LIVE MUSIC

WATCH THE WORLD’S BEST M USICIANS PLAYING LIVE AT THESE ICONIC PARISIAN LIVE M USIC VEN U ES.

1. La Cigale

ICO N IC One of Paris’s most popular live music venues, the stage of La Cigale has played host to some of the world’s biggest names in music, including Coldplay, Radiohead and Eric Clapton. Established in 1887, this former dancehall was given a facelift in the 1980s by Philippe Starck, yet retains its classic red velvet curtains and plush balcony seating. Before the show, enjoy a meal at the excellent in-house bistro, La Cantine. €€

120 boulevard de Rochechouart, 75018 Paris

+33 1 49 25 89 99 | lacigale.fr

2. La Maroquinerie

H IPST E R With a ground oor cafe and a basement live music venue, La Maroquinerie boasts one of the city’s hottest live music scenes. Hosting everything from literary discussions to up-and-coming indie bands, enjoy tasty, reasonably priced fare upstairs before joining the hipster crowds for the live events. On warmer days, watch the shows from the terrace while sipping a glass of wine a steal for only €3.

23 rue Boyer, 75020 Paris

+33 1 40 33 35 05 | lamaroquinerie.fr

3. La Bellevilloise

I N STIT U TIO N When La Bellevilloise rst opened in 1877, the venue was dedicated to bringing art and culture to the community. Refurbished in 2005, this local favourite remains one of the hottest music venues in Paris with a leafy terrace, French fusion restaurant and a dedicated exhibition space.

ere’s live jazz during Sunday brunch, regular lm screenings, a popular 80s music night and even the occasional free massage. €

19-21 rue Boyer, 75020 Paris

+33 1 46 36 07 07 | labellevilloise.com

4. Bataclan

7. Le New Morning

E DGY

A legendary music venue in the 11th district in Paris, Le Bataclan hosts a vibrant program of concerts and events and once welcomed Edith Piaf to the stage in the early days of her career. With its unusual Chinese-inspired architecture, Le Bataclan is an exclusive and cosy venue for live performances. Arrive early for balcony seats or stand on the packed dance oor to dance the night away. €€ 50 boulevard Voltaire, 75011 Paris +33 1 43 14 00 30 | bataclan.fr

5. Le G rand Rex

H ISTORIC As the largest cinema theatre in Europe with 2,650 seats, Le Grand Rex is both a grand cinema and live concert venue. Now a historical monument which rst opened in 1932, Le Grand Rex’s towering facade gives way to elegant Art Deco interiors and a sizeable auditorium, with three-tiered seating and an enormous arched stage. Don’t miss experiencing a show at this iconic venue with its rolling program of large-scale acts. €€€ 1 boulevard Poissonnière, 75002 Paris +33 1 45 08 93 89 | legrandrex.com

6. Le Zenith

L ARG E -SCA LE E V EN TS Located in the midst of the Parc de la Villette, Le Zenith is one of Paris’s largest venues, seating up to 6,300 people and welcoming some of the world’s biggest live acts to its vast stage. With a glamorous roll-call of stars such as Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna, Muse and Amy Winehouse, 2014 will see concerts by Lady Gaga, irty Seconds to Mars, Fall Out Boy and the Belgian sensation, Stromae. €€€

211 avenue Jean Jaurès, 75019 Paris +33 1 44 52 54 56 | zenith-paris.com

WOR L D M U SIC A relaxed jazz and Latin music club attracting a friendly, sociable crowd, New Morning is a hotspot for new and avant-garde music. Its line-up features the best of the jazz world such as Stan Getz, Miles Davis and Chet Baker and the club’s informal, no-frills ethos makes for an intimate ambiance. Visit their website to view the latest schedule of events, featuring a high quality program of funk, jazz, salsa and world music. €€

7-9 rue des Petites Ecuries, 75010 Paris +33 1 45 23 51 41 | newmorning.com

8. Le Duc des Lombards

JAZZ A major player of the Paris jazz scene since opening in 1984, this elegant club boasts one of the best line-ups in the city. A concierge welcomes guests at the door, acting as the gatekeeper to Le Duc des Lombards’s inner sanctum of sultry blue velvet, low lighting and an intimate central stage where a glossy grand piano awaits. Performances follow a New York rhythm, with sets kicking o at around 8pm and 10pm. Book ahead. €€ 42 rue des Lombards, 75001 Paris +33 1 42 33 22 88 | ducdeslombards.com

Nee D To K N Ow

Ticket Purchase: If you’re planning to see a live music show in Paris, you should either check the website of the specific music venue you want to visit, buy tickets in person at a FNAC store, or purchase tickets online at major online vendors such as DigiTick (digitick.fr), FNAC ( fnactickets.com) or Ticketnet (ticketnet.fr).

Which Parisian area do you like to wander around? For me, Le Marais is the most emblematic area to wander around - I’ve spent so much time walking around there that I know it by heart! If I was in a more adventurous mood, I would spend time in my beloved 11th arrondissement. I would open the doors of random buildings to discover their beautiful courtyards, like secret havens. at is so Parisian! en I would continue towards the 20th arrondissement in the east of Paris where you’ll nd the Mouzaia and Charonne areas, as well as rue de Bagnolet, which looks like a little village with tiny streets.

Where do you like to have lunch? Without a doubt, I would have lunch at the 6 Paul Bert bistro in the 11th arrondissement.

Where would you spend the rest of the afternoon? I’m a big fan of books and vinyl records, so one of my favourite things to do is to walk along the Seine riverbank to visit the bouquinistes, who are sellers of old books and magazines. I also love to visit the Shakespeare & Co

CHRISTOPHE ABRIC Co-Founder, La Blogothèque

Christophe Abric is the co-founder and seriously talented creative mind behind one of the world’s coolest music concepts, La Blogothèque, which creates artistic short films called “Takeaway Shows” of many of the world’s best musicians— including no less than Arcade Fire, Phoenix and Franz Ferdinand—performing in impromptu and unnexpected places around the world We find out where this Parisian local loves to hangout in his home town.

bookstore, near Notre-Dame; I love the smell of their old books, the British accents of its customers, and their charming little terrace. en I would do some shopping around the 10th and 11th arrondissement, around rue de Charonne, where I always nd cool stu like at the Pied de Biche gallery-bookstore and also at Nationale 7. It’s a sort of vintage concept store where you’ll nd really edgy records, furniture from the 60s, and cool homewares. I also love to spend a few hours at the Musée d’Orsay visiting the paintings and sculptures of Daumier.

Where do you love to go for dinner & drinks? Clamato is the perfect place to start the evening. I love to sit at the counter and spend the evening sharing some fantastic dishes and trying lots of avours, I enjoy it like a kid! Buvette wine bar is also a fun place for tapas and a bottle of wine, it’s tiny and casual. en I would continue on to Bones restaurant nearby, which is a great foodie place with a very cool design. It has both a restaurant and a really friendly wine bar. All of these places are close to each other and o er a fantastic experience each time.