Going out · Across the valley

See a concert

Big Nepali artists, touring acts and festival stages, mostly on Friday and Saturday nights. Tickets usually go on sale a few weeks ahead.

Best time

Most big shows are on Friday and Saturday evenings, with more during the autumn festival season.

How long

A full evening; doors often open an hour or two before the headliner.

Getting there

Venues are spread across the valley; most are a taxi ride from Thamel.

What a concert looks like here

Kathmandu has a strong concert scene for a city its size. Nepali rock and pop bands fill halls and open grounds, rappers and folk singers draw big crowds, and every year a few international acts come through.

Big shows happen at open-air grounds, college halls, hotel gardens and the city's concert halls. Smaller gigs, album launches and band nights take place in bars and clubs, often with the band's whole fan base in the room.

Finding and booking a show

Concerts are announced by promoters and bands on social media, sometimes only a week or two ahead. Kata Jaam keeps them all in one place, and the listings below show every concert coming up, with the venue and how to get tickets.

Tickets are usually sold online, through bank apps and wallets, or at outlets the organiser names. For big names, buy early.

When the season is busiest

Autumn, after the monsoon and around the festivals, is the busiest concert season, with open-air shows almost every weekend. Spring is the second peak. In the monsoon months shows move indoors, and winter brings a few cold but popular outdoor nights.

Big touring acts often announce only a few weeks ahead, so it pays to check the listings each week rather than plan months out.

Tips

Check whether a show is seated or standing before you buy.
Open-air shows in winter get cold after dark; bring a layer.
Plan your ride home before the show ends, since taxis are scarce when a big crowd leaves.
Follow the bands you like on Kata Jaam to hear about their next date.