THE ORIGINAL ENTRY:
There are a lot of places in Dundee where bands can play - and do! Some of the most frequented ones are listed here, but as some drop away, others appear - if any venue is not listed here, then that's probably just 'coz I've not yet got round to finding the address or I've only ever been there to see one band once in a blue moon - altho' on that score, the Art Bar and Bank Bar are here, so maybe anything's up for grabs - whatever, take a peek at this and go for a drink there, at least!

THE MARCH 2007 REMIX:
Seems that most decently sized (and not so decently sized venues) in Dundee are looking to feature live and DJ-played music, some more often than others. Across the city now, between a Thursday and a Saturday, sometimes you can find up to 8 venues with gigs on which is good for the whole music scene. Anyway, I'm going to spare you the original entries for the venues featured here and just update this part when and where necessary.

THE JUNE 2007 REMASTER:
Dundee has exploded with live music venues - that there are enough bands to justify it, is one thing. Now all they've got to do is tell the audiences. Some venues advertise in the Courier and the Evening Telegraph, while both do great gig guides. Tay-FM's weekender remains the manstay for local music to be heard, while occasionally the daytime TAY-FM will play something, although hearings of local talent on Wave-102 are more akin to sightings of the Loch Ness Monster. Either way, the venues are doing their bit - let's hope the audiences follow suit!!

FEB 2008 UPDATE:
Still the venues feature live music, but just a handful of the smaller ones - naming no names - think that all you have to do is put a band on, maybe stik a poster outside the venue the night it happens, and then expect a good turnout. Sure. the band is gonna advertise its gig - but the venue also has a respomsibility for it too - ever heard of "planning ahead", people? Other than that, it's still healthy, but still more audiences need to be aware of the music played by the bands, in order to go out to see them - myspace is not enough - but that's a whole other issue I'll have on the agenda for 2008:
APRIL 2008 VERDICT:
Don't know about anyone else, but I've got to the point of being utterly fed up with going to small pubs with crappy sound systems and hearing bands sounding like they're playing through a wall of rice pudding. In the end, it doesn't do anyone any favours. So, time for a rejig of the venue listings at long last, so................

DEXTERS, 24 Castle Street, Dundee Tel:01382-228894
Their intention is to feature just as wide a range of bands and artist as The Doghouse on a regular basis. Have a quality PA as well as a laser, lights and a smoke machine. Paula is the main promotor for the indie bands, while Paul's the man you want to see for anything outside of that. They do lunchtime meals Thur-Sat, feature regular blues concerts on Saturday afternons, were the home of the Mermaid Rock Promotions "Sabotage" series of Classic Rock concerts in 2007, and have featured many of the city's leading bands. Getting more of a name for featuring Dundee's and Scotland's up and coming indie bands, the venue is most certainly "on the map".
Dexters Website

FAT SAMS LIVE, 31 South Ward Road, Dundee
Arguably the leading Dundee nightclub, over several levels (so we're talking a big place!), but also features live acts in the form of mainly nationally touring bands with the odd local support. The place is huge and the sound is too. If the place is full, it's fantastic, but if not, that sound reverberates off every surface in the building.
Fatsams Website

HUSTLERS, North Lindsay Street, Dundee Tel:01382-229226
A snooker hall that's now making rapid rises in the Dundee live music stakes as a venue to play. Run by a friendly Canadian guy called Dave, with King Thing band member Joe on the mixing desk, they have a place that is about as wide as the Westie, but actually longer, although only the first half of the place is used when it comes to most gigs. Good seating combined with a front-of-stage dancefloor, makes it a great lay-out. The stage is raised, compact and bijou, square-ish with their own in-house PA, not to mention in-house guitar and bass amps, PLUS a superb in-house drum kit. The PA is excellent, the sound consistently excellent and the atmosphere really fitting to rock, indie and acoustic gigs alike. Putting gigs on Saturday nights (and the occasional Friday) right now, they've already featured a whole range of bands and artists in concert and is also the chosen venue for 2008 for Dundee rock and metal specialist promotors, Mermaid Rock Promotions.

Hustlers Myspace

READING ROOMS, Blackscroft, Dundee Tel:01382-450432
Original:The only major Dundee venue I've still never been to - lord knows how I've managed this rare feat, but I have - so unless they put something on that doesn't clash with a higher priority (the reason I've never got there so far) or let me put something on there (not that I've tried - I've never been there, you see - stop laughing, this is serious!!), then the entry here will have to remain as it is - sorry Reading Rooms!!
Update March 2007: Finally got there to a "Go Dundee" gig and the place reminds me a bit of an old railway engine shed with a similar feel to a much smaller and squarer version of London's Roundhouse. With a stage of quite a height that you'd need ropes to absail up it, and a large dancefloor, bar outside the concert hall and all adds up to a pretty decent place to see bands.
Update April 2008: Firmly established as the leading venue in the city when it comes to all things of a dance derived nature from top drum 'n' bass to underground house and all points in between.
Reading Rooms Website

WESTPORT BAR, 66 North Lindsay Street, Dundee Tel: 01382-200008
They have their own in-house PA in a long narrow-ish upstairs concert hall, complete with bar, a wide stage, decently raised above the floor level, good acoustics, plus main bar on the ground floor. Joy about this place is that, as with Dexters and Hustlers, if you put the concert on yourself, and you've got no friends to do the door take, you actually get to do that AND see the bands at the same time!! But a good venue, it has to be said. Main criticism is the lack of any decent lighting which means that most bands play in semi-darkness which can be a tad bizarre.

BALCONY BAR, Ward Road, Dundee
Small but on two levels and everyone can see ya (unless you're seated at a table upstairs). Again, you'll have to provide all the sound and instrument gubbins. Decidedly biased towards rock/metal/indie/punk in terms of its most frequented crowds but welcomes more varied bands too. Cheap to hire and sardine-like to play in, but you're right next to your audience so that's a bonus.

Balcony Bar Website

DROOTHY NEEBORS, Perth Road (Next To Art Bar)
Back in action for live gigs after a long absence, Droothys basement is now host to indie, rock and acoustic concerts so, if you fancy playing in a broom cupboard and don't turn it up too loud, you'll find a neat little place waiting for you.

ART BAR, 140 Perth Road, Dundee (opp Art College) Tel: 01382-227888
Small L-shaped place - you'll have to provide all the technical gubbins but it's OK. Feature the occasional DJ or band or comedian or suchlike. Isis used to play there and rock the place, but they've not done the venue for ages.

BANK BAR, 9 Union Street, Dundee Tel:01382-205037
Smaller than the Art Bar but has regular acts on - only ever seen Mr Spider play there but they had Gerry Jablonski a while back (which I missed - curses!!)

THE BOND - 57 Dock Street Dundee
Refurbished, redecorated and actually a nice place to have a drink at, and the closest to the waterfront that does live music. Lenny, there, was booking bands and artists to play but that idea sems to have dropped off when it comes to local live original bands and it seems to have joined the plethora of venues who feature cover band after cover band, weekend in and weekend out. A small-ish narrow place with a decently high ceiling. Get the PA right and it's worth a shot, but get it wrong and it sounds terrible.

CHAMBERS - Details to follow
Bigger place than I expected, with loads of seating and plenty of bar area. Seems to be used more for discos than anything, and I would guess the PA system is theirs, but any PA that manages to make the Peski Kings sound like mush and the Godnights sound best with ear plugs in, is a PA to worry about!!
Chambers Myspace Site

LYRICS: St Andrews Lane, Dundee
Opposite The Cage and now hosting their trademark weekend tribute band gigs. The main area for the concerts is opposite a long bar that has a DJ console built slap in the middle of it and looks more like a preachers pulpit than anything, but the concert dancefloor is of a good size and they have this massive screen to one side of the venue on which you can watch the stage action, should you not be able to get near the stage, which is basically this area on a level a few steps above the dancefloor. Good sound, too.
Lyrics Myspace

POST OFFICE BAR, 218 Queen Street, Broughty Ferry, Dundee Tel: 01382-736444
Outside of the city centre, features the occasional live band. I've put bands on here on a Sunday night to mixed results. Concert hall is upstairs, complete with bar, and you'll need all yer own sound and instrument equipment. But it's good acoustics, small-ish but the Rising Signs used to pull a large crowd there, so they must have had the secret (or a lot of relatives in the Ferry - just jokin' guys!!!)

THE UNDERGROUND, South Tay Street
...and it is too - underground, that is. A sort of dog leg of a place - in terms of its structure, that is, and although I've yet to go to a gig there, I would imagine it ranges from loud to less loud depennding on who's playing. Let you know!!
Underground Myspace Site

Other smaller sized venues putting live indie bands of note on, include MacDaniel's, The Waterfront and Rendezvous, so more about them if I'm ever brave enough.

VENUES THAT LIKE DUNDEE BANDS: