Bandsintown High Notes showcases Independent Venues
In addition to celebrating the year in live music for fans and artists, Bandsintnown’s newly released High Notes showcases the independent venues that makes those magical moments possible.
As 2025 winds down, independent venues have much celebrate even as many struggle with rising costs and increased competition. Showcasing and helping to solve both is the dual mandate of Bandsintown’s ongoing partnership with the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA).
Their joint Live Independent initiative includes independent venue search, featured placements, and certified badges that make finding and supporting independent stages is easier than ever. So far in 2025, Bandsintown generated:
- 1 billion event recommendations for Live Independent venues
- 38 million clicks to buy tickets for Live Independent venues
- 2 million RSVPs for events at Live Independent venues
Celebrating Independent Venues
While 2026 could be a pivotal year for many independent venues (more on that below), Bandsintown High Notes is about celebrating the successes of 2025. As the lists below showcase, independent venues have a lot to celebrate.
Top 10 U.S. independent venues with the most ticket demand
- The Rave / Eagles Club, Milwaukee, WI, US
- First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN
- Elsewhere in Brooklyn, NY
- Le Poisson Rouge in New York, NY
- Empire Control Room & Garage in Austin, TX
- City Winery Boston in Boston, MA
- Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO, US
- Palace Theatre in Saint Paul, MN
- Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, AZ
- City Winery New York in New York, NY
Top 10 U.S. independent venues with the fastest follower growth
- Spirit in Pittsburgh, PA
- Shubert Theatre in New York, NY
- The Virgil in Los Angeles, CA
- Brillobox in Pittsburgh, PE
- The Barbary in Philadelphia, PA
- Icehouse in Minneapolis, MN
- Barboza in Seattle, WA
- Spy Bar in Chicago, IL
- Smartbar in Chicago, IL
- Preservation Hall in New Orleans, LA
Top 10 U.S. independent venues with the most event RSVPs:
- Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO, US
- McMenamins Crystal Ballroom in Portland, OR
- The Anthem in Washington D.C.
- Revolution Hall in Portland, OR
- Roseland Theater in Portland, OR
- Armory in Minneapolis, MN
- Paramount Theatre in Seattle, WA
- Metro Chicago in Chicago, IL
- The Nile Theater in Mesa, AZ
- The Rave / Eagles Club, WI
Top 10 U.S. independent venues with the most new followers
- Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO, US
- Spirit – Pittsburgh, PA
- McMenamins Crystal Ballroom in Portland, OR
- The Social in Orlando, FL
- The Vic Theatre in Chicago, IL
- The Rave / Eagles Club in Milwaukee, WI
- Paramount Theatre in Seattle, WA
- Granada Theater in Dallas, TX
- The Masquerade in Atlanta, GA
- The Orange Peel in Asheville, NC
Top 10 U.S. independent venues with the most views
- Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO, US
- The Rave / Eagles Club in Milwaukee, WI
- Le Poisson Rouge in New York, NY
- John T. Floore’s Country Store in Helotes, TX
- McMenamins Crystal Ballroom in Portland, OR
- Roseland Theater in Portland, OR
- City Winery New York in New York, NY
- City Winery Philadelphia in Philadelphia, PA
- City Winery Chicago in Chicago, IL
- Schubas Tavern in Chicago, IL
High Notes & The State Of Independent Live Music
The broader High Notes report includes data that supports NIVA’s State Of Live survey which showed how increased competition is contributing to the struggles facing independent venues.
A cross reference of High Notes top tours and touring artists makes it clear that most were produced by Live Nation and AEG, rather than by independents.
Music Ally showcased another High Notes stat: a 32.6% increase over last year in fans travelling for live music. “The cause of this is unstated, but we would also suggest that increasing financial pressure on smaller venues resulting in closures could also be a potential factor, which would then force fans to travel further for shows.”
Read the full Bandsintown High Notes 2025 here.
Bruce Houghton is Founder & Editor of Hypebot, Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, a Berklee College Of Music professor and founder of Skyline Artists.
