Favourite venues ??

[wmgaretjax]

favorite small venue: Doug Fir Lounge - portland, or
Mid-size: paramount theater - seattle, wa
large - gorge - george, wa

[bmack86]

I've got my first full date with the Smell on Friday. I'm excited.

[Courtney]

Who is playing Bryan?

Don't forget to wear lots of deodorant.

[Courtney]

Oh haha nevermind I just realized it's in your signature. Fail.

[Bosco]

The Double Door - Chicago (small-ish and fun, one fo the coolest locations)

yeah, Double Door is fun. A crazy set up, but it works.

Metro - Chicago (Wrigleyville location - side stage layout)

this one I disagree with. Probably my least favorite place to see a show in Chicago, however, they are the only venue to book the artists I really like. The people that work there are assholes. Yes, even that midget at the ticket booth.


As for my favorites:

Gotta go with Red Rocks. My jaw dropped once I walked in the place. incredibly beautiful. I cant imagine a bad spot to see a show in that place. Everyone should go once.

My second favorite has to be The Riviera Theatre in Chicago (aka The 'Riv'). It's an old gutted theatre with outstanding sound. Staff is always friendly. And I havent seen a bad show there, yet.



some other notable Chicago Venues:

Arragon Ballroom and The Vic


And then there is Alpine Valley Amphitheatre in southern Wisconsin, where I experienced the RAGE (aka mud fest) this past August. A great large venue, tailgating before the show is always fun. However, food and booze are REALLY, REALLY exspensive. But I guess thats what you get with a 'Live Nation' venue.

[idrive1life]

The Tabernacle - Atlanta, GA - one of the best and most beautiful music venues; Used to be an old school church (I'd watch and drive >300 miles for the nth time to Atlanta & back home for Arcade Fire, if & when they decide to finally play there). Amazing sound quality, spectacular lighting effects, beautiful ornate architecture, stadium-like slope towards the main stage = great views, interesting wall murals, innovative art, a beautiful crystal chandelier, a pipe organ, and two plush balconies (the only thing I don't like about it is it's location - I have to drive about 350 miles one way to go there or back home and it can be scary to walk around outside the venue at night)





(new) Wembley Stadium - London, England

What else can I say that you don't know about this venue (I guess I'd just post some familiar pics and let Wiki and official website do the talking, oh no ... lol)

It is the most expensive stadium ever built[2] at a cost of £798 million (roughly US$1.57 billion)[2] and has the largest roof-covered seating capacity in the world.

The all-seater stadium is based around a bowl design with a capacity of 90,000, protected from the elements by a sliding roof. It can also be adapted as an athletic stadium by erecting a temporary platform over the lowest tier of seating.

Facts and Figures

1. With 90,000 seats the new Wembley will be the largest football stadium in the world with every seat under cover. There will be NO obstructed views.

2. The arch is 133 metres above the level of the external concourse. To read more about the Arch Fascinating facts click here.

3. The stadium roof rises to 52 metres above the pitch. This compares to the 35 metres tall Twin Towers of the old stadium.

4. The new Wembley has a circumference of 1 km.

5. The London Eye could fit between the top of the arch and the pitch.

6. The new roof will be over 11 acres. Four acres are moveable.

7. The rows of seating, if placed end to end, would stretch 54 kilometers.

8. 4,000 separate piles will form the foundations of the new stadium. The deepest of these, at 35 metres, is as deep as the Twin Towers were tall.

9. There will be 35 miles of heavy-duty power cables in the stadium.

10. With a span of 315 Metres, the arch will be the longest single span roof structure in the world.

11. With a diameter of 7.4 metres the arch is wide enough for a Channel Tunnel train to run through.

12. 90,000m3 of concrete and 23,000 tonnes of steel will be used in the construction of the new stadium.

13. The roof alone will weigh almost 7,000 tonnes.

14. At peak construction there will be 2,000+ people working on site.

15. The new pitch will be 4 metres lower than the previous pitch.

16. Each of the two giant screens in new stadium is the size of 600 domestic television sets.

17. The new Wembley encloses 4,000,000 m3 (cubic metres) inside its walls and under its roof. This is the equivalent of 25,000 double decker buses or 7 billion pints of milk.

18. The total length of the escalators will be the same as a 400 metre running track.

19. There will be 2,618 toilets - which WNSL estimate is more than any other stadium in the world.

20. There is more leg room in EVERY seat in the new Wembley Stadium than there was in the Royal Box of the old stadium.

The Icon

* The new Wembley Stadium will be a landmark for London and one that will have a dramatic effect on the London skyline, with the Stadium’s iconic Arch being visible across the City. When lit on a clear evening, the Arch will be seen from Canary Wharf – 13 miles away
* The Arch will be 133m at its highest point – this is over four times the height of Wembley Stadium’s original Twin Towers. To put this in perspective, the London Eye could be rolled underneath the Arch.

The Dimensions

* Weighing in at a mighty 1,750 tonnes, the Arch weighs the equivalent of 275 double decker buses or ten Jumbo Jets.
* At seven metres in diameter, the Arch is wide enough for a Channel Tunnel train to run through.
* With a span of 315 metres, the Arch will be the longest single span roof structure in the world – the length of three football pitches.
* The tips of the Arch, known as ‘pencil ends’, are 18 million times as heavy as an average pencil.
* The Arch is made up of 500 steel tubes, referred to as ‘straws’. The ‘straws’, each large enough to hold over 850 pints of milk, form 13 modules each 20.5 metres in length. These are attached to giant 70-ton hinges using the two ‘pencil end’ sections.

The Construction

* Pre-fabrication of the Arch was undertaken by Cleveland Bridge UK in Darlington and the surrounding area, and then transported down to Wembley for it to be joined together.
* The Arch is made of British steel, supplied by Corus.
* Over 200 people, both on and off site, have worked on the fabrication and assembly of the Arch – a representative from every county of England has been involved.

The Lifting

* The total pulling force that the Arch jacks are capable of lifting is 12,000 tonnes – this is the equivalent pulling strength of a fleet of 6000 four-wheel drive vehicles.
* The collective length of the cables used to lift the Arch into place would stretch from the centre of London to the White Cliffs of Dover (130km).
* The London Eye used one turning strut to lift it into place – the Arch will use five.

The Maintenance

* The amount of paint needed to coat the Arch is enough to cover the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel more than 19 times.
* An access cart can be driven through the inside of the Arch to allow routine inspections and maintenance to be carried out.
* The apex of the Arch is fitted with a special beacon acting as a warning to low flying airplanes. Wembley is the only stadium in the world to have such a beacon.

That venue is overwhelmingly majestic and oh, the sound quality is ****! lol

[shakermaker113]

I like the fillmore in san francisco because I can get a good view from anywhere in the venue, they get great bands (both big and small) playing there, and it is a place packed with tradition. and they often give out free concert posters on the way out.

I like the greek theatre in berkeley because it's great to look at, I like the amphitheatre set-up, and it's one of the few venues of that size that's general admission. (in most cases anyway).

I like the troubadour in LA because it is tiny, it has a bit of a dive-bar feel, and I have always had a good time there.

a more obscure choice, I like the venue oran mor in glasgow, because it's small, it's got a great vibe, cool bar, and it's underneath a church.

[Courtney]

Actually, I just thought of another venue that was really awesome: Barnsdall Art Park. Did Arthurfest blow this location for other promoters? Because that was really awesome. I mean, the sound setup sort of sucked but the views and ambiance and convenience were all pretty excellent.

[scoop49er]

my favorites over the last 20 years of going to concerts:

1. the fillmore san francisco
2. the warfield, san francisco
3. greek theatre, berkely
4. the joint, las vegas
5. coachella: for the background scenery alone!

[garrett222]

the paramount in oakland....i saw sigur ros there and it sounded better than at coachella and at the bowl. I'll be seeing tori there two nights str8 soon.

Also, i thought the warfield sucked...i had upper seats...maybe it's better standing on the floor..but i couldn't hear vocals.

[Memorial_07]

Great thread!!!

1.Wiltern L.G.
2.Avalon Hollywood
3.Gibson Amphitheatre
4.Honda Center
5.Polo Fields

[drugks Gillespie]

The Gorge for sure. Then the Polo Fields.

[bmack86]

Actually, I just thought of another venue that was really awesome: Barnsdall Art Park. Did Arthurfest blow this location for other promoters? Because that was really awesome. I mean, the sound setup sort of sucked but the views and ambiance and convenience were all pretty excellent.

Seriously, did you and I go to every single concert together and never meet? Barnsdall art park was a GREAT setting for a fest. I wish Arthurfest happened again. It was so much fun. I got to see Olivia Tremor Control, and meet John Fernandez, Bill Doss and Will Cullen Hart. One of the best weekends of my life.

[Boourns]

I forgot The Orpheum. Gorgeous venue and the sound was great when I saw The Dresden Dolls last year. Too bad it's downtown.
www.laorpheum.com

[M Sparks]

I'm surprised to see The Joint on here so often. I've only been there once, and it was great fun, but the sound was maybe the worst I've ever heard. Worse than the old Grind in Phoenix.

[CiderMouseRules]

The Troub is over-rated and the El Rey kind of blows.

Its all about Spaceland, ya'll.

[Courtney]

Seriously, did you and I go to every single concert together and never meet? Barnsdall art park was a GREAT setting for a fest. I wish Arthurfest happened again. It was so much fun. I got to see Olivia Tremor Control, and meet John Fernandez, Bill Doss and Will Cullen Hart. One of the best weekends of my life.

Haha, apparently yes we have been at way too many of the same shows to have not met. I'm pretty jealous that you got to meet three-fifths of Olivia Tremor Control. Although I did get to say hi to Kim Gordon while she was buying ice cream for her daughter. That was neat.

I forgot The Orpheum. Gorgeous venue and the sound was great when I saw The Dresden Dolls last year. Too bad it's downtown.
www.laorpheum.com

I agree the Orpheum is gorgeous.

[MarkO]

I'm surprised to see The Joint on here so often. I've only been there once, and it was great fun, but the sound was maybe the worst I've ever heard. Worse than the old Grind in Phoenix.

I saw The Shins at the Joint a couple of weeks ago. I thought the sound was good but it's the most antiseptic, soulless place I've ever been to. When you see a police dog at a concert venue, there is something wrong. (not joking)

[PassiveTheory]

For San Diego, I'll say the Embarcadero Marina Park. I'm sure most of you will only remember it as the place Radiohead did two shows at a few years ago, but it offers much more than that. Sadly, it's host to what I pretty much consider my worst concert experience ever (Morrissey), but otherwise I feel it's the best locale in San Diego to host a concert... Now if the damn rich downtown snobs would just shut the fuck up about the noise, maybe we could get some real talented artists to play it.

As for Santa Cruz? Only been to it once, but the Catalyst is pretty swank, comfy, and overall nice. I like it a hell of a lot better than SOMA in San Diego (which, I'll go on record to say, is the worst concert venue in all of San Diego).

[tubescape]

I'll start by noting that I haven't been to that many venues outside of CA...

small: El Rey, Los Angeles

mid-sized: Santa Barbara Bowl

large: Hollywood Bowl

x-large: Polo Fields, Indio

[TeamCoachellaHellYeah]

my favorites over the last 20 years of going to concerts:

1. the fillmore san francisco
2. the warfield, san francisco
3. greek theatre, berkely
4. the joint, las vegas
5. coachella: for the background scenery alone!

I thought we were simply picking venues outside of Coachella because if that is the case the Polo fields are my number #1 Large venue...(Red Rocks can be my #1 midsize venue).

[TeamCoachellaHellYeah]

For San Diego, I'll say the Embarcadero Marina Park. I'm sure most of you will only remember it as the place Radiohead did two shows at a few years ago, but it offers much more than that. Sadly, it's host to what I pretty much consider my worst concert experience ever (Morrissey), but otherwise I feel it's the best locale in San Diego to host a concert... Now if the damn rich downtown snobs would just shut the fuck up about the noise, maybe we could get some real talented artists to play it.

As for Santa Cruz? Only been to it once, but the Catalyst is pretty swank, comfy, and overall nice. I like it a hell of a lot better than SOMA in San Diego (which, I'll go on record to say, is the worst concert venue in all of San Diego).

Srsly, I still get emails from shows at the Marina and there is some real crap playing there....fantastic venue though.....

[TeamCoachellaHellYeah]

I'll start by noting that I haven't been to that many venues outside of CA...

small: El Rey, Los Angeles

mid-sized: Santa Barbara Bowl

large: Hollywood Bowl

x-large: Polo Fields, Indio

I swear next year I want to see a show at the Hollywood Bowl. The Santa Bowl looks really nice too...maybe I should just kick around LA for a few days after coach since a ton of bands will be playing in the aftermath around there....

[tubescape]

I swear next year I want to see a show at the Hollywood Bowl. The Santa Bowl looks really nice too...maybe I should just kick around LA for a few days after coach since a ton of bands will be playing in the aftermath around there....

Do it, you won't regret it. Only thing about Santa Barbara is the hotels rent rooms for incredibly high amounts. But if you're camping for Coachella, there are some State Beach Parks in the area... Find a mid-week show you like and check it out. They pull in some huge acts for a place that only seats 5,000.They just re-did their pavillion above the stage so it can now support the same lighting, etc. that bands use for larger venues. My only gripe is that shows start so darn early and there is a mandatory curfew of 10pm.

[algunz]

small - McCabe's Guitar Shop

Medium - John Ahnson Ford Theater

Large - Hollywood Bowl

[gmoneyak]

[U]

MASS MoCA, North Adams MA: It's an old converted factory complex. They have lots of big, empty concrete spaces and minimalist contemporary art installations. They also randomly get musicians like Clem Snide, Yo La Tengo, Martha Wainwright, Thurston Moore, Cowboy Junkies, They Might Be Giants, Philip Glass, Mission of Burma, Patti Smith and Loudon Wainwright to come perform.

Nice... Been there.

That place was huge and eerie.. I remember the restrooms were the original factory's, deep underground, cold and danky. A late night concert with that ambiance would definitely be a lot of fun.

[John Peel is My Co-pilot]

Large Venue - Both Coachella and Lolla have stunning backdrops to enhance the experience.

Medium Venue - Glasgow Barrowlands. Something about several thousand sweaty Scots totally getting into whomever is on the stage always does the job for me.

Small Venue - Pabst Theater, Milwaukee. It's gorgeous, has phenomenal acoustics and there's not a bad ticket to be had in the whole house.

[alpharuin]

Actually, I just thought of another venue that was really awesome: Barnsdall Art Park. Did Arthurfest blow this location for other promoters? Because that was really awesome. I mean, the sound setup sort of sucked but the views and ambiance and convenience were all pretty excellent.

Yes! The Arthurfest setup was awesome.

It's been said all ready, but El Rey is awesome.

[Courtney]

Nice... Been there.

That place was huge and eerie.. I remember the restrooms were the original factory's, deep underground, cold and danky. A late night concert with that ambiance would definitely be a lot of fun.

Yeah. I thought the architects did a really good job of keeping the old factory details when they were converting the spaces to be art exhibit-ready. Also: the upside-down trees! That was crazy! Were they there when you visited?

[bmack86]

The Troub is over-rated and the El Rey kind of blows.

Its all about Spaceland, ya'll.

Spaceland is fun. The sound is sometimes good, sometimes not very good. I like the setup, but I prefer the Echo both for the show choice and the sound quality. Also, it looks cooler inside, I think.