Places You’d Never Expect to Catch a Concert

One of the best parts of going to a concert is experiencing such a strong sense of place. There’s often a moment when you look around and realize this couldn’t be (and isn’t) happening anywhere else. While this feeling can occur anywhere, from an arena to a club, or even an open field, it certainly doesn’t hurt when the venue is a unique place itself.

We searched the country to find some of the coolest and most unique under-the-radar concert venues. From a decommissioned steel plant, to an old Hollywood movie set, and even a giant cave, you may spend as much time gawking at these concert spaces as you do watching your favorite bands. Here are some amazing places you would never expect to catch a concert.

Location: Bethlehem, Pa.

Once upon a time, Bethlehem, Pa., was one of America’s industrial capitals. Bethlehem Steel’s giant factory pumped out the steel beams that supported many of the country’s major bridges and skyscrapers throughout the early 20th century. Although the plant shuttered in 1995, the city was reluctant to give up on it completely. Instead, they converted the massive industrial plant into a community arts center, including both outdoor and indoor concert stages. It hosts a mixture of free and ticketed concerts, often outdoors and family-friendly. Big artists like Maroon 5 play here, as do major comedians and smaller indie bands. It’s hard to find a more interesting backdrop for music than a reborn relic of America’s industrial heritage.

Location: Pioneertown, Calif.

In the 1940s, during the heyday of Hollywood’s Western craze, movie execs were looking for a consistent place to film. To accomplish this they built Pioneertown, a live-in Wild West-style movie set designed to house cast and crew members during shoots. The set’s cantina, which was featured in classic television shows such as Annie Oakley, The Cisco Kid, and The Range Rider, has since become a TexMex restaurant and concert venue. Notable performers include indie bands like Vampire Weekend, the Arctic Monkeys, Grizzly Bear, and Band of Horses, plus musical legends like Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant. Pop star Kesha even showed up to one of its famous Open Mic nights. The under-the-radar haunt lies in a rural corner of San Bernardino County, Calif., about a two-hour drive from Los Angeles.

Location: New Windsor, N.Y.

Storm King is one of the world’s finest sculpture gardens, hosting giant, modern art sculptures by some of today’s most famous artists. As such, most people think of Storm King as a location for stunning visual art. While that may be true, what’s less known is that this upstate New York art center also hosts live music events. The artists aren’t huge (past performers include indie bands Porches and Alex Bleeker & the Freaks, as well as classical sonatas and philharmonic performances), but the chance to experience live music in this modern-art paradise is not to be missed. Anyone in the New York area would do well to check out Storm King’s musical offerings, as well as their visual ones.

Location: Saxapahaw, N.C.

On the banks of the Haw River in the Piedmont of North Carolina lies the expansive Dixie Yarns Cotton Mill, once part of the region’s flourishing textile industry. Although the mill closed long ago, it found new life as a central hub for the rural community of Saxapahaw, N.C., and now includes high-end apartments, a gastropub, a microbrewery, and (most importantly) the Haw River Ballroom. Built in the mill’s former dye house, the three-story riverfront venue plays host to a number of prominent indie acts—past performers include Sufjan Stevens, Ben Gibbard (of Death Cab for Cutie), Neon Indian, and the Mountain Goats. With reasonably priced tickets, a gorgeous location, and a thriving neighborhood, the Haw River Ballroom is a unique venue not to be missed.

Location: Brownfield, Maine

Not every concert venue would advertise the fact that phones and GPS won’t work there, but then again, not every concert venue is Stone Mountain Arts Center. Located in the small town of Brownfield, Maine, (about an hour northwest of Portland) this rural venue is a bastion of culture and artistry in a very remote area. Set in a refurbished barn, the intimate, timber-framed concert hall is populated with long wooden tables, where guests are served dinner before most shows. Past performers have included Ziggy Marley, Taj Mahal, and bluegrass legend Dr. Ralph Stanley. If you’re willing to make the drive, Stone Mountain Arts Center offers rustic New England charm in abundance.

Location: Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas, has its fair share of funky, offbeat venues, but Mohawk may be the best. The unique club and bar draws inspiration from the people of the Six Nations (also known as the Iroquois Confederacy), seeking to “blend this [their culture] with elements of our local Austin music scene” and embody “the oldest participatory democracy on earth,” according to their official Facebook page. In terms of decor, this includes a large stuffed bear, old wooden furniture, and authentic Native American tapestries. The venue is particularly popular during SXSW, but hosts concerts all year long, including performers like Joey Bada$$, Future Islands, Andrew WK, and Yasiin Bey.

Location: Cumberland Caverns in McMinville, Tenn.

Every month since 2008, Tennessee’s Cumberland Caverns have played host to an underground concert series, which has also been broadcast on PBS since 2011. The concerts, which mostly feature classic country and bluegrass artists, take place in the caverns’ Volcano Room, a large open cave more than 300 feet below the ground. The cave system is over 32 miles long and lies roughly equidistant between Nashville and Chattanooga, Tenn. For high-quality bluegrass in a highly unconventional setting, these one-of-a-kind cave concerts are just the ticket.

Location: Detroit

The Masonic society has a long and often mysterious history in American culture. One of the nation’s oldest fraternal organizations, with past members including George Washington and Ben Franklin, their symbols appear on historic buildings and even U.S. currency. Detroit is home to the largest Masonic temple in the world, boasting 16 floors, three theaters, and over 1,000 rooms total—the building is simply an architectural marvel. Although most of it remains off limit to the public, monetary troubles and a decline in membership caused the Masons to open up their theater (including one of the largest stages in the country) for concerts. Now, everyone from Prince to Jack White, Skrillex, and Insane Clown Posse has played in this historic and lavishly appointed venue. While the activities of the Masonic Society remain shrouded in mystery, what is clear is that the Masonic is one of the best (and strangest) places to catch a concert in America.

Location: Atlanta

Georgia might be smack in the middle of America’s Bible Belt, but Tabernacle isn’t your ordinary church. The former Baptist church lost nearly all of its congregation by the late 1980s and was eventually abandoned. Only when the 1996 Olympics came to Atlanta was the building reborn, at first as a House of Blues and later as the Tabernacle. It is now a fully functional concert venue that has played host to some of the biggest names in the industry. Everyone from Adele to Guns’N’Roses and Chance the Rapper has played in this historic venue. It may have been born as a church, but it now stands as a temple to American music.