Here are some of the more notable live music venues in the area. For a more complete listing, along with news of upcoming shows and events, visit timesfreepress.com/mychatt.
BARKING LEGS THEATER
1307 Dodds Ave.; 423-624-5347
This intimate venue celebrated its 25th anniversary last year as the place to hear acoustic bluegrass, folk and singer/songwriter acts in Chattanooga, as well as regional jazz acts and indie rock. Barking Legs also doubles as a dance space and frequently hosts avant-garde companies, along with other theatrical performances. The first Friday of every month, The Floor Is Yours welcomes anyone to share their sounds, skills or stories via eight-minute time slots.
THE CAVERNS
555 Charlie Roberts Road, Pelham, Tennessee; 931-516-9724
Located inside a cave at the foot of Monteagle Mountain, this is a relatively new venue in our area – and one of the most unique anywhere. “It’s part Red Rocks (the iconic amphitheatre in Colorado) and part Ruby Falls,” owner and Bluegrass Underground founder Todd Mayo says of the 700-seat space (capacity of 1,000 standing room only). The venue partners with hotels in nearby Monteagle and Manchester for package deals that include transportation to and from the show.
JJ’S BOHEMIA
231 E. M.L. King Blvd.; 423-266-1400
Regional bands often debut in this smoky little space. JJ’s is also host to the city’s burgeoning stand-up comedy scene and a stage for underground burlesque and sideshow performances. If you come thirsty, don’t expect liquor; only suds are sold. All shows are 21-and-up and smoking is permitted inside.
MCKENZIE ARENA
720 E. Fourth St.; 423-425-4706
Located on the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga campus, “The Roundhouse” is the city’s largest indoor venue, with a seated capacity of 11,557. It mostly hosts sporting events and large-scale theatrical performances such as Cirque du Soleil, Disney on Ice and circuses, though with the Tennessee House and Senate’s recent passing of a bill allowing alcohol to be sold at campus sports stadiums and arenas, McKenzie could soon see more concerts.
NORTHWEST GEORGIA AMPHITHEATRE
220 Catoosa Circle, Ringgold, Georgia; 706-965-2500
With a capacity of 3,500, this outdoor facility opened in 2007. Though not as well utilized as many other music venues in the area, the amphitheater hosts regular community events.
THE SIGNAL
1810 Chestnut St.; 423-498-4700
One of the city’s newest venues, it hosts a variety of local, regional and national touring acts and is able to accommodate 1,300 concert-goers. Shows are mostly standing-room-only and 21-and-up, though some do welcome those age 18-plus with a parent or guardian. A bookable private area is available for certain shows offering a bird’s-eye view of the stage and other concert-goers.
SOLDIERS AND SAILORS MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM
399 McCallie Ave.; 423-757-5580
The 3,866-seat, city-owned facility opened in 1924 and is currently operated by the Tivoli Foundation. It is also home to the intimate Robert Kirk Walker Community Theatre, commonly known as The Walker, which has been seeing more bookings than the midsize Memorial Auditorium.
SONGBIRDS STAGES
35 Station St.; 423-531-2473
Home to the Songbirds Guitar Museum, the world’s largest collection of rare guitars, Songbirds also has three small spaces for live music, with two in Songbirds North and one in Songbirds South. The North stage, located inside the museum, can welcome up to 200 seated guests, while South can pack in 500 standing-room-only attendees in the main area. Songbirds welcomes a variety of smaller touring acts.
TIVOLI THEATRE
709 Broad St.; 423-757-5580
The city-owned facility opened in 1921. With a seating capacity of 1,750, it brings in a variety of shows, from classical music to classic rock to Broadway. Following a host of renovations and tweaks, the historic theater was named Best Live Performance Venue by Chattanooga Times Free Press readers in the 2018 Best of the Best awards.
THE WALKER
399 McCallie Ave.; 423-757-5580
Officially the Robert Kirk Walker Community Theatre, this intimate space, located inside Memorial Auditorium, was renovated in 2017. The smallest of the three Tivoli Foundation-operated venues, with a seated capacity of 850, it now welcomes a growing list of big names, like The Head and the Heart and Todd Snider, to town.