Arts and Culture, Astoria, Bars, Beer and Wine, Featured, Food and Drink, Music
Sep 02, 2015

Tunes On Tap: Where to Catch Live Music in Astoria

There’s no doubt about it: Astoria is a fantastic place for creative people. The affordable rents, supportive community, and wealth of exciting things to do provide a spectacular environment to inspire (…)

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There’s no doubt about it: Astoria is a fantastic place for creative people. The affordable rents, supportive community, and wealth of exciting things to do provide a spectacular environment to inspire new work. It’s an especially great place for musicians: we are lucky to have Astoria Soundworks, an affordable practice space, and the recently opened HiFi Records, which provides a hangout spot for music fans of all ages.

While Astoria doesn’t have many venues dedicated strictly to music, there are plenty of spaces to enjoy live tunes while you drink, eat, and enjoy the evening. Here are some of our favorites:

The Strand Smokehouse

JP and the Voodoo Blues recently took the stage at The Strand! Photo Credit: The Strand's Facebook page

JP and the Voodoo Blues recently took the stage at The Strand! Photo Credit: The Strand

The Strand is one of the most consistent places in Astoria to catch live music, especially if you like a little twang. Often leaning towards country or bluegrass, they present bands Friday and Saturday nights, as well as Sunday afternoons starting at 1pm.

The Strand (25-27 Broadway, Astoria)|(718) 440-3231)
thestrandsmokehouse.comFacebook Instagram | Twitter

 

Daly’s Pub

Beer and Irish music on Tuesday nights, don't mind if I do! Photo Credit: Daly's Pub

Beer and Irish music on Tuesday nights, don’t mind if I do! Photo Credit: Daly’s Pub

Beginning Tuesday, 9/1, Daly’s Pub is starting a laid-back Irish live music session from 8-11pm. All Irish musicians are invited to participate, and there’s no cover, so music fans in the neighborhood can casually enjoy the music as long as they like.

Daly’s Pub (31-86 31st St, Astoria) | (718) 606-2561)
dalyspubnyc.comFacebook | Yelp

 

The Bonnie

A Sunday evening with outdoor drinks and live music sounds pretty awesome, right?

A Sunday evening with outdoor drinks and live music sounds pretty awesome, right?

Many people dread Sunday nights, as it reminds them about the approaching work week. Beat those Sunday blues at The Bonnie’s new Music Sunday series, featuring live performances from 8-10pm. They’ve recently welcomed stellar LIC Flea participant The Gantry, so we’re excited for future lineups!

The Bonnie (29-12 23rd Ave, Astoria)(718) 274-2105)
thebonnie.comFacebook | Twitter

 

Sweet Afton

exterior-sweet-afton-astoria-queens

Sweet Afton is where it’s at on Monday nights.

A few years ago I was hanging out at Sweet Afton on a Monday night, and was thoroughly impressed with Lucky Chops, the brass band performing. They had the whole crowd dancing and grooving along, having a total blast. How cool is this: Lucky Chops just made their national television debut as the house band on the MTV talk show Girl Code! You never know; you might just see the next big thing at Sweet Afton. Their live music series runs every Monday night beginning at 9pm.

Sweet Afton (30-09 34th St, Astoria)(718) 777-2570)
sweetaftonbar.comFacebook | Instagram | Twitter

 

Singlecut Beersmiths

Singlecut brings the crowds for local brews and live music.

Singlecut brings the crowds for local brews and live music.

If I lived closer to Singlecut, I’d probably spend WAY too much time there. The beer is awesome, the environment is laid back, and they offer live music most Fridays starting at 8pm. As we’ve said before, it’s worth the walk!

Singlecut Beersmiths (19-33 37th St, Astoria, Astoria)| (718) 606-0788)
singlecutbeer.comFacebook | Instagram | Twitter

The Astor Room

Relax with a cocktail, the sunshine, and a few tunes. Photo Credit: The Astor Room's Facebook page

Relax with a cocktail, the sunshine, and a few tunes. Photo Credit: The Astor Room

A few members of the We Heart Astoria team enjoyed a lovely brunch at The Astor Room recently, and were delighted to be treated not only to a fabulous meal, but also a performance by Black Tie Brass, a fantastic jazz band. For their Sunday jazz brunches, they actually have a band both inside and out, which is pretty cool. They have an extensive Wednesday-Sunday live music schedule, so take a look at their calendar for all of the excellent artists stopping by!

The Astor Room (34-12 36th St, Astoria)|(718) 255-1947)
astorroom.comFacebook  | Twitter

 

The Quays Pub

the-quays-front-astoria-queens

Cheers to live music! Photo credit: The Quays

This charming Irish pub is off the beaten path, but is a great place to relax and enjoy a casual beer. They host open mic nights on Thursdays at 8pm, and live music Fridays at 10pm and Sundays at 7pm, with a dedication to showcasing local acts.

The Quays Pub (45-02 30th Ave, Astoria)|(718) 204-8435)
Facebook  | Twitter | Yelp

 

Crescent and Vine

A view from the stage during a set from You Bred Raptors? Photo Credit: You Bred Raptors?

A view from the stage during a set from You Bred Raptors? Photo Credit: You Bred Raptors?

Sunday evenings are all about jazz at Crescent and Vine, with Bill Cantrall y Los Calvos Locos performing weekly from 8-11pm. They also host a long-running residency with You Bred Raptors?, an experimental post-rock band, with shows the last Friday of every month at 10pm.

Crescent and Vine (25-03 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria)|(718) 204-4774)
crescentandvine.comFacebook | Twitter

 

Front Toward Enemy

Grab a seat at the bar and enjoy a few songs!

Grab a seat at the bar and enjoy a few songs!

Keep an eye on Front Toward Enemy’s Facebook page and website, because they’re always announcing some exciting live music offerings. They just started presenting jazz on Wednesday nights, and frequently present traditional Irish music on Sundays.

Front Toward Enemy (40-11 30th Ave, Astoria)|(718) 545-2269)
fronttowardenemynyc.com| Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

 

Studio Square

Get your country music on at Studio Square!

Get your country music on at Studio Square!

The first Wednesday of every month, Studio Square invites Astorians to put on their best boots and enjoy a little country. In partnership with NASH FM, this monthly event features live music, concert ticket giveaways, and drink specials. Studio Square also occasionally welcomes big names like Questlove, so be sure to follow them on Facebook for up-to-date listings.

Studio Square (35-37 36th St #4, Astoria)|(718) 383-1001)
studiosquarebeergarden.comFacebook | Instagram |Twitter

 

Where do you like to catch live music? Tell us in the comments and on Facebook!

About Lindsay Goyette

Lindsay has been eating and drinking her way through Queens since 2011. A casting director by day and Astoria explorer by night, you can usually find her checking out live music, theatre, or the newest neighborhood spot to enjoy a craft beer.

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