Bars aren’t just there to get us drunk, you know. They’re often home to some of the nation’s (and the world’s) top music performers, from rockers to rappers to country singers. Of course, finding the right bar at the right time can be difficult, especially when you’re trying to have a smooth night out, which is why you should have a look at our modest yet inclusive list of San Antonio’s top live music bars.

Live Music in San Antonio, TX

Liberty Bar: Not one for bars so crowded that shoving people becomes a way of saying “Hello” and so loud that your eardrums will bleed, be it from joy or anguish? Consider Liberty Bar as your alternative resort during any time of the week. The bar could perhaps better be described as a ‘lounge’ – relaxing music, great food and a calm atmosphere definitely set it apart from most other music venues in the city.

502: It’s clear that the owners of 502 have music in their hearts as well as their minds. If this wasn’t the case, they wouldn’t have invested into what’s perhaps the best sound system – together with a top-notch technical crew – of any bar in the entire state. While this might seem like a cause of the aforementioned eardrum bleeds, you can still time your visit to a night when a gentler performer takes the stage.

Luna: Is class your thing? Luna is among the classier music joints in the city – so classy, in fact, that referring to it as a ‘joint’ just doesn’t seem right. Don’t come here dressed like a gang member or lacking certain clothing accessories, and you’ll be greeted to upcoming and established artists alternating between jazz, flamenco and lively dance music. The year-round classiness of the place becomes even more awe-inspiring when one considers that the venue changes its appearance to fit each and every music performer and their respective genre.

Azuca Nuevo Latino: As you might have guessed from the name, Azuca Nuevo is a regular home to all sorts of talented Latin musicians, from reggaeton bad boys to dance bands. One thing never changes, though: the lively atmosphere that is almost sure to get you dancing in no time unless you’re dealing with some nasty foot cramps. When you’re taking a break from showing off your moves, you can further explore the rich Latin culture by sampling the many native drinks and dishes offered on-site.

The Cove: Are you one of those people who will find even the smallest and quietest music venue too much? Consider giving The Cove a try and prepare to have your beliefs over what music venues are questioned. The presence of laundry and car washing machinery almost seems to send a message that the owner feels every patron is a member of the family – you won’t worry about appearances when you’re spending time with family, right? Clearly, their extremely unorthodox approach works as The Cove is one of the top-ranked places in the city for anyone wanting to witness some ‘quieter’ live music performances.

Learning a musical instrument is about as good of a way to spend your time as any. For one, you’ll have a skill that’s never going to go out of style – you’ll have no trouble impressing friends and family with your performances far into the future.

There’s also the benefit of being able to express yourself in one of the most ear-pleasing ways possible. Feeling blue? Play something in tune with your heart’s mellow state. Getting jolly? Use your instrument of choice to spread the bug of happiness to everyone around you.

Perhaps best of all is the fact that playing an instrument is a self-sustaining hobby: past the initial acquisition of the instrument itself (which can admittedly be pricey), the only thing you’re likely to spend as time goes by are nerves.

This all sounds great, so why aren’t more people playing musical instruments? Simple: it’s hard. So hard, in fact, that many will quit in the first month without ever looking back, preferring to slash through hordes of bad guys in a video game or pump their muscles in a gym during their leisure time.

To help you avoid becoming one of the quitters, here are some ways through which you can learn to play a musical instrument and continue learning for years to come.

Online courses

Thanks to the popularity of the internet, online courses are now every bit as commonplace as real life ones. Of course, learning your trade on the internet has a couple of benefits over real-life classes: the focus is on you and only you and you’re able to progress at your own pace rather than feeling rushed or dragged down because of others.

Online courses will also teach you some of the more refined aspects of playing an instrument, such as reading notes or understanding musical theory (as long as you can find the right course, that is).

No matter if you’re using a free or paid-for version, you’ll be able to learn as much as you’d like and whenever suits you best, which is invaluable in today’s hectic world.

YouTube videos

While rarely as all-inclusive as an actual course, YouTube videos teaching you to play an instrument will engage you on a more personal level and might make you feel as close to having an actual teacher as you can get without actually paying for one.

Thanks to the site’s popularity, there are hundreds of musicians playing dozens of instruments, all sharing their knowledge and expertise to a worldwide audience free of charge. Many of them received a classical education in music, so you’ll know you’re learning from someone worth his salt – while they might not teach you everything there is to know, they’ll get you playing good without making you leave your favorite chair or sofa.

Personal instructor

Doesn’t get much better than this, does it? There’s no way to learn a musical instrument that comes close to the effectiveness of having your own ‘trainer’ work with you every step of the way.

Every class will greatly increase your skill and you’ll improve leaps and bounds over any hobbyist using the aforementioned methods of learning. If you picked the right instructor, you’ll also get to learn from someone who caters to your needs and answers any question you might have in a friendly, down-to-Earth manner.

There’s just one little downside: the price. Instructors generally charge on a per-hour or half-hour basis, be it in real life or over a video call, and you’ll quickly rack up the bills if you’re trying to become the best possible performer you can be in a short amount of time.

Still, if you’re obsessed with an instrument and are sure it’s your passion, this is one of the most constructive ways of treating yourself that you’ll ever come across.