Despite the war and limited event hours, the club scene in Ukrainian cities continues to live on: Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa and Kharkiv still host evening concerts, DJ sets, live shows and cultural events.
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In this selection — seven locations where you can listen to live music, dance, feel the community atmosphere, and support the modern Ukrainian scene.
Closer (Kyiv)
An art club and cultural space in Podil that over more than ten years has become the main point of the capital’s underground scene. Closer opened in 2013 in a former ribbon-weaving factory building on Nyzhnoiurkivska Street — and since then has grown into a true ecosystem: they host raves, live concerts, art events and markets. From the very beginning, the founders focused not only on the dance floor but also on culture — Closer became a meeting place for DJs, musicians, artists, curators and everyone who appreciates a free, creative atmosphere.
The space consists of several zones, allowing visitors to choose their own rhythm for the evening. Closer essentially gathered around itself a local music community and turned Podil into a new focal point of club Kyiv. Ukrainian and international electronic artists perform here, and the location has repeatedly appeared in international media as one of the brightest clubs in Eastern Europe.
After the start of the full-scale invasion, the event format changed: the club operates in an “evening timing” mode, taking into account martial law requirements, event hours and safety rules. Closer actively supports Ukrainian musicians, hosts charity events and preserves the role of a venue that keeps creative energy and club culture alive in the city. It is a place for those who value not only parties but also community, meaning and freedom.
Address: Kyiv, 31 Nyzhnoiurkivska St.
Caribbean Club (Kyiv)
One of the most famous clubs in the capital, operating since 1998 and located near the central railway station, on Symon Petliura Street. After a major renovation in 2013, it transformed into a concert hall with a large dance floor, high-quality technical equipment, comfortable lounge areas, a bar and a kitchen. Caribbean Club combines several formats — from a concert stage to a space for dancing and parties, so everyone can choose their own evening scenario.
The club’s program remains diverse: jazz shows, concert performances, variety shows, stand-up evenings and disco events. Among the current highlights: the Caribbean Club Disco Party, shows by the “Black Square” theater, the popular variety show “Royal,” and solo live performances by contemporary Ukrainian artists. Thanks to this palette, it’s a great place to visit both after work and on weekends — for an evening of music, shows, cocktails or dancing.
The venue adapts its schedule to wartime restrictions, hosting events in the evening and following safety rules. Caribbean Club is a place where an evening can be intimate and scenic or energetic and dance-focused, but always well-thought-out and atmospheric.
Address: Kyiv, 4 Symon Petliura St.
Malevich Concert Arena (Lviv)
A large club space in the center of Lviv, which grew from a former cinema and after a major reconstruction in 2017 became one of the most powerful concert arenas in the city. Malevich is located on Chornovola Avenue, a few minutes from the Opera House, and offers more than 3,000 square meters of space with two large halls, dance floors, lounge zones, several bars, VIP areas and professional technical equipment. The club’s name references Kazimir Malevich and his avant-garde art, resonating with the idea of freedom, experimentation and bold formats.
Malevich functions both as a concert hall and a club: it hosts performances by Ukrainian and international artists, large-scale show programs, DJ sets, themed parties, presentations, festivals and major cultural events. Thanks to the size and structure of the venue, everyone can choose their own style of leisure — from dancing near the stage to a more intimate time in the lounge or VIP area.
Address: Lviv, 2 Vyacheslav Chornovil Ave.
!FESTrepublic (Lviv)
A vast cultural and club campus on Staroznesenska Street, created in the space of a former factory and transformed into one of the main hubs of Lviv’s urban life. !FESTrepublic is 20,000 square meters of territory with several halls, a club area, gastronomic spaces, coffee shops, showrooms, small workshops and offices of local initiatives. The format goes far beyond just a club: people come here for parties, concerts, stand-up shows, DJ sets, festivals, markets, art events and large cultural gatherings.
The history of the place is evident in the architecture: vintage industrial buildings, open spaces, containers, terraces and endless nooks create an atmosphere of free creativity.
There are also restaurants and bars on the territory of !FESTrepublic, so an evening can start with dinner or a relaxed meetup with friends.
Address: Lviv, 24–26 Staroznesenska St.
More Music Club (Odesa)
More Music Club is one of the most recognizable music locations in Odesa, where the focus has shifted from night raves to live performances, chamber concerts and alternative evening events. This place actively supports the local scene: Odesa bands, young artists and niche collectives regularly perform here, many of whom you rarely hear at large venues.
The venue’s format is not a “party-till-morning club,” but rather a cultural space with properly built acoustics and an honest atmosphere, where rock, post-punk, experimental music, indie and other independent genres are played. Posters feature both small solo concerts and themed evenings or showcases of young scenes.
More Music Club remained active even during wartime restrictions — events start earlier and fit within the curfew hours. It’s a great place for those who want to experience the city’s live music culture, attend an evening concert, or simply spend an atmospheric evening among people who genuinely love music.
Address: Odesa, 75 Pushkinska St.
Pintagon (Kharkiv)
Pintagon is one of the most distinctive art clubs in Kharkiv, which for almost two decades has remained a space for live music, experimentation and meetings of people who seek more than just “a night out.” The club opened back in 2006 and quickly became a favorite venue of the local intelligentsia: here they listened to jazz and post-punk, read poetry accompanied by IDM improvisations, discovered new bands and discussed art.
The architecture of Pintagon truly adds charm — the hall resembles a small ancient Greek amphitheater, and the venue itself is located underground, within the sturdy walls of a historic university district near the “Naukova” metro station. Over the years, both Kharkiv musicians and guests from Ukraine, Europe and the USA have performed on its stage: from jazz quartets and alternative bands to experimental electronic projects.
Even during the full-scale war, Pintagon continues to host evening events, maintaining its standards of high-quality sound, intimate atmosphere and openness to bold musical formats. For young artists, it remains a launchpad, and for listeners — a place where an evening can become a deeply personal meeting with Ukrainian creators.
Address: Kharkiv, 26 Danilevskoho St.
Some People – Center of New Culture (Kharkiv)
Some People is a Kharkiv center of new culture that emerged during the full-scale war and became a place where the dance floor truly turned into a safe place. The space was set up in a factory building: over a thousand square meters include an electronic music stage, an exhibition hall, a recording studio, a bar and a zone for theatrical performances. The dance floor was intentionally placed on the basement level and equipped with multiple evacuation exits — safety here is not décor but a real part of the concept.
The Some People team had been developing alternative culture in Kharkiv for years: parties, audiovisual projects, experimental music. After their previous space was hit, they invested their own funds and time into a new venue — so that under constant shelling the city would still have a reason to gather, listen to music, see art and not lock itself in fear.
The center hosts electronic music parties, art exhibitions and independent theatre productions. The atmosphere is special: many visitors stayed in Kharkiv despite the danger and come here to feel the city alive, find like-minded people and reclaim their future for at least a few hours.
Some People is about parties that have meaning and mission. About electronic culture built on courage rather than entertainment for entertainment’s sake. And about Kharkiv, which, even just a few dozen kilometers from the front line, continues to be reborn — modern, pro-European and Ukrainian.
Address: Kharkiv, 1 Ivanivska St.
The Ukrainian club scene lives on despite the war — these spaces unite communities and give a sense of life. And to explore another side of our culture after a night out, check out the selection “Museums of Ukraine with Non-Standard Exhibitions: from Science to Chocolate” — it features places that surprise with their format and content, proving that Ukrainian culture is rich not only in music, but also in unique stories worth seeing live.
