Catch live music in Thamel

Thamel has more live music per street than anywhere else in Nepal. On any night of the week some bar has a band, and on weekends there are several to choose from within a few minutes' walk.

Most of it is covers: classic rock, Nepali pop and rock, and blues, played by bands who know their crowd. Some nights are original Nepali bands, and those are the ones worth looking out for.

Venues post their line-ups on Instagram, often the same day. Kata Jaam collects them, so the listings below show what is on tonight and over the weekend, with the venue and start time.

If you are walking, follow the sound. Many bars are upstairs, with the music drifting down to the street.

Thamel is the busiest, but not the only place for live music. Jhamsikhel and Patan have bars with jazz, acoustic and indie nights, and Lazimpat has a few quieter rooms. Some of the best gigs of the year happen in courtyards and gardens around Patan, especially in autumn.

Music festivals and band nights at bigger venues also turn up through the year, and they are listed alongside the bar gigs, so one look tells you everything on tonight.