Madison Square Garden is one of The 15 Best Places for Performances in New York City.

1. Madison Square Garden

8.8
4 Penn Plz (btwn 7th & 8th Ave), New York, NY
Basketball Stadium · 999 tips and reviews

Brad Z.Brad Zickafoose: Great venue to see a concert and soak in all the history that came before you.

Rewan P.Rewan Parti: Best arena for concerts and games in the heart of NYC. It's a must visit for a sports event and a concert. If you haven't seen the energy of people in MSG, you haven't witnessed NY!

Naquel S.Naquel Stevens: My favorite venue to see live music! Always fun and easy to get to.

Rockwood Music Hall is one of The 15 Best Places for Performances in New York City.

2. Rockwood Music Hall

8.5
196 Allen St (btwn Stanton & E Houston St), New York, NY
Rock Club · Lower East Side · 143 tips and reviews

Samantha K.Samantha Kaplan: A really great music venue! Sound is most balanced upstairs, so pour your drink in a plastic cup, and head on up!

Rishe G.Rishe G: One of the best spots in the city for live music. Intimate experiences with soon-to-be-famous bands. Great place to stop off for a chilled out vibe on a weeknight.

AFAR MediaAFAR Media: The venue’s soft lighting and its bar, that offers a nice selection of wine, create an intimate and enjoyable experience to listen to live music. Read more.

Washington Square Park is one of The 15 Best Places for Performances in New York City.

3. Washington Square Park

9.5
W 4th St (btwn MacDougal St & University Pl), New York, NY
Park · Greenwich Village · 706 tips and reviews

BigBossPaulBigBossPaul: Great park, packed with live music entertainment. Special beautiful at nite.

Magnus v.Magnus von Koeller: This is my favorite spot in the city. Come on a weekend and check out some of the great live music. My favorites are the guy on the grand piano and the jazz band.

CompassCompass: Defined by its giant white arch, the park is best known for its chess games, gorgeous fountain, and live musicians. It acts as a meeting ground for NYU students, artists, and neighborhood regulars.

Central Park SummerStage is one of The 15 Best Places for Performances in New York City.

4. Central Park SummerStage

9.1
Central Park (Rumsey Playfield), New York, NY
Music Venue · Central Park · 115 tips and reviews

Ian F.Ian Francis: Check out SummerStage for some great concerts and entertainment. Happens every year, and gets packed so go early.

CristinaCristina: Any concert here is good! Inside the park, great vibes, and amazing music. Free concerts: thank you NY! Hungry? Try the tacos and the ice cream.

Ashley R.Ashley Rose: Great atmosphere for an outdoor concert! City Winery with a few wines on tap, pizza, hot dogs, etc. Ingrid Michaelson put on a great show in June!

Bowery Ballroom is one of The 15 Best Places for Performances in New York City.

5. Bowery Ballroom

9.1
6 Delancey St (at Bowery), New York, NY
Rock Club · Lower East Side · 216 tips and reviews

Will O.Will Oliver: My favorite place to see a concert in NYC. Great sound, great staff, good atmosphere. Love it

The Corcoran GroupThe Corcoran Group: One of our favorite places to see great live music. Grab a spot in the back next to the bar, you’ll still have a great view of the band and convenient access to refill your drink!

Peter W.Peter Wu: My favorite concert venue in NY. Great acoustics, w/ an intimate feel. They do a great job of booking indie bands that complement the space. Don't forget to check out the balcony!

Carnegie Hall is one of The 15 Best Places for Performances in New York City.

6. Carnegie Hall

9.2
881 7th Ave (at W 57th St), New York, NY
Concert Hall · Theater District · 110 tips and reviews

Reuters Business TravellerReuters Business Traveller: One of the world's greatest concert halls, choose from three spaces, holding between 268 and 2,800 people.

Brennen C.Brennen Collier: Good gift shop, excellent performances, amazing acoustics, ambient atmosphere, and an ornate hall perfect for any performance no matter the occasion. What's not to love?

Carl G.Carl Griffin: Absolutely perfect acoustics. Great place to enjoy a performance.

The Flatiron Room is one of The 15 Best Places for Performances in New York City.

7. The Flatiron Room

8.5
37 W 26th St (btwn Broadway & 6th Ave), New York, NY
Lounge · NoMad · 145 tips and reviews

BrandonBrandon: Massive whiskey and bourbon list. Perfect low key vibe and lighting accompanied by great live jazz. Must do!

The Corcoran GroupThe Corcoran Group: If you're a whiskey enthusiast, love live jazz, & are looking for a cozy fireplace to warm up in front of on a cold winter day, you've come to the right spot. Be sure to make reservations on weekends.

Allan B.Allan Beaufour: Amazing whiskey selection and live band

Beacon Theatre is one of The 15 Best Places for Performances in New York City.

8. Beacon Theatre

9.3
2124 Broadway (at W 74th St), New York, NY
Concert Hall · Upper West Side · 172 tips and reviews

The Corcoran GroupThe Corcoran Group: One of the best places in the city to catch a live performance. Fantastic old-time, authentic New York venue to see a band, with what feels like the original, upholstered seating.

New York HabitatNew York Habitat: A historic theatre perfect for everything from a comedy show to musical acts. It's small and broken up into 3 levels so there's not really a bad seat in the house. Seeing a concert here is a must!

Brett W.Brett Wells: A beautifully restored 1920's movie house. Plenty of great places to eat/drink in the area for before/after the concert.

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is one of The 15 Best Places for Performances in New York City.

9. Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

9.5
70 Lincoln Center Plz (btwn Columbus & 10th Ave), New York, NY
Performing Arts Venue · Lincoln Square · 215 tips and reviews

New York Public LibraryNew York Public Library: Love the arts? Explore one of the world’s most extensive collections of historic recordings, videotapes, sheet music, stage designs, posters, and photographs at the Library for the Performing Arts. Read more.

New York HabitatNew York Habitat: Dress to impress here and get a glimpse of some of the best performances in the world. There is so much diversity you can't go wrong with any show but we love the Met Opera in the wintertime.

BuzzFeedBuzzFeed: Whether it’s fashion week, a performance by the Metropolitan Opera, or the NYC Ballet, Lincoln Center is always bustling with excitement. Zoom pass the breathtaking fountain and enjoy crisp, cool air. Read more.

David Geffen Hall is one of The 15 Best Places for Performances in New York City.

10. David Geffen Hall

9.1
10 Lincoln Center Plz (at W 65th St), New York, NY
Concert Hall · Lincoln Square · 68 tips and reviews

amNewYorkamNewYork: SUMMER 2012: The Kravis Prize Concert: Yo-Yo Ma Plays Dutilleux (JUNE 26) -- The inaugural honoree of the Marie-Josée Kravis Prize for New Music is French composer Henri Dutilleux.

Concert Ticket AgencyConcert Ticket Agency: Avery Fisher Hall is located at the northern end of the Lincoln Center Plaza. Amazing acoustics. Catch the NY Philharmonic or another live performance w/killer acoustics.

HISTORYHISTORY: Designed by Max Abramovitz, the hall opened in 1962 as Philharmonic Hall, as the new home concert venue of the New York Philharmonic, after the orchestra moved from Carnegie Hall.

Radio City Music Hall is one of The 15 Best Places for Performances in New York City.

11. Radio City Music Hall

9.4
1260 Avenue of the Americas (at W 50th St), New York, NY
Concert Hall · Rockefeller Center · 390 tips and reviews

Chris K.Chris Kramer: Best sounding concert venue ever

Kelly H.Kelly H.: One of the best all-time venues to see a concert!

JessicaJessica: Wonderful experience, so many talented performers..a must!

Little Branch is one of The 15 Best Places for Performances in New York City.

12. Little Branch

8.9
20 7th Ave S (at Leroy St), New York, NY
Speakeasy · West Village · 336 tips and reviews

Ravin D.Ravin Dave: Great libations- in either booths or bar. Sam the mix master serv perfect complimentary cocktails to the down-tempo live jazz. Be sure to tell him of your likes when ordering the bartender's choice..

NY WaterwayNY Waterway: Fun place to go for a subterranean, speakeasy experience. Dim lighting, cozy booths, and live jazz provide for an intimate setting. Great bartenders serving a variety of cocktails. Cash only.

Hailey Heewoo K.Hailey Heewoo Kim: love the vibe here - it's unique and romantic. the live jazz music is a huge plus and the drinks are great (tell the bartender the kind of drink you like and trust him/her with it!)

Apothèke is one of The 15 Best Places for Performances in New York City.

13. Apothèke

8.7
9 Doyers St (btwn Pell St & Bowery), New York, NY
Cocktail Bar · Chinatown · 433 tips and reviews

Becca B.Becca Bae: A hidden gem in Chinatown. Go on a Tuesday to enjoy some live jazz from BK and try the Sitting Buddha at least once.

Marc A.Marc Aafjes: Great atmosphere, interesting live music, and amazing cocktails! Try any of them, they're all good.

Daria T.Daria Tryashina: the best bar i have been to in NYC so far! amazing live music Mondays. great cocktails and the vibe is amazing. bartenders may be quite slow though, but ut us worth the wait.

The Joyce Theater is one of The 15 Best Places for Performances in New York City.

14. The Joyce Theater

9.2
175 8th Ave (at W 19th St), New York, NY
Theater · Chelsea · 47 tips and reviews

M J.M J: Sure there are other dance theaters, but there's none like the Joyce! I've worked there,I know! The best companies perform here and more than likely you'll be able to spot a few celebs in the crowd Read more.

Peter F.Peter Frank: I only come here every few years, usually when my mom is in town. And every time I'm reminded what a treasure it is. Always interesting performers, no bad seats in the house, and gentle ticket prices. Read more.

THIRTEENTHIRTEEN: THIRTEEN members receive 20% off day of performance tickets at New York City’s home for dance for over 25 years! Read more.

Apollo Theater is one of The 15 Best Places for Performances in New York City.

15. Apollo Theater

9.1
253 W 125th St (btwn 7th & 8th Ave), New York, NY
Theater · Central Harlem · 143 tips and reviews

MIBODEGA AGENCYMIBODEGA AGENCY: The Apollo Theater in New York City is one of the most famous music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with African-American performers.

New York HabitatNew York Habitat: Every Wednesday the Apollo hosts an Amateur Night, where you can cheer on performers or boo them off the stage! Be sure to get there early for tickets, as this night sells out quickly!

Untapped CitiesUntapped Cities: The 1,853 seat Apollo Theatre opened on December 15, 1913 is most known for its Amateur Night, at which Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, James Brown and Lauryn Hill all performed. Read more.