Ruby Blues

You'll hear Ruby Blues before you see it – the kind of place where the music spills onto Great Charlotte Street and pulls you in by the ears. This isn't your typical city centre pub trying to be everything to everyone. Instead, it's laser-focused on what it does best: proper live music in a room that actually sounds good, served alongside decent drinks that won't bankrupt you. The crowd skews older than your average Baltic Triangle hangout, which means people actually listen when the bands play rather than shouting over them. The decor keeps things simple – dark wood, exposed brick, and enough space for the music to breathe. Come Thursday through Sunday when the stage comes alive, but avoid the midweek dead zone when even the most dedicated blues fans are presumably at home practicing their scales.