Concert Venues

[poorme]

The venue is often the thing that prevents me from seeing concerts. Anything in a sports stadium is automatically out. Small clubs are cool, if everything goes right -- but too often they're too crowded, have no seating or first come first serve, bad sightlines, etc. Another thing is the time. Often the headliner won't start until 10:00 or so, and that's on a weekday! that's my normal bedtime. and the price! I was interested in seeing loretta lynn at a local venue here in dc. $40/ticket! plus $6/ticket "sevice fee" if you want to get the tickets in advance. I'd like to see Loretta Lynn, but i'm not going to drop a C-note on the evening to do it. So, I'll just sit home and read a magazine or something. :bawl:

[Gosfgiants]

I agree with you on the big venues, but not on the smaller clubs. I gues I am spoiled by having some of the best small and medium sized venues around. We have two of the best small venues in the country. The Fillmore and the Great American Music Hall are wonderful places to see shows. The Warfield is a great venue as well, but its location and staff's attitude put it a step below the other two venues.

The Greek Theater in Berkeley is the best outdoor venue in the Bay Area. It is a beautiful facility that is not too large. If you sit high enough up you can see out over the bay including the Bay and Golden Gate Bridges. It can be simply breath taking at sunset. The only complaint is that weekday shows start a little too early since it is located in a fairly residential area.

The best venue I have ever been to is the Gorge Ampitheater in George, WA. I caught Phish there on a two stand a few years ago. The seating is carved right into the wall of the Columbia River Gorge. As you look down on the stage you can see out over the river and the opposite wall. I'm dying to get back up there for another show.

[poorme]

Just curious, what does a ticket at the Fillmore cost (yeah, I know it depends on the headliner, but give me an idea)

[Gosfgiants]

I have paid between $15 (The Mother Hips) - $50 (Willie Nelson) for shows there.

One of the best thing about the Fillmore and the Warfield is that they will give out posters for sold out shows. With the Fillmore it's not just going to a concert, it's visit to a shrine of Rock history. In the upstairs area are some classic posters from the 60's and 70's as well as some from when it re-opened in the late 80's on. A must visit place for any lover of Rock'N'Roll.

[poorme]

Originally posted by Gosfgiants
I have paid between $15 (The Mother Hips) - $50 (Willie Nelson) for shows there.

One of the best thing about the Fillmore and the Warfield is that they will give out posters for sold out shows. With the Fillmore it's not just going to a concert, it's visit to a shrine of Rock history. In the upstairs area are some classic posters from the 60's and 70's as well as some from when it re-opened in the late 80's on. A must visit place for any lover of Rock'N'Roll.

I'm guessing it's like an auditorium with movie theatre like seats?

My ideal venue is a small club/bar kind of place with a traditional bar and small tables around. a riser for the band. maybe holds a few hundred people. enough room so you could move around and go to the bathroom or the servers can make it to your table, etc. Several blues bars in Chicago fit the bill.

[Gosfgiants]

Originally posted by poorme
I'm guessing it's like an auditorium with movie theatre like seats?

The floor has a bench on one side with tables in front of it, but no other seats. The rest of the floor area is SRO. They set up tables for comedy shows. The balcony has tables, but they go qucik. No matter where you are in the venue you have a good view of the stage and the sound is awesome. You've probably seen it on TV, but just haven't realized it.

[OaktownTribeFan]

I like the Greek Theater also. The view's incredible, also the Roman Coliseum-style seating makes it a good place to go. No worries about people standing & blocking views, like at so many arenas.

The Great American Music Hall in SF isn't bad--I like the balcony where you can look right down at the bands. But if it's an overflow crowd it's hard to find elbow-room.

The Oakland Coliseum (I'll always refer to it like that) Arena & stadium are pretty bad for concerts, unless you're seeing a Day on the Green in 1976. Then everything's fine. :D

[pathogan]

...and im not being facetious in saying that, the upper seats are cramped but acoustically it's a revelation...some of the smaller jazz clubs are nice,The Blue Note, Knitting Factory, iridium,but they are getting rather expensive,Too....Big stadium shows are events not concerts[the sound is awful, and who is that little man jumping around the stage there} even MSGarden is way way too big for a concert[though the acoustics have improved dramatically}The Brooklyn acedemy of Music is quite good, and the prices are ogten reasonable...

[poorme]

seems like you guys don't mind standing for a few hours. I dunno. not a big fan. now if I were going to a Poison show I would expect to be standing shoulder to shoulder....

[TGwynn19]

I stayed on the steps of the Union at the U of Iowa from 3 pm until 9 am the next day, in Feburary, to get front-row-center tickets for a REM concert in Iowa City. Best concert I have ever seen.