The Blair Street basement carved into Edinburgh's old underground vaults is one of Scotland's most iconic electronic venues, with seven-night-a-week programming.
Tip: The vaulted side rooms run different sounds from the main floor, walk the full venue before committing to one bar queue.
Address: 36-38 Blair Street, Edinburgh EH1 1QR
The three-floor Cowgate venue accessed via Hastie's Close is a rustic brick and scaffold space running electronic club residencies, ceilidhs and the odd punk gig.
Tip: Easier to find via the Guthrie Street staircase than the Cowgate side, and the upstairs bar is the quietest spot for between-set drinks.
Originally formed in the early 1990s, rebuilt after the 2002 Cowgate fire, La Belle remains one of Edinburgh's most loved live music and club rooms in the Old Town.
Tip: Access is via the steep close stairs from Guthrie Street or the Cowgate, wear sensible shoes if it has been raining.
The basement of an 1860s Chambers Street building has been the city's most reliable seven-nights-a-week jazz, blues and funk room since musician Bill Kyle opened it.
Tip: The late set at 23:30 is when the room loosens up, get there for the early jazz at 20:00 to grab a banquette seat.
The reclaimed South Bridge vaults run live bands every night until 03:00, free before midnight Friday and Saturday, the canonical Cowgate-area late-night gig stop.
Tip: Up to six acts on a Friday or Saturday, the late slot from 01:00 is when the room tightens, arrive after 23:00 to skip the early covers.
The catacomb pub on Cowgate is Edinburgh's home of live rock seven nights a week, vaulted rooms with flagstone floors and flags hung from the stone ceilings.
Tip: Get to the back stone vault for the loudest mix, and the front bar stays open after the gig room closes if you want a slower pint.
The three-floor Cowgate venue accessed via Hastie's Close is a rustic brick and scaffold space running electronic club residencies, ceilidhs and the odd punk gig.
Tip: Easier to find via the Guthrie Street staircase than the Cowgate side, and the upstairs bar is the quietest spot for between-set drinks.
Originally formed in the early 1990s, rebuilt after the 2002 Cowgate fire, La Belle remains one of Edinburgh's most loved live music and club rooms in the Old Town.
Tip: Access is via the steep close stairs from Guthrie Street or the Cowgate, wear sensible shoes if it has been raining.
The basement of an 1860s Chambers Street building has been the city's most reliable seven-nights-a-week jazz, blues and funk room since musician Bill Kyle opened it.
Tip: The late set at 23:30 is when the room loosens up, get there for the early jazz at 20:00 to grab a banquette seat.
The opulent first-floor Ballroom above the Cafe Royal off West Register Street is one of the city's most beautiful live rooms, with album launches, cabaret and jazz nightly.
Tip: The Speakeasy side bar is the spot for cocktails before a show, and the Ballroom acoustics reward standing centre rather than the side balconies.
The reclaimed South Bridge vaults run live bands every night until 03:00, free before midnight Friday and Saturday, the canonical Cowgate-area late-night gig stop.
Tip: Up to six acts on a Friday or Saturday, the late slot from 01:00 is when the room tightens, arrive after 23:00 to skip the early covers.
The catacomb pub on Cowgate is Edinburgh's home of live rock seven nights a week, vaulted rooms with flagstone floors and flags hung from the stone ceilings.
Tip: Get to the back stone vault for the loudest mix, and the front bar stays open after the gig room closes if you want a slower pint.