The Worst "Venue" Ever?

[bears clap loud]

i put venue in quotes because the bad ones are usually very questionable at best. for me it's
The Myth - Minneapolis

followed by
Station 4 - Saint Paul

the myth is a huge night club turned venue on concert nights. security is awful, crowd is usually awful and it's ridiculously over priced because it's the myth. My favorites though are The Varsity (Minneapolis) and the Gothic (Denver)


Yours?

[Rodeo]

Is the Kitty Cat Klub there in Minneapolis cool?


We're playing there March 11.

[swt_catastrophe]

The Brickhouse in Phoenix.
Security are absolute assholes, with no exception made for the artists.

[reckoner]

i put venue in quotes because the bad ones are usually very questionable at best. for me it's
The Myth - Minneapolis

followed by
Station 4 - Saint Paul

the myth is a huge night club turned venue on concert nights. security is awful, crowd is usually awful and it's ridiculously over priced because it's the myth. My favorites though are The Varsity (Minneapolis) and the Gothic (Denver)


Yours?

im gonna have to agree that i really dislike the myth.

[brandnizzle2419]

unfortunately...

The Creepy Crawl- St. Louis, MO

it used to be SO good, but ever since they moved, they don't book as many good shows as they used to, and the atmosphere is questionable at best. The bar basically runs into the stage, which makes it very hard to get really into the show, because you can't move without bumping into the ropes that block off the bar from minors. it's really sad.

[have_heart_XXX]

greene street in greensboro NC

fuck the security there.

[carlsonz]

The Loft in Madison.

It used to be so good, but after they closed down and moved away there aren't anymore good shows. The old venue was great, it was perfect, but now one cannot appreciate it anymore.

[CarryOn09]

the grove in anaheim. worst sounding show EVER. hot (even for a show it was just stupid how hot it was in there), just a generally bad time.

[evanbythebay]

Slim's
San Francisco, CA

[swt_catastrophe]

the grove in anaheim. worst sounding show EVER. hot (even for a show it was just stupid how hot it was in there), just a generally bad time.
seriously? I'm not a huge fan of it, but it's definitely better sounding than Chain is

[Plus155]

The Avalon Theater in Salt Lake City.
Awful venue.

[tomakebelieve]

This reminds me of a thread I made once where I bitched about the Cabooze. Fucking hate that god damn place.

But how do you not like the security at the myth? Those dudes are hilarious/amusing/awesome. I get free starburst from one of them. And they've prevented plenty of bodies from falling on top of me. But the Myth is too big for my taste.

Edit: Also, I don't understand the hate for Station 4? I got some good memories there. Its not awesome, it can get gross/crowded, and sometimes the sound sucks...but I've seen some good tours there.

[makeasound]

Slim's
San Francisco, CA
Aww really? That's my favorite venue in SF!

Worst is The Grand... security sucks and it just sounds absolutely horrible.

[paper halo]

Its not really fair to judge a venue on how one or two bands have sounded in it. Touring bands often tour their own sound systems and FOH engineers, it is generally their fault if the sound is awful.

[Heart-A-Tact]

unfortunately...

The Creepy Crawl- St. Louis, MO

it used to be SO good, but ever since they moved, they don't book as many good shows as they used to, and the atmosphere is questionable at best. The bar basically runs into the stage, which makes it very hard to get really into the show, because you can't move without bumping into the ropes that block off the bar from minors. it's really sad.

Agreed. I've been to too many shows there, and while I've had fun at most of them, the place was still shit.

[bears clap loud]

The Loft in Madison.

It used to be so good, but after they closed down and moved away there aren't anymore good shows. The old venue was great, it was perfect, but now one cannot appreciate it anymore.

Woah I've heard of that place. and i've only heard awesome things too! maybe it's before all of that. interesting

[bears clap loud]

Is the Kitty Cat Klub there in Minneapolis cool?


We're playing there March 11.


hmmm you know, i haven't heard of it. sorry

[bears clap loud]

This reminds me of a thread I made once where I bitched about the Cabooze. Fucking hate that god damn place.

But how do you not like the security at the myth? Those dudes are hilarious/amusing/awesome. I get free starburst from one of them. And they've prevented plenty of bodies from falling on top of me. But the Myth is too big for my taste.

Edit: Also, I don't understand the hate for Station 4? I got some good memories there. Its not awesome, it can get gross/crowded, and sometimes the sound sucks...but I've seen some good tours there.


Station 4- besides the number of pillars in front of the stage, the sound it awful. I've been there twice it's i swear they don't know how to balance the music. it's ridiculous. hardly a venue it's a back room of a bar. saint paul needs something better. also the twin cities need a med sized venue besides the myth. it's just a night club. First Ave is a bit small for Med sized and fine line is tiny.

although The Varsity is my all time favorite

[Rodeo]

hmmm you know, i haven't heard of it. sorry


It's all good,

www.kittycatklub.net (http://www.kittycatklub.net)



The atmosphere looks amazing.






PS. Learn to use the multi-quote tool. It will make things easier for everyone.

[wuduprod]

xtreme wheelz skatepark in buffalo. that place blows. there's a barrier, bands are told by the promoter they are not allowed to swear (the stage actually has "no swearing" spray painted on it as a reminder), and the acoustics of the room just blow.

[tomakebelieve]

Station 4- besides the number of pillars in front of the stage, the sound it awful. I've been there twice it's i swear they don't know how to balance the music. it's ridiculous. hardly a venue it's a back room of a bar. saint paul needs something better. also the twin cities need a med sized venue besides the myth. it's just a night club. First Ave is a bit small for Med sized and fine line is tiny.

although The Varsity is my all time favorite

The Varsity is great but few tours I end up going to go there, usually. Most of the tours I see are at Station 4--I will admit the sound does suck, but, I am a sentimental person and it houses too many good memories to diss it very much.

My all time favorite venue is in Chicago though. Subterranean. I wish it was in Minneapolis.

[spriltsc]

seriously? I'm not a huge fan of it, but it's definitely better sounding than Chain is
Chain has some horrible sound tech people. haha

[Charles777]

The only sorta bad place I've been to is The Rex here in Pittsburgh... The sound sucks, but at least they have Dr Pepper!

[n1asfan]

Slim's
San Francisco, CA


I love Slim's, personally, I think the sound it awesome!

Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco. In my opinion this is the WORST venue I have ever been to. IT's in the middle of SF, and don't take bart there, you'll be walking forever to get to the venue. It's crowded, each band takes a lifetime to setup, and the headlining band doesn't get on stage until midnight sometimes. The sound is alright...but this place is NOT my cup of tea. I'll only go there if an amazing band happens to be there and they aren't going to be in any other bay area venue.

[fightoffyrdmns]

The Brickhouse in Phoenix.
Security are absolute assholes, with no exception made for the artists.

I think I saw Jesse Lacey here. The venue wasn't air conditioned (and it was 100+ degrees out) and the 21+ separate section wasn't well planned out. I had awesome vegan chili cheese fries, but those weren't at the venue though. I agree, wasn't too much of a fan if this is the venue I am thinking about.

greene street in greensboro NC

fuck the security there.

Love Greene Street! There's no barrier and I don't think I've ever seen security. Haven't been here a lot though.

[kearn1tm]

Any of the frat houses off Broomfield where my band plays.

Yeah. At least you get stages. We get vomit-soaked carpet.

Oh, and CBGBs. Ostensibly, it's a dump and that was a huge part of its charm.

[batmannj]

The Toledo Sports Arena was crap, although i did see NIN there

[chris-tow-fur]

Its not really fair to judge a venue on how one or two bands have sounded in it. Touring bands often tour their own sound systems and FOH engineers, it is generally their fault if the sound is awful.

thats not usually true especially if its a smaller venue, the band plays, the club supllies the sound unless its a huge tour which involves like msg or huge theaters then that would be the bands sound guy who sucks...

[TheOtherAndrew]

The Darkroom in Baton Rouge. Pretty shitty. Not a terrible place to have a venue, just overrun with 15 year old scenesters. Still.

[chris-tow-fur]

Bamboozle right, at the meadowlands, i think the sound sucks on all the big stages half the time you can barely hear the band or u will only hear the guitars, the smallers ones are okay.

[paper halo]

thats not usually true especially if its a smaller venue, the band plays, the club supllies the sound unless its a huge tour which involves like msg or huge theaters then that would be the bands sound guy who sucks...

I would not say usually. It not only depends on the size of the venue but also the size bands they attract on tour. I work as a techie in a mid-size venue (1500 capacity) and we very rarely have entirely in-house gigs. In-house lighting with toured sound is slightly more common, but even when it's in-house sound the band will usually have a touring engineer with them. Even when I do bits of work for local theatres, touring musical productions, no matter how small, will usually bring their own sound system.

Granted smaller venues will not attract bands touring full production, but I was under the impression that many of the venues mentioned so far were playing host to reasonably 'big' bands.

[Hey Kevin]

this place called the Rock N Roll Grill
its the basement of a shitty coffee shop with a stage that makes no room (set up funny because of fire hazards)
they over charge, they will always boook whoever they want, which is whatever band that asks so shows are always really weird (not in a good way)
they food is ok but over priced

[boxingwithstars]

least favorite is probably HOB here in Orlando. it's a nice place, but if you want to get a drink or something, it's really expensive. and they're so strict because it's on "Disney property." a security guard threatened very sternly to kick me out because i was sitting down on the stairs once.

[TheOtherAndrew]

Any venue called "The Varsity" and located on or close to a college campus.

[domotime2]

bloomfield cafe......its closed now. it's called Air Conditioning. i hate to sound like a pussy, but in the middle of the summer.....one little fan...no ventalatoin.....moshing....there are limits.

[TheOtherAndrew]

Why would that make you sound like a pussy? Complaining about unpleasant conditions? Being a pussy is complaining because your parents won't buy you a 2010 Porsche to replace your 2008 Porsche.

[domotime2]

Why would that make you sound like a pussy? Complaining about unpleasant conditions? Being a pussy is complaining because your parents won't buy you a 2010 Porsche to replace your 2008 Porsche.
yeah but Bloomfield Cafe.... has like a homey, like low-class feel that most people appreciate. I do too. I like small bar venues. But no air was painful haha.

[brandnizzle2419]

any venue where 30H!3 is playing. lolz.

[Klatzke]

I hate the Mad Hatter just because it doesn't have the anti-smoking laws ohio does.

[xtheaudition]

arlington heights koc lol

[envi]

The Distrikt - Regina

Actually, they have a lot of good shows and it's a nice place, but booze is so ridiculously overpriced that it always makes me sad when there's a show there.

The other is The Club, also in Regina. It's a room just off to the side of The Exchange (which is my favourite venue). It's not too bad, but it's very small, and there isn't really a stage which means that the band is completely level with the crowd. Not such a bad thing seeing as it's usually a much smaller crowd, but the only shows I've been to in The Club are hardcore ones, and I hate hardcore kids, and I hate them even more when they're ramming into the band as the band is playing.

it also really sucks when there's shows in The Club and The Exchange at the same time. I've only been on the Exchange side while this happens, so I couldn't actually hear the music in The Club, but I'm sure the opposite is not true. And you never know when you go out for a smoke who's in your show, and who's in the other.

[Dr. Acula]

The Congress Theatre in Chicago. Terrible.

[Robototron]

Webster Hall in NYC. Like the venue the OP mentioned it's a club that does band nights sometimes, so of course the sound is always shitty, the bouncers are always assholes, and the club is basically a hole to begin with. At this point it's a landmark that basically just lives off it's reputation.

I like most other venues here, though. In LA my two least favorites are the Echo and the Smell. Both are pretty far out of the way for me (I used to live in west LA), and both are kind of holes. The Echo is tiny, the sound is never that great, and half the room has an obstructed view because the stage is kind of off to the side instead of being in the middle of the venue. The Smell is even worse, it's gotten a lot of press over the years, most recently thanks to bands like HEALTH, No Age, etc. playing there, but it's basically a grimy venue in an alley in a bad part of downtown LA. The staff are kind of douchey, the bathroom door doesn't lock (the bathroom is also pretty gross), the bands always go on really late (their set times are always wrong), and thankfully the place is like the size of my apartment or else it would be impossible to even hear the bands play with such awful sound. Both venues do have some charm, though, or else I wouldn't have kept going back.

[shit stroll]

the masquerade in atllanta is pretty bad.

[Kid B]

unfortunately...

The Creepy Crawl- St. Louis, MO

it used to be SO good, but ever since they moved, they don't book as many good shows as they used to, and the atmosphere is questionable at best. The bar basically runs into the stage, which makes it very hard to get really into the show, because you can't move without bumping into the ropes that block off the bar from minors. it's really sad.
Yup. That place fucking sucks.

[tomakebelieve]

It's all good,

www.kittycatklub.net (http://www.kittycatklub.net)



The atmosphere looks amazing.






PS. Learn to use the multi-quote tool. It will make things easier for everyone.

What's your bands name/myspace? I am going to check you guys out.

[vivian_vitality]

House of Blues in Vegas.
The security are assholes. When I saw Chiodos in October, this girl started having a panic attack, so one of the security guards made us all step back a couple feet. We didnt do it right away, so then yelled at us and then cussed out the guy next to me. They also have really silly rules. If youre under 16, then you need someone over 18 to even get in the venue because theres a bar in there and I guess they dont want any minors drinking. But the thing is with me is that, they cant sell alchohol to us anyways and who would be dumb enough to give it to us. And why not just close the bar, when there's a show with teenage kids. And also if you jump over the baracade twice, you get kicked out. But other than that, the sound is really good and the bathrooms are really nice.

[IamTheINDUSTRY]

rocketown in tn. enough said.

[envi]

House of Blues in Vegas.
The security are assholes. When I saw Chiodos in October, this girl started having a panic attack, so one of the security guards made us all step back a couple feet. We didnt do it right away, so then yelled at us and then cussed out the guy next to me. They also have really silly rules. If youre under 16, then you need someone over 18 to even get in the venue because theres a bar in there and I guess they dont want any minors drinking. But the thing is with me is that, they cant sell alchohol to us anyways and who would be dumb enough to give it to us. And why not just close the bar, when there's a show with teenage kids. And also if you jump over the baracade twice, you get kicked out. But other than that, the sound is really good and the bathrooms are really nice.
I can understand why the bouncer did that. For all sorts of health/safety reasons they need people to step back as quick as possible, and it's a very stressful situation, especially if people aren't doing what they say. Also, not all bouncers know exactly what to do in that situation.

For instance: I work in a bar in my city, which occasionally has shows come through. Lagwagon played with there, and I didn't know it at the time, but found it out a couple weeks ago when Anberlin came and the bouncer was filling in the other bouncers who've never worked a show.

Lagwagon was fucking packed, as I'm sure you can imagine. Some kid started having a seizure. Bouncer couldn't get people to step back, so he dragged the kid out into the hall, and found out later that you're absolutely not supposed to do that. I'm sure if any of my bouncers were caught in a similar situation of a girl having a panic attack, they would start yelling/cussing as well. it's not that they're bad bouncers, it's just that in those situations, using force is a lot better than waiting for people to comply.


... Other rule sounds weird though, since I'm pretty sure you can't buy alcohol at 18 either? [PS: Closing bars when kids are around always, _always_ loses money. More-so than having a 19-or-over or 21-or-over show.]

tl;dr: Bouncers were probably in the right, closing bar loses money, and wtf 18 year olds?

[eliselovesmusic]

My school's assembly hall and my mates garage. why did we play those gigs. WHY?!

[eliselovesmusic]

Also, on a more serious note, I prefer smaller venues just because it offers a more personal musical experience. I'm not a huge fan of crawling your way to the front of the mosh pit in front of the stage, only to not be able to see the band's face coz they're 10ft above you on stage :-X

And I reckon a small place has better sound coz there isn't so much echo and delay as in a huge stadium (giving that the smaller venue has decent PA and acoustics etc etc). PLUS you'll often find that bands playing large arenas will attract a screaming crowd, smaller stages have smaller bands, smaller crowds, and less 12yr olds screaming in your ear about how much they worship Pete Wentz. hehe.

[FUTMT]

this place called the Rock N Roll Grill
its the basement of a shitty coffee shop with a stage that makes no room (set up funny because of fire hazards)
they over charge, they will always boook whoever they want, which is whatever band that asks so shows are always really weird (not in a good way)
they food is ok but over priced

I assume you live in Denver then right? The Rock'N'Roll Grill does suck major ass, but I still think the worst is Astley's Golden Road. Sound is terrible, and it's filled with 70 year old ladies with their metalheads in sweatpants grand kids...

[Colbag]

worst- the metro in chicago or the crazy donkey in ny
best- chain reaction in anaheim or websters in ny

[llwilliamsll]

arlington heights koc lol
More like the Elk Grove VFW. Knights of Columbus was fun during high school.
Aragon Ballroom and Beat Kitchen are all mediocre. The Bottom Lounge because they moved further away from where I live.

[llwilliamsll]

worst- the metro in chicago or the crazy donkey in ny
best- chain reaction in anaheim or websters in ny
I've never minded the Metro unless you're referring to the overly priced alcohol selection or to a show where it was absolutely packed like no other.

[Colbag]

I've never minded the Metro unless you're referring to the overly priced alcohol selection or to a show where it was absolutely packed like no other.
I hate the way the sound is, plus ticket prices seem like they are more than the average show in the chicagoland area. For a venue like that it shouldnt be charging the same ticket price as the riv or a big venue like that.

[llwilliamsll]

I hate the way the sound is, plus ticket prices seem like they are more than the average show in the chicagoland area. For a venue like that it shouldnt be charging the same ticket price as the riv or a big venue like that.
I honestly haven't been there in a while so I have no idea. I think the last two times I went, I didn't pay for tickets. I think I threw down something between 15-18 dollars for Explosions in the Sky and I guess that can be considered pricey. I can't say I'm not surprised by tickets between 11-20. I'll take those prices depending on the band.

[Wolf I Am!]

haha I was just at station 4 tonight, that place is alright better than the cabooze. First Ave is the best for any show

[xtheaudition]

I hate the way the sound is, plus ticket prices seem like they are more than the average show in the chicagoland area. For a venue like that it shouldnt be charging the same ticket price as the riv or a big venue like that.
what the fuck are you talking about? the metro is the best place in chicago and the cheapest, do you go to teeny bopper shows er some shit? ive never paid much for a ticket at the metro haha 12 bucks maybe 15 bucks at most. and the sound is good, if you stand right next to the speaker, yeah it sucks.
More like the Elk Grove VFW. Knights of Columbus was fun during high school.
Aragon Ballroom and Beat Kitchen are all mediocre. The Bottom Lounge because they moved further away from where I live.
fuck that, vfw is my hometown venue lolz, the koc sucks, and will always suck, atleast vfw had good sound, the koc is the worst haha bottom lounge died 5 years ago in my eyes.

[Colbag]

Well every show I have been back there has been like around $30. And ive seen quite a few shows there, and I am studying sound in school and I never stand next to the speaker. And the sound definetly sucks.

[llwilliamsll]

what the fuck are you talking about? the metro is the best place in chicago and the cheapest, do you go to teeny bopper shows er some shit? ive never paid much for a ticket at the metro haha 12 bucks maybe 15 bucks at most. and the sound is good, if you stand right next to the speaker, yeah it sucks.

fuck that, vfw is my hometown venue lolz, the koc sucks, and will always suck, atleast vfw had good sound, the koc is the worst haha bottom lounge died 5 years ago in my eyes.
VFW has good sound? It's no different from the Knights. Did you have a bad experience there or something, that scarred you to the point of hating the place? I only would say Knights is better for sentimental values. They both suck in general, but what do you expect? I'd rather go to a show there rather than Durty Nellies.

[xtheaudition]

VFW has good sound? It's no different from the Knights. Did you have a bad experience there or something, that scarred you to the point of hating the place? I only would say Knights is better for sentimental values. They both suck in general, but what do you expect? I'd rather go to a show there rather than Durty Nellies.
nah im just fucking with you dood, they both suck

i prefer the matchbox in bartlett or clearwater theater in dundee =D

[vivian_vitality]

I can understand why the bouncer did that. For all sorts of health/safety reasons they need people to step back as quick as possible, and it's a very stressful situation, especially if people aren't doing what they say. Also, not all bouncers know exactly what to do in that situation.

For instance: I work in a bar in my city, which occasionally has shows come through. Lagwagon played with there, and I didn't know it at the time, but found it out a couple weeks ago when Anberlin came and the bouncer was filling in the other bouncers who've never worked a show.

Lagwagon was fucking packed, as I'm sure you can imagine. Some kid started having a seizure. Bouncer couldn't get people to step back, so he dragged the kid out into the hall, and found out later that you're absolutely not supposed to do that. I'm sure if any of my bouncers were caught in a similar situation of a girl having a panic attack, they would start yelling/cussing as well. it's not that they're bad bouncers, it's just that in those situations, using force is a lot better than waiting for people to comply.


... Other rule sounds weird though, since I'm pretty sure you can't buy alcohol at 18 either? [PS: Closing bars when kids are around always, _always_ loses money. More-so than having a 19-or-over or 21-or-over show.]

tl;dr: Bouncers were probably in the right, closing bar loses money, and wtf 18 year olds?
I completely understand about the health reasons and everything, its just that Ive never been in a situation like that where bouncers are yelling and getting that angry. And about the 18 year old rule, thats the same thing Im saying. I just dont get it.

[bears clap loud]

Any venue called "The Varsity" and located on or close to a college campus.


The Varsity in Minneapolis which is in Dinky Town (University of Minnesota campus, basically) is my absolute favorite and i've been to a lot of venues in the twin cities and in Denver.

[Laur3l]

Roseland ballroom in nyc

I hate it

[Laur3l]

Roseland ballroom in nyc
And northern lights in troy ny
I hate them

[anthonydarko]

unfortunately...

The Creepy Crawl- St. Louis, MO

it used to be SO good, but ever since they moved, they don't book as many good shows as they used to, and the atmosphere is questionable at best. The bar basically runs into the stage, which makes it very hard to get really into the show, because you can't move without bumping into the ropes that block off the bar from minors. it's really sad.
I'm not sad at all that place is gone. I didn't care much for the new location to be honest.

[mick_jagger]

[QUOTE=swt_catastrophe;34789602]seriously? I'm not a huge fan of it, but it's defin

[mick_jagger]

seriously? I'm not a huge fan of it, but it's definitely better sounding than Chain is

Dude, I absolutely hate Chain. It's hot as hell, there's no ins and outs, the only place outside you can go is the smokers lounge, anytime there's a pit the people are all trying to "prove themselves", there's no crowd surfing, they book more shit bands than good ones, which is why I've only ever gone twice, and from what I've heard, the owner is a dick.

[anthonydarko]

The Pageant in St. Louis has pretty bad sound depending on who you see. I saw Killswitch twice there and the sound quality was terrible.

[x togepi x]

god all of you hate fun WAH THERE'S NO STAGE AND THE BANDS HAVE TO PLAY ON THE FLOOR. those are the best shows.

[mick_jagger]

god all of you hate fun WAH THERE'S NO STAGE AND THE BANDS HAVE TO PLAY ON THE FLOOR. those are the best shows.

those shows rule. most of the shows i've been to all the bands played on the floor. it just makes the experience that much better. sometimes the singers of bands will get in the pit with everyone. it's fun. and everyone's there for the music as opposed to showing of their fashion. it's great.

[x togepi x]

those shows rule. most of the shows i've been to all the bands played on the floor. it just makes the experience that much better. sometimes the singers of bands will get in the pit with everyone. it's fun. and everyone's there for the music as opposed to showing of their fashion. it's great.

yes. the best show i've played so far was one of those where people were right up there. sure people kept bumping into me and some drunk guy wouldn't stop playing my keyboard when i was trying to, but it was unpredictable and that made it all the more fun.

[mick_jagger]

yes. the best show i've played so far was one of those where people were right up there. sure people kept bumping into me and some drunk guy wouldn't stop playing my keyboard when i was trying to, but it was unpredictable and that made it all the more fun.

yeah. the last show i went to was the first time i actually went in the pit. it was in a record store. some dude jumped on my friend's back and then at the end of the show my friend helped lift up the singer. it was cool.

[themadsilentist]

Chain Reaction has a special place in my heart because of the cereal bar next door...
Anyway, worst venue I've experienced in Norcal is definitely the Boardwalk in Orangevale. Soooooo shitty. Terrible, terrible sound and bitchy security even when you're nice to them.
Best venues are Bottom of the Hill/Great American/the Fillmore. Slim's would be up there, but I hate those posts they have on the sides of the stage.

[Robototron]

those shows rule. most of the shows i've been to all the bands played on the floor. it just makes the experience that much better. sometimes the singers of bands will get in the pit with everyone. it's fun. and everyone's there for the music as opposed to showing of their fashion. it's great.

lol

What's wrong with the Roseland Ballroom in NYC?

[Hey Kevin]

god all of you hate fun WAH THERE'S NO STAGE AND THE BANDS HAVE TO PLAY ON THE FLOOR. those are the best shows.
i only play on the floor
more fun cause you can hit and get hit

I assume you live in Denver then right? The Rock'N'Roll Grill does suck major ass, but I still think the worst is Astley's Golden Road. Sound is terrible, and it's filled with 70 year old ladies with their metalheads in sweatpants grand kids...

never heard of it thank god

[x togepi x]

i'll play wherever i can. i just think it's kind of close minded and stupid to whine about floor shows. how do you people think the kinds of music you jock were created?

[mick_jagger]

i'll play wherever i can. i just think it's kind of close minded and stupid to whine about floor shows. how do you people think the kinds of music you jock were created?

the same way supposedly panic! at the disco got there start; they never played a show until they were signed. hahaha.

[Chellebellx0210]

this place called the Rock N Roll Grill
its the basement of a shitty coffee shop with a stage that makes no room (set up funny because of fire hazards)
they over charge, they will always boook whoever they want, which is whatever band that asks so shows are always really weird (not in a good way)
they food is ok but over priced

Oh, the Rock N Roll Grill...
Yeah, I am never going there again. Just disgusting. The sound guy had no idea what he was doing and the stage was just awkward.
I guess the coffee shop part was pretty cool though. I think I remember the owners saying that one of their employees stole money so they can't fix anything up.

[x togepi x]

the same way supposedly panic! at the disco got there start; they never played a show until they were signed. hahaha.

yes. this is how things work. i came up with some ideas for possible guitar parts for a band that i don't have any other members for yet. watch for my new band to be signed to fbr next week.

[Hey Kevin]

Oh, the Rock N Roll Grill...
Yeah, I am never going there again. Just disgusting. The sound guy had no idea what he was doing and the stage was just awkward.
I guess the coffee shop part was pretty cool though. I think I remember the owners saying that one of their employees stole money so they can't fix anything up.

bullshit
they make a lot of money from those shows
they just dont care to

[llwilliamsll]

I enjoyed playing in garages back in the day.

[Hey Kevin]

I enjoyed playing in garages back in the day.

i slipped on some oil playing in a garage and got a bunch of weird little dots of blood on my whole shoulder
and a face full of oil

[llwilliamsll]

i slipped on some oil playing in a garage and got a bunch of weird little dots of blood on my whole shoulder
and a face full of oil
Battle wounds are always nice. I don't think I ever had to worry about oil spots. Just tight spaces and noise complaints. Never happened though except the tight spaces.

[Hey Kevin]

Battle wounds are always nice. I don't think I ever had to worry about oil spots. Just tight spaces and noise complaints. Never happened though except the tight spaces.

i played the garage of a bar so ther werent any noise complaints

i've played

venues
clubs
bars
practice spaces
houses
basements
garages of bars
fast food restaurants
head shops
basement/garages
barns
christian teen centers
coffee shops

i also just discovered there are working outlets on top of a parking garage near my house

[llwilliamsll]

i played the garage of a bar so ther werent any noise complaints

i've played

venues
clubs
bars
practice spaces
houses
basements
garages of bars
fast food restaurants
head shops
basement/garages
barns
christian teen centers
coffee shops

i also just discovered there are working outlets on top of a parking garage near my house
I've played
2 VFW types (those venues for that aren't considered venues)
Garage
Basement
Church

I'm hoping to extend my list as it seems yours is impressive, but I need to put together a new band or something.

[LastPlaceRocks]

Is the Kitty Cat Klub there in Minneapolis cool?


We're playing there March 11.
It's a decent bar, but not a great venue for shows due to the size of the place.

[killthedoubt]

The worst is Liquid Rooms in Edinburgh, Scotland. It's a nightclub for the majority of the time which is fine with me but it means they have a detatchable barrier. The barrier attaches to the ground on like... metal arms, so the barrier flies up and traps your feet, which is obviously awesome when you're trying to listen to a band and save your ankles at the same time.

[Heroin Robot]

canal club in richmond gets hot as hell

[mycuban]

Webster theater in Hartford Connecticut has the worst acoustics, it's a giant concrete room and the sound just bounces off everything, it also is rather hot and smells like a giant armpit.

[UpperNinety]

Sunset Station in San Antonio...their staff is terrible
Verizon Wireless Theatre in Houston...same thing as above

[Amen Amen]

chain reaction can blow up and i wouldnt care

[kearn1tm]

god all of you hate fun WAH THERE'S NO STAGE AND THE BANDS HAVE TO PLAY ON THE FLOOR. those are the best shows.

It's not all fun and games when you're playing at frat houses. There's nothing between you (in this case "you" being a satirical sceneband making fun of the troupes of the subgenre) and roughly 90 inebriated and well-exercised dudes who get offended when you don't know the lyrics to their Yellowcard requests. Ha.

[Hey Kevin]

I've played
2 VFW types (those venues for that aren't considered venues)
Garage
Basement
Church

I'm hoping to extend my list as it seems yours is impressive, but I need to put together a new band or something.


i almost played a church once but we bailed cause it turned out to be a church and not just some weird space like we though it would be.

[x togepi x]

It's not all fun and games when you're playing at frat houses. There's nothing between you (in this case "you" being a satirical sceneband making fun of the troupes of the subgenre) and roughly 90 inebriated and well-exercised dudes who get offended when you don't know the lyrics to their Yellowcard requests. Ha.

that's what punk is all about.

[x togepi x]

i almost played a church once but we bailed cause it turned out to be a church and not just some weird space like we though it would be.

i played in a church once. we decided to get drunk and do lots of drugs and talk about how we were glad to be playing facing the picture of jesus in the basement because we don't turn our backs on the lord.

[Hey Kevin]

i played in a church once. we decided to get drunk and do lots of drugs and talk about how we were glad to be playing facing the picture of jesus in the basement because we don't turn our backs on the lord.


glad to see some gold old fashion christians on this board for once

[duhpunk]

staff-wise: Revolution (ft lauderdale, fl)
building-wise: knk (ocala, fl)

[xtheaudition]

reggies on state street in chicago, they throw out people for stagediving. weak!

[spevin]

the social - orlando, fl.

holds like 10 people. used to always get huge bands through there (no clue what its like anymore or if it still exists)

[yayitsjoe]

i have yet to run into a bad venue from philadelphia.

[Brand-new-123]

Bulldog Cafe in Louisville KY. Everything about it is awful. The staff, the sound, location, and crowd are all among the worst I've ever experienced.

[ilikesound93]

Tower City Ampitheatre in Cleveland. It's a fucking tent in a parking lot. No joke.

[cowlord]

The Attic - Kettering Ohio

[A7XXX]

I don't mind Chain too much. It beats driving out to LA for me. Hooray for free parking and intimate setting. No hooray for the rude staff and horrible sound.

[domotime2]

i hated going to the bloomfield cafe back in the day... thankfully it's closed now but..

BUY AIR CONDITIONING, FOR GOD SAKES! You walk in and you're all ready considering going topless the entire time, and its just brutal.

[joeggernaut26]

Matthews Bar and Grill- Birmingham Alabama.

I smoke, but you are allowed to smoke and drink in the venue so you cant breathe hardly at all, and people spill there beers everywhere so if you try to dance you are pretty much ice skating, and the sound system sucks for lower tuned bands.

[JurassicKevin]

Point Beach Clubhouse, Milford, CT- closed currently though.

[amplifire]

Never really had any problems with venues.
I love the Trocadero in Philly but one time I walked outside to call someone because I couldn't hear anything and they wouldn't let me back in. It was February.

[Chia-Like]

The Mad Hatter - Cinci/Covington area. It's in Kentucky, but there's no re-entry so i can't smoke. It's tiny, half the people there are just there to drink. The most annoying part is that they generally get all the good shows, so i always end up going.

[xtheaudition]

i'll be sure to avoid all these places lol

[JustAGirl01]

canal club in richmond gets hot as hell

but its better than most of the venues around here haha

[JustAGirl01]

reggies on state street in chicago, they throw out people for stagediving. weak!

that is becoming a more popular rule around here with major venues like the Norva and the National. Well with crowd surfing at least. Don't know about stage diving

[Heroin Robot]

but its better than most of the venues around here haha

Yeah...do they ever use the upstairs anymore?

[Stavie Steelo]

The Congress Theatre in Chicago. Terrible.
False the Security gave this kid a fully packed bowl when we went there to see Slightly Stoopid

My least favorite that I have been to is probably the First Midwest Bank Amphitheater, in Tinley Park, Illinois
I like the Argon Ballroom in Chicago and Marcus Amphitheater in Milwaukee right on the lake it's pretty sweet.

[JustAGirl01]

Yeah...do they ever use the upstairs anymore?

When ETID came with the Bronx, that was the last time I went to a show upstairs. That was Nov '08. I assume for safety reasons they decided to keep shows downstairs now and have the bands hangout upstairs before/during the show. At least we can still stage dive/crowd surf

[NateFoundGlory]

I saw Say Anything at the Riv in Chicago, and it's the only venue in Chicago so far that I plan on never going back to. Poorly constructed and the sound was god-awful.

[Stavie Steelo]

worst- the metro in chicago or the crazy donkey in ny
best- chain reaction in anaheim or websters in ny
I've never been to the Metro because every show I want to go to there sells out right away and I never get tickets. Trio sold out two days right away, Less Than Jake did, Rise Against did. Probably because Rise and Trio are hometown bands though doesn't help.

[cshadows2887]

A lot of people from MA might disagree, but I think the ICC blows. Worst sound ever.

[walktheplank]

The only sorta bad place I've been to is The Rex here in Pittsburgh... The sound sucks, but at least they have Dr Pepper!

really? the only time i went to the rex i had a fucking blast. no barrier, kids losing their shit.. i don't recall the sound sucking. it was a long time ago, so it could be different now. my least favorite venue in pittsburgh is club zoo... fuck that place. the structure, the sound, the kids that show up there... no thanks.

i have yet to run into a bad venue from philadelphia.

i'm not a huge fan of the electric factory. for all intents and purposes its a fine venue but its too big to host intimate shows and too small to host huge ones. it's weird. definitely prefer the TLA (is it still called that?) or north star if you're headed to philly.

Tower City Ampitheatre in Cleveland. It's a fucking tent in a parking lot. No joke.

agreed. showed up to see brand new there and was pretty dumbfounded. outdoor tents and parking lots are for summer festivals, not mid-september shows.

i also have a love/hate relationship with croc rock in allentown, pa. saw some of the best shows of my life in that place but man, is it a shit-hole.

[emerypearl]

I hate going to Club Zoo here in Pittsburgh.
I've just never once had a good time there.

[Charles777]

Yeah, fuck Club Zoo

[love_american_style]

Chain Reaction has a special place in my heart because of the cereal bar next door...
Anyway, worst venue I've experienced in Norcal is definitely the Boardwalk in Orangevale. Soooooo shitty. Terrible, terrible sound and bitchy security even when you're nice to them.
Best venues are Bottom of the Hill/Great American/the Fillmore. Slim's would be up there, but I hate those posts they have on the sides of the stage.

finally...some one who I can talk to in this thread.

the Boardwalk isn't the best for sure but it's the best "bigger band" venue. Yes, the security are assholes but i've never had too many horror stories about the sound. (except for the vocals)

[themadsilentist]

finally...some one who I can talk to in this thread.

the Boardwalk isn't the best for sure but it's the best "bigger band" venue. Yes, the security are assholes but i've never had too many horror stories about the sound. (except for the vocals)

I'm always surprised at the bands they get - definitely bigger bands/tours than I would expect to play a place like that. And for me, I'm driving an hour and a half for most shows anyway...so I might as well just catch the tours in SF.
As for sound...maybe I've been unlucky, but I can't think of a band I've seen at the Boardwalk that actually sounded great or even good.

[TheSnoo]

Jammin' Java. I thought it was alright when my band first started playing gigs, but compared to other venues, the PA system sucks.

[cavanaughpark09]

I'm not a huge fan of the Paradise Rock Club in Boston. The area between the bar out front and the room with the stage is way too small to sell merch, let bands hang out, and have people going back and forth from the bathrooms. The sound has been both good and bad both of the times I've been there, but those pillars are a such an eyesore and there are a lot of places where the view just end up being horrible.

[yayitsjoe]

really? the only time i went to the rex i had a fucking blast. no barrier, kids losing their shit.. i don't recall the sound sucking. it was a long time ago, so it could be different now. my least favorite venue in pittsburgh is club zoo... fuck that place. the structure, the sound, the kids that show up there... no thanks.



i'm not a huge fan of the electric factory. for all intents and purposes its a fine venue but its too big to host intimate shows and too small to host huge ones. it's weird. definitely prefer the TLA (is it still called that?) or north star if you're headed to philly.



agreed. showed up to see brand new there and was pretty dumbfounded. outdoor tents and parking lots are for summer festivals, not mid-september shows.

i also have a love/hate relationship with croc rock in allentown, pa. saw some of the best shows of my life in that place but man, is it a shit-hole.


i've never been to the electric factory or north star. i've been to the TLA and i agree, it is a fantastic venue. one of my favorites. the croc rock is sick. (and i do kinda like the part that it's a shit hole, hahaha) however, i've heard that the security can be the biggest assholes there. and i've seen videos of bands flipping out (hi four year strong0 at the security for them mishandling fans.

[fly_guy]

Venues are overrated, DUHHH

EDIT: And the worst venue Ive been to is the Cervantes Ballroom in Denver. Sketchy as fuck, located in the original black part of Denver. Got some weird looks going there and was generally freaked out when I saw a pimp. Good thing I wont have to go back any time soon. Place is really crappy too.

[love_american_style]

I'm always surprised at the bands they get - definitely bigger bands/tours than I would expect to play a place like that. And for me, I'm driving an hour and a half for most shows anyway...so I might as well just catch the tours in SF.
As for sound...maybe I've been unlucky, but I can't think of a band I've seen at the Boardwalk that actually sounded great or even good.

the only venues i've been to in SF was the Pound (which sucked) and the Regency Ballroom.

[walktheplank]

i've never been to the electric factory or north star. i've been to the TLA and i agree, it is a fantastic venue. one of my favorites. the croc rock is sick. (and i do kinda like the part that it's a shit hole, hahaha) however, i've heard that the security can be the biggest assholes there. and i've seen videos of bands flipping out (hi four year strong0 at the security for them mishandling fans.

yeah, croc rock, as a performance space, is a pretty good venue... good acoustics, pretty good bands, decent layout... it was pretty much my second home in high school. it's SO poorly run though, the shows were ALWAYS oversold, to the point of dangerous conditions. and i remember once they tried to institute a no cell-phones policy (this was maybe when i was 15, so like 2003? i don't remember which show it was though), so security would literally take your cell phone out of your hands if they saw you on it and could get to you. i don't know if they were trying to prevent recordings or photos or what, but it was the most retarded thing i've ever encountered.

and then there was the time i got my teeth knocked out in a pit there... yeahhhh. security there blows.

[The Fix]

I'm absolutely stunned I read through this whole thing and didn't read anything about The Rave in Milwaukee. They used to get a lot of great shows, so I put up with it...but luckily I moved away and haven't been in years.

It's the dirtiest, shadiest place I've ever been, which is too bad because if it were run right it could be the best. I have so many shitty stories about the security, but one sticks out. We were in line going in to a show once, which is a trial in itself. Their patdowns were stupidly intense.

Security meathead: "whats this, some kinda lipstick or something? Are you a girl or what?"
Me: "Uh, it's chapstick dude"

He then proceeded to open and inspect it like I was trying to pull one over on him. Worst place ever.

Also, anybody who doesn't like Metro in Chicago is a fucking idiot.

[s2kat1]

Anyone ever have a terrible experience at the coliseum in fort wayne, in? not so great acts go through anyway, but the sound is always poop.

[shit stroll]

soma in san diego.

[Jake Denning]

All of you guys lose.

Worst venue EVER is The Pit (Brewster's) in Jacksonville, FL

I was touring with Abandon Kansas and they we had a day off on Easter, and they were gracious to swing me by there, and everything about it was awful. Bands had to set up merch in the rain with warped tents, sound was awful ran by this lady that looked like the pizza lady in Mr.Deeds, not to mention they had a grand total of FIVE local openers that sucked, and because they had FIVE local openers, they had to cut 2 songs from every band on the ACTUAL tour package that I paid to see.

[themadsilentist]

the only venues i've been to in SF was the Pound (which sucked) and the Regency Ballroom.

Haha the Pound was soooo ridiculously ghetto. Caught Sonata Arctica there once...I mean, it was small, and sounded okay, but beyond that not much going for it. Regency is alright though. Love the fact that they have the 21+ balcony.

[sweepthenation]

Sonar in Baltimore. No balconies above so everyones crushed together in front of the stage, poor sound quality, the free water is hard to get to, and its in one of the sketchiest neighborhoods I've ever been in haha

[BensonHedges]

Croc Rock in Allentown is def not a fave. I've been to shows where it took people passing out left and right for them to open the doors and let some air in. Not to mention that it was ridic oversold. That pizza place in front is pretty awesome though.

[yayitsjoe]

yeah, croc rock, as a performance space, is a pretty good venue... good acoustics, pretty good bands, decent layout... it was pretty much my second home in high school. it's SO poorly run though, the shows were ALWAYS oversold, to the point of dangerous conditions. and i remember once they tried to institute a no cell-phones policy (this was maybe when i was 15, so like 2003? i don't remember which show it was though), so security would literally take your cell phone out of your hands if they saw you on it and could get to you. i don't know if they were trying to prevent recordings or photos or what, but it was the most retarded thing i've ever encountered.

and then there was the time i got my teeth knocked out in a pit there... yeahhhh. security there blows.

jeez. who'd you see when you got your teeth knocked out?

[mkohler]

The Metro in Chicago was pretty bad. The show was amazing but the ticket prices were pretty high and the staff was highly unorganized and early entry people got let in after most of the people outside were inside.

[SophGod]

Pop's in STL is pretty shitty. It's in a terrible part of town, and when Dillinger Escape Plan came on it sounded and felt like the whole place was going to collapse.

[Heroin Robot]

When ETID came with the Bronx, that was the last time I went to a show upstairs. That was Nov '08. I assume for safety reasons they decided to keep shows downstairs now and have the bands hangout upstairs before/during the show. At least we can still stage dive/crowd surf

Ah. last show i saw upstairs was Dance Gavin Dance, senses fail, foxy shazam, and the number 12. Funny lineup haha.

[JustAGirl01]

Ah. last show i saw upstairs was Dance Gavin Dance, senses fail, foxy shazam, and the number 12. Funny lineup haha.

love Foxy Shazam and Dance Gavin Dance! when was that?

[Heroin Robot]

love Foxy Shazam and Dance Gavin Dance! when was that?

i want to say late fall of 08...

[cshadows2887]

I wish you could sort this thread by geographic location.

[apsterling]

From a playing standpoint I'm not huge on playing The Modified- despite it's long history, the first time I played there sort of ruined it. I'm not sure what it was, but the sound guy just couldn't get the guitar's volume high enough, so the entire show was just my drums and a little bit of bass. The second time was better cause we went straight to the source on volume and just cranked the amps and skipped the PA except for backing tracks and vocals.

From a viewing standpoint, I'm not exactly in love with The Marquee. It could have just been whoever did sound for the bands on that tour, but every band aside from Every Avenue had cranked the speakers way too loud in the venue, to the point of the subs distorting and giving out, not to mention being uncomfortably loud. It was also uncomfortably hot in the venue, though the staff were really nice about it, which sort of offset that. I just remember the insane volume and the fact that my ears were ringing for days afterwards.

[love_american_style]

Haha the Pound was soooo ridiculously ghetto. Caught Sonata Arctica there once...I mean, it was small, and sounded okay, but beyond that not much going for it. Regency is alright though. Love the fact that they have the 21+ balcony.

yeah...the pound is smack dab in the middle of the ghetto. My wife and I coundn't get into a show there once and we went with some friends, so it wasn't like we could just head back to Sacramento.

So we started walking around looking for a bar. We started to walk up the hill and noticed a younger "urban" couple, we asked them where we could find a bar and they told us not to walk up the hill anymore because we would probably get robbed....I'm assuming it was because we we're white.

So they took us to a bar a few blocks away and it was a like scene out of a movie....music stopped...everyone turned around....the bar was completely populated by African Americans. But we ended up hanging out for a while. Got our drink on, everyone was super nice and it was a fun night at the local tavern.

As for the Regency....I didn't really notice that the upstairs balcony was 21 and up. I was only up there for a few minutes.

[walktheplank]

Croc Rock in Allentown is def not a fave. I've been to shows where it took people passing out left and right for them to open the doors and let some air in. Not to mention that it was ridic oversold. That pizza place in front is pretty awesome though.

haha, we were just talking about this venue. agreed, sweet pizza place. but yeah.. they have an awful rep for overselling their shows.

jeez. who'd you see when you got your teeth knocked out?

it was some mid-level punk/hardcore band opening for reel big fish, i can't remember what they were called (i think the word "city" was in their name?). was on the outskirts of a pit, got sucked in, knocked down and hit the floor teeth first. that was the only time security has ever been helpful to me, they took me backstage and iced my face...but when a tiny 14 year old girl comes up to you freaking out with no front teeth, you'd have to be quite the asshole not to help her out hahaha.

[yayitsjoe]

haha, we were just talking about this venue. agreed, sweet pizza place. but yeah.. they have an awful rep for overselling their shows.



it was some mid-level punk/hardcore band opening for reel big fish, i can't remember what they were called (i think the word "city" was in their name?). was on the outskirts of a pit, got sucked in, knocked down and hit the floor teeth first. that was the only time security has ever been helpful to me, they took me backstage and iced my face...but when a tiny 14 year old girl comes up to you freaking out with no front teeth, you'd have to be quite the asshole not to help her out hahaha.

I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE YOU WERE A GIRL. jesus christ. people are really rude. i would avoid a girl at all costs if i was in a pit.

[KingJohn_654]

I assume you live in Denver then right? The Rock'N'Roll Grill does suck major ass, but I still think the worst is Astley's Golden Road. Sound is terrible, and it's filled with 70 year old ladies with their metalheads in sweatpants grand kids...

worst CO venue i've been to was barely even a venue at all. Moe's BBQ and Bowling in Englewood. I saw John Nolan there and the place is basically a restaurant with a stage in the back. only seven people were there for the music. half the people were there to see the opening band, Mansions. it was just weird. the employees kept having to walk in front of me to go to the back to get clean plates and stuff.