Northerlies Beach Bar & Grill, Airlie Beach. Photo: Facebook.
Beach-village gigs, island stays and waterfront stages: these Queensland music spots can become part of the holiday.
Updated October 2026
A live set can give you a reason to stop in a coastal town, stay another night on an island or see a different side of Brisbane. These picks combine a worthwhile music program with a setting visitors can build a day or weekend around.
Some sit directly beside the water, while Peregian and Coolangatta put the beach within a short walk of the gig. Check the current program before booking transport or accommodation: being by the water does not mean live music every day.
1. Peregian Beach Hotel, Sunshine Coast
Peregian Beach Hotel has thrown pop-up beach parties beside the dunes. Photo: Raw Ordio.
Peregian Beach Hotel pairs a regular program of local artists and visiting acts with a beach-village setting on the Sunshine Coast. The beach is a short walk away.
It works because the whole village can be part of the day: beach first, lunch, wander around Peregian, then stay for the music.
On the October bill: Sari Abbott, Che Burns and Andrea Kirwin.
Plan your visit: YELO’s Peregian Beach Hotel guide · current music program.
Make a day of it: Walk the beach and explore Peregian’s village shops before the show. The hotel is close to the beach, rather than directly on the waterfront; choose it for the village and music program.
2. Northerlies Beach Bar & Grill, Airlie Beach
Northerlies (main photo) is the sort of place that makes a normal Sunday session feel like a holiday. The beach bar sits right on the water outside Airlie Beach, with the Whitsundays as the backdrop and live music every Saturday and Sunday.
On the October bill: Simon Briley, Mick Woodbridge, Kieren McCarthy, Ash Smith, Pluto Tango, Sam McCann and Erin Reus. Check the calendar against your travel dates.
Plan your visit: Northerlies live music program.
Make a day of it: Stay in Airlie Beach and book the venue’s free courtesy bus where available. Its visitor information lists pickup areas and weekend music hours; confirm your session before travelling.
3. Sandstone Point Hotel, Moreton Bay
Sandstone Point Hotel on Moreton Bay. Photo: Facebook.
Overlooking Pumicestone Passage towards Bribie Island, Sandstone Point combines waterfront lawn sessions with major outdoor concerts. Its regular program lists local live music on Saturdays and Sundays, while bigger shows require their own tickets.
On the 2026 Red Hot Summer bill: Australian Crawl, Men At Work, Birds of Tokyo, Vika & Linda, Eskimo Joe, Boom Crash Opera and Ella Hooper.
Make a day of it: Pair the show with a visit to Bribie Island, or stay at the neighbouring holiday resort. For major concerts, check the event’s parking and return-bus arrangements before booking your trip.
Plan your visit: Sandstone Point entertainment and concert calendar.
4. Seabreeze Hotel, Lamberts Beach, Mackay
Seabreeze Hotel overlooks Lamberts Beach in Mackay. Photo: Seabreeze Hotel.
The Seabreeze overlooks Lamberts Beach and runs free live music from Friday to Sunday, with Friday and Saturday sets in the bar and Sunday music on the terrace.
There is also a proper ticketed room, the Pacific Room, for bigger gigs. So you can get the casual oceanfront session and the touring-show version in the same venue.
Who’s played here: Northlane, Reliqa, 19-Twenty and Grinspoon.
Plan your visit: Seabreeze free live music · ticketed events.
5. Arcadia Village Hotel, Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island gives this list its first ferry ride. Arcadia Village Hotel sits between Geoffrey Bay and Alma Bay and runs live music on Saturday nights.
Build an island stay around the gig, with a beach visit and dinner beforehand. Book accommodation or check the last return ferry before committing to an evening show; getting back to Townsville needs planning.
Recent Saturday names: Silky Oak Music and GeneXis.
Plan your visit: Arcadia Village Hotel’s current program.
6. Ellis Beach Bar & Grill, Far North Queensland
Ellis Beach Bar & Grill in Far North Queensland. Photo: @timcellis.
Ellis Beach sits just north of Palm Cove on a six-kilometre stretch of sand between Cairns and Port Douglas. The bar regularly hosts live music and larger ticketed shows.
2026 bookings include: Mark Seymour, Katchafire, Kingfisha and Wild Marmalade.
It has the kind of location that does half the work before a band even plugs in: beach on one side, tropical Far North Queensland around you and a proper stage program rather than background music.
Plan your visit: Ellis Beach live music.
7. Currumbin Beach Vikings, Gold Coast
Currumbin Beach Vikings sits right beside the sand on the Gold Coast. Photo: Currumbin Beach Vikings.
Currumbin Beach Vikings is one of the most literal “music by the water” options on the Gold Coast. The supporters club sits beside the sand at Currumbin and regularly programs Sunday afternoon live music.
The distinctive draw is the surf-club setting beside the sand: ocean views, food and an afternoon live set. Check the calendar before visiting, because sport and special events can replace the music.
Recent Sunday sessions: The Dirty Martinis, Captain WOW, Remedy Duo and The Hodad.
Plan your visit: Currumbin Beach Vikings live music.
8. Coolangatta Hotel, Gold Coast
Coolangatta Hotel sits opposite Coolangatta Beach. Photo: Coolangatta Hotel.
The Cooly is the more traditional band-room option, but the location earns it a place here. It sits opposite Coolangatta Beach and combines public-bar entertainment with ticketed touring shows upstairs.
You can genuinely build the day around the beach and dinner, then head upstairs for the gig rather than driving somewhere else once the sun goes down.
Recent 2026 bills: Baker Boy, Hellions and The Superjesus, with Guttermouth also on the touring calendar.
Plan your visit: Coolangatta Hotel events.
9. Beach House Hotel, Hervey Bay
Beach House Hotel sits on Scarness Esplanade, looking across the foreshore towards the bay. Weekend live music makes it a useful stop for visitors travelling through the Fraser Coast, with a bistro and bars in the same venue.
Recent and previous names: DJ Nix’on and Jenny Talia.
Make a day of it: Walk the Scarness foreshore before dinner and music. It is a convenient evening addition to a Hervey Bay holiday, rather than a reason to assume there will be a headline touring show every weekend.
Plan your visit: Beach House Hotel entertainment. Check the performer and start time for your dates.
10. Felons Barrel Hall, Brisbane
Felons Barrel Hall has brought live music to the Brisbane riverfront since 2020. Photo: Felons Barrel Hall.
For a riverfront version, Felons Barrel Hall brings live music to Howard Smith Wharves beneath the Story Bridge. The brewery and music space make this a strong city-break option, with the river outside and a dedicated room for the show.
Who’s played here: DJ Shadow, Elderbrook, Joy Orbison and CC:DISCO!, alongside a steady run of Brisbane and emerging artists.
Make a day of it: Explore the riverside precinct, then choose a gig from the current calendar. The setting is by the Brisbane River; the performance itself is in the hall, so an outdoor table does not automatically mean a view of the stage.
Plan your visit: Felons Barrel Hall · YELO’s Felons venue guide.
Two waterfront events to plan a trip around
Airlie Beach Festival of Music, Whitsunday Sailing Club
Whitsunday Sailing Club is home to the Airlie Beach Festival of Music. Photo: Whitsunday Sailing Club.
For the big version of Airlie Beach live music, the Whitsunday Sailing Club becomes the main stage for the Airlie Beach Festival of Music. The Big Tent sits on the point with the Coral Sea beside it, while gigs spill into bars, cafes and restaurants across town.
It is one of those Queensland setups that is hard to replicate anywhere else: a proper festival bill, tropical water views and a whole town acting as the venue.
2026 lineup includes: Xavier Rudd, Mark Seymour, Mental As Anything, The Whitlams, The Radiators, Conrad Sewell, Adam Harvey and 19-Twenty.
Plan your visit: Airlie Beach Festival of Music venues.
Visitor note: The Big Tent experience is tied to Airlie Beach Festival of Music. Check the festival dates, ticket inclusions and accommodation before planning your visit.
Yeppoon Foreshore Amphitheatre
This one is not a pub at all. Livingstone Shire Council’s Tides & Tunes series brings free live music to the Yeppoon Foreshore Amphitheatre, where you can grab takeaway, bring a picnic and sit by the water for the show.
That makes it one of the more relaxed entries on the list and a good reminder that some of Queensland’s best live music settings are public spaces rather than purpose-built venues.
Recent Tides & Tunes names: Thickshake, Sarah Jane Music, MotherLove, Scream Azov, Raining Roses and Celeste Caught.
Plan your visit: Tides & Tunes at Yeppoon Foreshore.
Visitor note: Tides & Tunes is a scheduled school-holiday series, rather than a daily venue program. The current council listing includes October 3 and 4, 2026; check the next announced dates for a later trip.
An island option to confirm before booking
Foxy’s Bar, Fitzroy Island: The beachfront bar is an appealing stop on an island stay. The resort’s published activity sheet lists Saturday evening music subject to availability, but the sheet is dated 2025. Ask the resort to confirm the current performance dates before booking a trip for the music, and check boat transfers or overnight accommodation.
Plan your visit: Foxy’s Bar and Fitzroy Island Resort.
Find more Queensland gigs
For upcoming shows, browse YELO’s Queensland Gig Guides, including the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Regional Queensland and Tweed + Northern Rivers guides. You can also explore the Queensland venue guide.
