You know the feeling. You’re in a new city, the sun has gone down, and you feel the itch. You don’t want the sterile, soulless bars advertised in the tourist guides. You want a place with history etched into the bar top, where the jukebox is filled with classics, the beer is cold, and the people are real. You’re looking for a home away from home: a proper rock bar.
But in a world of generic pop music and overpriced cocktails, how do you find these hidden gems? How do you separate the authentic dives from the tourist traps?
Consider this your field guide. We’ve spent years navigating unknown streets and following the distant sound of a distorted guitar to find the best watering holes on the planet. These are the rules we live by, the strategies we use to find a sanctuary of rock and roll, no matter where in the world we are.