Blue Note

Blue Note is a long-standing jazz bar and live music venue at Görlitzer Straße 2b in Dresden's Äußere Neustadt, the lively quarter north of the Elbe in the German state of Saxony. The bar is a fixture of the district's nightlife and draws a mixed crowd of students, locals, musicians and visitors, generally from the mid-twenties upward, although the relaxed Neustadt attitude means that nobody is turned away for age alone. There is no formal dress code; jeans, sneakers and casual layers are the norm, and the dim, wood-toned interior encourages lingering rather than dressing up. The atmosphere is intimate and informal, with a small room, close tables and a bar that doubles as the focal point of the evening. Music leans toward jazz in its many forms, with live sessions and concerts on many nights, and the programme often mixes straight-ahead jazz, blues and jam-session formats. Because the programme changes, visitors should check the current schedule before travelling. The drinks list follows the classic bar pattern: German draught beer such as Radeberger and Saxon pilsners, regional and imported wines, a short list of spirits and a selection of classic cocktails, with long drinks and whisky popular during the late hours. Prices are moderate for Dresden, with beer typically around EUR 4 to 5 and cocktails somewhere in the range of EUR 8 to 11. The venue is generally open nightly from about 19:00 until late, with weekends running well past midnight and weeknights closing earlier. Entry is often free on ordinary evenings, while special concerts may carry a small cover or a donation to the musicians. Reservations are rarely needed except for larger groups or headline concerts, and there is no bottle-service culture. Blue Note sits within a short walk of the Alaunstraße bar strip and the Kunsthofpassage, which makes it a convenient stop in a longer Neustadt evening.