One of the most frequently asked questions of locals by visitors is “Where can I hear some live, local music?”  There are many clubs throughout the city, but choosing one in an uninformed way leaves everything up to chance.  Of course, chance can lead to good times, but if you want to know where to go ahead of time, check out this guide.  You can also visit WWOZ (our world-famous community radio station) to access the LiveWire Music Calendar.  There you will find daily listings of what and who is playing at most clubs in the city.  Even better, when they are available, links to the clubs and the performers are provided so that you can get detailed info to plan the perfect night on the town.  Now, when you come to town, you won’t have to ask us locals where you can hear live, local music, but, if you do, we will tell you.  We’re just nice that way.

At 411 NOLA, we love freebies, but in the case of second-hand smoke, we say no thanks.  Thankfully, several New Orleans clubs have voluntarily gone smoke free.  That means that you can enjoy the best live music on earth without choking on someone else’s cancer stick carcinogens.  Catch your favorite bands, singers, and performers at smoke-free venues around the city.  Click here for an updated list.

Bourbon St. is the most famous street in New Orleans and has several music clubs that both locals and visitors enjoy:  Preservation Hall, the legendery French Quarter shrine to traditional Jazz, Fritzel’s European Jazz Pub, the Funky Pirate blues club, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop (piano bar), and Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse.  Elsewhere in the Quarter, you can enjoy good music at The Palm Court Jazz Cafe, which serves up classic New Orleans cuisine and traditional Jazz.  Hermes Bar is another great place to hear live, local music in the French Quarter.  The bar is part of Antoine’s, a world-famous restaurant that made New Orleans one of the greatest dining capitals of the world.  Hermes hosts live, Jazz music every Friday and Saturday at 9:30 p. m. at no charge.  Other noteworthy French Quarter clubs include House of Blues, Tipitina’s, Kerry’s Irish Pub, and the Bombay Club.

Just east of the Quarter is Frenchmen St., another popular street known for its music scene.  No fewer than 10 clubs line the street.  Brass bands, reggae, Jazz, Latin music—Frenchmen St. has something for everyone.  Big names like Trombone Shorty and Kermit Ruffins play here all of the time.  Low and sometimes non-existent cover charges combined with its close proximity to the French Quarter (just across Esplanade Ave. at Decatur St.) make Frenchmen St. the place to be.

Further down the river lies the Bywater.  Great local music can be heard at Sweet Lorraine’s, named one of the top ten Jazz clubs in the country by USA Today.  Also in the neighborhood is Bacchanal Fine Wine & Spirits, an old-world style wine shop that features live music 7 days a week (not to mention an amazing menu and outdoor dining).  Vaughn’s Lounge, a local joint known for its live music on Thursday nights, is in the area too as is the Hi-Ho Lounge, a bar that often features brass bands and Mardi Gras Indians.

Just a few blocks north from the Faubourg Marigny and the French Quarter is the now famous neighborhood Treme.  On St. Bernard Ave. you will find a handful of clubs including Sidney’s Saloon, a club that radio station WWOZ describes as “one of the most authentic neighborhood bars in the city.”  Nearby is the Candlelight Lounge which features brass bands and free red beans and rice on Mondays.  Up the road from that club, you will find Bullet’s Sports Bar which is known for its live music.

Out in Gentilly, northeast from the Quarter, is the Ju-Ju Bag Cafe.  Friday nights are the best time to catch music there as well as the cafe’s yummy catfish plate.  Contact the cafe before you venture out there to get the line-up.  At the University of New Orleans on the lakefront is the Sandbar, a club that “pairs guest artists with students from the UNO Jazz Studies program.”  You can hear some great talent there without having to empty your wallet.

North of the French Quarter and past Treme is Mid-City, home to many music venues.  In the Bayou St. John neighborhood of Mid-City is Fair Grinds, a coffee house that hosts many local musicians on a regular basis.  In Mid-City proper you can find well-known clubs such as the Banks Street Bar, Chickie Wah Wah, the Lion’s Den (Irma Thomas’ nightclub), and the Bayou Beer Garden.

Downriver from the French Quarter are the CBD and Warehouse District, both of which are home to popular music venues.  The best places to hear live, local music in those parts of town are the Circle Bar, the Howlin’ Wolf, Mulate’s, the Rusty Nail, Charmaine’s Place (a new venue opened by Charmaine Neville) and, The 12 Bar.

Uptown New Orleans is home to a large collection of clubs and bars hoppin’ with local tunes.  There you will find Dos Jefes (a cigar bar that features jazz and blues), the Kingpin (bluegrass and country music), Le Bons Temps Roule (great local vibe), the Neutral Ground Coffehouse, (a comfy, family-friendly venue that showcases both newcomers and veteran musicians), and last but not least Tipitina’s (a world famous venue featuring the best in local music).

In the Riverbend and Carrollton areas are some more classic New Orleans clubs, the most notable of which are the Maple Leaf, Carrollton Station, and the ever popular and happenin’ Rock ‘n’ Bowl (definitely worth a visit for its stellar line-up of performers).

Every night of the week you can hear live, local music that exudes a uniquely New Orleans sound.  In some cases, you have to venture outside of the French Quarter to find it, but it is always worth the effort.