A subterranean labyrinth of musky warrens and caves located in the ever-bustling Cowgate, "The Cab" opened its doors as a multi-disciplinary space in 2005 and has hosted memorable sets by math-rock futurists Battles (supporting an emergent Four Tet, no less), to recent head-bleeding ruckuses helmed by Canadian punk mavericks Fucked Up (pictured above). Then there are the longstanding house residents such as Ultragroove and regular free-entry indie night Sick Note – giving every night a twist. Bolstered by the recent addition of its 120-capacity "prohibition-era inspired" Speakeasy, Cab makes an effort to cut through the tribalism that can define a venue by providing a haunt for all.
• 36-38 Blair Street, 0131-220 6176, thecabaretvoltaire.com. Open for live music 7pm-11pm, club nights 11pm-3am
Electric Circus
There's a healthy rivalry between smaller Edinburgh venues when it comes to keeping a finger on the contemporary music pulse but the Circus seems to be carrying the crown right now. Part club, part gig venue, part karaoke bar (with seven private rooms specifically for it) and a sideline in top quiz nights, it's truly one of a kind. Who knew hen nights and hip-hop gigs could co-exist? Conveniently located seconds from Waverley train station, a rough exterior belies a slick and comfortably compact interior, with a capacity of 250. The venue attracts a mishmash of crowds, from students and indie kids to folkies but the formula works.
• 35 Market Street, 0131-226 4224, theelectriccircus.biz. Open Tues-Thurs 6pm-1am, Fri 5pm-3am, Sat 6pm-3am, also open Sun, call for hours.
Bannerman's
A haven for Edinburgh's underground rock fraternity, Bannerman's is nestled beneath the George IV Bridge in the once plague-ridden catacombs of the Old Town. Far from a gloomy relic of the capital's macabre history, the preservation of its original stonewall interior gives the venue a distinct charm. Essentially, Bannerman's is a pub with a 175-capacity concert room, more than 100 malt whiskys, one of the most regular programmes of live music in the city, and a cheap game of pool to boot. Vital to the lifeblood of the local scene, current hopes The Twilight Sad played their first Edinburgh gig here and a fledgling Laura Marling made an appearance in her early days.
• 212 Cowgate, 0131-556 3254, bannermanslive.co.uk. Open 12:30pm-1am daily
Sneaky Pete's
The Skinny affectionately summarised Pete's as "your living room, minus the furniture, plus 100 indie misfits". In its three-year lifespan to date, this tiny venue in the heart of the Cowgate has established itself as a notable destination for local and touring bands: recent visitors have ranged from emotive folk champions Meursault to anarchic Israeli garage rockers Monotonix. It's also regularly packed for resident independent rock showcase This Is Music and the all-encompassing Wasabi Disco, which runs the gamut from punk to house. When future rock stars get misty-eyed over early days playing shoeboxes where sweat dripped from the ceiling, they could be talking about Pete's.
• 73 Cowgate, 0131-225 1757, sneakypetes.co.uk
HMV Picture House
A welcome alternative to the stag do mania of Lothian Road, this building has been a cinema, club and music venue in various guises for decades. Only since the substantial investment of the Mama group has the Picture House once again found its feet as a 1,500 capacity gig venue in the new millennium. With a seated balcony and three bars dispersed through the venue, meticulous attention to comfort and convenience was central to the restoration. Now the best mid-range venue Edinburgh has to offer, star attractions have arrived since its opening in 2008, with post-punk legends Killing Joke, peerless pop maverick Nile Rogers and late rap godfather Gil Scott-Heron just a smattering of the performers to have graced its stage.
• 31 Lothian Road, 0131-221 2280, meanfiddler.com/hmv-picture-house
The Liquid Room
A resurgent force on the Edinburgh scene, the Liquid Room recently reopened following a fire that gutted the former 19th-century church in 2008. With a capacity of 800 spread across two floors and a balcony that overhangs the stage, there's an intimacy to this venue that's hard to beat. The smoking ban allowed the owners to open up a sociable backyard, which heaves during club nights such as the indie-oriented EVOL and techno heavy Musika. It's the venue of choice for some of Scotland's greatest modern exports, having marked its 10th birthday with a set by Mogwai. The Liquid Room is also a favourite of local hip-hop promoters, who have brought such heavyweights as Raekwon and KRS One to play.
• 9c Victoria Street, 0131-225 2564, liquidroom.com
The Voodoo Rooms
The Voodoo Rooms is a club, restaurant, cocktail bar and gig venue in the old upstairs of West Register Street's Cafe Royal. With the feel of a plush diner, the interior is tastefully dominated by black and gold decor. For the discerning music fan, there's live soul, jazz, folk, indie rock and hip-hop on the menu in the 200 capacity main hall. Recent highlights have included roof raising sets from Aesop Rock and the late Guru's Jazzmatazz. The Rooms are also home to regular gig-in-a-club-night Limbo, which has taken solid steps to unite Edinburgh's eclectic music scene.
• 19a West Register Street, 0131-556 7060, thevoodoorooms.com. Open Mon-Thurs 4pm-1am; Fri-Sun 12pm-1am
The Bongo Club
If you should walk into the Bongo Club of an evening to find horse-headed men, tiger-faced women and a friendly wee dog running between the two, there's no need for alarm. Easily the most bohemian of the capital's concert venues, the charity-owned Bongo is a club, arts space, cafe and sometime comedy venue. It's also the host of the burlesque club night Confusion is Sex. Besides the 450-capacity venue's excellent pedigree in bringing rockabilly and indie rock to the capital, recent live guests such as Falkirk troubadour Aidan Moffat and minimal techno act Pantha du Prince prove that no genre is a stranger.
• 37 Holyrood Road, 0131 558 7604, thebongoclub.co.uk. Open Mon-Thurs 1pm-7pm, Fri 1pm-7pm, 11pm-3am, weekends 11pm-3am
The Queen's Hall
Situated in the student district of Newington, the Queen's Hall is easily the grandest of Edinburgh's live music venues. It maintains a steady year-round programme of cult performers (PJ Harvey and Daniel Johnston have both graced the stage in recent years), jazz greats (from Courtney Pine to Edinburgh's own Hidden Orchestra), and the latest buzz bands in contemporary rock and folk (see Warpaint and Bon Iver), alongside the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. A substantial balcony and benches surrounding the stage on both levels retain the grandeur and composition of its former life as a chapel.
• 85-89 Clerk Street, 0131-668 2019, thequeenshall.net
The Caves
Once a stable for the French cavalry, The Caves has become another cherished nook of the Cowgate in the last decade. The two floors of vaults, alcoves and archways were excavated and restored for public use well over 100 years after the Old Town's exodus, under the diligent eye of retired Scottish rugby international Norrie Rowan. With nights such as Departure Lounge (which often features live bands as well as house, techno, funk and hip-hop DJs) and electronic specialists Kapital in residence, it's a popular playground for clubbers seeking an open-door music policy.
• 8-12 Niddry Street, 0131-557 8989, thecavesedinburgh.com
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