Live music and nightlife in Columbus, Georgia: RiverCenter, the Springer, Liberty Theatre, the Civic Center, The Loft, rooftop and late-night bars in Uptown.

Last checked Oct. 6, 2026. Venue details come from each venue’s own site or its Visit Columbus or Uptown Columbus listing, linked below. We list venues, not individual gigs; check each venue’s calendar for shows.

Columbus nightlife is concentrated in Uptown, along Broadway and Front Avenue, within walking distance of the free parking decks. The big rooms are the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, the Springer Opera House, the Columbus Civic Center and the historic Liberty Theatre; the bars cluster around Broadway. Uptown Columbus keeps its own nightlife directory.

Who to call

  • RiverCenter box office: 706-256-3612
  • Springer Opera House box office: 706-327-3688
  • Liberty Theatre: 706-225-3000
  • Emergency: 911

Concert halls and theaters

  • RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, 900 Broadway: three theaters under one roof, including the 2,000-seat Bill Heard Theatre, home of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Legacy Hall and a studio theater used by Columbus State’s Schwob School of Music. Box office open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays and two hours before shows (Visit Columbus).
  • Springer Opera House, 103 10th St.: the State Theatre of Georgia, producing 14 shows a season in Emily Woodruff Hall and the Dorothy McClure Theatre (Visit Columbus).
  • Liberty Theatre: built in 1924 as the city’s first Black theater, where Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Ella Fitzgerald and the big bands of Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway played. It reopened in 1996 and hosts concerts, plays and cultural programs (Visit Columbus).
  • Columbus Civic Center, 400 Fourth St.: the arena and its outdoor amphitheater book touring concerts and comedy (Civic Center).

Live music bars and free concerts

  • The Loft, 1032 Broadway: food, craft cocktails and what it calls “the best live music in Columbus for 34 years.” Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday (The Loft).
  • Uptown Friday Night Concert Series: free shows on Broadway, 7 to 9:30 p.m., in spring and fall. No coolers, tents, outside alcohol or glass (concert series page).
  • Highside Market, 13th Street, runs its own Friday night concerts, listed on the same Uptown page (Highside Market).

Bars and late night

  • The Stirrup, 900 Front Ave.: a cocktail and mocktail lounge upstairs, with Trouble After Dark downstairs for DJs, dancing and late nights (The Stirrup).
  • Eighteen85, 21 W. 14th St.: a rooftop bar and kitchen with crafted cocktails and small plates (Eighteen85).
  • Pineapple Jack’s, 1107 Broadway: a nightclub that lists hours of 9 p.m. to 3 a.m., 706-478-7215 (Pineapple Jack’s).
  • Flora wine bar (Wine Art Flowers), at The Rapids in Uptown: a wine bar, creative space and flower shop steps from the RiverWalk (Wine Art Flowers).
  • Hank’s Uptown, 1037 Broadway: a sports bar with handmade cocktails, open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday (Hank’s Uptown).
  • Scofflaw Brewing Co. at MidCity Yards, 1421 Sixth Ave., on the Fall Line Trace (Visit Columbus).

Late-night theater

No Shame Theatre at the Springer: an anything-goes open stage on some Friday nights, with five-minute acts of music, poetry, comedy, rap, improv and dance. Doors 10 p.m., show 10:30 p.m., 18 and up with ID, entry through the Player’s Saloon on the First Avenue side (Visit Columbus).

Getting home

Uptown’s decks are free, but plan a ride if you are drinking. METRA bus hours and holiday schedules are on the METRA page.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I hear live music in Uptown Columbus? The Loft at 1032 Broadway has hosted live music for 34 years, Uptown’s free Friday Night Concert Series fills Broadway in spring and fall, and the RiverCenter and Springer Opera House book concerts and shows year-round.

What bars are open late in Columbus? Pineapple Jack’s at 1107 Broadway lists hours of 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. The Stirrup at 900 Front Ave. runs Trouble After Dark downstairs with DJs and dancing.

Is there a rooftop bar in Columbus, Georgia? Yes. Eighteen85 is a rooftop bar and kitchen at 21 W. 14th St. serving cocktails and small plates.

What is No Shame Theatre? A late-night open stage at the Springer Opera House on some Friday nights: five-minute acts of music, poetry, comedy and more, starting at 10:30 p.m. It is 18 and up, with entry through the Player’s Saloon on the First Avenue side.

What this means for you

  • Bring ID; No Shame Theatre is 18 and up and checks at the door.
  • Park free in the RiverCenter Deck at 919 Broadway, open around the clock.

Related: date night in Columbus, Uptown Columbus guide and things to do this weekend.