---
title: How to Get in Tune With 11 of the Best Small Music Venues in America
description: Your band has been rehearsing for months. Your CD is ready to start being promoted. You finally have the time and money to hit the road for your first official tour. However, you’re not sure where the best small venues are and which ones you should consider approaching.
---

[The Hocking College Experience ](https://blog.hocking.edu)

# [How to Get in Tune With 11 of the Best Small Music Venues in America](https://blog.hocking.edu/how-to-get-in-tune-with-the-12-best-small-music-venues-in-america)

 Written by [Tim Brunicardi](https://blog.hocking.edu/author/tim-brunicardi) | Mar 10, 2019 3:12:00 PM

Your band has been rehearsing for months. Your CD is ready to start being promoted. You finally have the time and money to hit the road for your first official tour. However, you’re not sure where the best small venues are and which ones you should consider approaching.

According to [Thrillist,](https://www.thrillist.com/) the following venues are 11 of the best small music venues in America that your band should definitely consider contacting for your first tour.

**[Rockwood Music Hall](http://rockwoodmusichall.com/)  
Location:** New York, NY  
**Fun fact:** One of the many entertainers to perform at this club was a pre-fame Lady Gaga. 

**[(Le) Poisson Rouge  
](https://lpr.com/)Location:** New York, NY  
**Fun fact:** This club is a multi-level cabaret that’s dedicated to keeping 60s counterculture alive. 

**[The Smell  
](http://www.thesmell.org/)Location:** Los Angeles, CA  
**Fun fact:** Besides being open to artists of all ages and alcohol-free bands in the experimental stage can perform at this venue for a $5 entry fee.

**[Troubadour](https://www.troubadour.com/)**  
**Location:** Los Angeles, CA  
**Fun fact:** Artists as diverse as Miles Davis, Elton John, Billy Joel and Guns N’ Roses have performed at this iconic night spot.

**[Schubas Tavern](http://www.lh-st.com/)**  
**Location:** Chicago, IL  
**Fun fact:** This venue was the professional launching pad for artists like Norah jones and Dave Matthews.

**[Metro](http://metrochicago.com/)**  
**Location:** Chicago, IL  
**Fun fact:** Artists such as Lis Phair and Smashing Pumpkins got their start at this downtown 90’s inspired venue. 

**[The Stone Pony  
](https://www.stoneponyonline.com/)Location:** Ashbury Park, NJ  
**Fun fact:** This venue was a favorite hangout of a then unknown Bruce Springsteen.

**[The Ryman Auditorium](https://www.ryman.com/)**  
**Location:** Nashville, TN  
**Fun fact:** The ghost of country music legend Hank Williams is rumored to have been seen late at night in this venue. 

**[Bluebird Café](https://bluebirdcafe.com/)**  
**Location:** Nashville, TN  
**Fun fact:** Episodes of the television series [Nashville](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2281375/)   
were filmed in this venue.

**[Wild Bill’s](https://wildbillsmemphis.com/)**  
**Location:** Memphis, TN  
**Fun fact:** This venue is famous for being the nation’s last official juke joint.

**[The Trocadero  
](https://www.thetroc.com/)Location:** Philadelphia, PA  
**Fun fact:** Besides punk and indie acts this venue also shows classic films every Monday night.

### Where Can I Get the Skills & Training I Need to Break Into the Music Industry?

Hocking College in Nelsonville, OH has a [Music Management Program](https://www.hocking.edu/music-management). In two years you could graduate with an Associate of Applied Business in Music Management degree.

For more information, contact Program Manager, **Scott Winland,** by email at **[winlands14721@hocking.edu](mailto:winlands14721@hocking.edu)** or by phone at** (740) 753-6126.**

[View full post](https://blog.hocking.edu/how-to-get-in-tune-with-the-12-best-small-music-venues-in-america)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Tim Brunicardi"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2019-03-10T15:27:05.427Z",
  "datePublished" : "2019-03-10T15:12:00Z",
  "headline" : "How to Get in Tune With 11 of the Best Small Music Venues in America",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "height" : 653,
    "url" : "https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2446169/Images/Blog%20Images/bluebird-cafe-history.jpg",
    "width" : 980
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://blog.hocking.edu/how-to-get-in-tune-with-the-12-best-small-music-venues-in-america",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 60.0,
      "url" : "https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2446169/Logos/ColorLogo_1.png",
      "width" : 90.909096
    },
    "name" : "The Hocking College Experience"
  }
}
```