Wales venues

From the iconic clubs of Cardiff to former cinemas in Flintshire, we’ve covered the full spectrum of Wales’ best intimate performance spaces.

Ask most musicians who’ve played live in the Welsh capital where they would recommend, and Clwb Ifor Bach will probably crop up numerous times.

One of the best-known small music venues in Wales, Clwb Ifor Bach is the focal point for up-and-coming bands and artists and hosts live music nearly every night of the year.

Diversity is the venue’s strongpoint as its artists range from established names like We Are Scientists to emerging talents like the post-punk Brooklyn outfit Bodega, recently deemed “New York’s most exciting band” by NME.

If you take a trip westbound across the M4, you’ll arrive at Sin City in Swansea, where a certain Ben Howard performed a year or so before his debut album Every Kingdom went viral.

Further north there’s The Tivoli in Buckley, North Wales’ staple small music venue, which has hosted Led Zeppelin, Motorhead, Oasis and Radiohead through the decades.

These venues are just a flavour of what Wales has to offer – our selection also includes venues in Bangor, Newport and more.

For more detailed insights into Wales’ live music scene, check out our interactive map above.