You’d expect to find some great music venues in South Carolina's larger cities, from Columbia’s Colonial Life Arena and Koger Center for the Arts to Greenville’s Peace Center and Bon Secours Wellness Arena to the world-famous Spoleto Arts Festival in Charleston.
But the options are just as plentiful in smaller communities across South Carolina. Below are some of the best places to get your groove on:
ANDERSON
112 North Main St.; 864.222.3893
A neighborhood favorite, it features live music served up with locally sourced steaks, seafood and sandwiches.
514 North Murray Ave.; 864.224.4248
Anderson’s neighborhood performing arts venue since 1984 presents musicals and other theatrical performances.
116 West Orr St.; 864.261.6401
Classic pub featuring Irish fare and weekly live Celtic and folk music. This cozy spot also has a patio.
CONWAY
104 Laurel St.; 843.248.3287
Specializing in Southern rock and bluegrass, The Warehouse offers live music Friday and Saturday nights in a pub atmosphere. Happy hour, late-night food menu and indoor and outdoor seating is available.
FLORENCE
2729 East Palmetto St.; 843.495.2067;
Primarily a dance club, this youth-oriented club regularly plays host to rap, R&B and hip-hop artists.
3300 West Radio Drive; 843.679.9417
Performances feature national and regional musical talent.
Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center
201 South Dargan St.; 843.661.1720
Opened in 2011 in partnership with the university and the city, FMUPAC presents concerts and musical acts in its 100-seat BB&T Amphitheatre and 849-seat Mainstage proscenium theater. Performances include the Florence Symphony and FMU’s Percussion Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble and Select Vocal Ensemble.
1720 West Palmetto St.; 843.669.6247
This club specializes in rock and heavy metal.
600 Pamplico Highway; 843.229.9784
An intimate coffee shop-style eatery, it caters to a regulars crowd with open-mic night Thursdays, featuring jazz groups, acoustic singers, soloists and local bands performing punk rock. Once a month on Friday or Saturday, groups from outside the area will perform.
GREER
107 Cannon St.; 864.469.6416
A leisure center and music hall, it features a variety of music acts, as well as dance and theater.
PICKENS
Music on the Mountain at Table Rock State Park
158 Ellison Lane; 864.878.9813
Bring your acoustic instruments or just sit back and enjoy the bluegrass jam sessions held from 2 to 6 p.m. the second Saturday of each month in the park's restored CCC-era lodge.
ROCK HILL
122 East Main St.; 803.329.8580
A classic Irish-style pub, it offers live music, including local and regional acts like Jeremy Nelson, Will Pittman, Matt Tucker and Jettison Drive, from 10 p.m.-1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
1807 Cherry Road, Suite 117; 803.324.2651
Offering line dancing lessons on Thursdays, this site is all about country and western music.
SIMPSONVILLE
861 SE Main St.; 864.296.6601
Located along the I-85 corridor in the heart of the Upstate, this outdoor concert venue draws such notable musicians as Willie Nelson, the Counting Crows, Mumford & Sons, and B.B. King.
SPARTANBURG
99 South Church St.; 864.707.5650
Billed as the best location for blues and jazz in Spartanburg, this low-lighting, cozy underground spot offers a nostalgic live music experience with live jazz performers playing Thursday-Saturday nights.
3052 Howard St.; 864.948.1661
Opened in 1996, the rock 'n' roll club has an edgy appeal with a mix of punk and heavy metal music performed by local and regional artists.
190 Childress Road; 864.978.5515
Music camping festivals staged at this outdoor site are events to remember with multiple illuminated sound stages and campsites for up to 2,000 fans.
Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium
385 North Church St.; 864.582.8107
Billing itself as the “Showplace of the South” when it opened in 1951, the 3,244-seat arena has staged a variety of acts, including such musical stalwarts as Three Dog Night, Taylor Swift, Journey, Ray Charles, Hall and Oates, and the Dave Matthews Band.
