has live music? You decide. Small, cozy, has a balcony second floor that wraps around and gives a good view of the stage and bar.
A. Milestone Club: The oldest punk club quite possibly in the entire world, it looks and feels that way. Bar area separate from the main room and an outside patio (smoking lounge). The largest number of band stickers on the walls detailing the history of live music performances, or so it seems.
K. Oven’s Auditorium: A large Wtheater seating proscenium stage style venue.
J. Smokey Joe’s Cafe: Initially I thought it was a barbecue place, though they do serve food also, that’s not the key feature. A good place to hear live music and by way of acoustic anomalies, the volume drops when you’re at the bar.