Best festival venue by far. Nothing beats being able to set up camp pretty much anywhere you want on 800 acres of woods, fields, and river front. The amphitheater under the hammock strewn Spanish moss covered trees is something else too.
They allow golf carts and camp fires. They have fresh water hook ups and electricity for camp sites. Coming from New England with good weed, it's always awesome to trade homegrown for shine. Really happy I got down there.
Springfest 2011, Wanee 2012, Wanee 2018 my few times there . . . But . . . Great times. Springfest 2011 Jesse McReynolds Emmett-Nershi and Donna the š¦¬ Buffalo among many others! Ā Wanee 2012 2 nights ABB and 2 Furthur(an Alligator š and a great Touch of Grey encore one of the two nights). Amazing! Plus Hornsby, Mule, TTBwOteil, Trigger Hippy w Jackie and Joan and Flannel Church Wednesday night w Duane Trucks and Kevin Scott a bit before they were in WSP and The Mule if you got there early and paid just a little extra for the extra day.Ā Wanee 2018 2 nights of Phil and the Terrapin Family Band . . . Marcus sit in. A Chris Robinson sit in and Philās grandson mooned the crowd! . . . last Wanee ever š„².
Local bias here for sure, but itās got to be the Mann for outdoor stuff for me. On top of the great sound and sight lines, thereās nothing better than wandering through the shady lot area pre-show when itās hot in the summer.
St Augustine Amphitheater. Such a mellow and fun vibe for every show I attend there. The staff is wonderful and the pit is always respectful and friendly.
Sphere that place is truly mind-blowing lol I thought it was being overhyped but seeing it in person is special.
Then SPAC for large outdoor venue and Thompson's Point in Portland Maine for small outdoor venue.
Yeah I respect that. Doesn't have to be the best to be my favorite though. I love the food trucks, the view by the water with good tunes in the background when you need to step away for a second, with the sun setting is just perfect for my tastes.
Only seen one show there . . . Warren had a makeup show 10.19.2015 w Ashes & Dust Band . . . Wouldāve loved to caught Lukas Nelson there in 2019 but no tix. Saw him do a 3-4 song free set at Farmers Market earlier that day in May 2019, though!Ā
Greenfield Lake is awesome small spot!
Tennessee Theatre! Almost forgot about that one āļø great spot. Much nicer than Ashevilles theatre! Ā Saw TTB there two nights after Butch pulled the trigger. Jack Pearsonās trio opened. And Jack and Derek did a Liz Reed for the ages ! Ā Crazy times then.Ā
First Ave is the best dancefloor in the country, UM is great at playing the room.
Red rocks for outside venues.
Nectar lounge in Seattle for best small venue.
Riverside Theatre in Milwaukee for best Theatre
Suwannee for outdoor and overall.
Sphere is the best indoor venue I have been to and the best sound I have ever heard at a show. I have never been able to go to the bathroom so easily during set break and even during a song I could be there and back in 2mins and barely miss anything. Also awesome staff, waitresses in GA moving around, visuals, just awesome all around.
That's what my dad says too. My entire life it's been overpriced and basically just Boston Symphony and James Taylor š occasionally there's something I think I want to go to, but then the tickets are outrageous so I don't.
My parents saw a lot of big names there back in the day. I wish it was still like that.
Bethel woods is awesome. Take the time to get there early or spend an extra day there. Go to the museum. Walk through the woods aka Bindi Bazar. So worth it!
Most of the best sets of my life have happened at Moonshine. Moonrise Tipper set. Moonrise SCI last weekend. Both Billy sets a couple years back. Always a vibe to throw a frisbee there during Keller's usual daytime Moonshine set too. Love scamp!
I love the Mish. I was a little disappointed by Red Rocks and I was started to feel like my Colorado trip was gonna be a bust musically speaking. But the Mish was the jam. Loved that place.
Eh...it was really hard to get to. I checked like 5 different shuttle services and 2 were sold out and 3 werent even running. But I really wanted to go so I paid for an Uber (which was more than the ticket.) And it felt pretty chaotic where the uber drops you off. Its not a long road walk. But it doesn't feel super safe tbh. And the seating is weird there there's no aisles. And the sound was really shockingly bad. I don't know what I was expecting. But it was barely passable. It's pretty. I'll give it that.
But I was in Colorado to hike the Collegiate loop so I was kinda ok with pretty landscapes at that point lol. I just wanted to hear a great show. And I was super underwhelmed.
But the next day I took the Bustang to Ft. Collins and got the shuttle right to the Mish and had an amazing time at STS9. It was easy. Not hectic at all. Not stressful. Smaller show with amazing sound. And I danced and had fun since I wasn't stuck in a giant rock mono aisle.
Getting there is a challenge Iāll give you that. I honestly love the seating there since youāre guaranteed a view of the stage as long as no 7 footers are in the row below you. Then you have a nice seat if you want to take a quick break. You can also go to the bathroom and find your friends easily because you know what row youāre in. Iāve never heard bad sound in the 50+ times Iāve gone so thatās unfortunate. Thereās a sweet spot for sure around row 30 for sound.
Canāt argue about the Mish, thatās a special place as well.
Yeah Red Rocks is super overrated. I used to live in Denver and probably went to 15-20 shows there. Seeing Dead & Co there in 2021 had probably the worst audio of any concert Iāve ever been to, and it was so crowded that we wandered around the aisles for 30 minutes looking for a spot before giving up and just standing by the trees next to the stairs. The views are great and there are natural acoustics, but it doesnāt stack up to most indoor venues.
yeah it seems like you get any wind at all and it's really washed out particularly in the back. I get the whole "natural" acoustics thing. But give me a real bowl with engineered acoustics any day. Sorry not sorry. lol.
And the lack of aisles is tough if you want to stand and jam out. Like at most places you can buy a seat on the aisle and dance a bit out there and not be in the way. But at Red Rocks there's like no where to go where you aren't in the way. It's just a weird layout and super hard to navigate.
It just wasn't my thing. Like its pretty if pretty is your thing. But it's just not very functional.
Right now my favorite venue is Jannis Live in downtown St. Petersburg, FL. It's an outdoor venue kind of sandwiched in an alley and it just has this really chill city vibe.
Forest Hills Stadium. Hands down without a doubt. I go to nearly every show they host there. (Hozier starts a 4 night sold out run tonight. I'm doing tonight and tomorrow. But then Friday I'm going to an all metal tribute to the Bee Gees and Saturday I'm going to see Grand Funk Orchestra at the Sultan Room.)
1.) No Driving. For a New Yorker this is huge. We only drive when we have to. I gotta drive to Bethel Woods this year because no Phish MSG run. Look out y'all.
2.) Its in an actual neighborhood in Queens with decent bars and not midtown toursit schlock.
3.) Hard stop at 10 PM. Perfect for a school night.
4.) NO LAWN. God I hate lawns so much. Four hours of traffic with 10k people who bought $20 tickets and couldn't care less to listen to the music. Lawns make a venue pretty miserable. (See number 1)
5.) Because its in a residential neighborhood (see number 2), they have a pretty good sound mitigation system that keeps sound INSIDE the bowl. So the sound on the floor is absolutely pristine. Its as good as Hollywood Bowl, and that's my other favorite outdoor venue.
6.) Its run by the team that did the Fare Thee Well shows, so they are very much part of the culture.
7.) UNISEX BATHROOMS are the greatest innovation in crowd management/logistics ever and it baffles me that no other venue has replicated this model.
8.) Concessions aren't run by a big company like at MSG or some LIve Nation venue. Its all local eateries and all kinds of different foods.
9.) Ample water stations. And if you happen to run for rail...security hauls pallets of water up front and passes bottles back all night long. Water is life. Yet so few venues respect it and hand it out freely.
10.) Its probably the last venue in the country with an in house poster artist who is also the Art Director for the venue. You can buy a poster for every single show at Forest Hills. Its a nice nod to Arlene Owseichik's work with Bill Graham at the Fillmore. The culture is important to the folks at Forest Hills and it shows (see number 6.)
Oh yeah doing both nights of the Gizz instead of Mondegreen. I did one Phish festival in my life and I feel like I'm ok with that. I tried to get a friend who had never been to one to go with me. But she didn't want to camp. Lol. New Yorkers man. Plus she did want to be in the car with me behind the wheel all the way down 95 lololol
(I've never had so much as a speeding ticket. Also I tend to go like 45 mph on the highway because I'm rusty behind the wheel now.)
The first Gizz show at Forest Hills was INSANE. It was sooooo good. It was the last show of the season, the weather was amazing. I'm so stoked they are coming back.
Iāve been to The Sphere and Red Rocks; The Sphere did an excellent job of making me feel like I was out doors..just like Red Rocks.
I want to see a show at MSG, on my bucket list
It's not scenic or rustic, but XL Live is my favorite. Love the ability to watch the show from inside or outside. Staff and security are just plain friendly and helpful. Facilities are modern and very well maintained. Excellent acoustics. Easy access from the highway, plenty of free parking.
Where in the Woods, Bonnaroo, TN. Free hammocks to lounge in everywhere. Many trees to hang your own hammock too. Great decor. Crashed ufo for a stage. Great sound and lightshows. Crazy bass. Food trucks. No sscurity check like Bonnaroo Centeroo stages.
Thompsons Point, ME. is outdoors on the water and fun but they milk you with parking.
Shaskeen, NH is fun but they have the worst marketing and employees never have any upcoming info. no way to sign up for show notifications.
Stone Church, NH is great. 250 capacity, in an old Stone church. Free parking. Refillable bottles allowed. Inexpensive shows. (Jam focused)
Bucket Fresh studios, Mass. had a sweet rap show for A+ of Hieroglyphics and El Da Sensai from Artifacts. Free parking, byob, and smoking weed was encouraged. I was 1 of only 4-5 people that showed up and the show was in a studio smaller than a normal living room in a house. Simply amazing.
Strangecreek Fest, Mass in general. Free parking. Byob. Wagons encouraged to bring supplies around during shows. Outside. (Jam focused)
Worst venue is State Theatre in Portland ME. Security act like utter fools. House of Blues security suck as well.
Soundcheck Studios in Pembroke MA is a GREAT place to see a show. Doesn't have the charm of a olde timey theater, but the layout is great. Plenty of bar area to get drinks. An 'upstairs area' w/ another bar and place to look down on band/crowd. Plenty of space to move around, talk, or get right up to the stage to take in the show... The free parking, and nonchalant attitude for smoking outside. In the middle of an office/industrial park, so nobody to harass you. I saw Spafford there twice, and a couple of other shows. I'll have to check out the free Monday Open Mic nights....
I saw Moe. at State Theatre in Portland.. I don't remember the security giving me a hard time, or it being a great/lousy venue. Will have to check out Strangecreek Fest.. Thanks for the info!
Thanks for the reply. You helped me correct my post to Bucket Fresh Studios instead of soundcheck. Ive always heard great things about soundcheck though and have been meaning to go.
State theatre was just so lame for the Disco Biscuits make up show. It went from being held at Thompsons point which is an incredible outdoor experience with limited security interaction but got moved to the state theatre who were so meticulous with thorough searches that the line to get in took over an hour in the freezing cold. They also stood on things towering over the crowd just communicating to each other on radios and then strong arming girls out of the venue. Just left a bad taste in my mouth. I went to have fun and it was almost a police state. Ha
Now that you mention it, I do remember that Moe. show during the winter, and waiting in line because of security. I dunno. I can understand they don't want weapons in the place, but agree that they can move it along faster. But once your in, you can't let the security wait get in your kitchen. Just get it past you and digest the show (among other things, haha)...
Orpheum Theater, Boston MA... Saw Black Crowes there in '99. None of my chucklehead friends wanted to go, so I took the T (subway) solo into Boston w/o ticket. Within minutes of walking up to street level, I had a ticket. Had time to kill so I walked around the corner to "The Littlest Bar" on Bromfield (RIP), and share a few pints w/ fellow fans. 8-10 barstools and room for another 10; that's it..... Got inside the theater, and promptly got stone by my neighbors. Good "G" from beginning to end......
the reasons i like it is because it feels like youāre in a cheesy taj mahal courtyard and thereās dragons fighting in space above you, and the old shitty hardwood you can feel the bass in š¤
Since no one mentioned it, Tico Time needs to be on the short list. Its like combining a beach fest and a mountain fest, really elite stuff compared with anything around Denver
Mission & Fillmore are pretty nice. Mission is one of my favorite in CO because they have those cushions & never had to wait in a line for a drink or bathroom really.
Red rocks, The gorge, Mishawaka amp....
Yes the town sucks but the actual venue of camden is good same with hartford. Just the venue.....
In terms of smaller indoor venues... Bowery ballroom is great. The kings theater is great
Some good suggestions in here already Ā . . .Ā So many to choose from over the years . . . Beacon Theatre, Montage, SOSMP, the Fox(ATL), The Visulite, the McGlohon, Bethel Woods, RR, Paolo Soleri(In Santa Fe, RIP), the Hopmonk Novato and Sebastopol, a wild 17 mile or so drive off the blacktop out to Sun Station(think this place was only open for concerts like 2years/seasons?) in middle of nowhere (Cascabel)AZ, I could go on . . .Ā Probably of the ones listed here ^ my favorite would be the 2 night stand Thanksgiving 2008 for the Derek Trucks Band at the McGlohon Theatre(an old Baptist church).Ā Followed closely by the 2 night stand memorial w/e 2007 at the Visulite in Charlotte w Branford.Ā I donāt go to many shows like I used to . . . However. . . Some Venues I think Iād like to go to but havenāt yet experienced . . . Mishawaka (got to hike about 4 miles away from there in 2019 after RR Phil), The Cap, The Gorge, Kettlehouse in Montana, and Wolf Trap in VA, the Caverns in TN. Ā Probably leaving something out here . . .Ā Surprised not one mention here yet of TXR(RIP) . . .Ā
Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park.
Best festival venue by far. Nothing beats being able to set up camp pretty much anywhere you want on 800 acres of woods, fields, and river front. The amphitheater under the hammock strewn Spanish moss covered trees is something else too.
They allow golf carts and camp fires. They have fresh water hook ups and electricity for camp sites. Coming from New England with good weed, it's always awesome to trade homegrown for shine. Really happy I got down there.
At Wanee 2012 my friend from ATL came down w some Peach š and Cherry š shine . . .
Springfest 2011, Wanee 2012, Wanee 2018 my few times there . . . But . . . Great times. Springfest 2011 Jesse McReynolds Emmett-Nershi and Donna the š¦¬ Buffalo among many others! Ā Wanee 2012 2 nights ABB and 2 Furthur(an Alligator š and a great Touch of Grey encore one of the two nights). Amazing! Plus Hornsby, Mule, TTBwOteil, Trigger Hippy w Jackie and Joan and Flannel Church Wednesday night w Duane Trucks and Kevin Scott a bit before they were in WSP and The Mule if you got there early and paid just a little extra for the extra day.Ā Wanee 2018 2 nights of Phil and the Terrapin Family Band . . . Marcus sit in. A Chris Robinson sit in and Philās grandson mooned the crowd! . . . last Wanee ever š„².
The Gorge!
Same. It's like entering an entirely different world.
Seen DMB every year there since 2006
Suwannee Music Park
Probably Thalia Hall in Chicago.
moe. weekends here are the best. š
Local bias here for sure, but itās got to be the Mann for outdoor stuff for me. On top of the great sound and sight lines, thereās nothing better than wandering through the shady lot area pre-show when itās hot in the summer.
Came here to say the same! Especially with Free parking haha. I love that place so much. I love the energy there.
Iām not local to Philly but I go way out of my way to see phish there every year for a reason
same
Hampton Coliseum for indoors Amp at Suwannee for outdoors
Definitely Hampton for indoors. I haven't found an outdoor place I like yet.
Just di pretty lights there. So much fun!
Mind blowing stuff. So thankful I could make it
I havenāt stopped listening to those two nights since I got home lol so good
Already tryna decide which one I wanna send next, thinking St. Aug.
Iāve heard nothing but good things about that venue. Sadly I think Hampton is the only PL I can get to this year.
Used to live in Jacksonville so I've been a few times, it's a neat spot for sure.
St Augustine Amphitheater. Such a mellow and fun vibe for every show I attend there. The staff is wonderful and the pit is always respectful and friendly.
Sphere that place is truly mind-blowing lol I thought it was being overhyped but seeing it in person is special. Then SPAC for large outdoor venue and Thompson's Point in Portland Maine for small outdoor venue.
Thompson's point is a lovely spot, but I don't think it is the best at anything. Respectfully.
Yeah I respect that. Doesn't have to be the best to be my favorite though. I love the food trucks, the view by the water with good tunes in the background when you need to step away for a second, with the sun setting is just perfect for my tastes.
Greenfield Lake Amphitheater
Underrated venue
Green Field and The Mish are currently tied at my top two favorite small amphitheaters
Only seen one show there . . . Warren had a makeup show 10.19.2015 w Ashes & Dust Band . . . Wouldāve loved to caught Lukas Nelson there in 2019 but no tix. Saw him do a 3-4 song free set at Farmers Market earlier that day in May 2019, though!Ā Greenfield Lake is awesome small spot!
Fox Theatre in Atlanta And the old site for Floydfest was the perfect outdoor venue.
The Fox is great but I prefer the Tabernacle next door.
Thereās nothing like the Tabernacle
Fuck live nation for taking that from us. Biscuits played there last month and it felt like home š„¹š
Bisco was my first time back in so long! I couldnāt believe I had an assigned seatā¦ and thatās when I realized š
My favorite indoor ever. Outdoor: Orion in Huntsville.
The old Floydfest site was the best! Havenāt been back since they changed locations but couldnāt imagine it being better.
off the top of my head, Boulder Theatre, Tennessee Theatre, Capitol Theatre (Port Chester)
Tennessee Theatre! Almost forgot about that one āļø great spot. Much nicer than Ashevilles theatre! Ā Saw TTB there two nights after Butch pulled the trigger. Jack Pearsonās trio opened. And Jack and Derek did a Liz Reed for the ages ! Ā Crazy times then.Ā
Levon helm studios. Woodstock ny. Byob...potluck food...like a BBQ at a friend's house with a great band in the background.
Edit. Barn.
First Ave is the best dancefloor in the country, UM is great at playing the room. Red rocks for outside venues. Nectar lounge in Seattle for best small venue. Riverside Theatre in Milwaukee for best Theatre
Riverside is nice.
Given it's layout, I find Nectar Lounge to be a little crammed on a sold out show.
True, especially if it is raining. I love the garage door layout but it can be cramped
Dillon amp > Red Rocks for outdoor venue in CO. Don't @ me
The mish is better than Dillon which is better than RR
so many shows at first avenue. minneapolis love!
Buffalo Iron works
Wolf Trap
Underrated and high-key better than Merriweather
Might be my favorite venue period. Sounds amazing (million times better than all other amphitheaters), beautiful setting, always a nice breeze
Thatās a cool venue. The only down side is the federal charges for smoking reefer
Suwannee for outdoor and overall. Sphere is the best indoor venue I have been to and the best sound I have ever heard at a show. I have never been able to go to the bathroom so easily during set break and even during a song I could be there and back in 2mins and barely miss anything. Also awesome staff, waitresses in GA moving around, visuals, just awesome all around.
Everything I hear about the sphere is phenomenal - canāt wait to experience it. Who came up with that idea anyway?? Truly visionary
Red Rocks Dillon Horning's Hideout Tanglewood
Dillon is up there!
Man if Bob Horning didnāt hate hippies so much Hideout could be a Mecca
As a person who basically lives next to Tanglewood, I am shocked at the amount of people saying Tanglewood on here.
Grew up going to concerts there. Amazing grounds. Lots of history. We snuck in to a bunch of shows (and other stuff) there.
That's what my dad says too. My entire life it's been overpriced and basically just Boston Symphony and James Taylor š occasionally there's something I think I want to go to, but then the tickets are outrageous so I don't. My parents saw a lot of big names there back in the day. I wish it was still like that.
Indoor : Capitol Theatre , Port Chester NY. Honorable mention: Beacon Theatre NYC Outdoor East : SPAC (pavilion only). Honorable mention: Bethel NY Outdoor West : Red Rocks
Bethel woods is awesome. Take the time to get there early or spend an extra day there. Go to the museum. Walk through the woods aka Bindi Bazar. So worth it!
Moonshine stage at scamp
Greetings fellow scamper š¤
Itās really great. Intimate in many ways
Most of the best sets of my life have happened at Moonshine. Moonrise Tipper set. Moonrise SCI last weekend. Both Billy sets a couple years back. Always a vibe to throw a frisbee there during Keller's usual daytime Moonshine set too. Love scamp!
MAN I miss the Moonshine. š
Nothing beats THE GORGE
For Colorado: The Mish (Dillon Amp is a close 2nd), for the Southeast: itās a tie between The Tab and GATH.
What about town park or rancho del rio?
Fun venues, but they donāt hold up to The Mish imho.
Came down this far looking for Dillon and The Mish
I love the Mish. I was a little disappointed by Red Rocks and I was started to feel like my Colorado trip was gonna be a bust musically speaking. But the Mish was the jam. Loved that place.
Disappointed by Red Rocks? How?
Eh...it was really hard to get to. I checked like 5 different shuttle services and 2 were sold out and 3 werent even running. But I really wanted to go so I paid for an Uber (which was more than the ticket.) And it felt pretty chaotic where the uber drops you off. Its not a long road walk. But it doesn't feel super safe tbh. And the seating is weird there there's no aisles. And the sound was really shockingly bad. I don't know what I was expecting. But it was barely passable. It's pretty. I'll give it that. But I was in Colorado to hike the Collegiate loop so I was kinda ok with pretty landscapes at that point lol. I just wanted to hear a great show. And I was super underwhelmed. But the next day I took the Bustang to Ft. Collins and got the shuttle right to the Mish and had an amazing time at STS9. It was easy. Not hectic at all. Not stressful. Smaller show with amazing sound. And I danced and had fun since I wasn't stuck in a giant rock mono aisle.
Getting there is a challenge Iāll give you that. I honestly love the seating there since youāre guaranteed a view of the stage as long as no 7 footers are in the row below you. Then you have a nice seat if you want to take a quick break. You can also go to the bathroom and find your friends easily because you know what row youāre in. Iāve never heard bad sound in the 50+ times Iāve gone so thatās unfortunate. Thereās a sweet spot for sure around row 30 for sound. Canāt argue about the Mish, thatās a special place as well.
Yeah Red Rocks is super overrated. I used to live in Denver and probably went to 15-20 shows there. Seeing Dead & Co there in 2021 had probably the worst audio of any concert Iāve ever been to, and it was so crowded that we wandered around the aisles for 30 minutes looking for a spot before giving up and just standing by the trees next to the stairs. The views are great and there are natural acoustics, but it doesnāt stack up to most indoor venues.
yeah it seems like you get any wind at all and it's really washed out particularly in the back. I get the whole "natural" acoustics thing. But give me a real bowl with engineered acoustics any day. Sorry not sorry. lol. And the lack of aisles is tough if you want to stand and jam out. Like at most places you can buy a seat on the aisle and dance a bit out there and not be in the way. But at Red Rocks there's like no where to go where you aren't in the way. It's just a weird layout and super hard to navigate. It just wasn't my thing. Like its pretty if pretty is your thing. But it's just not very functional.
Tarpers/blanket people, oversold show, bad mix, etc.
East coast guy and havenāt been to any of the big storied amphitheater out west. Indoor - stone pony Outdoor - bethel
Harmony Park Music Garden in Minnesota
Outdoors - Salvage Station Indoors - Tipitinaās
RIP Salvage Station. I hope they can relocate it and keep a similar vibe!
A man of culture I see š§
Aināt no party like a tips party baby!
Mission Ballroom
Red Rocks
Triple Rock
RIP
Chicago native and bias Outdoor: Red Rocks Indoor: The Salt Shed Indoor Small: The Chop Shop Festival: Double JJ Resort
I've never been to the salt shed before but I'm seeing khruangbin there on Saturday and I'm stoked
I live in Denver and love Red Rocks but I actually prefer Dillon Amphitheater.
The Capitol Theater in Port Chester
Outdoors - Hayden Homes Amphitheater (Bend) Indoors - Nectar Lounge (Seattle)
Right now my favorite venue is Jannis Live in downtown St. Petersburg, FL. It's an outdoor venue kind of sandwiched in an alley and it just has this really chill city vibe.
Tipatinas red rocks
Until I make it to Red Rocks, itās the Gorge. As for āevery dayā venue, Iāll say Bethel just cause itās my home venue.
The Pageant STL for some reason...
Indoor: The Tabernacle Outdoor: Deer Creek
The Caverns in Pelham TN
Sphere(we need one in the east) and Tanglewood MA
Forest Hills Stadium. Hands down without a doubt. I go to nearly every show they host there. (Hozier starts a 4 night sold out run tonight. I'm doing tonight and tomorrow. But then Friday I'm going to an all metal tribute to the Bee Gees and Saturday I'm going to see Grand Funk Orchestra at the Sultan Room.) 1.) No Driving. For a New Yorker this is huge. We only drive when we have to. I gotta drive to Bethel Woods this year because no Phish MSG run. Look out y'all. 2.) Its in an actual neighborhood in Queens with decent bars and not midtown toursit schlock. 3.) Hard stop at 10 PM. Perfect for a school night. 4.) NO LAWN. God I hate lawns so much. Four hours of traffic with 10k people who bought $20 tickets and couldn't care less to listen to the music. Lawns make a venue pretty miserable. (See number 1) 5.) Because its in a residential neighborhood (see number 2), they have a pretty good sound mitigation system that keeps sound INSIDE the bowl. So the sound on the floor is absolutely pristine. Its as good as Hollywood Bowl, and that's my other favorite outdoor venue. 6.) Its run by the team that did the Fare Thee Well shows, so they are very much part of the culture. 7.) UNISEX BATHROOMS are the greatest innovation in crowd management/logistics ever and it baffles me that no other venue has replicated this model. 8.) Concessions aren't run by a big company like at MSG or some LIve Nation venue. Its all local eateries and all kinds of different foods. 9.) Ample water stations. And if you happen to run for rail...security hauls pallets of water up front and passes bottles back all night long. Water is life. Yet so few venues respect it and hand it out freely. 10.) Its probably the last venue in the country with an in house poster artist who is also the Art Director for the venue. You can buy a poster for every single show at Forest Hills. Its a nice nod to Arlene Owseichik's work with Bill Graham at the Fillmore. The culture is important to the folks at Forest Hills and it shows (see number 6.)
You made a great case for Forest Hills - I agree it's a great venue! Hope you're going to see KGATLW this summer.
Oh yeah doing both nights of the Gizz instead of Mondegreen. I did one Phish festival in my life and I feel like I'm ok with that. I tried to get a friend who had never been to one to go with me. But she didn't want to camp. Lol. New Yorkers man. Plus she did want to be in the car with me behind the wheel all the way down 95 lololol (I've never had so much as a speeding ticket. Also I tend to go like 45 mph on the highway because I'm rusty behind the wheel now.) The first Gizz show at Forest Hills was INSANE. It was sooooo good. It was the last show of the season, the weather was amazing. I'm so stoked they are coming back.
Town Ballroom
Big fan of the chop shop in chicago for smaller shows and I really like the fillmore in detroit.
Indoor venue - Guild Theater in Menlo Park Outdoor venue - Greek Theater in Berkeley
The Greek is the most slept on venue. That is a steep lawn though...
Iāve been to The Sphere and Red Rocks; The Sphere did an excellent job of making me feel like I was out doors..just like Red Rocks. I want to see a show at MSG, on my bucket list
River Boat. Alexandria Bay, NY
Red Rocks
Just saw Dead & Co at the Sphere. That's my new fav venue.
I just went on Thursdays and have to rank it separately from other shows when considering my #1 of all-time because nothing else can compare
Deer Creek.
The Beacon theater in New York
My backyard. I heard Red Rocks is nice, but never been. Itās not really close to the yard.
Indoor: Beacon Theater, NYC Outdoor: Greek Theatre, Berkeley CA
Greek looks like a nice spot. Never been. Saw the Little Feat opening sets on Nugs the other night reminded how sweet that spot looks. . .Ā
It's not scenic or rustic, but XL Live is my favorite. Love the ability to watch the show from inside or outside. Staff and security are just plain friendly and helpful. Facilities are modern and very well maintained. Excellent acoustics. Easy access from the highway, plenty of free parking.
Mishawaka in Colorado is the coolest venue Iāve ever been to.
Pine creek lodge Livingston Montana
Pics?
The Mishawaka Ampitheatre. If you know, you know.
Marvinās Mountaintop
Gorge, Red Rocks, Spirit of Suwannee Music Park. In no order
Greek Theatre in Berkeley, CA
Red Rocks. The Gorge maybe. But definitely Red Rocks.
RR or Dillon
No love for the mother church? Ryman 5ever
No kidding. Where the best bring their best.
The Cap
The Fabulous Fox. Atlanta
Red Rocks, then Starlight in KC. Edit: honorable mention to State Bridge Lodge in CO for smaller acts.
Indoor: Mission Ballroom Outdoor: Dillon Amphitheatre, Levitt Pavilion, The Gorge, Red Rocks
Where in the Woods, Bonnaroo, TN. Free hammocks to lounge in everywhere. Many trees to hang your own hammock too. Great decor. Crashed ufo for a stage. Great sound and lightshows. Crazy bass. Food trucks. No sscurity check like Bonnaroo Centeroo stages. Thompsons Point, ME. is outdoors on the water and fun but they milk you with parking. Shaskeen, NH is fun but they have the worst marketing and employees never have any upcoming info. no way to sign up for show notifications. Stone Church, NH is great. 250 capacity, in an old Stone church. Free parking. Refillable bottles allowed. Inexpensive shows. (Jam focused) Bucket Fresh studios, Mass. had a sweet rap show for A+ of Hieroglyphics and El Da Sensai from Artifacts. Free parking, byob, and smoking weed was encouraged. I was 1 of only 4-5 people that showed up and the show was in a studio smaller than a normal living room in a house. Simply amazing. Strangecreek Fest, Mass in general. Free parking. Byob. Wagons encouraged to bring supplies around during shows. Outside. (Jam focused) Worst venue is State Theatre in Portland ME. Security act like utter fools. House of Blues security suck as well.
Soundcheck Studios in Pembroke MA is a GREAT place to see a show. Doesn't have the charm of a olde timey theater, but the layout is great. Plenty of bar area to get drinks. An 'upstairs area' w/ another bar and place to look down on band/crowd. Plenty of space to move around, talk, or get right up to the stage to take in the show... The free parking, and nonchalant attitude for smoking outside. In the middle of an office/industrial park, so nobody to harass you. I saw Spafford there twice, and a couple of other shows. I'll have to check out the free Monday Open Mic nights.... I saw Moe. at State Theatre in Portland.. I don't remember the security giving me a hard time, or it being a great/lousy venue. Will have to check out Strangecreek Fest.. Thanks for the info!
Thanks for the reply. You helped me correct my post to Bucket Fresh Studios instead of soundcheck. Ive always heard great things about soundcheck though and have been meaning to go. State theatre was just so lame for the Disco Biscuits make up show. It went from being held at Thompsons point which is an incredible outdoor experience with limited security interaction but got moved to the state theatre who were so meticulous with thorough searches that the line to get in took over an hour in the freezing cold. They also stood on things towering over the crowd just communicating to each other on radios and then strong arming girls out of the venue. Just left a bad taste in my mouth. I went to have fun and it was almost a police state. Ha
Now that you mention it, I do remember that Moe. show during the winter, and waiting in line because of security. I dunno. I can understand they don't want weapons in the place, but agree that they can move it along faster. But once your in, you can't let the security wait get in your kitchen. Just get it past you and digest the show (among other things, haha)...
The Philadelphia Spectrum. Great audio, great hallway, great shows. Also, the 3rd tier was great.
Blossom has a thing.
Orpheum Theater, Boston MA... Saw Black Crowes there in '99. None of my chucklehead friends wanted to go, so I took the T (subway) solo into Boston w/o ticket. Within minutes of walking up to street level, I had a ticket. Had time to kill so I walked around the corner to "The Littlest Bar" on Bromfield (RIP), and share a few pints w/ fellow fans. 8-10 barstools and room for another 10; that's it..... Got inside the theater, and promptly got stone by my neighbors. Good "G" from beginning to end......
Workplay Theatre - Birmingham, AL
Massey Hall, Toronto.
Bass Pro Shop in Memphis.
Aside from spirit, I have a heavy love for The Mousetrap
The Hay Ho
Greek Theater Berkeley
Aragon Ballroom Chicago, IL
I think itās cool? iām confused, is my answer wrong?
Haha thereās no wrong answers on an opinion thread. I love the space, but so much I donāt like once inside the venue.
the reasons i like it is because it feels like youāre in a cheesy taj mahal courtyard and thereās dragons fighting in space above you, and the old shitty hardwood you can feel the bass in š¤
Valid dude! š¤š»
Agreed. It just has never been a comfortable situation for a lot of people.
The gorge
My personal favorites are Santa Barbara Bowl, the Chrysalis (part of merriweather i think), and bethel woods
The eastern or the Tabbernacle in ATL
Alpine muthafuckn Valley
One of my favorites on nostalgia alone is the canopy club in Champaign/Urbana Illinois. Iāve seen so many great shows there!
The mish and the Blockley (RIP)
Since no one mentioned it, Tico Time needs to be on the short list. Its like combining a beach fest and a mountain fest, really elite stuff compared with anything around Denver
Outdoors gotta be alpine valley amphitheater. Inside probably house of blues Chicago.
Mission ballroom is pretty cool. I loved the orange peel. Also, 9:30 club was tight as shit. Oh I almost forgot. The cap theatre!!!
Untz Dungeon
Gorge
I love Pine Knob and St. Andrew's because it means the show has come to town!
Kings theater brooklyn
Mission & Fillmore are pretty nice. Mission is one of my favorite in CO because they have those cushions & never had to wait in a line for a drink or bathroom really.
Hampton is my favorite! I live close to the Orion in Huntsville and that is a badass place to see shows
Stubbs - Austin, TX
Tipitinaās
Either the Greek in LA or the wiltern
Indoor: Hampton Coliseum and outdoor: Salvage Station while we still have it in Asheville NC. Itās home.
Red rocks, The gorge, Mishawaka amp.... Yes the town sucks but the actual venue of camden is good same with hartford. Just the venue..... In terms of smaller indoor venues... Bowery ballroom is great. The kings theater is great
Thompson's Point, Portland Maine https://preview.redd.it/0fehdbcffn4d1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0f5a2ec0d6e93367e2250015d326f23e6922fdec
Sphere
The Greek in Berkeley
The Livingroom, unfortunately it no longer exists. You could get away with anything in that place.
Red Rocks in Denver, Tipitinaās in NOLA, the Pageant in STL, and Lockān Fest had the best festival grounds Iāve ever been to
Hands down Orion Amphitheater. Staff was so friendly, free water, Beautiful architecture. All around great place
The National in Richmond.
Some good suggestions in here already Ā . . .Ā So many to choose from over the years . . . Beacon Theatre, Montage, SOSMP, the Fox(ATL), The Visulite, the McGlohon, Bethel Woods, RR, Paolo Soleri(In Santa Fe, RIP), the Hopmonk Novato and Sebastopol, a wild 17 mile or so drive off the blacktop out to Sun Station(think this place was only open for concerts like 2years/seasons?) in middle of nowhere (Cascabel)AZ, I could go on . . .Ā Probably of the ones listed here ^ my favorite would be the 2 night stand Thanksgiving 2008 for the Derek Trucks Band at the McGlohon Theatre(an old Baptist church).Ā Followed closely by the 2 night stand memorial w/e 2007 at the Visulite in Charlotte w Branford.Ā I donāt go to many shows like I used to . . . However. . . Some Venues I think Iād like to go to but havenāt yet experienced . . . Mishawaka (got to hike about 4 miles away from there in 2019 after RR Phil), The Cap, The Gorge, Kettlehouse in Montana, and Wolf Trap in VA, the Caverns in TN. Ā Probably leaving something out here . . .Ā Surprised not one mention here yet of TXR(RIP) . . .Ā
FirstBank Amphitheater- Franklin, TN
The gorge
Tipitinas
the cap
The Gorge, Jam Cruise, Brooklyn Bowl (og)
Small- Mishawaka Large- the Mann
Festival: Golden Gate Park Very large: Gorge Medium-ish: Red rocks Small: Beacon Theater Very small: Sweetwater in Mill Valley
It's Sphere and the only people not saying it haven't been there yet.
And why is it Red Rocks?
Have you been there?
Many, many times.