CT Concert Center logoCT Concert Center

The Blog

Connecticut live music, explained.

Guides to the best venues and the local scene. From the team behind the CT Concert Center app.

Guide

Broadway Shows in Connecticut

Touring musicals reach Connecticut too. See them at the Bushnell, Shubert, the Palaces, the Garde, and the Warner.

Guide →
Venue guide

The Palace Theater, Waterbury: A Guide

A 1922 movie palace in Waterbury. It hosts Broadway tours, concerts, and comedy.

Guide →
Venue guide

The Palace Theatre, Stamford: A Guide

A 1927 landmark in Stamford. It hosts concerts, comedy, dance, and Broadway tours.

Guide →
Venue guide

The Palace Danbury: A Guide

A restored 1928 theater on Main Street. Now an intimate ~400-seat room for concerts, comedy, and film.

Guide →
Venue guide

The Garde Arts Center, New London: A Guide

A 1926 Moroccan movie palace. It hosts Broadway tours, concerts, dance, and film.

Guide →
Venue guide

The Klein Memorial Auditorium, Bridgeport: A Guide

A 1940 hall in Bridgeport. It's Art Deco style, home to the Greater Bridgeport Symphony. Plus concerts, comedy, and touring shows.

Guide →
Festivals

Connecticut Music Festivals: The 2026 Guide

Jazz in Hartford. Bluegrass in Goshen. Folk in New Haven. The festivals worth traveling for, with months and locations.

Guide →
Seasonal

CT Summer Concert Series: Free & Outdoor Shows

A recurring weekly series. It happens at the Wolf Den, Levitt Pavilion, and town greens. Summer live music here costs nothing.

Guide →
Venue guide

Toyota Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford: A Guide

A concert house in Wallingford. It has a 4,800-seat main room. Plus the smaller Dome.

Guide →
Venue guide

Rentschler Field Concerts: The Stadium Guide

A 40,000-plus stadium in East Hartford. Home to the biggest touring concerts.

Guide →
Venue guide

The Warner Theatre, Torrington: A Guide

A restored 1931 Art Deco movie palace. It hosts concerts, Broadway tours, comedy, and dance in the Litchfield Hills.

Guide →
Festivals

Sound on Sound / Soundside: What Happened

Is Bridgeport's waterfront festival happening in 2026? The history, the cancellation, and the best CT alternatives.

Guide →
Best of

The Best Live Music Venues in Connecticut

From arenas to listening rooms. The best rooms every CT music fan should know.

Guide →
Venue guide

College Street Music Hall: A Guide

New Haven's flagship mid-size hall. See the acts it books and how to catch every show.

Guide →
City guide

Live Music in New Haven

A great music city. See the venues, the shows, and how to keep up.

Guide →
City guide

Live Music in Hartford

The Meadows and the Bushnell. Plus Infinity Music Hall and The Webster. The capital's whole scene.

Guide →
Guide

Casino Concerts in CT: Mohegan Sun & Foxwoods

The arenas and the theaters. Plus free Wolf Den shows. How to pick between CT's two casino resorts.

Guide →
Venue guide

Toad's Place: A Guide

New Haven's famous club. It hosted the Stones, Dylan, and U2. Here's how to catch every show.

Guide →
Best of

Best Small & Intimate Music Venues in CT

The listening rooms and clubs. You're feet from the stage. From Cafe Nine to the Side Door.

Guide →
Venue guide

Mohegan Sun Concerts: A Guide

The ~10,000-seat Arena. Plus the free Wolf Den and the Cabaret. How to make the most of it.

Guide →
Venue guide

The Bushnell, Hartford: A Guide

A 1930 landmark in Hartford. The 2,800-seat Mortensen Hall and the smaller Belding host Broadway tours and concerts.

Guide →
Region guide

Live Music in Fairfield County, CT

Stamford to Bridgeport. The Palace Theatre, District Music Hall, Total Mortgage Arena, and the Ridgefield Playhouse.

Guide →
Seasonal

Outdoor & Summer Concerts in Connecticut

Amphitheaters and harbor stages. Plus lakeside venues and free series. Where to catch live music outdoors all summer.

Guide →
City guide

Bridgeport Concert Venues: A Guide

The 10,000-seat Total Mortgage Arena. Down to the 200-seat Bijou. A wide range of rooms.

Guide →
City guide

Stamford Concert Venues: A Guide

The 1927 Palace Theatre. Plus the Rich Forum. A strong downtown summer-concert tradition.

Guide →
City guide

Waterbury Concert Venues: The Palace Theater

A restored 1922 hall with ~2,500 seats. It anchors the Brass City's music scene.

Guide →
City guide

Torrington Concert Venues: The Warner Theatre

A 1931 Art Deco movie palace. It's in the northwest hills. Saved from demolition and fully restored.

Guide →
City guide

New London Concert Venues: The Garde & More

The 1926 Garde anchors it. Add a lively summer waterfront. Plus casinos just 20 minutes away.

Guide →
City guide

Norwalk Concert Venues: District Music Hall

The restored Wall Street Theater. Plus the Norwalk Concert Hall. And the SoNo nightlife scene.

Guide →
City guide

Danbury Concert Venues: Ives Park & The Palace

An amphitheater named for Charles Ives. Plus the intimate Palace Danbury downtown.

Guide →
City guide

Wallingford Concert Venues: The Oakdale

One of CT's largest indoor halls (~4,800). Born as a theatre-in-the-round tent back in 1954.

Guide →
Venue guide

The Meadows Music Theatre (Xfinity), Hartford

CT's largest outdoor amphitheater (~30,000). The former Xfinity Theatre, renamed back to The Meadows in 2025.

Guide →
Venue guide

Infinity Music Hall: Hartford & Norfolk

Two of the state's best intimate rooms. A sleek 500-seat hall and a historic 1883 opera house.

Guide →
Venue guide

The Kate, Old Saybrook: A Guide

A 285-seat shoreline theater. Named for Katharine Hepburn. It's in a restored 1911 town hall.

Guide →
Venue guide

The Ridgefield Playhouse: A Guide

A 500-seat nonprofit. It books big names almost nightly. In a restored 1930s school auditorium.

Guide →
Venue guide

The Shubert Theatre, New Haven

The 1914 "Birthplace of the Nation's Greatest Hits". A 1,600-seat pre-Broadway tryout house.

Guide →
Venue guide

Space Ballroom, Hamden: A Guide

An indie/rock club near New Haven. Where you catch bands on the way up.

Guide →
Best of

Free Concerts in Connecticut

The Wolf Den and the Levitt Pavilion. Free jazz in Bushnell Park, and town greens too. All free live music.

Guide →
Genre guide

Live Jazz in Connecticut

The Side Door and Firehouse 12. Plus the Hartford Jazz Society. The state's world-class intimate jazz rooms.

Guide →
Genre guide

Comedy Shows in Connecticut

The Stress Factory and Comix Roadhouse. Plus the casinos and historic theaters. Where to laugh in CT.

Guide →
Genre guide

Country Music in Connecticut

Big tours hit the amphitheater. Plus casino arenas. And the Comix Roadhouse country bar with line dancing.

Guide →
Genre guide

Rock, Punk & Metal Shows in Connecticut

The Webster and Space Ballroom. Plus Cafe Nine and Toad's Place. Where Connecticut goes loud.

Guide →
Genre guide

Hip-Hop & Rap Concerts in Connecticut

Casino arenas, PeoplesBank Arena, and The Meadows. Plus College Street and Toad's for the clubs.

Guide →
Genre guide

Latin Music Concerts in Connecticut

Reggaeton, regional Mexican, salsa and más. The casino arenas lead the way in CT.

Guide →
Genre guide

Live Blues in Connecticut

Black-eyed Sally's and Bridge Street Live. Plus the CT Blues Society circuit. Where to hear the blues.

Guide →
Genre guide

Folk & Americana in Connecticut

The Sounding Board, Branford Folk, The Kate. CT's rich coffeehouse and listening-room tradition.

Guide →
Guide

All-Ages Concerts in Connecticut

Which venues welcome under-21 fans. Clubs, theaters, amphitheaters, and casino tips.

Guide →
Best of

The Biggest Concert Venues in CT, Ranked

The 30,000-seat Meadows leads. Down to the casino arenas. Connecticut's largest venues, ranked by capacity.

Guide →
Guide

Mohegan Sun vs. Foxwoods for Concerts

A head-to-head on size, bookings, and free shows. Which Connecticut casino to pick for your next concert.

Guide →
Venue guide

Foxwoods: A Complete Concert Guide

The ~4,000-seat Premier Theater. Plus everything else about live music at Foxwoods Resort Casino.

Guide →
Best of

The Historic Theaters of Connecticut

Restored movie palaces from the 1910s-30s. The Shubert, the Waterbury Palace, the Garde, the Bushnell, and the Warner. They still host shows today.

Guide →
Venue guide

The Webster, Hartford: A Guide

A Hartford venue since 1996. It plays rock, metal, and punk. The main theater and the Webster Underground.

Guide →
Genre guide

Tribute Bands in Connecticut

The Ridgefield Playhouse and Infinity Music Hall. Plus the casinos and historic theaters. Where to see the best tribute shows.

Guide →
Guide

How to Find Cheap Concert Tickets in CT

Lawn seats and free shows. Tribute bands, presale codes, and timing tricks. Nine ways to save on live music.

Guide →
Guide

Live-Music Date Night Ideas in Connecticut

Intimate rooms and dinner-and-a-show combos. Infinity, the Side Door, Black-eyed Sally's, The Kate.

Guide →
Guide

Family-Friendly Concerts & Live Music in CT

Kid-welcoming theaters and free outdoor shows. All-ages clubs and lawn nights for the whole family.

Guide →
Guide

Amphitheater & Lawn-Seat Tips for CT Shows

Lawn vs. pavilion, what to bring, bag policies, parking and weather. Make the most of an outdoor show.

Guide →
Guide

Dinner & a Show: CT Venues with Great Food

Eat and hear music in one spot. Try Infinity & Bistro or Black-eyed Sally's. Or Bridge Street Live.

Guide →
Genre guide

Classical Music & Symphony Concerts in CT

The Hartford and New Haven symphonies. Plus the Yale orchestra. See the grand halls where they play.

Guide →
Genre guide

Reggae Concerts in Connecticut

New Haven leads the way. Try College Street, Toad's, and Cafe Nine. The Webster and the casinos host shows too.

Guide →
Genre guide

EDM & Electronic Music in Connecticut

Touring DJs at College Street and Toad's. Plus casino nightclubs and the Stamford dance scene.

Guide →
Genre guide

Bluegrass in Connecticut

The Podunk and Morris festivals. Plus the CT Bluegrass Association circuit. And the folk coffeehouses.

Guide →
Genre guide

Indie & Alternative Shows in Connecticut

College Street, Space Ballroom, and Cafe Nine. Plus Toad's and the Westville Music Bowl. CT's indie capital.

Guide →
Venue guide

Cafe Nine, New Haven: A Guide

"The musician's living room". The 140-cap New Haven club with live music seven nights a week.

Guide →
Venue guide

Fairfield Theatre Company: StageOne & The Warehouse

FTC has two rooms. The 225-seat StageOne and the 640-cap Warehouse. They anchor Fairfield County's music scene.

Guide →
Venue guide

Westville Music Bowl, New Haven: A Guide

An old tennis stadium, now reborn. It holds 3,500 to 9,700, booked by The Bowery Presents.

Guide →
Venue guide

PeoplesBank Arena (XL Center), Hartford

Hartford's renovated 16,000-seat downtown arena. The former XL Center, renamed in 2025.

Guide →
Venue guide

Total Mortgage Arena, Bridgeport

A ~10,000-seat downtown arena, opened in 2001. Steps from the train station.

Guide →
Venue guide

Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater, Bridgeport

One of CT's most scenic summer venues. A ~5,700-cap amphitheater right on Bridgeport harbor.

Guide →
Best of

The Best Amphitheaters in Connecticut

The Meadows and the Westville Bowl. Plus the harbor amphitheater. Add Ives Park and the free Levitt Pavilion.

Guide →
Best of

The Best Concert Venues Near Hartford

PeoplesBank Arena, The Meadows, and the Bushnell. Plus Infinity, The Webster, and the Oakdale. The capital region.

Guide →
Best of

The Best Concert Venues Near New Haven

College Street and Toad's. Plus Cafe Nine and Space Ballroom. Plus the Shubert and the Westville Music Bowl.

Guide →
Guide

College Street Music Hall vs. Toad's Place

A head-to-head on New Haven's two top venues. Size, vibe, sound, history, and which to pick.

Guide →
City guide

Live Music in Middletown, CT

The Buttonwood Tree, Eli Cannon's and Wesleyan. Central Connecticut's arts-forward college-town scene.

Guide →
Region guide

Live Music Near Mystic & the SE Shoreline

Free waterfront summer series. Plus local bars. The Garde and casinos are 15-20 minutes away.

Guide →