Grand Central, Miami
Founded by veteran music promoters, this mid-sized venue caters to a huge range of music fans in south Florida. A handful of recent and upcoming shows include such disparate artists as Peter Murphy of Bauhaus, Suicidal Tendencies, Of Montreal, Los Amigos Invisibles, and Yngwie Malmsteen. It also has an incredible sound and light system, with an LED wall that gives any genre of performance some extra oomph. It's also worth checking out The Garrett, the smaller upstairs venue that hosts club nights and dance parties.
• +1 305 377 2277, grandcentralmiami.com. Check venue website for listings
The Green Parrot Bar, Key West
Key West is known for its quirky, beachside personality and the iconic Green Parrot Bar (with its "No Snivelling" credo) is a perfect embodiment of that attitude. It hosts a variety of funky, jammy, tropical bands and the resident Green Parrot Ukelele Society meets on the first Wednesday of every month. The website is full of fun facts and it also has live webcams for the stage and bar areas so you can keep an eye on them whenever you start missing Margaritaville.
• +1 305 294 6133, greenparrot.com. Open every day 10am-4am
PAX, Miami
Located in the heart of Little Havana, PAX (Performing Arts Exchange) has only been open for a couple of years but it has been tireless in its booking and scheduling. The independent and forward-thinking centre hosts loads of live music, including many alternative and traditional Latin acts, as well as international musicians, independent theatre performances and more. PAX is a place to catch some real Miami culture.
• +1 305 640 5847, paxmiami.com. Check venue website for listings
Churchill's Pub, Miami
This venerable venue, just next door to our very own Sweat Records music shop, has been in the same location in Miami's Little Haiti neighbourhood since 1979. During that time it's hosted all the greats: Dick Dale, Iggy Pop et al, as well as every touring punk, ska, hardcore and metal band worth their salt. The venue also hosts International Noise Conference every February, and has a Monday night jazz jam that's been going on for over 12 years. That, plus hard pours and fish and chips, makes this an indispensable stop for rock fans passing through Miami.
• +1 305 757 1807, churchillspub.com. Check venue website for listings
The Orpheum, Ybor City, Tampa
Located in Tampa's downtown Ybor City neighbourhood, The Orpheum has been presenting shows seemingly non-stop for over a decade. In addition to tons of established and up-and-coming indie artists (Metric, EL-P, Dum Dum Girls, Melt Banana to name a few), it hosts local showcases and battles of the bands. Especially popular is the "Sink or Swim" night with unlimited drinks for $10.
• +1 813 248 9500, theorpheum.com. Check venue website for listings
The Social, Orlando
When it comes to bringing indie acts down to Florida's mid-section, the team behind The Social (and its sister venue The Beacham) has the scene covered. The Social, which is smaller and has been open for well over a decade, is the ideal place to see some live indie, especially those bands who've crossed the pond but might not have made it all the way to Miami (people still happily drive five hours up to catch acts such as Super Furry Animals and Two Door Cinema Club). The retro-style photo booth gives the venue added bonus points! The Beacham is where you'll catch biggies like The Postal Service and Crystal Castles.
• +1 407 246 1419, thesocial.org. Check venue website for listings
Will's Pub, Orlando
This small – it only has a 200-person capacity – but tenacious venue has been bringing live music to Orlando since 1995. Self-described as "basically a neighbourhood bar that was colonised by the music community", Will's has hosted a respectable register of bands over the years, including The Decemberists, King Khan, Stars, Thee Oh Sees, The Queers and more. Its daily happy hour with free billiards and a solid selection of craft beers on tap make Will's a great hang out even when there isn't a band on.
• +1 407 898 5070, willspub.org. Check venue website for listings
The Atlantic Nightspot, Gainesville
A fixture of the vital but oft-underrated Gainesville punk scene, The Atlantic caters to bike punks, college kids, and everyone in between, bringing emerging acts, as well as nationally known indie and alternative music, to the heart of the city. Its Thursday indie-dance party "Doowutchyalike" boasts cheap drinks, low lights, and an always-packed dancefloor. Local tradition is to "pre-game" with craft cocktails and dinner at the Top, a bar and veggie-friendly restaurant right across the street. Not to be missed if you want to get sweaty in the south.
• no phone, atlanticnightspot.com. Check venue website for listings
Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville
Look out for the red door to find this discreet venue, tucked away in a nondescript strip on Hendricks Avenue. It has a great sound setup and acoustics, and is one of the most consistent live-music-focused venues in north Florida. It brings indie acts to Jacksonville for intimate shows by everyone from Dan Deacon to Yo La Tengo.
• +1 904 398 7496, jaxlive.com
Underbelly, Jacksonville
Originally a backyard speakeasy in Jacksonville's historic Five Points neighbourhood, Underbelly is now in the heart of downtown with a huge, just-renovated space that features a state-of-the-art soundstage, a sizable craft beer selection (check out brews from their local Intuition brewery on tap), and some pretty good barbecue to boot. Underbelly has been a crucial part of the recent wave of revitalisation in Jacksonville's urban core.
• +1 904 353 6067, jaxunderbelly.com. Open Tue 5pm-midnight, Wed-Sat, 5pm-2am, Sun-Mon open for concerts only
Florida native Lauren Reskin is the owner of Sweat Records, an indie music store, cafe and event space in Miami
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