Unless you’re heading to a concert, we feel like music shouldn’t cost a thing. Paying to listen to a band that you’ve never seen or heard before is crazy, and luckily, the following Montreal bars agree. These bars have live bands and you don’t have to spend any money on the music.

L'Escalier

552 Ste. Catherine

Some incredible performances rock the stage at L'Escalier. You can also order some vegetarian dishes with daily special desserts to make the show super enjoyable.

Brutopia

1219 Crescent

Who would turn down some craft beer and free music? Every day sees a different musical performance here. Slow jams fill the airwaves every Tuesday and Wednesday, but the tunes change as the week go on. Full bands are on every weekend but make sure that you are here on the first weekend of every month to see some Shane Murphy.

Le P'tit bar

3451 St. Denis

Regular performers take up Sunday to Thursday nights from 9 pm, Fridays and Saturday nights are days for featured acts from 9:30 pm. Don’t expect the bands to rock out, the clientage and the owners prefer a low-key vibe. The 5@7 events are special and you should definitely catch some.

Le Depanneur Café

206 Bernard

If you want to play, you will be allowed to take the stage. Just sign up on the main website and you will be included in the daily set list. You will be surprised by just how good the acts tend to be.

Hurley's Irish Pub

1225 Crescent

The drinks in this pub are really good but the music performances make everything better. With two floors, you will find a band playing on at least one floor every single night. The favorite band here is Solstice.

Bar Populaire

6584 St. Laurent

An old school, small but fun and affordable bar known for it's no cover acts. Saturday is the time for good music, with two musical acts performing each night.

McKibbin's Irish Pub

1426 Bishop + 3515 St. Laurent + 6361 Trans-Canada Hwy

Every Mckibbin’s in Montreal is a musical act every night of the week. The tunes are contemporary, with solo performances and bands sharing the stage in equal amounts.

Bistro à Jojo

1627 St. Denis

Head over to Bistro à Jojo to enjoy free blues music. The 5@9 acoustic shows feature different artists every day but you can hang around for more shows later in the night.

Bar de Courcelle

4685 Notre-Dame W

Pretty much takes places at Bar de Courcelle in St. Henri. This place is known for amazing musical tunes and the featured performances that take place every week are brilliant.

BBAM! Gallery

3255 St Jacques

This might be one of Montreal’s best vinyl shops but they also host some of the best performances. Different acts take the stage every month with different genres from DJ sets to experimental folk to jazz and so much more.

Cock n'Bull

1944 St. Catherine

Known as a student bar that offers cheap beer, Cock n'Bull also boasts some amazing live acts every single night. The regular performers take to the stage from Sunday to Thursday while the featured bands take over Friday and Saturday nights. Looking to rock on hump day, check out the Wednesday performances that are usually off the hook.