Our Favourite Clubs in Bern

It is Bern’s oldest music club: For over 50 years, concerts and dance events have been held at Mahogany Hall on Klösterlistutz (Convent Hill). The club in the listed building was opened in 1968 by the Longstreet Jazz Band and has organized some 5,000 concerts to date. Performers include musicians such as Mark Sway, Mani Matter, and Scream. Mahogany Hall’s recipe for success: people of all ages feel comfortable and welcome. And there’s something for every taste in the diverse concert programme that ranges from jazz to Swiss pop all the way to hard rock.

A laid-back restaurant during the day, a buzzing nightlife hub at night: the club at Bollwerk has been a popular meeting place in Bern for years. Be it techno, rock, or psytrance – at Kapitel, everyone will find something to dance to. Inclusivity and acceptance are a top priority; the club is a space where all party people – no matter their sexuality, origin, or gender – are welcome. Come as you are and show off those moves!

Concerts, movie screenings, plays, festivals, and all sorts of events: at the Reitschule, creativity knows no boundaries. What this cultural centre has to offer is as diverse as its artists and audience. Fans dance to the music of nationally and internationally renowned musicians at Dachstock, there are big parties in the Great Hall, the Tojo shows contemporary plays and at Sous le Pont, you’ll find tasty food from all over the world as well as cultural performances. If you like things to be a bit different, you will love it here!

With over 300 organized events, the Bierhübeli is one of the city’s top locations. Although the rooms are increasingly used for seminars and meetings, the venue still regularly hosts concerts and parties. Be it rhythmic RnB, fast techno beats, or pop music by famous artists such as Tom Odell and Lukas Graham – the Bierhübeli has it all. There’s always something going on. And the best thing about it: before you hit the dance floor, you can stop by Gustavs Biergarten and enjoy a relaxed beer (or two) with friends.

Once a small club for students (“Internationaler Studentenclub der Universität Bern”) founded over 50 years ago, ISC has turned into a vital part of Bern’s club scene. It wasn’t until the 90s that it was opened to everyone, and when that happened, party people from all over Switzerland came flocking to the iconic club to dance to reggae, rap, or techno. If you want to experience the real Bernese nightlife, this is the place to be!

What once was a hospital and, later, a school, is now a widely known and highly popular cultural centre in Bern. Over 200 artists of all kinds come together at Progr. But they’re not just making art, they’re also organizing it – and the programme is just as colourful and vibrant as the artists themselves. Be it a live concert, an exciting play, a dance party with a DJ – all of that and more can be found on Progr’s event calendar.

This youth and culture centre is one of the oldest of its kind: it has been a platform for Bern’s youth for almost 50 years. They are also the ones doing the organizing, with over 200 adolescents involved. The venue is located on the city’s old gas reservoirs – hence the name Gaskessel (gasometer). Its programme includes regular concerts, parties, and many other cultural events. So, off to the Gaskessel you go, we’re you can dance to everything from Goa to indie folk to hard dance to blues.

Take me back to the 40s: groovy saxophones, red velvet couches, lively nights – jazz dreams come true at Marians Jazzroom. True fans will discover original posters and statues from the past few decades of jazz history. There are two concerts per evening, and you’ll frequently be able to experience internationally renowned musicians – after all, Marians Jazzroom is considered one of the best jazz clubs in the world.