Where is the best place to party in Glasgow?

 

Glasgow knows to how to party, so if that's why you're heading to a hostel in the city then you can guarantee you're in for a good time. Legendary for its diverse selection of award-winning clubs and venues, Glasgow boasts some of the UK's liveliest nights out. Its top clubs are always packed and offer a real party atmosphere.

With so much going on, first-timers might need a bit of a hand getting around, so we've drawn up a list of our favourite places and split it into three categories to help steer newbies staying in Glasgow hostels in the right direction.

 

Straight-up clubbing…

If it's out-and-out, let-your-hair down-and-get-your-freak-on clubs that you're looking for, Glasgow holds Scotland's aces.

Top of the list has to be Sub Club, which holds a claim to being the oldest underground dance club in the world. Renowned for its immense atmosphere, it was first established in 1987. The 400-capacity basement club on Jamaica Street is regularly named one of the world's best clubs and has hosted some of the finest names ever to grace the dance music scene.

The Arches on Argyle Street is another with a big reputation. The true superclub of Glasgow, it has hosted some of the world's best DJs, but is also home to art events and live gigs so check the line-up to see what's on when you're staying in the city.

Another rival for the superclub crown is The Garage, an 18-year-old club that hosts five rooms of mayhem. No genre is off limits and you'll find everything from indie nights to old skool rave at the Sauchiehall Street club.

Just down the street is The Savoy, a club that has undergone a fair amount of evolution during the last 35 years. Newly refurbished to a high standard, it specialises in commercial dance, chart music and RnB and finishes the experience with immense fire performers, dancers and occasional celebrity guests.

The trendy Kushion bar and club on Bath Street is a favourite with students and is open until 3am most nights. Expect everything from electro and house to pop and indie, with plenty of drinks promos. Friday night is time for Kinky Disco and booths can be booked in advance if you're clubbing in a big group.

 

Live music and gigs…

Glasgow's live music scene is without doubt one of the best aspects of its nightlife and it is packed full of venues that have hosted the best bands in the world and helped spawn the careers of the likes of Franz Ferdinand, Glasvegas, Primal Scream and Mogwai.

Headlining the show is King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, a legendary venue that has been around since 1990 and is as much a home to Glasgow's grassroots music scene as it is a venue for the biggest touring bands. Name a huge band and they've played there, it's that good!

Also on Sauchiehall Street is the O2 ABC. In a previous life the venue, formerly known as just the ABC, was the first ever cinema in Scotland, opening in 1896. In the following years, it went through a range on incarnations before a £2 million conversion in 2005 turned it into the O2 ABC.

Glasgow's O2 Academy on Edlinton Street, meanwhile, holds slightly bigger touring events but a great line-up of bands and musicians play both venues most nights of the week, so check listings to see what's going.

For something a little more relaxed, Blackfriars on the city centre's Bell Street is well worth checking out. A bit of a gastro pub, it specialises in real ales and has twice won CAMRA's Glasgow Pub of the Year, but local bands and promoters often use the venue's basement for intimate gigs and club nights.

Last but not least is the historic Barrowland Ballroom at Gallowgate. Sitting next door to the famous Barras market, the huge ballroom has a capacity of 1,900 and regularly hosts some brilliant touring bands. Mogwai count it as their home venue and a poll of bands by Radio 1 rated it as the best venue in Britain.

 

Get ready to RAWK!

A good selection of well-established rock venues can be found swinging from the rafters in Glasgow with regular nights on throughout the week and more at the weekend.

Just down the road from Euro Hostel on Union Street is Cathouse, probably the best rock club in Glasgow. First set up in 1990, it moved to its current location five years later and has never looked back. With a devoted following, its atmosphere is always heavy and a roster of weekly and monthly club nights and live gigs lets you thrash it out any time.

Another of our favourites is the Classic Grand, a former warehouse on Jamaica Street that has been converted into a speakeasy-style 800-capacity club that hosts bands and DJs. Weekly nights Subversion and Damnation on Fridays and Saturdays have drinks from £1 and cover alt and pop, punk and metal.

For a different type of rock club, you could always check out The Solid Rock Cafe on Hope Street, a great venue that serves top nosh during the day and turns into a rock club in the evening.

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