A Short Guide to the Music Scene in Paris
Venues, clubs, listening bars, and more
I’ve just returned from a week in Singapore where, among the many special things I did, I found myself belting my heart out to TLC’s Waterfalls with a local singalong choir, Sing Song Social Club. It gave me the kind of release and joyful nostalgia that only music and dancing seem to elicit. My singing companions, a mix of Singaporeans and foreigners living and working in the city-state, converged at PPP Coffee one evening during my stay. It was, I was told, a much smaller venue than the group’s usual meet-ups in schools and vacant gyms but what remains constant no matter the locale is the abiding reason for convening: a love of music. What began as a restrained experience as everyone warmed up to the song (and one another) ended, a couple hours later, in sweaty jubilation. I had the best time.
It left me thinking about the places we convene in Paris around music. There are similar choir-style meet-ups which foster community, like Some Voices and Singing Earth Divine (gospel), there are al fresco opportunities to sing and dance, like the tango nights along the banks of the Seine (one of the spots my husband, then boyfriend, brought me during our epic first summer together) and there are hundreds of concert venues and bars that offer live music.
A few readers inquired about listening to music in Paris and since Fête de la Musique is upon us (on a day that will likely exceed 100°F, be warned), the timing felt appropriate. Have favorites to add? Leave a note in the comments!
JAZZ
Deeply rooted in post-war Left Bank history, Parisian jazz and swing shows are often held in low-lit cellars or cozy listening hubs like Le Duc des Lombards, Sunset Sunside, 38 Riv, Caveau de la Huchette. More club than bar, New Morning is the 10th arrondissement’s destination for jazz and blues.
Venture out of the center to the 19th arrondissement where La Gare-Le Gore (page 122 in my book with Eater!), set in an abandoned train station, starts off the night with live jazz concerts (free) then turns into a house and electronic club after 1 a.m., for a fee.
How to find a show and buy tickets:
If you’re comfortable in French, peruse L’Officiel des Spectacles (which I remember buying, old school style, at news kiosks when I moved to Paris) or check Paris Jazz Club for listings.
