There are venues, and then there are iconic music halls – those place where stages have been graced by music legends, or in some cases, help made them legends.
In Asheville those places are revamped skating rinks, born again movie theaters, and old warehouses turned into temples to rock and roll. If you’re looking to catch a show while in Asheville, then here are the more iconic venues you should consider.
What are the best music venues in the Asheville area?
The Orange Peel
The Orange Peel is a must-see venue for intimate shows that still pull in major touring acts. Before it was today’s beloved club, this corner spot lived multiple lives—including Skateland Rollerdome (1950–1962) and later R&B/soul-era chapters that helped shape downtown nightlife. In its modern era, The Orange Peel expanded to about 1,100 standing capacity and includes its lower-level lounge (PULP) with a live feed from the stage. It’s also been recognized by Rolling Stone as one of the “Top 5 rock clubs in the nation” (2008).
The Grey Eagle
The Grey Eagle Music Hall & Pub is a great place to discover what’s next in live music—often before everyone else does. Independent at heart and tuned to what’s emerging, the Grey Eagle has long been a launchpad for artists on the rise. This River Arts District venue pairs a close-knit performance space with a consistently thoughtful calendar, making it a favorite for listeners who like their music personal, present, and a little ahead of the curve. Add the in-house taqueria and you’ve got a night that unfolds at its own pace.
Harrah’s Cherokee Center
Harrah's Cherokee Center is the place to go when you want arena-scale energy or a seated, spotlight-on-the-stage performance. This downtown complex is Asheville’s home base for major concerts, comedy, and big-crowd moments. The oldest music venue in Asheville, Harrah's Cherokee Center (formerly named Civic Center) is home to two venues: the larger ExploreAsheville.com Arena with capacity for over 7,000, and the more intimate Thomas Wolfe Auditorium lists a max capacity of 2,431 and hosts the Asheville Symphony Orchestra as an annual anchor. If you’re choosing between rooms: the Arena brings the surge; Thomas Wolfe brings the hush-before-the-first-note feeling.
Wortham Center for the Performing Arts
Wortham Center for the Performing Arts is Asheville’s go-to for orchestras, performing arts, and touring productions. The nonprofit Wortham Center seeks to provide a little education with its entertainment. Wortham’s calendar stays active with music, dance, theater, and seasonal performances, and it’s a go-to when you want the artistry front and center. The 500 seat opera-style theater and its massive stage also plays host to the annual Music Video Asheville awards ceremony which centers around the work of the region's best pop, rock, and hip-hop acts, as well as touring theater companies and dance troupes.
Asheville Yards
Asheville Yards is where Asheville takes the show outside—open air, downtown, and unapologetically alive. Rebranded from Rabbit Rabbit, it’s built for big-singalong nights and easygoing hangs alike, with a calendar that leans into more live music, festivals, and community-forward gatherings. Located at 75 Coxe Ave., it’s a standing-room kind of place—gates open, the crowd gathers, and the city’s energy does the rest—plus it’s expanding its “more than concerts” personality with seasonal programming like a holiday ice rink. Visitors go to Asheville Yards when they want the feeling of being drawn together—music overhead, downtown at their feet, and a night that plays out like a block party with a headliner.
Asheville Music Hall
Asheville Music Hall is a downtown room built for the kind of night that starts as “let’s just see what’s happening” and turns into “we have to come back.” What makes it stand out is the range: an eclectic mix of local and touring acts, plus recurring happenings that give visitors an easy way into Asheville’s music culture without needing insider knowledge. Go here when you want something lively and unpretentious—where you can feel the city’s creative current in real time, shoulder-to-shoulder with people who came to move to the beat of their own drum.
Eulogy
Eulogy at Burial Beer is a newer downtown venue with a distinct Asheville approach: music, art, light, and sound curated into one immersive space, equal parts show and atmosphere. Opened in 2023, it’s a 400-capacity room that hosts nationally touring performers while also making space for Asheville’s underground and experimental edges. Because it’s part of the Burial Beer universe, the vibe carries that same independent, creator-forward spirit—thoughtful programming, design-forward sensory details, and a calendar that can swing from dance parties to genre-bending sets to community markets. It’s a good fit when you want a tighter room, a focused lineup, and a crowd that came to listen.
What happened to Salvage Station – what should visitors know for 2026?
It’s on its way back, with plans to reopen at a new River Arts District site. Salvage Station was heavily impacted by Hurricane Helene and did not reopen at its original site. It has announced plans to rebuild/reopen at a new location in the River Arts District—inside the former Asheville Waste Paper facility. Check back soon: We’re updating this page with more details as they become available.
