10 Liverpool Indie Music Venues

Liverpool's music scene is full of legendary talent with live gigs at its beating heart. 

With ICMP now launching a series of undergraduate courses in Liverpool, we've delved into the grassroots live music scene to discover the city's brilliant array of venues.

Many offer the next generation of stars and musicians vital opportunities to hone their skills and live performance abilities. Here are some of the best...

The Cavern 

Not just the most famous music venue in Liverpool but possibly in the world, the Cavern has long been associated with the Beatles, a small basement venue where the talents of John, Paul, George and Ringo first shone. 

The Cavern Club initially opened in the fifties as a jazz venue before becoming known for its association with Merseybeat the following decade. 

The Beatles first performed there in February 1961 following a stint in Hamburg in Germany. The original club was closed during the seventies but then reopened in 1984 on a slightly different site. 

Fast forward to today and the Cavern is still very much a living, breathing venue with live music kicking off every day from 11.15am. 

Find out more. 

The Jacaranda

Located on Slater Street in the city centre, the Jacaranda also has links to the Beatles, hosting the first publicly announced performance under this band name with John, Paul, George, Stuart Sutcliffe and Pete Best.

Every Friday and Saturday, the venue hosts a range of live acts performing from early afternoon. Late on Friday, a club night called Cutting Teeth takes place, dedicated to showcasing the latest local talents.

In 2024, the Jacaranda opened the Jacaranda Baltic, a new 400 capacity venue which has held launch parties for new albums by Tom Odell, Dizzee Rascal and Liverpool stars, Red Rum Club. 

Find out more.

QUARRY 

​QUARRY is a DIY music venue, recording studio and multimedia arts space located inside a disused railway arch in Liverpool. 

In operation since 2020, the community venture aims to offer an eclectic mix of programming in a safe space alongside a recording and rehearsal studio. 

Their forthcoming acts indicate the breadth of the bookings: punks Big Joanie play in June, dark folk artist Alison Cotton will be visiting in July with US punk outfit the Darts booked to perform later in the year. 

Find out more. 

Zanzibar 

At 300 capacity, the Zanzibar is an essential venue for up and coming music talent in Liverpool, focusing on championing alternative and guitar-based talents. 

While much of its events feature grassroots artists from across the North-West, it's also welcomed plenty of music legends to its stage too - the likes of Pete Wylie, The Coral, The Zutons and Miles Kane have all played in this intimate space. 

Upcoming gigs to watch out for include appearances from the Cazales and Wrest.

Find out more. 

The Shipping Forecast 

As with the Zanzibar, the Shipping Forecast is another intimate space offering live music fans plenty to get their teeth into from its base on Slater Street in Liverpool's city centre. 

A regular open mic night is a highlight in its event programming while previous gigs have included Ghostpoet, Four Tet, Skream and guest DJs including Calvin Harris and Mark Ronson.

Find out more. 

The Arts Club 

Billed as "part-Victorian theatre, part-Manhattan loft club", the Arts Club has been open in various incarnations and under different names for decades, evolving in line with Liverpool's diverse cultural environment. 

The latest iteration was redesigned by Tokyo Industries, reopened in September 2023 and relaunched by local legends, the Wombats. 

Forthcoming gigs are suitably eclectic including US rockers Ugly Kid Joe, the Lovely Eggs, and local hero, indie artist Pixey.

Find out more. 

District 

Situated in the heart of the Baltic Triangle, District is another multi-purpose space offering a platform for gigs, club nights, talks, screenings and much, much more. 

Run by local luminaries Jayne Casey and Eric Gooden, whether you're catching a performance by local favourite Jamie Webster, or enjoying Merseyside's Alternative Music Showcase, there's plenty of diversity in its programming. It also showcases some of the best acts in the UK's Black music scene with events including BBC Radio 1Xtra's Touchdown Tour with DJ Target, featuring Big Daddy Koj.

Find out more.

Invisible Wind Factory 

Invisible Wind Factory (IWF) is a vibrant venues operator and arts organisation with a site based in the Ten Streets area of Liverpool and another out of Kazimier Garden in Liverpool city centre.

The venue offers a variety of experiences for visitors, including providing Liverpool's only indoor roller disco and roller-skating facility. In its basement, IWF also hosts Substation, a more intimate clubbing space to accompany the main room. 

Incoming artists include DJ Shadow and Australia's The Chats.

Find out more.

Camp and Furnace 

Located in the heart of the Baltic Triangle, Camp and Furnace encompasses a range of versatile warehouse and studio spaces, making it the ideal venue for club nights, food festivals, live music events, exhibitions and more. 

Recent visitors have included American pop-punk band Wheatus while upcoming highlights include Kiefer Sutherland and DJ Legend Marshall Jefferson. 

Find out more

Hangar 34 

Another venue in the Baltic Triangle, Hangar 34 is a multi-use events space and a great addition to Liverpool's live gig scene. 

During Eurovision 2023, it hosted the special Rave Ukraine event, a unique concept uniting the dancefloors of Liverpool and Kyiv and saw the likes of Hot Chip, DJ Paulette and Jodie Harsh all performing. 

Upcoming gigs worth checking include The Lemon Twigs and Sheffield indie heroes, Milburn.

Find out more.