Liverpool

Head off the Beatles-obsessed tourist trail and you'll find a host of buzzing, indie-leaning venues, such as Heebie Jeebies, a pretty upmarket spot that The Rascals' Miles Kane succinctly sums it up as: “cherry brandy, boss birds and James Brown”. Meanwhile, there’s a bunch of good venues for new bands: The Zanzibar is where The Coral and The Zutons played their first gigs and has maintained a beady eye on the city’s buzz, and Magnet’s also well worth a look.
Alumni: The Coral, The Zutons, The LA's, The Zutons.
Pub fact: It's still possible to grab a pint at The Jacaranda, a boozer in whose basement Macca and co used to rehearse.