Live Music Venues in Orlando, FL

Orlando, Florida will forever best be known as the home city of the happiest place on earth. There's nothing Mickey Mouse about the Orlando music scene though, unless you count that place where they make the boy bands…With live act venues abounding, fans have plenty of small and large venues from which to choose if they want some non-theme park related entertainment…except of course, if you go to a theme park venue.

You ever notice how often big arena venues change names? I wasn't sure if Orlando's civic center is called the TD Waterhouse Center or the Orlando Centroplex…Actually,it turns out the Centroplex is the umbrella under which the Center and the football field and a couple other things fall. The TD Waterhouse Center (600 West Amelia Street, Box Office: 407.849.2020 ) has major acts coming through including Gwen Stefani, Ciara, Aerosmith, and Keith Urban. Factor $8 for parking into your night's budget.

House of Blues Orlando (1490 Buena Vista Dr. Downtown Disney Westside, 407.934.BLUE) Oh, yeah, it's Buena Vista Dr. That can mean only one thing: the mouse is in the house. Nothing says cool underground rock venue like Disney. The House of Blues is of course a well-loved national chain. Don't you love it when corporations work together? A piece of their driving directions actually says "Turn Left into the parking lot located in front of House of Blues, Cirque du Soleil and Disney Quest." How the heck did the Cirque de Soleil get involved in this? Bands playing that House of Blue/Orlando some name acts (like the B-52 appearing in 2006) and other rock & r&B acts (Biz Markie, anyone?) Some of them looking a little on the non-family friendly side just like at any other HOB. Though what kid goes to Disney World and says "Hey, mom, we gotta go to the House of Blues and see Vidar Busk!"

The Back Booth (37 W. Pine Street , Downtown Orlando, 407 275 7480) is a venue featuring rock acts with amazing names like "Yip Yip (with Look Mexico)". You can't beat that. Different club events include free keg beer nights, 18+ nights. Cover charges look minimal, but the website was slightly out of whack.

Adobe Gila's is a cool named Florida Mexican food/music chain. They serve drinks like the Gila-Rita and have the motto "This place bites." Live acts look like locals (or people who weren't too cool to play a chain called Adobe Gila's…you just know some of the bands at these other venues would never bee caught dead there. Snobs…). There's a Monday night open mic for people who'd like to say, they, too, played the Gila. Gila is such a great word.

The Social (54 Orange Ave.; 407 246 1419) is a rock venue with national and local acts. Ticket prices vary, but don't ever seem to get over $20. The website (thesocial.org) has a Ticketmaster link right there for your convenience. The Social bills itself as Orlando's "premiere entertainment hall" and books private parties/events for up to 450 people.