Best Live Music Pubs in Geelong

About This Guide

Geelong has a genuine live music culture. The Barwon Club has been booking touring and local acts since 1859 and remains one of regional Victoria's best mid-sized music venues. But the scene extends well beyond Pakington St: a heritage rooftop in the CBD, an art-deco pub in Belmont with weekend DJs, a Tex-Mex cantina on the Bellarine, and a waterfront bar pumping beats every Saturday afternoon.

This guide lists only venues with verified, regular live music or DJ programs — not one-off events or unconfirmed listings. Check the venue's website or socials for specific acts and cover charges before heading out. If we've missed a great live music pub, let us know.

Live Music in Geelong — At a Glance

1. Barwon Club Hotel — Geelong's Home of Live Music

If you ask any Geelongian where to see live music, the Barwon Club is the answer. Trading since 1859, it has been booking bands longer than almost any other venue in regional Victoria. The pub runs two distinct music spaces: The Bandroom, which hosts ticketed shows from interstate and international touring acts, and The Barn, a more intimate room for local gigs, DJ nights, and comedy. Many local acts get their first proper stage in The Barn before graduating to The Bandroom.

The calendar is consistently packed across Friday and Saturday, with additional mid-week shows for bigger touring acts. Ticketed shows are listed on Oztix; free-entry local gigs appear on the venue's social pages. The Barwon Club is also home to the beloved Monday Parmi Night ($22) — so you can plan your whole week around the one pub.

2. National Hotel — Rooftop Live Music in the CBD

Geelong's oldest surviving CBD pub (established 1856) has reinvented itself as a genuine night-out destination. Live music and DJ sets kick off every Friday and Saturday from 9pm — later than most Geelong pubs, which makes the National the natural second stop after dinner elsewhere, or the destination for those who prefer their nights to start properly. The music typically runs in the rooftop bar, where a retractable roof means the party continues rain or shine, with Geelong skyline views as the backdrop.

The three-level layout suits different energies: the ground-floor public bar for a quieter beer, the mid-level dining room with open fireplace for dinner (11:30am–10pm Tue–Thu, midnight Fri–Sat), and the rooftop for whatever's on. National Hotel is closed Mondays.

3. Belmont Hotel — Art-Deco Rooftop with Weekend DJs

The Belmont Hotel on High Street has been one of Geelong's most reliable Friday and Saturday night destinations since its 1920s origins. The rooftop beer garden is the centrepiece — open-air with heaters for cooler months, it's where DJs and live acts run through the weekend evenings. The 1920s art-deco building is genuinely beautiful, and the multi-room layout means you can always find a quieter spot if the main bar gets full.

Belmont is also known for its monthly trivia nights (first Tuesday of the month: $15 parmis, $25 jugs, free entry) — which means even on a non-music night there's a reason to go. The venue is closed Mondays and opens at 5:30pm on Tuesdays; from noon Wednesday through Sunday.

4. Sailors' Rest — Waterfront DJs with Corio Bay Views

Sailors' Rest is the Geelong waterfront's most versatile venue — a multi-level bar and restaurant at the foot of Moorabool Street with direct views across Corio Bay. The second-floor lounge bar is where DJs play every Saturday and Sunday from 3pm, making it the best spot in the city for an afternoon session. The vibe is relaxed and social rather than nightclub-intense — ideal for a long Saturday starting in the sunshine.

The first Friday of each month is a standout event: free tastings from local Geelong distillers and craft brewers, paired with live acoustic music. It draws a genuinely curious crowd — good for anyone interested in the local drinks scene as much as the music. The rooftop bar is open year-round (retractable roof) for drinks with bay views.

5. The Mex — Live Music on the Bellarine Every Weekend

Out on the Bellarine Peninsula, The Mex has been Ocean Grove's most-loved bar for over 30 years. Live music kicks off every Friday and Saturday from 6:30pm — an early enough start to catch the first set over dinner, and late enough that you haven't rushed from work. The outdoor beer garden is one of the best summer spots on the Peninsula, and the Tex-Mex food (margaritas, nachos, house-made salsas) makes it a genuine destination rather than a pitstop.

Happy hour runs from 4:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays with bar snacks available before the dinner service. If you're spending a weekend on the Surf Coast or Bellarine, The Mex belongs on the itinerary alongside the Barwon Heads Hotel just up the road.

Also Worth Knowing

These venues also list live music in their programming but schedules are seasonal or less regular — worth checking directly:

Live Music Pubs in Geelong — Plan Your Weekend

Know a Geelong live music venue we've missed? Tell us and we'll add it.

Live Music in Geelong — Common Questions