The 10 Best Places To See Live Music in Philly

Philadelphia is a musical city. From the sound cultivated by Leon Huff and Kenneth Gamble with Philadelphia International Records, the French Prince & DJ Jazzy Jeff’s pre-television crossover success during the late 1980s to The Roots’ journey from kings of the underground to Jimmy Fallon’s house band, Philly’s history in music is rich. Included in that history are the many music venues that the city has to offer.

Oddly enough, there are people in this world who claim to enjoy music, but don’t appreciate the magic that happens when it’s performed live. Plenty of artists sound amazing during studio sessions, but it’s the truly gifted ones who bring something unique to the stage. Every music lover knows there’s nothing better than the live music experience, so these 10 great places to experience it in Philly are invaluable.

Address: 421 N 7th St.
Website: electricfactory.info

The current incarnation of the Electric Factory was born in 1994, quickly becoming one of the city's better large venues in a building that actually used to be an electrical factory. The warehouse-like space holds as many as 3,000 people and the factory welcomes all genres of music. One benefit of being on the second floor is that patrons can see a little bit of the action going on backstage. The Electric Factory has 40 years of history on Philadelphia's music scene and looks to keep the good times rolling for years to come.

Address: 1026 Spring Garden St.
Website: utphilly.com

In 2011, Union Transfer opened in the former Spring Garden Farmer’s market building as collaborative venture by The Bowery Presents, Four Corners Management and R5 Productions. Located in the area dubbed Eraserhood (named for Eraserhead director David Lynch’s time living in the city), Union Transfer is smaller, yet decent mid-sized venue that serves as a complement to the Electric Factory, which is just a few blocks away.

Address: 334 South St.
Website: tlaphilly.com

The Theatre of Living Arts, or simply the TLA, is located on Philly’s historic South Street strip, about a block away from the Laff House. After becoming a popular destination for grindhouse films and Broadway shows, it was used exclusively for live music from the 1980s onward. Perhaps as a nod to his past, it has retained its old school movie theater aesthetic and the TLA’s angled floor also helps shorter folks get better looks at the stage—especially in the very back of the venue.

Address: 1003 Arch St.
Website: thetroc.com

The Trocadero is located in Chinatown, not too far from Reading Terminal market. In its earlier days, the Troc hosted both burlesque and vaudeville performances before sustaining itself as an art house cinema during the 1970s. The Trocadero is the only 19th century Victorian theater in the U.S. that’s still in operation and it offers limited seating on the balcony, which allows you to relax while looking down on the action below. After over 140 years of operation, a place on the U.S. Register of Historic Places and a list of excellent concerts, the Trocadero still looks like a burlesque show could break out at any time. Few would mind.

Address: 19 S 69th St.
Website: thetowerphilly.com

Despite being located just outside of city limits in Upper Darby, the Tower Theater deserves a mention because of its history. It opened as a movie house, and despite struggling during the early 1970s, it became a concert hall that was christened Philly’s answer to the Fillmore following the first concert and sold out show in 1972. In subsequent years, it earned reputations for welcoming acts on the verge of success and also acted as the setting for several live albums. Anyone who likes having the option of sitting down during a show will love the Tower Theater because it has a plethora of comfortable seating, which, along with the balcony, creates one of the best indoor music settings in the area.

Address: 3025 Walnut St.
Website: worldcafelive.com

Located in University City, World Cafe Live blends the dining and listening experiences to perfection. Named for WXPN’s World Cafe program, the venue-meets-bistro offers food, drinks and excellent views of the stage. Speaking of the stage, there isn't a bad view of it in the building, which also features an amazing sound system. World Cafe Live was built for music lovers and it's extremely difficult not to love this place.

Address: 5201 Parkside Ave.
Website: manncenter.org

Arguably the city’s best large venue, The Mann Center holds 14,000 people and resides in Fairmount Park. Named for Frederic R. Mann, it’s the summer home for the Philadelphia Orchestra and the nonprofit organization stays true to its namesake’s community-based principles and belief in the beauty of live music in Fairmount Park during the summer. Numerous elite, award-winning performers have graced The Mann Center’s stage, and whether you first visited the massive arts center on a class trip as a child or a concert as an adult, you really can’t claim Philly until you’ve seen a show there.

Address: 1201 Frankford Ave.
Website: johnnybrendas.com

Johnny Brenda’s is small, but it's the pride of the evolving Fishtown neighborhood. The food is amazing, with a menu featuring locally-grown produce and craft beers exclusively from regional breweries. Johnny Brenda’s flexes on competitors with its menu and beer selection, but its claim to fame is the concert space, which offers some of the best indie rock acts that Philly has to offer. As long as you aren’t scared away by other people basically on top of you, you’ll love Johnny Brenda’s and everything that it has to offer.

Address: 1250 N Front St.
Website: kungfunecktie.com

Now five years old, Kung Fu Necktie succeeds by keeping it as simple as a place named Kung Fu Necktie can. It accommodates small shows, crafting an intimate setting thanks to its dim lighting and sound system that sends every note ripping through your body. Kung Fu Necktie is a necessary reminder that sometimes the better venues are the ones where you're so close to performers, they could spit on you if they really wanted to.

Address: 2125 Chestnut St.
Website: philauu.org

A great concert can be an out-of-body, borderline religious experience, so why not enjoy that in a church? R5 Productions has brought its DIY approach to First Unitarian Church, throwing concerts there to satisfy the city’s need for mid-sized venues. It largely caters to small indie acts, and it’s versatile enough to not only serve as a church—part of the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, in fact—but harness the chaos of an Odd Future show, back when they were on the verge and particularly reckless.