The music scene in Madison will be broken down in full for you today. Obviously it is a very wide ranging subject to dive into, but hopefully there will be some info here to help you out.
The best Madison musical instrument stores seem like the logical place for us to begin. Different lists for where to buy guitars and the best drum shops in your area will also be presented.
Contents
Expect there to be some crossover between those sections as some stores will have the leading guitar brands for sale like Gibson, Fender, or Keisel as well as all the keyboards, synthesizers, pedals, amps, or pretty much any supplies you may need.
Up next we will get into quality instrument repair shops because some of you may need a piano tuned, a guitar repaired, or work done on other band instruments and there is somebody out there that can assist.
Then it will be time to pivot to the best music lessons for kids or adults in the area. Following that local stores for music lovers that sell vintage CD’s and records will get a shout out.
We also think many of you will want to know about the best concert halls and live music venues near you. Others on a budget may prefer to visit bars and restaurants that have live music around the city.
And we will get you out of here with the best festivals on the Madison 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.
Read more of our guides for cities in the Midwest here.
Madison Musical Instrument Stores
The best Madison musical instrument stores would be:
- Heid Music at 7948 Tree Lane
- Ward-Brodt Music at 5976 Executive Dr #A
Heid Music is a full line family owned store that offers all types of instruments for all musicians from pianos to guitars, violins, and drums and even provides rental services from Monday to Saturday.
Ward-Brodt sells and provides instrument repair, maintenance, and rental services from Monday to Saturday.
Where To Buy Guitars
For all the guitars and accessories you need check out:
- Guitar Shop at 1804 Wright St
- Dave’s Guitar Shop at 2990 Cahill Main #200
You can buy all types of guitars including electric, acoustic, archtop, and bass from different brands as well as amplifiers at Guitar Shop every day of the week but Sunday.
Dave’s is one of the largest independently owned stores that has over 2,500 guitars for you to choose from.
Drum Shops Near You
We will be back soon with this info.
Instrument Repair
You can get quality instrument repair services in Madison at:
- Double Bass Workshop at 4513 Monona Dr
- Katz’s Saxes & More at 1133 Celebration Blvd
- Graham Thorbrogger Music at 6930 Pilgrim Rd
Double Bass Workshop carries out all types of repairs, restorations, and adjustments including upright bass repairs.
Katz’s Saxes has a repair shop for musical instruments.
Group and private lessons as well as instrument repairs are what you get from Graham Thorbrogger.
Music Lessons
Level up by taking lessons at a music school in your area:
- Madison Music Foundry at 2818 Index Rd
- Bradley Fish Guitar Lessons at 4229 Argosy Ct
- Guitar Lessons by Steve Anthes at 5705 Dorsett Dr
Music Foundry provides a professional yet comfortable atmosphere for musicians to learn, rehearse, and record music with 17 well equipped studios for band rehearsals, lessons, classes, and education workshops.
Steve Anthes has been teaching guitar lessons and strategies near you to beginners, intermediates, and advanced players for the past 10 years.
CD & Record Stores
Check out all kinds of vintage CD’s and records at these local stores for music lovers:
- Mad City Music at 2023 Atwood Ave
- JiggyJamz Records & CD’s at 1734 Fordem Ave #a
- Strictly Discs at 1900 Monroe St
- B-Side Records at 436 State St
You can buy new and used vinyl records, CD’s, DVD’s, 45’s, 78’s, cassettes, tapes, and accessories at Mad City Music every day.
JiggyJamz Records’ bins are filled with new and used vinyl and CD’s from all genres as well as DJ equipment but they are closed on Sundays.
New and used vinyl, CD’s, DVD’s, collections, cassettes, and stereo equipment are available every day at Strictly Discs.
There is also a diverse selection of new, old, and rare vinyl as well as CD’s at B-Side Records.
Madison Live Music Venues
Seeing a concert at Madison live music venues is always a good time:
- High Noon Saloon at 701 E Washington Ave
High Noon Saloon is a great live music venue near you that has been hosting rock, punk, and grunge bands since 1980. They are also available to rent for events including fundraisers, community activities, music festivals, children’s shows, artisan fairs, wedding receptions, and private parties.
Fun Restaurants With Entertainment
You can take a date or a group of friends to these restaurants with live music in your area:
- Merchant Madison at 121 S Pinckney St
- Otto’s Restaurant & Bar at 6405 Mineral Point Rd
Bars With Live Music
There are also some bars that play live music around town:
- Up North at 150 S Blair St
- Harmony Bar & Grill at 2201 Atwood Ave
- Cafe Coda at 1224 Williamson St
- The Wisco at 852 Williamson St
- The Red Zone at 1212 Regent St
Harmony Bar & Grill is an award winning neighborhood bar that is open every day and serves great food with live music including rock, blues, funk, soul, jazz, folk, bluegrass, and more by both local and touring artists.
You can watch some world class jazz musicians perform at Café Coda where workshops and masterclasses are also available. Their fine stage is equipped with a tuned concert piano and state of the art drum sets to give you a one of a kind experience.
The Red Zone offers live music on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.
Music Festivals In Your Area
Brat Fest has been hosting Memorial Day weekend festivals to raise funds for regional organizations as well as 100 free musical acts and carnivals with free parking and entrance on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday since 1983.
In the past we have also written a:
- Milwaukee Local Music Guide
- Chicago Local Music Guide
- Minneapolis & St Paul Local Music Guide
- St Louis Local Music Guide
Enjoy The Madison 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.
It doesn’t 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 Madison we hope you enjoy yourself.