Tunes for a tenner: Check out these top music venues in Liverpool on a student budget

Live music and students have a complex relationship, with those desperate to go to every gig held back by one thing and one thing only – cost. If you’re getting a bit fed up with Shit Indie Disco, or the bottom floor at Level being overloaded with the same song you heard an hour before, then look no further. We’ve curated a list of the top spots around town to either listen to some live tracks, or get involved yourself. Hearing some budget-friendly live bangers every week is truly a highlight of the student experience, and you shouldn’t have to miss out just because of Ticketmaster prices. Bonus points go out to the sweatiest venues too – they always have the cheapest pints.

Irish Bars

Fortunately, Liverpool has been blessed with an abundance of Irish bars. From Celtic Corner to McCooleys, free entry screams at students like when order number 69 is called out in Ranelagh Street McDonalds at 4am on a Friday night. You can get your mates in for free, order a Guinness and sit back and chat over some quality live music with local artists given the chance to cover all your favourite tracks. You’ll be knocking out your own rendition of Wonderwall before you know it.

The Cavern Club

Was there really any doubt that this would make the list?

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The Cavern Club is an iconic landmark of the music scene for the whole world, let alone the UK. This dingy venue has been labelled as the birthplace for arguably the best band of all time, The Beatles, who performed over 300 times here. I mean if they can go 300 times, I’m sure you can go somewhere other than BaaBar and check out it at least once, right?

Their £5 entry fee is fairly reasonable, and with live music on every hour, there is bound to be someone worth listening to performing. There’s no better feeling than pretending to be a tourist in your own city too.

The Jacaranda

Everyone knows that this little venue is often the birthplace for the coolest new musical talent. The Jacaranda often battle The Cavern Club for the bragging rights of the place that introduced the world to The Beatles, but when they’re offering live music and cheap drinks? Who even cares about the competition.

It’s definitely a spot for all the indie-lovers in town. The Jac has always been the perfect place for a post-gig pint, or spending an afternoon packed with bangers and booze – and you’re slap bang in the middle of the Concert Square triangle if you take it a bit too far and fancy a boogie. They’re home to such a wide range of gigs and all-day events that there’s something to please absolutely everyone here.

24 Kitchen Street

The beloved 24 Kitchen Street sits right on the Baltic Triangle, and boasts some pretty heavy events that can fit perfectly in your student budget. If you can snap up an early bird ticket and walk down from town, you’re in for a fairly cheap night out, packed with anything from electronic to hip-hop and house. It’s one of those proper warehouse style venues, which everyone loves.

Hangar 34

Another Baltic Triangle special is Hangar 34, for our indie music lovers who yearn to share the rhythm of a fresh atmosphere with their fellow groovers. For those who are interested in broadening their music taste and discovering the top new upcoming artists, go whenever, you’ll bass-ically have the best night ever. See what we did there?

Tribute bands perform regularly so you can rock out to your favorite tunes without diving into the overdraft, which always makes for a good night.

Mountford Hall

Although on the pricier side, the University of Liverpool’s very own Mountford Hall boasts being host for some of the UK’s top artists. Recently, top indie rock bands like Shed Seven and Blossoms have performed right on campus – in the very place you’ve been viciously hungover before a 10am lecture.

If times are rough, nobody’s stopping you from sitting in The Sphinx with a £2.50 pint to catch a decent listen of whoever is playing that night.

Meraki

Last but not least is Meraki, which is just off the Nelson Dock. It might be a bit of a further trek out than some of the others, but its outdoor space is something to behold, and makes for a wicked gig venue. The offerings here range from electronic DJ sets to hip-hop spoken word artists, and they’re a huge pillar in the community music scene.

Meraki offers free or subsidized spaces for community groups to host their own gigs and events, which is always a bonus. If you’re up for expanding your musical horizons a little bit, then this is the place to be.

Obviously, you’ve got your O2 Academy, Liverpool Olympia and the M&S Bank Arena, but nothing beats getting a bit sweaty and covered in Red Stripe in a tiny venue in the city centre. Some of the city’s best artists were born and bred in these spots, so it would be rude not to sacrifice a tenner to have a dance and a laugh with your mates one night. Happy gigging everyone!