Live-Music Venues Nightlife

As recently as the early 1990s, Las Vegas was considered the place where headlining bands went to die. Believe it or not, the Entertainment Capital of the World didn’t attract a major touring act until 1993 (believe it or not, it was the Grateful Dead).

Compared to the rest of the country, Vegas wasn’t only way behind the live-music curve, but the paradoxically conservative instincts of the casino bosses and city fathers made it very difficult for touring bands, especially rock ‘n’ rollers, to gain a foothold. 

In the past 20-odd years, however, Sin City has evolved into the number-one live-music market in the world. From the lounges and showrooms of the ’60s and ’70s to the 21st-century mix of nightclubs, midsize theaters, concert halls, arenas, stadiums, and music-festival sites, today a million-plus seats are sold annually in more than 30 live-music venues. You’ll find them all listed below.