Anchorage Music Guide

Anchorage, Alaska – the largest city in the country’s largest state, is rich with cultural and musical opportunities. Anyone visiting Anchorage will find that there are quite a few hot spots and rich musical opportunities available throughout the week.

Located on Third Avenue, the Snowgoose Restaurant is home to live music throughout the week. The restaurant, famous for its own brewery and Firkin Fridays every week, offers the opportunity to taste freshly brewed beer while listening to an array of fresh musical acts. They also offer Acoustic Saturdays – which feature local unplugged act performing with no cover charge. Their open mic night has famously seen many local bluegrass, folk, and country artists from throughout the region.

The Bear Tooth tavern is another hot location, located on W. 27th Ave. Traditionally a movie theatre, but also used for a concert venue has 70 seats for diners and 400 seats for musical and movie events. Patrons can enjoy a fresh meal while watching or listening. A number of local acts play the venue, as well as popular acts from the lower 48 states. Another popular location, where food and music can be had side by side, is Blues Central and the Chef’s Inn where 100 seats are available for those wanting a good meal and some solid blues music. Local acts are featured, though many touring blues acts from other states and countries have been spotted here. Humpy's Great Alaskan Alehouse is also very popular, providing live local music alongside its long menu of popular dishes and beers.

If you're looking for more traditional venues for your music enjoyment, the Alaska Center of the Performing Arts is one of the largest in the city with regular musicals and ballet presentations, as well as symphony. The Atwood Concert Hall is another popular venue for classical, folk, jazz, and ethnic ensembles and groups from throughout the state and nearby British Columbia. Another popular and large venue is the Egan Convention and Civic Center, with seating for 2800 and plenty of annual events, including popular music concerts as well as sporting events and conventions.

While a great deal of Anchorage's music scene is built around the traditionally smaller venues that litter this old mining and trapping town, there are quite a few small and popular locations where local musicians diverse in just about every possible genre meet up and showcase their talents. From small time bands at local taverns to traveling shows from the lower forty-eight, you'll find a wide array of musical options in Anchorage.