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The Best Places to Watch Live Music in Cardiff

30 July 2022

If you are a fan of live music then Cardiff is the perfect city to both study and live in, with plenty of live venues and clubs to experience live music within the city. From tiny bars to arenas and stadiums, there is something for every music fan at Cardiff University. Here is a guide to the best places to watch live music in Cardiff.

Gassys

Gassys is a staple of Cardiff University’s students social life, hosting a variety of live music events throughout the year. Cardiff University’s Live Music Society perform at Gassys on Tuesday evenings, members perform both covers and original songs to a regular audience. Gassys as well hosts a Karaoke night on Thursday evenings for students that are more into social singing. Gassys is very local for Cardiff University students as it is centred in the middle of Cathays and perfect for fans of live music in intimate venues.

Motorpoint Arena

If you prefer to watch live music in a far less intimate setting then the Motorpoint Arena is the venue for you. With a capacity of 5,000 people, the Motorpoint Arena hosts some of the biggest names in music throughout the year. With performances from artists such as The Kooks, Little Mix and Sam Fender the Motorpoint offers Cardiff University students chart topping, iconic artists right on their doorstep, with the Motorpoint being only a fifteen-minute walk from Cathays. Alongside incredible live music, the Motorpoint Arena offers students plenty of work opportunities in the hospitality sector for gigs throughout the year.

Live Lounge

The clue is in the name, Live Lounge is one of the best places to catch live music within Cardiff. A staple of many Cardiff University students nightlife, Live Lounge offers live music seven days a week until midnight each night with a variety of covers bands playing crowd favourites for Cardiff students. While you probably will never see your favourite band within Live Lounge, you are always guaranteed a good time in Live Lounge. Located in the heart of the city, Live Lounge is perfect for Cardiff University students, as it is only a ten-to-fifteen-minute walk from Cathays.

Tramshed

Tramshed is a live music venue in Cardiff that holds up to 1,000 people. Tramshed is a favourite of Cardiff University students, hosting a variety of live music events, such as, Frank Turner, Ella Henderson and Scouting For Girls. There is something for everyone at the Tramshed for Cardiff University students to enjoy. The only issue, however, is that the Tramshed is the furthest venue from Cathays featured in this article, about a twenty-to-twenty-five-minute journey from Cathays. Alongside Live Lounge, Tramshed is probably the most popular venue within Cardiff to watch live music as a student, this is largely down to how affordable the ticket prices are for students.