Live music venues in Cardiff
Cardiff is equipped with venues from pubs of a maximum of 150 people to the 60,000 capacity of the Millennium Stadium, with most sizes in between. The best known for live bands are established venues such as the Barfly, Clwb Ifor Bach and the Coal Exchange. Many dance clubs put on DJs regularly and smaller venues such as the Buffalo Bar and upstairs at Dempsey's have live bands now and again. New clubs appear rarely, but the most recent is probably Journeys on Upper Clifton Street in Roath.
Cardiff venues
Barfly - Castle end of Queen Street - part of the group of six Barfly venues across the UK. You won't get the best sound in this venue and you won't get the best view either, but the atmosphere is great and all the best bands play here. Unless they play:
Clwb Ifor Bach - Womanby Street (road opposite the castle next to Dempseys) - The Welsh Club, so-called because it used to be a members club and you had to speak Welsh to get in, or so the story goes. Now it's a three-level club and venue (usually only ground and top floors are used though) which is host to many a fine band and used by several local promoters. Always worth checking out what's in store here. The regular nights are rock on Tuesdays ('Planet Rock'), indie and funk on Wednesdays ('Popscene') and indie/retro/mixed on Fridays ('The Dudes Abide').
The Point - an ideal building for a live music venue, just a shame it is a little inaccessible to some, next to the Coal Exchange down in the Bay. Becoming a busy venue, The Point is host to Bogiez rock night every other Saturday and can also be hired out. Has an unfortunate tendancy to put on a lot of covers bands though.
Coal Exchange - Mount Square, The Bay - larger venue for known touring bands, as well as more bizzare events such as tattoo conventions. CLOSED possibly until 2009 for refurbishment.
Cardiff International Arena - Mary Ann Street - Cardiff's biggest venue for touring bands, excluding the monsters who play the Millennium Stadium. Some gigs are all seated which is very annoying, but not a bad venue to see a big band in.
CF10, Solus, The Great Hall - Cardiff University - three venues ranging from CF10 at about 300 capacity, to Solus at 900 capacity to the Great Hall for big touring bands. CF10 used by SelloutPromotions occasionally. All three sometimes student-only access. Details can also be found at Cardiff Student's Union.
Callaghans - Cowbridge Road East (town end) - small bands, folky solo artists and more than their fair share of oddballs. The music is never so loud that it gets in the way of a good conversation if you sit at the back.
Dempseys - Castle St. - random gigs upstairs by local promoters; often an out-of-town headliner with a couple of local supports, usually a good vibe and a reasonable night out.
Journeys - Upper Clifton Street, just off Newport Road. Cultured and eclectic, this venue plays host to a range of live music, from world music to jazz to blues. Can't find any evidence of a listings site as yet, but this page may be updated at some point.
TJ's - Newport's infamous punk venue . Kurt Cobain apparently proposed to Courtney Love here. Until recently, it housed the worst toilets known to man on the UK small venue tour circuit but it still holds a strangely special place in many peoples hearts. Unique venue, good bands usually of the punk/rock/post-hardcore ilk.
Le Pub - Caxton Place, Newport - the city's alt rock and punk haven with two floors of friendly weirdness, excellent juke box downstairs in the cavern, while bands play upstairs in the attic. Beware their huge, slow myspace page - best look at other sites such as welshgigs to find out who's playing there.
Bristol Biekeller - if you feel like a trip a bit further afield.