Blue Stream Bar
With a decent rooftop terrace, traditional Beijing courtyard, quiet surroundings and wide range of coffees, Blue Stream is an ideal spot to relax with friends on a sunny afternoon. The place comes to life on weekend evenings when small crowds gather to hear indie musicians play folk, blues, light electronica and ethnic music from Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang.
Firmly an enthusiasts venue, East Shore Live Jazz Café attracts the best local jazz talent and the genres most ardent fans. The owner’s displayed collection of vintage musical instruments and views over the limpid waters of Qianhai muster up a timeless atmosphere. During performances, audience members have been known to join in with the jam.
This cozy space has combined a traditional Chinese gatehouse and dimly lit bar into a performance space for folk, jazz and rock concerts. The rooftop terrace offers a great view of the Gulou
neighbourhood and a retreat from the noise of performances.
Hot Cat Club 
This boho dive bar on trendy Fangjia Hutong hosts regular gigs from local bands, including a couple of
laowai mainstays. The sparse, early crowd gathers in size as the cool cats turn up later to sip prepared absinthe and other dubious concoctions - it’s a friendly group of music fans who can’t be bothered to make the trek out to D-22.
This homely bar in an old courtyard home has live music most weeknights and a decent foreign wine list. For highly anticipated shows, do arrive early to grab your seats as indoor space is very limited and watching a show through windows can be distracting.
According to the Xinjiang family who opened this bar in between the Drum and Bell towers, the aim is to ‘capture the feeling of being in the desert.’ While the bar is quite cozy, the sand-coloured walls and furnishings, coupled with the vast array of Xinjiang pottery and ornaments displayed on the walls mean you definitely get a sense of what they are trying to achieve.
The music sessions are informal and lively and audience members are often welcome to bring along instruments and join in the jam.
Even though the Old What Bar can house less than 50 people, its laidback rustic decor and friendly management will make you feel right at home. Unlike many other Beijing music venues, which are mainly built on streets bustling with hipsters, Old What Bar is surrounded by a quiet old Beijing neighbourhood, offering a unique vibe of local life.
Folk music venue Tiny Salt overcomes its mall setting with a good sound system, black décor and a cool loft. It’s not really the best place to see the city’s folk mainstays as the qualities of shows have been quite uneven recently, but a nice relaxing spot if you work in the area.
This single-room bar features a stage at the back, a bar counter running along one side of the venue and plenty of comfortable sofas to relax on while soaking in the music. Primarily a jazz venue, Vanguard also features bands playing a variety of genres almost every night of the week, showcasing the variety Beijing has to offer.
This intimate hutong hangout won’t break the bank, and works as a great after-dinner drinks venue, though conversation will necessarily be difficult when a band is playing. Vanguard doesn’t feature cheesy cover bands or crooning KTV egotists, but a selection of the city’s finest jazz musicians.
With bamboo mats hanging from the walls and a dark wood interior, this tiny bar certainly sets the mood for acoustic folk gigs, which take place regularly every weekend and occasionally on weekdays. Renowned acts such as Shanren and Xiao He have performed here. The venue is also a good place to talent-spot some out-of-town troubadours looking to make their big break in Beijing.