Today we will try to fill you in on everything we know about music in Louisville. Obviously it is a broad subject, but we will do our best.
Discussing the best musical instrument stores in Louisville seems like a logical place to start. There will be separate lists for where to buy guitars in your area as well as the top drum shops in town.
Some may quibble about what store should go where, but we will try to differentiate them as well as we can. We aren’t sure if you are trying to buy keyboards, synthesizers, pedals, amps, or popular guitar brands like Gibson, Keisel, or Fender but a store on this page can probably help you out.
Contents
Where to get a broken instrument repaired will follow that up. There are many repair companies that can tune a piano, repair a guitar, or work on all kinds of band instruments.
After that we will pivot to music classes and lessons for kids or adults before diving into local stores for music lovers with vintage CD’s and records. You can find numerous places to enjoy live entertainment at the best concert halls and music venues in the region.
Bars and restaurants with live music near you will also get their own sections too. A discussion about the Louisville music calendar wouldn’t be complete without giving a shout out to the festivals either.
At the end we will share a map to help you find these stores or venues. The Southeast region is one we have discussed many times in the past.
Louisville Musical Instrument Stores
Some of the best Louisville musical instrument stores would be:
- Music Go Round at 3640 S Hurstbourne Pkwy
- Doo Wop Shop at 1587 Bardstown Rd
- Mel Owen Music at 4210 Shelbyville Rd
- Mom’s Music at 1900 Mellwood Ave
Music Go Round has been buying and selling high-quality used musical instruments and gear for over 30 years and their buying method is straightforward.
Since 1971 Doo Wop has been renting sound and lighting instruments and has made renting simple and affordable by providing you the instructions you’ll need to perform confidently on your own parties and events.
Mel Owen Music is a family-owned business that specializes in instrument rentals, repairs, sales, and accessories that is closed on Sundays.
Where To Buy Guitars
If all you care about is guitars or guitar accessories check out:
- Steilberg String Instruments at 4029 Bardstown Rd
- Guitar Emporium at 1710 E 10th St
- J & J Old Louisville Music Shop at 1449 S 2nd St
- Guitar Center at 4600 Shelbyville Rd #613
- DeGeorge Bros Guitars at 2910 Frankfort Ave
Steilberg String Instruments offers music classes for kids or adults and sells instruments with many models to pick from. Archtop Acoustic/Electric, Archtop Semi-Acoustic/Electric, Flattop Acoustic, Electric Solidbody, 12 String, Nylon String, and Resonator Guitars are just a few of the styles they carry.
Guitar Emporium has been in business for over 40 years as your modest local guitar shop. Whether you’re buying your first or 200th guitar or need restringing, repairs, lessons, appraisals, free advice, test driving, or simply hanging out they’ve got you covered.
Guitar Center provides the world’s largest range of popular guitars, basses, amplifiers, keyboards, workstations, drums, percussion, microphones, PA systems, DJ equipment, stage lighting, recording software, and studio gear.
DeGeorge Bros Guitars sells both new and used guitars, basses, amps, and accessories, along with providing lessons for instruments and amplifier maintenance. They are closed on Sundays.
Drum Shops Near You
The Music Store at 307 West Lewis and Clark Parkway is also known as the Drummer Superstore so you know it is a great option and some other places that we have mentioned throughout the post where you can buy drums are Music Go Round and Mom’s Music.
Instrument Repair
Scott Guitar Works Repair Restoration at 920 Clarks Lane is great for local instrument repairs as is Mel Owen Music.
Music Lessons
Level up by taking lessons at a music school in your area:
- Music & Arts at 808 Lyndon Ln #103
- Doo Wop Music Lessons at 1950 Bonnycastle Ave
- Highlands Music Academy at 2309 Taylorsville Rd
- School of Rock at 12001 Shelbyville Rd #102
Music and Arts is delighted to be a home for anyone with an interest in music, from busy music educators and professional musicians to young pupils learning about music for the first time. With name-brand instrument and accessory sales, rentals, and repairs, as well as a huge selection of books and sheet music and some of the best music classes in your area they are a great all around option.
Highlands Music Academy has been providing quality music lessons in Louisville for many of the most popular instruments including the violin, viola, cello, guitar, piano, voice, and wind instruments since 2018 and they are open every day except Sunday.
School of Rock provides music programs for kids, teens, and adults that are all geared to help students develop incredible musical skills and their students can even take one-on-one music lessons from the comfort of their own homes via the internet. The online music lesson curriculum at School of Rock offers online guitar lessons, online piano lessons, online drum lessons, online vocal lessons, and online bass guitar lessons.
Guitar Emporium, DeGeorge Bros Guitars, and Steilberg String Instruments are more places where you can take quality music classes here.
CD & Record Stores
There will be a variety of vintage CD’s and records at these local stores for music lovers:
- The Great Escape at 2433 Bardstown Rd
- Matt Anthony’s Record Shop at 536 Baxter Ave
- Guestroom Records at 1806 Frankfort Ave
- Better Days Records East at 921 Barret Ave
Louisville Live Music Venues
Seeing a concert at Louisville live music venues is always a good time:
- The Mercury Ballroom at 611 S 4th St
- Zanzabar at 2100 S Preston St
- Louisville Palace Theatre at 625 S 4th St
Mercury Ballroom, with its trendy and funky décor, is the perfect spot to go if you’re searching for a good time. Since 2014 it has been serving craft beers, drafts, bourbons, and premium cocktails and some of the best live music events in Louisville take place there including concerts, conventions, weddings, and holiday parties
Fun Restaurants With Entertainment
You can take a date or a group of friends to these restaurants with live music in your area:
- Merle’s Whiskey Kitchen at 122 W Main St
- Blind Squirrel at 592 N English Station Rd
- Levee Bourbon Lounge at 3015 River Rd b
- Varanese Restaurant at 2106 Frankfort Ave
- Buck’s Restaurant at 425 W Ormsby Ave
Merle’s Whiskey Kitchen offers award-winning Southern and American cuisine and hand-crafted beverages with live music performed by local, regional, and national musicians. You’ll be transported to a classic western whiskey hall when you walk through their open-air historic doors.
Blind Squirrel is not just a fantastic restaurant and bar, but it’s also a fantastic venue for business meetings and celebrations.
Restaurant Varanese’s chef is a James Beard Award winner and crafts varied and contemporary dishes that are a blend of classic, old-world recipes and New American Cuisine utilizing organic ingredients.
Buck’s Restaurant was established in 1992 with an idea of creating an ideal fine dining experience by creating a fine continental menu, selecting elegantly mismatched tableware, and providing nightly live piano music.
Bars With Live Music
There are also some bars that play live music:
- Tin Roof at 3921 Shelbyville Rd
- Howl at the Moon at 434 S 4th St
- Baxter’s 942 Bar & Grill at 942 Baxter Ave
- Khalil’s at 10966 Dixie Hwy
- Stevie Ray’s Blues Bar at 230 E Main St
Tin Roof is about providing a location for musicians to play and hang out when they aren’t on stage. Tin Roof quickly established itself as the place to be for musicians and non-musicians alike thanks to its delicious food, lively, eclectic environment, community of regulars, and friendly crew.
Howl serves unique drinks alongside live music in a high-energy environment from Thursday to Saturday.
Stevie Ray’s Blues Bar is a family-owned and operated business obsessed about documenting the best live music performances. You’ll be greeted with a kind smile, the best cocktails, and the best live Blues, Rock, and Jazz music near you six days a week.
Music Festivals In Your Area
The PeteFest Music Festival usually takes place in June and promotes environmental conservation and outdoor activities in addition to sharing love and admiration for music, culture, art, and community through local artists and businesses.
We have also written about:
- Record Shops In Lexington
- Record Shops In Indianapolis
- Record Shops In St. Louis
- Record Shops In Nashville
Enjoy The Louisville Local Music Scene
We tried to cover the scene as well as possible on this page. You learned about the best musical instrument stores, drum and guitar shops, instrument repair services, where to go for lessons, vintage CD and record stores, concert halls and other live music venues near you like bars and restaurants, plus the best festivals in the region.
You might just know a little bit about the local music scene yourself if you made it this far. If so tell us what we got wrong in the comments or share your own thoughts on the scene.
No matter if you are trying to buy a new instrument, wanted some live entertainment, needed a vintage CD and record, or just wanted to learn more about music in Louisville we hope you enjoy yourself.