Where can you listen to live music in Gdańsk? A guide to the Gdańsk music scene.

In this article, you will learn:

• Which music-related venues in Gdańsk are worth visiting

• What to pay special attention to when going to a concert in Gdańsk

• What the hidden gems on the musical map of Gdańsk are

You surely know the feeling. A free evening and a complete lack of ideas on how to spend it in an interesting way. Another visit to a restaurant is a cliché, a walk might be a good option, but it is hard to enjoy it on an autumn evening. So you grab your phone and look for unusual attractions on the map of Gdańsk. Here are 8 places where you can listen to live music and spend a truly unique evening!

Large arenas and classical music

Polish Baltic Philharmonic on Ołowianka (Polska Filharmonia Bałtycka na Ołowiance)

When listing the musical offer of Gdańsk, it is impossible to skip this place. The beautiful concert hall, which can accommodate almost 1,000 guests, is one of the largest venues for organizing cultural events on the map of Gdańsk. The only downside of the Baltic Philharmonic is the fact that events are organized there extremely rarely and by various organizers. If you plan to go there, pay special attention to who is responsible for organizing the given event. Companies renting the Philharmonic often draw on its prestige without offering any quality. Before going to a concert, always find out what reviews the audience leaves and, which is very important, make sure which of the halls your event takes place in. Just as the concert hall is characterized by fairly good acoustics (to be honest, compared to other Polish philharmonics, it does not look very good) and a fair distribution of seats, in other halls on offer, some seats may have restricted visibility and much poorer sound quality.

"I like Chopin" (4C Rajska St.)

This is an intimate concert hall in the heart of Gdańsk, which can accommodate up to 50 people. Intimate piano concerts by candlelight are organized there. The uniqueness of the "I like Chopin" hall lies in the fact that concerts are played there every day, regardless of the number of arriving guests. This means that (especially during the week) the concerts take on an incredibly intimate character, allowing for a casual conversation with the artist. Currently, the walls of "I like Chopin" host two daily concerts: a classical music concert called "I like Chopin" and a concert of unique piano arrangements of the legendary band Queen, called "I like Queen". At each concert, the audience is guided through the pieces played, which places the music in context and makes it much more tangible. On weekends, the offer also includes a concert aimed at families with children - "Musical Lands" (Muzyczne Krainy), which can be a good alternative for rainy afternoons. It is a truly unique place where you can experience sound, literally at arm's length from the instrument.

St. John's Centre (Centrum Św. Jana)

The building where St. John's Centre is located is a beautiful, historic church from the 14th century. In March 1945, the church burned down, and its reconstruction dragged on until the early 1990s. In 1995, the Archdiocese of Gdańsk handed the building over for use to the Baltic Sea Cultural Centre in Gdańsk, and currently the contract is valid until 2045. Although it might seem that there is still plenty of time to see St. John's Centre in its secular edition, it is worth bearing in mind that this place may soon lose its status as a cultural center and turn back into a sacred building. A definite advantage of St. John's Centre is the fact that free exhibitions are often organized there, such as the one from June this year, when a 7-meter replica of the moon was hung from the ceiling.

Polsat Plus Arena Gdańsk

Of course, we must not forget about the iconic stadium at 1 Pokoleń Lechii Gdańsk Street. Fans of mass events and huge stage concerts will definitely find something here that fits their vibe. Additionally, in the Fun Arena recreation and sports center, you can also find a number of attractions, such as an Escape Room or a Trampoline Park. It is also possible to explore the stadium from the inside with a guide. Did you know that the Polsat Plus Arena Gdańsk stadium has a detention center for over 80 people?

Club stages and alternative

Club B90 (Gdańsk Shipyard / Stocznia Gdańska)

This is a raw, industrial space with excellent sound equipment, ideal for heavy beats, metal, and alternative music. Definitely a space for a younger audience, geared towards a loud party and great fun. Nevertheless, a huge plus of B90 is the frequent events of a very diverse nature.

Stary Maneż (Garnizon)

An elegant and great-sounding hall that regularly hosts Polish and foreign pop, rock, and jazz stars, but not only. Stary Maneż often organizes other events within its walls, such as stand-up performances, classical music concerts, and even burlesque. The only downside of this place is its location in the Garnizon housing estate in Gdańsk. It is far from the center, hence their offer is generally directed mainly at the residents of Gdańsk, somewhat excluding visiting tourists.

Klub Parlament

The Gdańsk club Parlament often organizes dance tournaments, DJ battles, exhibitions, theatrical performances, and stand-ups in its space. It is certainly an interesting alternative for the evening, although it must be admitted that organizing events in this place is a relatively fresh idea. Due to this, the offer of Klub Parlament is not yet very diverse and requires time to take root in the Gdańsk scene.

Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre (Gdański Teatr Szekspirowski)

An institution open to experiments, regularly organizing intriguing, independent musical performances under a characteristic, opening roof. Unfortunately, a huge drawback is the fact that although the construction of the theater's main stage faithfully reproduces the London Fortune Playhouse theatre, most events are organized in a classic theatrical setting, which means that most seats have very restricted visibility.

As you can see, the musical map of Gdańsk is very abundant in various, interesting musical events. From large concert halls to small, intimate spaces.