Music and Gigs in Edinburgh

Live music and clubbing in Edinburgh. We have done our best to get round all the venues to write our club reviews and live music reviews .

GoOutIn Edinburgh Recommends

Opium

Now that dance music is like, so oooover, it's time for the rock kids to revel in their guitar riffing glory and party hard at Opium. The mother ship of alternative scenesters, every night of the week offers up a selection of tunes from grunge to heavy metal, punk to French rock – no, rea Read more about Opium

Madogs

Madogs is less your full-on nightclub and more your bar with some gigs and a dance floor kinda thing. It's got some reasonably cheap drinks, and it's probably most famous for being the place where Ray Wilson made his name. You know, the guy who replaced Phil Collins in Genesis... right. Wi Read more about Madogs

The Hive

The Honeycomb bit the dust long ago, but the lamenting howls of clubbers from 'back in the day' still echo around the Cowgate. The Hive, then, had a lot to live up to when it took over in 2007. What you'll find here is a refreshing range of indie, metal and rock which shakes the pitch Read more about The Hive

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Madogs

Madogs is less your full-on nightclub and more your bar with some gigs and a dance floor kinda thing. It's got some reasonably cheap drinks, and it's probably most famous for being the place where Ray Wilson made his name. You know, the guy who replaced Phil Collins in Genesis... right. Wi... Read more about Madogs

Lava Ignite

Ok, so it smells slightly of sick when you walk in, and from thereon in the smell gets worse, but Lava Ignite is a potentially fun night out. It's huge and always packed - there are five bar areas, three large rooms, and all the space is pretty much dancefloor. There are always good deals on co... Read more about Lava Ignite

Cavendish

These days when The Cavendish's mentioned, it's increasingly common someone will say 'Oh, my grandparents met there'. This isn't because they're heading a new trend in OAP clubbing, it's just that it's been around a loooong time. Don't worry, the chintzy ... Read more about Cavendish

Potterrow Union

Edinburgh University's student union is worth a mention because, in a city of cellar clubs, it's one of the largest central venues. Still, it is well and truly a union, with cheap drinks, drunk students and, like all job–dodger joints, the bar staff are pretty decent –and in a ... Read more about Potterrow Union

Why Not?

Though there are a myriad (admittedly hilarious) answers to that question, it's safe to say that none of the answers we can come up with would be ideal advertisements for this place. Why Not? is a magnet for all things southern, almost a little slice of stuck-up London, which explains the over-... Read more about Why Not?

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The GRV

While it certainly can't claim to be the cheapest club (cum arts venue) in the Cowgate area, the GRV is of a classier breed altogether. Intimate and artsy, it carves itself out a nice little niche of being trendy and modern without reaching snobbish or inaccessible territory, playing host to so... Read more about The GRV

GHQ Club

Cutting the proverbial edge with an exquisitely sharpened blade, this relatively new addition to Edinbugh's infamous 'pink quarter' is the glitzy 'designer venue' star atop its fuzzy leopard print tree. The interior décor is a visual treat and the cavernous size of the ... Read more about GHQ Club

Red Vodka Club

Red Vodka is essentially a small, dark room in the middle of Cowgate. But like a little hyperactive puppy, it won't let you ignore it and it's actually a reliably fun pit-stop on the Edinburgh dancing circuit. Come here for indie, soul and electronica – being the usual musical fare h... Read more about Red Vodka Club

Henry's Cellar

Having ditched the jazz tag, Henry's has become the place to go for cutting-edge indie and unsigned local talent. Regular nights have gone from strength to strength and now more discerning music fans are starting to take notice. Sure, it's smaller than some clubs' toilets and the impr... Read more about Henry's Cellar

Optimo @ Cabaret Voltaire

What emerged from the fertile club scene in Glasgow ten years ago has finally made it to the east coast – about bloody time, we say. Although purists are always going to say that the true Optimo experience can only be found at its native Sub Club, the Edinburgh offspring is rapidly gaining mom... Read more about Optimo @ Cabaret Voltaire

We've been on Amazon checking out all their Edinburgh Guide Books. The ones below are our favourites.