A regular stop for international and local indie artists, Privatclub is a 200-capacity venue with good sight lines, a crisp sound system, and moody, red-lit ambience. The roster here tends to feature artists who can sell out the small room, including a well-curated offering of indie acts like Tom Odell, Cate Le Bon, and Perfume Genius. When there’s not a live performance, the recurrent club nights are just as fun; DJs play everything from sugary indie pop to dub and reggae.

Originally built in the 1950s as a cinema, this Kreuzberg institution earned a place in local rock history in the ’70s, when David Bowie and Iggy Pop were living in Berlin and became regulars. Its most current chapter as an indie club began after a renovation in 2006. The calendar is packed with excellent DJ nights and live performances, with a focus on artists who are just on the cusp of larger rooms, like Kurt Vile and CocoRosie.

With a menu that features imaginative takes on classic local dishes, a summertime beer garden, and a packed schedule of live music, Frannz Club is a friendly Prenzlauer Berg hangout where there’s always something interesting going on. Much of the programming gravitates toward indie songwriters like Agnes Obel and Cass McCombs, but it has also hosted high-volume acts like Chastity Belt and Falling in Reverse. The long-running ’80s dance night Rebel Yell is a euphoric trip back in time.

This unpretentious club has been throwing buzzworthy parties and hosting live gigs for more than 30 years. Dark Monday is one of its most popular events, when black-clad crowds flock to the 200-capacity venue for goth, dark wave, and post-punk DJ sets. When live music is on the bill, they focus on underground acts; German goth legends Die Vision and underground bands like Burning Heads and Ataraxia have played here. In summertime, the venue opens a gorgeous little beer garden.

A former brothel in the shadow of the Berlin Wall, Madame Claude is a playfully disorienting place to see a gig; the furniture of the main room is suspended from the ceiling. Since opening in 2008, the unpretentious Kreuzberg spot has kept one of Berlin’s most active indie-rock calendars, with thousands of performances that include sets from Mac DeMarco, The Black Lips, and SHONEN KNIFE. Live music starts most days of the week at 7 pm, and DJs take over afterwards.

Frequent jam sessions fill the calendar at this former bathhouse in the heart of Friedrichshain, but the freewheeling programming is an anything-goes mix of sounds that includes everything from Balkan folk to American country. Funky murals and a leafy garden endow the place with pleasant bohemian charm. Keep an eye out for forward-thinking indie acts like White Shoes & The Couples Company, chloe moriondo, and the Moses Yoofee Trio.

Just a block from the Spree, this modern, multipurpose spot has a bit more polish than most of Berlin’s alternative venues. (By day, it even doubles as a site for business events.) By night, the space transforms into a dreamy concert destination, with booths that line the edges of the ballroom, a large stage, and a lounge with a fire pit. The bookings span indie and electronic acts (Animal Collective, Dirty Projectors) as well as a number of alt-rock legends (The Jesus Lizard, Mudhoney).

This scrappy venue is a throwback to the rough-’round-the-edges squats and lofts where Berlin’s underground indie scene thrived two decades ago. Housed in a former chocolate factory, the lo-fi hangout hosts readings, lectures, live gigs, and club nights. Lots of local bands take the stage alongside the occasional international touring act, like Japanther, Future Islands, and Stereo Total. They also host recurrent open-mic and karaoke nights.

A relative newcomer among Berlin’s indie venues, this converted cinema features up-and-coming local and international acts. Its up-to-date sound and lighting systems, and thoughtful floor plan, ensure that performances look and sound great. Patrons can get a bird’s-eye view of the stage from the wraparound balcony. Some recent standouts to play here include Sam Fender, We Are Scientists, and Pinegrove.

Run by volunteers and dedicated to independent music, film, literature, and cultural events, Ausland is a welcoming space for adventurous music makers of every stripe. The programming is all over the map—sound installations and experimental electro acts one week, folk singers and video creators the next—but the artist residencies give shape to the wildly eclectic schedule. Indie bands on the experimental end of the spectrum, like Acid Mothers Temple and Akron/Family, are right at home.