The Best Live Music Venues in Berlin

Music is deeply embedded in Berlin’s culture, with world-renowned musicians of all genres regularly gracing the many stages the city has to offer. From underground dive bars to opera-singer-worthy venues, Culture Trip has picked the best places to experience Berlin’s live music scene for yourself.

Loved by over 40s

View All Trips

The vibrant and international music hub that is Germany’s capital city has been gathering fans for decades. Musicians from around the world flock to the city’s eclectic music scene, adding their style to an already strong local community. Music pumps out of the city’s myriad bars and venues on a daily basis; from classical concerts and iconic pop bands to the latest DJ beats, Berlin has it all.

Kallasch and Moabiter Barprojekt, Unionstrasse

Bar, Pub Grub

This retro-chic bar in the relatively undiscovered Moabit neighbourhood offers a collection of musical options. Free open mic nights on the last Thursday of each month will have you singing along with your newfound bar friends. And while singer-songwriters are the main bookings, you’re also likely to hear blues, jazz and folk acts. Further your musical knowledge by taking part in their musical bingo and quizzes; just make sure to check the schedule ahead of time to find out what’s on.

Quasimodo Club

Concert Hall, Music Venue

Steeped in history, the Quasimodo Club is located in the basement of former 1920s dance hall, the Delphi Filmpalast. Just off Kurfürstendamm, it’s the ideal spot to rest your legs after perusing the street’s shops. The Berlin jazz club opened in the late 1960s in what was then the centre of West Berlin, and has offered live music every night of the week ever since. Branching away from its jazz-only early days, the club now also offers other music genres, including funk and soul. Famous names such as Prince and Chet Baker have taken to the stage in this unmissable stylish spot.

Berlin Philharmonic

Building

Don a suit or dress and make your way to the Philharmonic hall for world-renowned classical music concerts. Orchestras, opera singers and musicians from around the world have played at the Berlin Philharmonic. Its architectural design alone will have you dropping your jaw: the orchestra plays from the centre of the hall, allowing the audience incredible 360-degree views of the stage. The hall’s tent-shaped ceiling and gently sloping walls beautifully house its 2,440 terraced seats. Pro tip: Every Tuesday at 1pm, the Philharmonic offers a free 45-minute-long chamber concert in its main foyer.

Silent Green

Art Gallery, Building, Music Venue

The concert space at Silent Green is truly one to behold. The live music venue in Berlin’s up-and-coming Wedding district started its life in 1911 as the city’s first crematorium. Since 2013 however, people have flocked to its doors for a very different experience. The main hall’s domed ceiling offers an incredibly atmospheric experience, which is further enriched by incredible acoustics. Not only does Silent Green put on incredible concerts of varied music genres, but they are also the current home of record label !K7 Records, which has represented artists like Nick Cave.

Astra Kulturhaus

Bar, Fusion

Just a stone’s throw from Berlin restaurant haven Boxhagener Platz, you’ll most likely hear indie-rock and pop tunes blasting out from the relaxed Astra Kulturhaus. On any given night of the week, this well-established Friedrichshain concert venue offers live music acts from between €10-€40 (£8.50-£34), and has previously hosted renowned bands such as Death Cab for Cutie and The Whitest Boy Alive. It’s best to buy your ticket well in advance to secure a spot, and aim to arrive early to enjoy the beers from as low as €3 (£2.55) in the private biergarten.

Huxleys Neue Welt

Concert Hall

This popular Neukölln establishment first opened its doors in 1880 as the concert venue, Neue Welt. Its current name only came to life around 100 years later, when it officially reopened as Huxleys Neue Welt – locally known as Huxleys. Steeped in history, it’s hosted political meetings, served as a military hospital during World War I, and was bombed during World War II. More recently, the hall has welcomed huge rock and pop talent such as Jimi Hendrix, Patti Smith and the Dire Straits, and it still invites famous bands and musicians to its historical hall.

Tempodrom

Concert Hall

It’s hard to miss the Tempodrom with its strikingly white tent-shaped roof. Situated near Potsdamer Platz, it’s a short hop away from many of Berlin’s historical sights such as Checkpoint Charlie and the Brandenburg Gate. Built as a modern-day amphitheatre, sounds echo and boom around its main hall, the Great Arena, guaranteed to send shivers down your spine. There’s something for everyone here as concerts vary from classical music to rock bands, and tickets sell in the mid-to-high price range.

Berghain

Music Venue

A list of Berlin music venues would be incomplete without its most famous club, Berghain. Based in a former power station in Friedrichshain, this is the place to go to listen to techno music; be prepared to delve into its hedonistic scene as your body sways to the weekend-long beats. But be aware that it’s notoriously hard to gain entry, as its gatekeepers are seriously selective. The club opens from midnight on Friday and stays open until Monday morning. It’s so well-established in the Berlin music and cultural scene that it has been granted a similar cultural status to the Opera House.

Hoppetosse

Nightclub, Beer, Wine

Based on a static boat on the Spree River that was built in 1928, Hoppetosse is a truly unique location for a night out in Berlin. Make the most of the boat’s outdoor deck or look out over the river from inside the boat. Hoppetosse is owned by the famous Club Der Visionäre and, keeping its DJ list lean, Hoppetosse focusses on minimalist house and techno music. Dance the night away to Berlin favourites as well as a rotating cast of international names.

This article is an updated version of a story originally created by Evangelos Tsirmpas.

Volcanic Iceland Epic Trip

meet our Local Insider

Hanna

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?

2 years.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?

It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.

WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST?

I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!

Every CULTURE TRIP Small-group adventure is led by a Local Insider just like Hanna.

map of volcanic iceland trip destination points

See Our Culture Trips

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.