Glasgow is home to one of the best music scenes in the world. Huge bands, such as Oasis and Arctic Monkeys, have praised the city for its love of music and - in particular - the audience and venues, the likes of Barrowlands and King Tuts, are seen as legendary places to play.

However, away from mammoth music settings including the SSE Hydro and O2 Academy, there lie a few hidden gems  dotted about the city that are marking their own territory as must-visits for music fans of all genres.

STEREO

Glasgow Times:

Stereo is one of those places. Found in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it location down Renfield Lane in Glasgow City Centre, the bar has found its niche as a vegan restaurant. In addition to this, it also plays host to gigs on a regular basis and have found a loyal audience.

Gig Booker at Stereo Iain Findlay-Walsh explained what makes Stereo such a great place for punters.

He said: “The venue is a good sized room that is grubby with a big basement and the sound system is really good.

“We have a welcoming and inclusive culture here as well, every single employee believes that from engineer to bar staff to stewards, they just assume that everyone is cool.

“It’s important for us to be a safe space for everyone and we will not put up with any d***ish behaviour from patrons.”

The bar has hosted gigs from big local talent like Chvrches and Mogwai, with the latter set to headline a show at the Hydro on December 16.

BLOC+

Glasgow Times:

Stereo isn’t the only trendy restaurant turned music venue at night making waves in Glasgow. BLOC+ is a Bath Street bar best known in most circles for the excellent food deals they offer mid-week.

However, they also put on almost nightly free concerts, covering a wide variety of genres. Chris Cusack, the venue manager AND promoter said they mostly look for original acts.

“BLOC+ genuinely hosts a huge variety of music, especially in the form of full bands,” he said. “In the space of a month we will have electronic acts, heavy metal, punk rock, indie rock and plenty of jazz.

“We also have an event called Blochestra which is an open-door orchestra of the public who come in and rehearse big-band covers of popular (and some original) songs.

“About the only thing we don’t generally host are cover acts, since they are already so well catered for. Though, every now and then, we break that rule for a party.”

Although the likes of Frightened Rabbit, Twin Atlantic and Wolf Alice have played at BLOC+ in the past, Chris doesn’t like to boast about famous names.

“It is worth noting, that many alumni of the Scottish scene have passed through BLOC+ on their way to the top. The names would just sound like bragging,” he said.

SAINT LUKE’S

Glasgow Times:

Now imagine heading to a gig inside a surreal location, like a church? That’s exactly what awaits you at Saint Luke’s, an exciting music venue in the East End of Glasgow. Built inside an old place of worship, it has proven to be an ideal place to put on concerts.

Opened in September 2015, it’s one of the newer kids on the block, but that hasn’t stopped it from carving its own name into the city’s folklore.

Venue programmer, Chae Houston, said the unique layout is what makes Saint Luke’s such a valuable addition to Glasgow’s live music scene.

“It is hard to say what makes Saint Luke’s such a good venue as everything about it adds up but it’s probably the atmosphere and the unique layout that makes it such a good place to hold concerts in,” he said.

“It’s an ex-church so the roof is very high and it’s spacious, perfect for gigs. Most people who come here usually really enjoy themselves too.”

Saint Luke’s is also a massive supporter of Scottish talent, as evident from the bands who’ve played there.

“Most famous gigs we’ve had are Twin Atlantic, Fatherson, We Were Promised Jetpacks, who are all very big local bands who enjoyed playing here,” Chae said.

BROADCAST

Glasgow Times:

Sauchiehall Street is one of the more famed streets in Glasgow, and in it sits Broadcast, a trendy club that has become well known for blooding new musical talent, with the likes of Catfish and the Bottlemen, DMAs and Mac Demarco, all playing there before they were catapulted into mainstream fame.

Adam Carr, Broadcast booker, believes their policy of showcasing new artists is what draws in punters.

“From a venue point of view, we’re constantly looking towards the next big artists, we feel that we represent a unique first opportunity to catch artists in a face to face intimate environment,” he said.

“It’s always possible to do this before they go on to become some of the best known names in the world, where the next time you can catch them it might be in front of 12,000+ people at venues such as the Hydro.

“At the same time, we put a huge amount of effort into making our bar complement our venues policies, with a great food and drinks selection, and some of the best local DJ’s.”

With Glasgow a hotbed of musical talent, it is refreshing that the city has plentiful places for them to showcase their abilities.

Can you add any more underrated music venues to this list? Leave a comment in the secion below.