The 10 Best Live Music Venues in Las Vegas

Las Vegas is well-known as “The Entertainment Capital of the World”. It is home to the highest number of AAA Five Diamond hotels and is one of the world’s most visited holiday destinations. 

The Strip offers many venues that know exactly how to throw a themed party. From massive events in the T-Mobile Arena to a more intimate atmosphere like the Brooklyn Bowl, there’s no shortage of high-quality productions in Vegas. In alphabetical order, we’ve put together 10 of these venues; all of which offer the best live music in Vegas in 2021.

Brooklyn Bowl

The Brooklyn Bowl at the Linq Promenade has a little something for everyone. A mix of ten-pin bowling and award-winning restaurants, every week at the Brooklyn Bowl offers a new genre of music, with some resident performances thrown in for good measure.

Regular appearances by rock band Ween are punctuated by indie rock group Japanese Breakfast for October. August Burns Red will celebrate ten years of success with their Leveler Anniversary Tour, and the Disco Biscuits close out the month of October. Mid-November sees Bone Thugs-N-Harmony spitting some tunes, while December features Blue October, CHVRCHES, and more.

The Chelsea Cosmopolitan

Just off I-15, The Cosmopolitan at The Chelsea is an inspired avant-garde location and boasts a variety of technological innovations. The 3,200-seat venue is well-known for some of the best two-level stage productions in the world.

Beginning with Quinn XCII and Chelsea Cutler in early October, The Cosmopolitan will also host Billy Idol throughout the month. November brings Evanescence and Halestorm, and hip-hop star El Alfa ends the penultimate month of the year. December will lead up to chart-topping group Maroon 5 to close off 2021.

The Colosseum at Caesars Palace

Known by many as the world’s best live entertainment venue, The Colosseum at Caesars Palace is a sight to behold. Inspired by ancient Roman architecture, it is the most costly casino to ever be developed.

The Colosseum has booked British rock and pop master Rod Stewart for the entire month of October. Sting, frontman for 80’s new wave rock band the Police, has weekly performances throughout November. December sees country stars Reba, Brooks and Dunn taking to the Colosseum’s stage, and the end of the year brings Usher with his Vegas Residency.

The Encore Theater

The Encore Theater at Wynn offers decadent style and a wealth of state-of-the-art convenience. Whether it’s acrobatics or art, the Encore is perfect for a wide range of entertainment options.

R&B singer Lionel Richie performs his “Back to Las Vegas!” show, which will go on through October and into early November. Between the 6th and the 16th, Creedence Clearwater Revival founding member John Fogerty will take to the Encore stage. From November 10th onwards, rock fans can see Bryan Adams live in action. December’s lineup includes Chris Isaak and Pink Martini to close out the year.

Alt Text: A man singing into a microphone while he reaches outward with his left hand.

Image credit: Unsplash

House of Blues

House of Blues offers the comforts of Southern hospitality together with all the bells and whistles of modern entertainment. Though it prides itself on its rock and blues roots, House of Blues plays host to an eclectic mix of genres.

House of Blues’ October lineup starts off with The Front Bottoms, Tech N9ne’s Strange New World, and Avatar’s Going Hunting; and the month ends with Ukrainian heavy metal group Jinjer, who will play alongside Suicide Silence and All Hail the Yeti. Iconic guitarist Carlos Santana will perform regularly until the end of the year, and Black Pumas close off the month of December with their psychedelic soul music.

MGM Grand Garden Arena

For over 20 years, the MGM Grand Arena has hosted hundreds of successful events. This versatile arena has held everything from championship sporting events to premium concert experiences.

On the 2nd of October, hosted by the Shaquille O’Neal Foundation, Justin Bieber, Kelly Clarkson, Snoop Dogg, and Imagine Dragons will take to the Grand arena’s stage. Mid-October brings J. Cole and 21 Savage. November not only has Pepe Aguilar, but will also feature the R&B Millenium Tour, which includes Omarion, Bow Wow, and Ashanti.

Park Theater

Park Theater at Park MGM is a one-of-a-kind experience. With a 5,000-capacity arena, the furthest seat is less than 150 feet from the stage. One of the widest stages in the world, Park Theater uses projection mapping technology, HD cameras and 4K projectors. 

Bruno Mars kicks off October with two nights of his signature multi-genre music. Lady Gaga’s “Jazz and Piano” Las Vegas residency will be at Park Theater throughout October. The Foo Fighters will perform on the 2nd and 4th of December, followed by Jason Aldean’s “Back in the Saddle” concert.

T-Mobile Arena

T-Mobile Arena is the home venue for the National Hockey League’s Vegas Golden Knights. Famous for hosting many major sporting events, the arena has also played host to the Billboard Music Awards, the Miss USA beauty pageant, and the Academy of Country Music Awards.

Alanis Morissette takes over the arena at the start of October. On October 15th System of a Down, Korn, and Russian Circles aim to put on a rock performance to remember. Country singer George Strait is booked for early December, after which Luke Combs & Ashley McBryde take center stage for their joint performance.

Alt Text: A band playing music on stage with people watching in the audience.

Image credit: Unsplash

The Venetian Theater

The Venetian Theater sits in one of the most luxurious hotels on The Strip. Standard suites are nearly twice the size of the average Vegas hotel room, and hosted events offer an opulent atmosphere that few hotels can match.

ZZ Top will be performing at the Venetian from early to mid-October, followed by Adam Lambert towards the end of the month. R&B icons Earth, Wind & Fire take over for the month of November, and The Go-Go’s and Josh Turner are highlights to look forward to in December.

Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood

Located in the Miracle Mile Shops mall, Zappos Theater usually draws quite the crowd with its numerous events. It is frequently used for Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA pageants, as well as live music and sports.

In early October, Judas Priest will celebrate 50 years of Heavy Metal at Zappos. Gwen Stefani’s Just a Girl concert will go on through November, and Shania Twain begins her residency on December 2nd. World-famous rock band KISS will be at Zappos to end the year in style.

“Photo by Richard Clyborne of Music Strive“