It’s no secret Ulster County’s music scene is hot. There are at least a dozen music venues in Woodstock alone. Same for Kingston. If you include the ever-expanding list of cafés, restaurants and shops that host live music performances, there are nearly 100 places to hear music within county limits. That’s not normal! There are metropolises that have smaller music scenes.
With so many options, navigating Ulster County’s live music map can be daunting. Perhaps the best way of finding your path to an unforgettable sonic destination is to start by genre. What kind of music do you like? Because we’ve pretty much got it all…
Americana / Roots / Honkytonk
Old-timey music is all the rage in our county, particularly the kind you can dance to.
Guitar wiz Connor Kennedy might have kicked off the most hoppin’ honkytonk night at Kingston’s VFW Post 1286 — you’ll find it packed with a fun crowd Wednesdays through the end of July, with lots of boot scootin’ to an all-star band.
The sprawling Outpost BBQ at Kerhonkytonk Roadhouse (a mouthful, like their generously-portioned barbecue) is rustic church (figuratively) for Americana, roots, zydeco, honkytonk, bluegrass and other classic styles. Top talent comes through here because the owner truly prizes musicianship.
Kingston’s queer-forward Unicorn Bar boasts a huge dancefloor under disco balls, perfect for getting down to swing, country and other vintage flavors of music. You can really catch any genre of music here, but it’s for sure a honkytonk hotbed.
You can find these antique and vintage genres pop up in many other places. Woodstock is full of them: Station Bar & Curio, Levon Helm Studios, Colony, Bearsville Theater and Catskill Mountain Pizza; in Kingston at West Kill Supply; in Marlboro at The Falcon; in Saugerties at The Local; at The Ashokan Center in Olivebridge; and modern-day Americana at the Phoenicia Playhouse (put on by Flying Cat Music).
Jazz
Our county has a thriving jazz scene, from open mic nights all the way up to world-class talent.
The Lemon Squeeze in New Paltz is all jazzed up with nightly live piano performances, moody mid-century ambiance, and a serious cocktail program. With a baby grand front and center and a focus on classic jazz and blues, it’s become the go-to spot for locals and visitors looking for an intimate, elevated night of music.
Every Saturday night, Lydia’s Café in Stone Ridge hosts intimate jazz performances with top regional talent. Experience a cozy, intimate vibe with excellent food.
Also serving dinner alongside jazz is The Falcon in Marlboro, known for being a destination for songs that groove. It’s the jazz musician’s choice, with plenty of opportunities to jump on stage and join in, but spectators love it for its rustic vibe, beautiful surroundings and lively acoustics.
Pearl Moon in Woodstock has been anchoring the local jazz and blues scene for years, featuring both local and touring talent. It’s another venue with incredible food and drink, and the atmosphere is somehow both laid back and electric at the same time. They do evening concerts and late morning/early afternoon brunch performances.
Maverick Concert Hall is another key jazz spot, nestled in the woods outside of Woodstock. It’s a truly magical experience to witness a show here within century-plus-old architecture rendering an amazing acoustic environment. Jazz legends like Jack Dejonette play here, along with contemporary virtuosos.
Other jazz connections include Colony in Woodstock, along with UPAC, The Lace Mill and Chromatic Studios in Kingston, and The Local in Saugerties.
Rock / Punk / Metal
Ulster County has always had a loud underground music scene, and while it’s waxed and waned over the years, lately it seems to be experiencing a resurgence.
Snapper Magee’s is a punk rock dive bar mainstay in Kingston. And while it’s under new ownership, not much has changed over the decades. Between popular Sunday matinees and more traditional late-night bills, it’s a fun atmosphere to let loose and rock out.
Over the last few months, Kingston’s Night Swim has taken a page from its former incarnation as The Anchor and is doing live shows more regularly, many of them of the high-volume variety. Local punks and city bands gather to drink cheap beer and get loud. The kitchen’s open late and the bar food here is spectacular.
Tubby’s in Kingston is known for probing the more experimental, cutting-edge side of music, and that includes a healthy dose of rock, punk and heavier acts. It’s an intimate venue which regularly draws bands that play for hundreds of people.
Snug Harbor in New Paltz is another beloved dive, with its general attitude of “go nuts”. It’s a fiercely local establishment, supporting local musicians for decades. Since there’s not as much New Paltz nightlife as there used to be, Snug’s (as locals call it) can really pack ‘em in lately.
Other places you can find bands turned up to eleven in Ulster County include Keegan Ales, West Kill Supply and Assembly in Kingston, and Colony in Woodstock.
Pop / Indie
Looking for sounds that trend a little bit more toward the mainstream? Ulster County’s wealth of independent musicians and fans make for a magnetic draw — top national talent regularly drops by.
Bearsville Theater has been drawing some big names ever since music programming was turned over to Dayglo Events in 2024, and the hits keep coming. Who wouldn’t want to play or see a show here? The beloved Woodstock venue is enchanting, intimate, with immaculate sound and lighting — truly a fantastic spot to catch a show.
Assembly in Kingston burst onto the scene this year with a steadily growing slate of exciting bills drawn from diverse corners of the music world. They’re not pop/indie per se, though you can catch some catchy shows here. They’re musically all over the map, but they know how to expertly curate acts that are hot right now, leading to frequent sold-out shows.
In Woodstock, Levon Helm Studios consistently books some of the best up-and-coming acts in contemporary Americana, light indie rock, indie pop, folk, alt-country and the softer (but no less rockin’) side of rock.
Arrowwood Farms in Accord hosts some massive musical events — mini-festivals, really — with some of the most widely recognized names from the indie rock and pop underground.
Other places to find strong melodies and powerful songwriting include Rough Draft, UPAC, Unicorn Bar and O+ Exchange Clinic in Kingston and The Woodstock Pub, along with Colony.
Tribute Bands
“Tribute bands” is just a gussied-up name for a cover band, but today’s cover bands are typically not the bar variety you may remember from yesteryear. Thanks to modern technology and media, today’s tribute bands are looking and sounding more and more like their real-world counterparts.
Colony in Woodstock is the undisputed champion of tribute bands locally, and while their booking mix is leaning a bit more toward original music these days, you can still hear bands ranging from spitting-image, note-perfect recreations of a group’s hits to outfits covering music from a particular era.
Woodstock Playhouse is also known to host a few professional-grade tribute acts each year.
Tribute bands can pop up anywhere live music does, you’ll find them at many of the other venues on this list.
Classical
Maverick Concert Hall hosts the longest-running chamber music festival in the entire country. Any fan of classical music must make a pilgrimage. Virtuosic musicianship is the norm here.
Saugerties Pro Musica has been holding classical concerts at Saugerties United Methodist Church for nearly three decades. UPAC in Kingston hosts operas, ballets, and other super-old-school musical productions.
Jam Bands
Jam band culture is big in these parts, from the laid-back Deadheads on up to the modern jam bands that feature elite musical prowess and epic song lengths.
If you’re looking for such fare, try Colony or Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, Snug Harbor in New Paltz, and Keegan Ales or West Kill Supply in Kingston.
Experimental / World
Rail Trail Cafe is one of the area’s most magical venues, nestled in the woods like a secret. Besides super-tasty food and friendly people, you’ll find a diverse season of music from all over the map during the warmer months.
Besides its exalted status as a breathtaking, one-of-a-kind sculpture park, Opus 40 hosts international acts of repute in an unimaginably beautiful outdoor setting.
Other places to catch eclectic sonic fare in Ulster County are Widow Jane Mine in Rosendale, Tubby’s and Assembly in Kingston.
There are other genres of music and certainly other great venues inside and outside county lines, but these suggestions should get your ears pointed in the right direction.
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