Anyone that wants to learn about the local music scene in Bridgeport and New Haven has come to the right place. The best musical instrument stores in your area including some different sections for where to buy guitars and the best drum shops in the region seem like the logical place for us to begin.
While there is plenty of crossover between some lists we think we got the right spots in the right sections for you. Up next we will get into quality instrument repair shops near you because some reading this may need a piano tuned, a guitar repaired, or work done on other band instruments and there is somebody out there that can assist.
Contents
- 1 Bridgeport & New Haven Musical Instrument Stores
- 2 Where To Buy Guitars
- 3 Drum Shops Near You
- 4 Instrument Repair
- 5 Music Lessons
- 6 CD & Record Stores
- 7 Bridgeport & New Haven Live Music Venues
- 8 Fun Restaurants With Entertainment
- 9 Bars With Live Music
- 10 Music Festivals In Your Area
- 11 Enjoy The Bridgeport & New Haven Local Music Scene
Then it will be time to pivot to the best music lessons for kids or adults. Following that we will give a shout out to the top stores for music lovers that sell vintage CD’s and records here.
We also think many of you will want to know about the best concert halls and live music venues while some others may prefer to visit bars and restaurants that have free live music around the city.
And we will get you out of here with the best festivals on the Bridgeport and New Haven music calendar. Stay with us til the end where you will find a map with the wide variety of stores and venues we are discussing pointed out.
Everyone reading this is welcome to look through more of our blogs on the Northeast at that link.
Bridgeport & New Haven Musical Instrument Stores
Some of the best musical instrument stores near you would be:
- Greenwich Music at 1200 E Putnam Ave
- Strad Violin Shop at 60 S Lexington Ave
- Music & Arts at 1863 Post Rd
- Chapin Fine Violins 1172 Quinnipiac Ave, New Haven
- Banko’s Music at 360 E Main St, New Haven
- Music Center of North Haven at 473 Washington Ave, New Haven
Greenwich Music sells guitars, amps, and drum sets in your area while also providing piano and guitar lessons, rentals, and instrument repair services.
A wide range of violins, violas, cellos, and bows are offered along with cases, strings, and other high quality accessories at Strad Violin Shop. They also teach local violin, viola, cello, and piano lessons and provide repairs and adjustments based on your specific requirements and needs.
You can choose from a large collection of musical instruments at Music and Arts which also offers lessons, repair, and rental services.
Chapin Fine Violins sells a variety of stringed instruments including violins, violas, cellos, and bows and even provides rentals, repairs, and adjustments so your instrument could perform its full potential.
All feature sets and aesthetics, hardware, kick pedal, cymbals, drum thrones, and more are available at Music Center of North Haven plus they offer lessons and school band instrument rentals near you.
Where To Buy Guitars
For all the guitars and accessories you need check out:
- Route 1 Guitars at 189 Bridgeport Ave
- DGN Custom Guitars at 94 Churchill St
- A Sound Choice at 267 E Main St #3, New Haven
- Guitar Center at 50 Boston Post Rd, New Haven
Route 1 Guitars does repairs and sells other instruments apart from guitars.
Handmade custom guitars, tube amps, circuits, gears, and repairs are available at DGN Custom Guitars but they are only open by appointment so be sure to contact them before you head over.
A Sound Choice is a solid option for acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and basses.
Guitar Center is home to one of the largest selections of popular guitars, basses, amplifiers, keyboards, workstations, drums, percussions, microphones, PA systems, DJ equipment, stage lighting, recording software, studio gear, and more.
Don’t forget about the selection of guitars offered at Greenwich Music and Music Center of North Haven from our local instrument stores list.
Drum Shops Near You
Ash Creek Music at 151 Morehouse Street is a great place to buy drums in your area as are many of the other stores we have already mentioned in the previous lists.
Instrument Repair
Instrument repairs in Bridgeport and New Haven are available at:
- Turnpike Music Garage at 1485 Black Rock Turnpike
- Tim Moran Woodwinds at 1652 Whitney Ave, New Haven
- Guitar Fixer Bob at 167 Main St, New Haven
Turnpike Music Garage is a full service instrument store in your area carrying a full line of products as well as a large supply of inventory.
Tim Moran Woodwinds features a fine vintage instrument selection for advanced students and professionals and offers on site repair services with attention to detail.
There’s a diverse collection of new and vintage parts at Guitar Fixer Bob where they also provide repair services ranging from basic setups to re frets, broken headstocks, electronics, and everything in between.
Earlier we linked you to Greenwich Music, Strad Violin Shop, Music and Arts, and Route 1 Guitars but we also need to mention them here because they are good places to get instruments repaired near you.
Music Lessons
Level up by taking lessons at a music school in your area:
- Trumbull School of Music at 338 Commerce Dr
- Kathy’s School of Music at 745 Westfield Ave
- All Things Musical at 3210 Whitney Ave, New Haven
- The Music Shop at 405 Queen St, New Haven
Trumbull School of Music teaches a wide range of instruments and genres including piano, voice, guitar, bass, trumpet, French horn, flute, sax, clarinet, and plenty more.
Kathy’s School of Music offers instrument lessons for both children and adults in addition to performance instruction, music theory, harmony and rhythm, aural development, and memorization.
You can take music classes from the comfort of your own home at All Things Musical where you will find experienced and patient teachers as well as accessories and some of the best music education materials available for both children and adults.
The Music Shop provides lessons for piano, guitar, bass, mandolin, ukulele, voice, drums, violin, viola, cello, and woodwind and brass instruments.
All of the places in Bridgeport mentioned in our top list are also great options for music lessons near you as are A Sound Choice and The Music Center of North Haven.
CD & Record Stores
Check out all kinds of vintage CD’s and records at these local stores for music lovers:
- The Archive at 118 Congress St
- Academy Books & Records at 305 Fairfield Ave
- Elm City Sounds at 24 Fountain St, New Haven
- Merle’s Record Rack at 307 Racebrook Rd, New Haven
- Replay Records at 2586 Whitney Ave, New Haven
- Exile On Main Street at 267 E Main St, New Haven
- Redscroll Records at 69 S Turnpike Rd, New Haven
The Archive buys and sells vintage vinyl records, DVD’s, and CD’s near you.
Academy Books and Records is another good option for vintage and vinyl records, sheet music, antiquarian books, and other music related products.
Elm City Sounds buys and sells rare and collectible records by Rojac, Pop Side, The Bass Foundation, and plenty more.
Merle’s Record Rack has been specializing in audio and video transfers, digitization, and duplication for decades.
You can choose from a great selection of CD’s, cassettes, and new and used vinyl at Replay Records.
Exile On Main Street primarily carries rock music in addition to indie, classic, metal, and jam bands as well as jazz and blues. They are known for selling CD’s, DVD’s, vinyl records, t shirts, posters, coffee mugs, stickers, buttons, headphones, and other assorted accessories.
Redscroll Records sells and trades music on records, CD’s, tapes, and other related items.
Bridgeport & New Haven Live Music Venues
Seeing a concert at Bridgeport & New Haven live music venues is always a good time:
- The Acoustic at 2926 Fairfield Ave
- The Bijou Theatre at 275 Fairfield Ave
- BPT Creates at 1001 Main St #14
- Stage One at 70 Sanford St
- College Street Music Hall at 238 College St, New Haven
- The State House at 310 State St, New Haven
- The Space at 295 Treadwell St, New Haven
The Acoustic is a live music venue and bar featuring a variety of local and alternative acts in an intimate setting.
Three to four performances are hosted every day at The Bijou Theatre.
College Street Music is a 2,000 capacity live music venue in your area with a standing room floor, seated theater shows, and reserved balcony seating.
The State House is a hub for local music, arts, and cultural experiences that strengthens cultural practices, provides recreation, bridges social divides, and benefits the city’s cultural health at large.
Since 2018 Space Ballroom has been an independent music venue for people of all ages that features national touring artists and some of Connecticut’s best musicians.
Fun Restaurants With Entertainment
You can take a date or a group of friends to these restaurants with live music:
- Azteca at 522 Pequonnock St
- Captain’s Cove Seaport at 1 Bostwick Ave
- Dolphin’s Cove Restaurant & Marina at 421 Seaview Ave
- Boca Oyster at 10 E Main St
- Trattoria ‘A Vucchella & Wood Oven Pizza at 272 Fairfield Ave
- Kasbah Garden Cafe at 105 Howe St RR, New Haven
- Arch Street Tavern at 85 Arch St, New Haven
- The Playwright Irish Pub Restaurant at 1232 Whitney Ave, New Haven
- Olives & Oil at 124 Temple St, New Haven
- Bryac Restaurant & Raw Bar at 3074 Fairfield Ave, New Haven
On Saturday nights Azteca hosts incredible live music performances.
Live music performances ranging from country to 80’s cover bands, rock and roll, DJ’s, and more are hosted at Captain’s Cove Seaport where they also serve delicious food and drinks.
There’s live music and great beer every Friday and Saturday at Boca Oyster.
Trattoria ‘A Vucchella and Wood Oven Pizza is known for hosting a variety of events including wine dinners, cooking lessons, fundraisers, and live music in your area.
Arch Street Tavern is an entertainment area with a large outdoor patio that hosts jazz music and other genres and serves hearty pub fare and beer in a lofty barnlike setting.
Many people enjoy the live local music at The Playright Irish Pub as well as their great food and other offerings.
Bryac Restaurant and Raw Bar has outdoor seating and offers seafood, burgers, and brunch in a relaxed upbeat atmosphere along with live music.
Bars With Live Music
There are also some bars that play live music around town:
- Murphy’s Law at 239 Fairfield Ave
- Evolution Sport Bar & Lounge at 1279 North Ave
- Four Corners at 102 Bank St
- Cafe Nine at 250 State St, New Haven
- Stella Blues at 204 Crown St, New Haven
- Three Sheets at 372 Elm St, New Haven
- Anchor Spa at 272 College St, New Haven
Live music and stand up comedy are held on a regular basis at Café Nine which also provides five local brews on tap and plenty of other reasonably priced options.
Stella Blues offers a unique dive bar experience by bringing in some incredible jam bands, open mic nights, and happy hours.
There’s also live music as well as pizzas, sandwiches, craft beers, and cocktails at Three Sheets.
Music Festivals In Your Area
Have as much fun as you can at one of these music festivals near you:
- Apple Music Festival in June/July
- Milford Oyster Festival in August
Live music, rides, food trucks, and other food vendors as well as a fully stocked harvest pub are all featured at the Apple Music Festival.
Milford Oyster Festival in August is an annual cultural festival featuring a variety of musical performances by regional and international artists.
In the past we have also written a:
- Hartford Local Music Guide
- New York City Local Music Guide
- Newark Local Music Guide
- Philadelphia Local Music Guide
Enjoy The Bridgeport & New Haven Local Music Scene
We tried to cover everything as quickly and as well as possible for you on this page. After reading about the best musical instrument stores, drum and guitar shops, instrument repair services, classes and lessons, vintage CD and record stores, concert halls and other live music venues near you like bars and restaurants, and the best festivals in the region you should have a much better understanding of what is available.
And anyone that made it this far might just know a little bit about the local music scene themself and if so feel free to tell us what we got wrong in the comments or share your own thoughts. Now it is time for you to go enjoy the music in Bridgeport and New Haven.