Black Note Club

Black Note Club is a live music venue on Calle Polo y Peyrolón, in El Pla del Real, a residential district east of the old town and close to the university area. It has been running since 1993 with a clear mission: backing quality live music and giving a stage to emerging musicians. That makes it one of the longest-standing concert bars in Valencia and a very different night out from the city's dance clubs.

The room is small and intimate, with an old-school bar feel, a stage close to the audience and space for around 200 people. The musical range is wide: rock and roll, rhythm and blues, soul, funk, groove, jazz and world music all appear on the programme. The calendar usually lists two acts per night, often a concert followed by a later set or a jam session.

The jam sessions are what many regulars come for. On Wednesdays, Jam Black opens with a house band before the stage passes to anyone who dares to play, and local guides single out this Wednesday jam as one of the most notable in the city; it usually starts around 23:00. Thursdays bring jazz jams such as Hot Jazz and blues nights like Blues al Black. Weekends lean towards tribute and cover bands, from international pop-rock classics to Spanish bands of the eighties, and there is also room for original projects in jazz, funk and electronic formats.

The crowd is mixed in age and background: musicians who bring their instruments, local music fans and visitors looking for live music rather than a DJ. Both beginners and experienced players are welcome on stage at the jams. Dress is casual and the minimum age is 18. Entry is affordable, usually between 5 and 12 euros depending on the night, with jam sessions at the lower end, and tickets for individual concerts are sold through the club's own listings.

Black Note usually opens from Wednesday to Saturday, from around 21:00 until about 03:00, a little later at weekends. Concerts tend to start well after the doors open, so check the time on each listing. Popular tribute nights can sell out, so buying ahead is sensible for those. It works well after dinner in the surrounding streets of El Pla del Real, or as a live-music alternative before heading to the bars of the university area. Upcoming nights are listed on this page.