La Cigale

Easily one of Paris's finest venues, the lovely, horseshoe-shaped theatre La Cigale is linked to more cosy venue La Boule Noire, good for catching cult-ish visiting indie and rock acts. It was established in 1887, where the Boule Noire’s dance hall once stood, and quickly became the place to see vaudeville, variety and cabaret shows. In the 1940’s, la Cigale took a complete change of direction and became a cinema specialising in kung-fu films and, later, X-rated movies. It wasn’t until 1987 that the place finally found its niche as a live music café, when it was redecorated and reopened with the help of designer Philippe Starck and pop-rock group Rita Mitsouko. Bookers make room for French acts alongside the visitors and the place has hosted The Inrockuptibles festival for over 20 years.