the Travel Enthusiast
- 23 Jun
Tudi in Travel Planning | 1 COMMENTMusical Capitals of the World
During today’s post I will invite you to a musical (and, unfortunately, virtual) tour of the world. If you ever wondered what the world’s hottest places to experience contemporary music are, then here is your answer.
However, in case you expected Seattle, Ibiza or London, well… think again. Music is the kind of discipline where perpetual innovation and reciprocal influences are the key to success. Following the history of music, we can easily observe how different cities have served as artist playgrounds in different time periods: take Vienna, Liverpool or Seattle for example. For all the music lovers and wannabe musicians out there, here is a short list of the world’s trendiest music capitals:
Bristol, UK
From the times when Manchester and Liverpool were UK’s leading music scenes, things have certainly evolved into some unexpected directions. Its fresh and energetic music scene has determined Bristol to be unofficially declared as Britain’s most musical city. The names of Bristol-based bands that have become more or less famous in the last decades could fill a whole encyclopedia. Among the city’s most famous contemporary bands, we might as well mention Portishead, Massive Attack, Roni Size and Kosheen.
St. Petersburg, Russia
Make it the white nights of June or the impossible long winter nights, just try to imagine how the citizens of St. Petersburg could ever survive in the absence of the city’s thriving cultural life? The answer is: they couldn’t have! St. Petersburg is the historic headquarters of the Russian avantgarde, home to the most creative and talented musicians.
From world renowned composers and orchestras to contemporary alternative bands that fill the city’s historic undergrounds with the most original tunes and riffs, here is the place to explore the best of Russian music. Remember that St Petersburg is also the birthplace of Russian jazz, so you’d better check out Khrapkoff Club, Street Live Club or Neo Jazz club.
Dublin, Ireland
As you would probably expect, there is nothing glamorous about the Dublin music scene. Due to the city’s impressive number of bars and pubs, attending a gig can be a very intimate experience. Some popular Dublin based bands are Brilliant Trees, City Folk, Dirty Jazz, The Frames and let us not forget the mega-popular U2.
- Flights
- Hotels
- Packages
- Cars
- Cruises
travel search by Travelgrove (get this widget)Toronto, Canada
Toronto’s blend of cultures and ethnicities could have only resulted in a prolific music scene. New indie bands are debuting every day in Toronto’s noisy clubs, not to mention the staggering number of music festivals: Music in the Orchard, Toronto Jazz Festival, Afrofest or the Sunday Serenades.
Tokyo, Japan
For those of you who are into experimental music and fusion genres, Tokyo music clubs will be true revelation. Tokyo’s underground music skyrocketed in the last two decades, pushing forward a considerable number of new and original artists. I’m sure that most of you are familiar with J-pop and J-rock, but what about some minimal acoustic, visual kei, psychedelic rock or acid jazz, all in the most authentic Japanese style?
You might also like
Glad to see Toronto made the list – it’s a great town for live music, and it’s not just for the louder clubs like the Rivoli or the Horseshoe. There are also some nice quieter places such as the Cameron House and Hugh’s Room that offer a more relaxed atmosphere. And no matter what music you listen to, you can’t beat Shanghai Cowgirl on Queen West for late night grub!