Credits: Photo by shrtstck. Tabernacle wide. Dec 2005
Atlanta is home to many live music venues. International music acts, local bands, and up-and-coming singers come to Atlanta to perform for large crowds at The Fox Theater or put on intimate shows at smaller venues like Vinyl.
Some of the venues are accessible via MARTA (Atlanta’s rail system). If you choose to travel via MARTA, remember that train service stops at 1am every day. The MARTA Midtown station is located on the Gold and Red lines. It is approximately half a mile from Stonehurst Place.
Grab your dancing shoes and, maybe, some earplugs. Get ready to sing along at Atlanta’s best live music venues. While you are enjoying the music, check out the charm of each of the buildings. Many Atlanta music venues are located in uniquely renovated spaces.
- Tabernacle is a mid-size concert hall with a capacity of 2,600 people. VIP access is available for some shows. VIP access includes an exclusive bar, private restrooms, and access to The Room VIP Lounge.
- Location: Downtown Atlanta at 152 Luckie St NW.
- Getting there: The closest MARTA station is Peachtree Center on the Gold and Red lines. The station is approximately 0.3 miles from the venue.
- Interesting note: The building was originally a church. It was converted to a music venue in 1996. You can still see some of the original stained glass.
- Upcoming shows include: alternative band Flipturn (October 31, 2024), country singer Mitchell Tenpenny (November 2, 2024), and Congolese singer and songwriter Fally Ipupa (November 4, 2024).
- The Eastern is a multi-tiered venue that also has a rooftop with a covered performance space. The capacity is 2,200 people.
- Location: The Dairies Complex in the Reynoldstown neighborhood at 800 Old Flat Shoals Rd SE.
- Getting there: The best option is to use the pay-by-the-hour parking deck adjacent to the venue. The Eastern is also one block from the AtlantaBeltline which has transit planned in the 22-mile loop. There is ample bicycle parking on site. The closest MARTA station is King Memorial Station on the Green line. It is approximately 1.3 miles from the venue.
- Dining: The Eastern has a full restaurant that is open during shows. The Dairies Complex also has many of the best restaurants in Atlanta.
- Upcoming shows include: Grammy nominated guitarist Cory Wong (November 1, 2024), traditional bluegrass band Greensky Bluegrass (November 2, 2024), and metalcore band Wage War (November 3, 2024).
- The Variety Playhouse received a full renovation in 2016. Today it has a capacity of 1,100 people.
- Location: The Little Five Points neighborhood at 1099 Euclid Ave NE.
- Getting there: The closest MARTA station is Inman Park / Reynoldstown Station on the Green line. It is approximately 0.6 miles from the venue. There is a paid lot behind the venue. There is also paid and street parking nearby. Parking tends to fill up for large shows.
- Interesting note: The Variety Playhouse used to be a movie theater. The marquee sign is still out front.
- Upcoming shows: American singer David Shaw (November 2, 2024), boyband Weston Estate - Superbloom (November 4, 2024), Argentine artist Tiago PZK (November 7, 2024).
- Terminal West is an intimate performance space that has a capacity of only 625 people.
- Location: The King Plow Arts Center in Midtown, Atlanta at 887 W Marietta St NW.
- Getting there: The King Plow Arts Center has a parking garage that charges $10 on show nights. The garage accepts credit cards only. The closest MARTA station is Bankhead Station on the Green line but it is 1.5 miles away from the venue.
- Interesting note: Terminal West was originally an iron smelting room in a plow factory. The friends who opened the venue in 2012 worked to keep some of the factory aesthetics.
- Upcoming shows: West coast musician EPROM (November 2, 2024), Mexican musician Caloncho (November 6, 2024), and Montana quartet Kitchen Dwellers (November 8, 2024).
- The Fox Theater has 4,665 seats and it hosts broadway shows, concerts, comedy acts, and films.
- Location: The Fox Theater is in Midtown, Atlanta at 660 Peachtree St NE.
- Getting there: The closest MARTA station is North Avenue Station on the Red line. The station is only 800 feet from the venue. There are numerous public parking lots nearby and fees to park can range greatly from $15 to $75.
- Interesting note: The Fox Theater was supposed to be the headquarters for Atlanta’s Shriners organization. The elaborate mosque-style structure was leased to Wiliam Fox shortly before completion. Fox used the building as a “movie palace.” The first movie shown was Steamboat Willie. Sixty-minute tours are available of the building.
- Upcoming musical acts: American singer-songwriter Clairo (November 7 & 8, 2024), Grammy-award winning recording artist Leon Bridges (November 10, 2024), and Atlanta’s own Andre 3000 (November 14, 2024).
- Center Stage is actually three venues in one. Center Stage Theater has a capacity of 1,050 people and is known for its acoustics. The Loft is an industrial live music space with a capacity of 650 people. Lastly, Vinyl is known for hosting local music and has a capacity of 300 people.
- Location: Center Stage is located at 1374 West Peachtree Street.
- Getting there: The closest MARTA station is Arts Center Station on the Red and Gold lines. The station is 0.2 miles from the venue. Center Stage has a parking garage that charges $10-25 per vehicle depending on the event. There are also two other recommended parking options nearby that accept advance reservations.
- Interesting note: Sir Elton John recorded the live-studio album of Captain & The Kid at Center Stage.
- Upcoming shows: Independent pop band Bombargo and alt/indie inspired Harvey Street (Vinyl, November 1, 2024), American rapper Pastor Troy (Center Stage, November 1, 2024), and hip hop Box Boy and Friends (The Loft, November 1, 2024).
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a multi-use facility and is the home field for the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC. It has a seating capacity of 71,000 but that can be increased for some special events.
- Location: The stadium is located in Downtown Atlanta at 1 AMB Drive NW.
- Getting there: The closest MARTA station is GWCC/CNN Center Station on the Green and Blue lines. The station is a mere steps away from the stadium. If you plan to drive, it is advised that you purchase parking in advance.
- Upcoming shows: Because of football and soccer games, there are few musical acts scheduled for Mercedes-Benz Stadium. However, pay attention because when something does come it is big. Metallica is scheduled to perform in June 2025.
