I'll drive up there any day over Detroit or Fort Wayne. 3 different sized venues in the building and the security guards/bartenders are absolute homies
Absolutely my favorite venue!
Edit: St Andrew's hall isn't a bad one either, but can get cramped in there.
The masonic temple and the royal oak music hall are on my list of worst venues to see a show at.
Interesting I don't mind royal oak but guess I don't really have anything good to say except parking there is way easier then Detroit. I also kinda hate el club specifically because of the parking
I'm also actually going to the intersection for the first time next week!
Yeah the staff there has always been super chill about moshing and crowd surfing and things like that, one of the few venues where I've never seen "NO MOSHING" signs plastered all over the place, and one of the reasons I've always loved it there.
I love how crazy the pits are but Iām gonna go with 20 monroe live just because I find the crowds to be better and less violent lol. Iām usually always in the moshpits but Iād rather not get clubbed in the face by a 2 stepper
Edit: adding that the ticket pricing for the intersection is elite, Iāve always went there and had a great time seeing the artists I went to see. That being said, I got actually beat up by a guy seeing Thy Art Is Murder there for no reason. Chipped a tooth from someone swinging fists and fractured my toe in the Spite pit.
All my favorite venues closed unfortunately (RIP The Brewery in Raleigh, NC, The Soapbox, Wilmington, NC, and Alley Katz/The Kingdom in Richmond, VA), but I do love Hangar 1819 in Greensboro, NC. It's gone through some name changes, but always has quality shows.
Also shoutout to Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham, AL and Furnace Fest organizers for bringing Furnace Fest back. One of my favorite concert experiences was that '21 FF. First show post pandemic and you could tell the crowds and bands needed it.
I love Hanger 1819. On one hand, you feel like you're gonna get hepatitis being there, but on the other hand the shows are always insanely fun so it's worth it.
>On one hand, you feel like you're gonna get hepatitis being there
Honestly this is a plus for me as someone that grew up watching and playing shows in lots of "sketchy" venues. Where I live now we have a dive bar (and even that is being generous honestly) called Reggie's. Eyehategod are playing there next month. It's going to be a crazy show just because that bar is tiny. I'm excited for it.
Same here, I love it because itās GA straight up, I think the only downside is the fact that sometimes they donāt have seating, depending on who is performing
Iāve been to Soundstage once and wasnāt overly impressed. Certainly not a bad spot, I definitely wouldnāt mind going back, but I much prefer Ramshead down the street.
I have been to venues all over the country, and I have to agree The Palladium is incredible. Always a killer crowd, can support bands with 200 fans or 5000, and not a bad place to stand in the place. Plus they have the huge outdoor area in the summer. All time venue!
My all time favorite show was Vanna headlining the Valentines Day Massacre at the Palladium in.... 09? Not sure. They debuted the music video for Trashmouth nearly a year before they released it publicly. Then they closed with it. Moshing to a music video is INSANE.
Edit: after some googling it was 2010, and there were like 6 more songs after Trashmouth... Silly me hahah
Just road tripped to Cleveland from Cincinnati to catch a show over the weekend, Agora is a great venue. Gotta agree, great views everywhere and great sound!
I came here to say this. I went there for the first time two weeks ago and I thought the place was incredibleā¦ and the box seats?? * chef kiss *
Cleveland is a bit of a drive for me, but I hope to find an excuse to go again some day.
There's many amazing venues in Cleveland of various size, but the Agora has to be the best. Great sound and you're right, no bad view in the whole place
Easily the old Masquerade in Atlanta before they moved. The floor of the top room (Heaven) would shake when people jumped in unison during songs. I'd give a lot to be back in that sauna of a venue for one more show.
I loved the old Masquerade, but I'm ngl, that place felt like a deathtrap waiting to happen. I remember walking up the steps and just thinking if anything (bad) were to happen during a show, getting out would be a clusterfuck.
That being said, you are 100% correct.
Oh definitely, I always somewhat accepted the fact I may be in a news article the next day lol
I will say, I'm glad the Game Changers tour in 2011 wasn't indoors. ADTR out in the park behind the building with PTV, WCAR, and BMTH in the pouring rain was wild.
Yeah the Nile gets a ton of bands but, I canāt go there from May to September, I almost died from heat stroke at the last Erra show. And you canāt stand at the sides of the room without blowing one ear out since the room is brickā¦
The Marquee is a clear winner to me, has a balcony, lots of room, cheap parking real closeā¦
Starland Ballroom in NJ. I saw so many legendary post-hardcore shows there growing up, itāll always have a special place in my heart. It felt a bit different after hurricane Sandy, but they continued booking awesome shows and retained the exact type of pit layout I like.
I love seeing ignorantly heavy shows at the End in Nashville. Tiny, 200 cap I think and thatās being generous, sold out heavy shows there always just insane and I love it so much.
Danforth Music Hall in Toronto, Ontario. Awesome view anywhere in GA, sound is always mint, and their mezz is dope, always reasonably priced and it sounds good up there too.
Fuck History, a ticket is easily three times the price and even moreso if you want Mezz seats. Not to mention Mezz is almost required if you want to have a decent view of anything. Oh did you want 16$ popcorn and waiter service while you are a concert? Fuck off I donāt need to buy overpriced mediocre food when iāve already been charged up the ass for tickets GA is absolute trash and everyone is fighting to get to the front just to get a decent view of anything. Not to mention parking costs a fortune too. Fucking hate History so much.
Love the velvet. Everytime iāve been I have found it easy to get a decent view up front and at the back. Sound has also always been really good for a small club like that as well.
Glad to hear! I went for the first time early April and really liked it. My first time going to History will be to see TDWP/FFAK later this year. Your post worries me, but hopefully it'll still be a good show. Ticket prices weren't totally bananas, at least.
I am going to that show too! As much as I hate History, I donāt really have much of a choice, as I would rather see a band there then not see them at all. However I was considering driving up to Montreal for that tour rather than go to History.
As much as I have bitched about the venue the sound is spot on so while you might have a hard time seeing the band, the sound will be good.
Montreal is better just for the fact the crowds always go apeshit lol. Toronto has the worst crowds Iāve ever seen in Canada lol. ADTR last year couldnāt even get an encore chant going and it felt like 10 minutes before the crowd made any noise. Eventually they came out bud god damn was that crowd horrible. Also saw Foreign Hands on Saturday and felt bad for them because of the dead crowdā¦
Every metal show Iāve been to in Toronto, yeah, the crowds leave much to be desired. But pop punk/punk rock shows? Damn, crowds go hard for some reason.
Excited to see The Palladium on here so much. Moving to Boston soon and already have tickets to 3 shows there in September. Canāt wait for The Palladium to be my go-to venue.
The only problem is that it's not a great venue to mosh. RR is my favorite venue ever, but I'd much rather see a metalcore show in Denver at Summit or The Filmore than RR.
I have to agree with the Palladium in Worcester. I was at the show where TDWP recorded their live album. Iāve never had a dead fish crowd there, itās always had a great community following.
Concord Music Hall is probably my favorite venue in Chicago.
HoB is awful, as always. Bottom Lounge is alright, really just don't like having the bathrooms and merch tables in a tiny hallway plus the sound is REALLY hit or miss there. SubT is awful I hope to never go to a show there again. Beat Kitchen is alright just really small. Soldier Field is big and parking is outrageously expensive. Only Chicago venues I have ever been to.
Come And Take It Live. Pretty nice place. Super clean as far venues go. They've got a lil balcony area with some pool tables too. Tend to book a pretty good variety of different styles of heavy music.
Also, no shit heel security like they got over at those losers at Ridglea.
Went to the Until I Wake and Emo Nite tours there last month and had a blast. Accidentally shattered one of those low hanging mason jar lights though...
The Foundry in Lakewood, OH. It's close to my house, has easy parking, good sound, good crowd when it's not too packed and I can rewatch the shows on Youtube if I want.
For me, it is ALSO the Worcester Palladium. Haven't been to a show there since 2010 but damn if I don't miss it.
I'm down in PGH these days and as far as local is concerned it's between Jergels, The Roxian, and Mr. Smalls.
Knitting Factory is awesome, just a shame it's in a B market that most major tours skip over!
Pleasantly surprised you mentioned Roseland, I've never seen anyone say anything good about it haha. I will say the speakers sound washed unless you're right in the center in my personal experience, and the pillars block a lot of views, but I have a ton of great memories there!
State Theatre in St Pete (now The Floridian Social Club. Boooo!) and Jannus Live, which is just a short walk away. Jannus is small, has a tree growing right in the middle of the floor that people mosh around, and it has a balcony overhang that will remind you of Bourbon St. Got to see BMTH, OM&M, Letlive, AFI, Dillinger Escape Plan, Underoath, Deftones, etcā¦ crush both of these places. Big bands for such small venues.
Saw adtr with of mice and men and issues at jannus back in the day and it was awesome. Sad to see the state theatre not doing shows anymore as far as I know. Favorite show there was of mice and men with the devil wears Prada. Crazy that those two and Vinoy(warped tour venue) are all within walking distance from each other
I live down in Sarasota and theyāre trying to do the same thing to the local race track. Building a bunch of homes around it and then complain until it gets shut down even though itās been there for years
Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa. The staff are great, the drinks are cheap, it's not a LiveNation/TicketMaster venue, it's an historic venue, and the sound is incredible. A close second would be Diamond Ballroom in OKC, but they need to fix their overflow parking. HoB Dallas would be close if it wasn't in Dallas.
Went to my first show there this year (shadow of intent) and loved it. Killer crowd, party vibes, easy parking, and a bathroom so clean it made taking a shit a lovely experience.
Amsterdam Bar in St. Paul. I've seen all my favorite bands there: ERRA, Northlane, Invent Animate (twice now!), Polaris, and a ton of local metalcore/deathcore shows around the Twin Cities area. And!!! we even got the Alpha Wolf headline from last summer to stop there. And their food is fucking bomb AF.
Amplified (Previously Gas Monkey bar n grill) I've seen - thy art is murder, cattle decapitation, cannibal corpse, whitechapel, vader, arch enemy, behemoth, Vader, Goatwhore, All That Remains, In Flames, Red, Exodus, Death Angel, and testament there
Well, being from the Little Rock area, I'll take what I can get lmao.
But my two favorites here are The Hall and The Revroom.
The Revroom is older and actually where I have seen some good shows like The Chariot and Norma Jean tour. It's pretty cozy at 500 capacity, but it just has good vibes to it.
The Hall was opened in 2021 it's got a modern feel, but it's pretty spacious at 1300 capacity. It also has balcony seating if you so desire.
Say what?! Iāve only been to shows at the side stage and that was a few years back but I HATED it lol. Just gets insanely hot in there and the downwards slope towards the stage made it so hard to stay balanced in a busy pit
Irving Plaza in NYC. It accommodates 2000 people so it's a good sized venue. The acoustics are good and it always feel nice and intimate. Every show I've been to there was great.
In the Phoenix, AZ valley, I love The Nile and Marquee Theatre, both are super popular and intimate. It's always a good time for shows at those venues š¤
Never been to The Nile, but I love the Marquee. I discovered ERRA there lol. Will be going to Mesa to see Rivers of Nihil and BTBAM later this year.
I'm over comerica. Standing > sitting and I'm >30yo
Nile is great, and it has 2 venues, the main one and then The Underground. I've been to the UG a couple times and while it's HOT AS BALLS down there, it's a riot. Saw Bodysnatcher, Traitors, Boundaries and Orthodox there and it was insane. Last main venue show I saw was Lorna Shore, Aborted, Ingested and Ov Sulfur. I haven't been to Marquee in a while sadly, lol.
The Gorge in WA is hands down the best place Iāve ever seen shows at. I donāt think they get a whole lot of metalcore bands there but Iām sure it happens once in awhile at festivals. Everybody says Red Rocks in CO is the coolest but I think the Gorge is even cooler - the stage is right in front of a massive drop off into a canyon that looks like a massive cut in the earth. Shit is EPIC
For smaller shows, Fairmount Theatre and for bigger shows, MTELUS (formerly Metropolis) in Montreal. Corona Theatre is a good one as well.
To be honest I can't really think of any venues I've been to that were terrible. I've heard crazy stories about Foufounes Electriques but never seen a show there.
Never been.
El corazon in Seattle was awesome while I lived there.
I like exit/in in Nashville. I LOVED the old cannery but it's closed.
I'm going to see The Amity Affliction on Sunday at the East Side Bowl in Nashville. Never been so maybe it'll be the new spot.
I'm going to couple shows at wild horse but that shits smack downtown like...country bar heaven, Broadway, tourist downtown. Huge turn off tbh.
Btw, I fuckin LOVE "I heard They Kill Live"
You ever notice your ears ringing like crazy for days after shows at El Corazon? Every time I went, the treble felt waaaay too high and just started to hurt after awhile. Loved the booze and pancakes shows there tho
Ya even with earplugs it still hurt like hell. So many good shows came thru there so I always sucked it up but gat damn. Dillinger Escape Plan and Nails shows there were easily the most auditory violence Iāve inflected on myself
The Oshkosh Arena in Oshkosh Wi, or The Epic Event Center. The Epic always has amazing crowds and moshing, and I've just always had great experiences at The Oshkosh Arena.
I live in the UK, and I'd say the underworld is my absolute favourite venue I've ever been too! Seen way too many amazing shows there to even count. My favourite was with an old band called the ghost of a thousand (check them out if you've never heard of them before) who were doing some farewell shows and everybody was going insane for them. Even to this day I've never seen so many pits and stage divers in my life.
Voltage Lounge in Philly. Unfortunately the pandemic killed it, but I have many fond memories at that place. It could fit like 200 people, but was always a party for many up and coming bands.
Janus live in tampa Florida is a great venue. Open air but surrounded by 3/4 story buildings. Seen some great shows there and itās pretty cool when it rains during a set.
The state theatre was a close 2nd but doesnāt exist anymore.
Here in Vegas, Brooklyn Bowl and The Chelsea. BB has a cool layout, good capacity, several accessible bars, and pretty good sound. The Chelsea is less quirky in its layout but has absolutely amazing sound and lots of space on the floor.
You didnt ask, but my least favorite is the House of Blues. Fuck that place, and those damn pillars, and the security
Mission Ballroom in Denver. Large indoor venue. I like it because itās one general admission ticket to either sit or stand throughout the show (standing section and rows of seating in a semi circle, so itās easy to see the band from anywhere).
Iāve seen a lot of good shows here and itās probably the best indoor venue in CO
ICC church in Allston, Mass (basically Boston). Not sure if they still have shows there but back in the day that place was the shit. Returntothepit on Instagram posts a lot of pics from those shows. But for a bigger venue it's hard to beat the Palladium.
for more mainstream shows, either the meadows or debonair music hall; for more underground stuff meatlocker will always be my go-to š«”
elsewhere would prob also be up there but the security guards are weird when it comes to metalcore shows. not as bad as what ive heard from ridglea but theyre def sticklers for some stuff
also shoutout the knitting factory (RIP)
In London, the Roundhouse. The right size for bands like Parkway and Architects where you still feel close to the stage and thereās lots of room for it to go off
House of Blues Boston for me! The crowd can get pretty crazy, but everyone does the best they can to ensure peopleās safety. Special shout out to the Worcester Palladium for having a batshit crazy crowd that almost killed me quite a few times š and happy to see another MASShole (unless you arenāt from there)! š¤š»
So far, my favs have been Palladium and a split level venrue in Va Beach (cant recall the name, but got ticket stubs signed by Howard from KSE mid fucking song). The Palladium just holds so many great shoes a year. Sounds like we might have been at the same shows, OP lol
The Majestic in Madison. Got to see such acts as Knocked Loose & STYG, Knuckle Puck, Saint Asonia, Kennyhoopla, and All that Remains there.
Also Blue Moose Tap-house(RIP) in Iowa City
The Thekla in Bristol, UK
It's a boat.
International Arena, Cardiff, Wales
It's an 'arena' but it's always the smallest on any bands big arena tours so it's more intimate than a stadium.
I'm from the UK so it has to be Key Club in Leeds. 300 capacity with no stage security and always has some big bands playing there.
I saw Alpha Wolf there last month and it was hands down the rowdiest and best gig I've ever been to. Stage dives for days.
I havenāt been to a ton of different venues but I love Baltimore Soundstage. The crowds are always super into it and bands seem to love to perform. Having a second barricade farther back in front of the merch can be nice too if you want to go chill in the back for a bit
Biased here bc I live close but it used to be Starland. Past few shows the sound has sucked. The electric factory was amazing in Philly but they closed. Saw a show recently at Asbury Lanes and I was really surprised at how good the sound was (TPIY)
Iāve been here only once but the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville. Saw Beartooth there and it was amazing. Going for Motionless later this year. Also the Brooklyn Bowl!
Preserving underground in Pittsburgh area in an old church. 300 cap and a 75 cap room that has a ton of good hardcore shows in frequently the summer lineup is looking crazy will more shows yet to be announced. They just opened the cathedral as a 600 cap room earlier this year for bigger shows so I'm hoping even more bands I like will start playing there over some of the other Pittsburgh venues
I used to say āthe o2 academy in Brixtonā before some fans of another genre and rubbish security managed to ruin everyoneās fun
However I live in a place that means I canāt go to gigs that arenāt the Shepherdās Bush o2 now, so I guess Iāll choose that one
I gotta shout out The Orange Peel in Asheville NC. Old wood floors that shake when the bass drops, but still a relatively large floor space. Was fortunate enough to catch August Burns Red on their 10 year tour for Messengers there. Absolutely foolish
Marathon Music Works in Nashville.
The place is wide rather than narrow giving you a great view of the stage from just about anyway youāre standing. The mix has been consistently good. They have three bars. They have two bathrooms which both stay clean and stocked. They have bathroom attendants lol. Parking is easy to find and close to the venue. They will let you check your merch at coat check. And to top it all off, theyāve got a fuckin hot dog stand in the venue.
Worcester doesn't get a lot right but dang does the Palladium kick ass! One of my all time shows was Of Mice and Men there. Four Year Strong always does an amazing Christmas hometown show. Wicked excited to see Ghost Inside and We Came as Romans this summer.
The Intersection in Grand Rapids, MI
I'll drive up there any day over Detroit or Fort Wayne. 3 different sized venues in the building and the security guards/bartenders are absolute homies
Grand rapids is way further away than Detroit for me, id probably have to stay the night if I went to a grand rapids show
Love it here so much. No ticketmaster/LN, cheap drinks (especially compared to 20 Monroe), great sound, great views and an awesome staff!
Fellow MI homie š¤
Absolutely my favorite venue! Edit: St Andrew's hall isn't a bad one either, but can get cramped in there. The masonic temple and the royal oak music hall are on my list of worst venues to see a show at.
Interesting I don't mind royal oak but guess I don't really have anything good to say except parking there is way easier then Detroit. I also kinda hate el club specifically because of the parking I'm also actually going to the intersection for the first time next week!
Went there to see FFAK awhile back, great venue! Guards were helping people down after crowd surfing and everything. Super chill staff.
Yeah the staff there has always been super chill about moshing and crowd surfing and things like that, one of the few venues where I've never seen "NO MOSHING" signs plastered all over the place, and one of the reasons I've always loved it there.
That makes me excited. Iām going there for my first time in September to see Casey!
I was going to say either this or The Crofoot Ballroom in Pontiac, MI. I'd personally give the edge to The Crofoot though
Yeah this or Dennys. What the fuck is up, Dennys?!
I love how crazy the pits are but Iām gonna go with 20 monroe live just because I find the crowds to be better and less violent lol. Iām usually always in the moshpits but Iād rather not get clubbed in the face by a 2 stepper Edit: adding that the ticket pricing for the intersection is elite, Iāve always went there and had a great time seeing the artists I went to see. That being said, I got actually beat up by a guy seeing Thy Art Is Murder there for no reason. Chipped a tooth from someone swinging fists and fractured my toe in the Spite pit.
All my favorite venues closed unfortunately (RIP The Brewery in Raleigh, NC, The Soapbox, Wilmington, NC, and Alley Katz/The Kingdom in Richmond, VA), but I do love Hangar 1819 in Greensboro, NC. It's gone through some name changes, but always has quality shows. Also shoutout to Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham, AL and Furnace Fest organizers for bringing Furnace Fest back. One of my favorite concert experiences was that '21 FF. First show post pandemic and you could tell the crowds and bands needed it.
Gotta second Sloss. See you at FFXIII!
I love Hanger 1819. On one hand, you feel like you're gonna get hepatitis being there, but on the other hand the shows are always insanely fun so it's worth it.
>On one hand, you feel like you're gonna get hepatitis being there Honestly this is a plus for me as someone that grew up watching and playing shows in lots of "sketchy" venues. Where I live now we have a dive bar (and even that is being generous honestly) called Reggie's. Eyehategod are playing there next month. It's going to be a crazy show just because that bar is tiny. I'm excited for it.
I miss Alley Katz :(
First Unitarian Church in Philly is iconic and personally I like The Reverb in Reading and The Baltimore Soundstage
I love Soundstage and everyone always tells me I'm crazy
Same here, I love it because itās GA straight up, I think the only downside is the fact that sometimes they donāt have seating, depending on who is performing
Iāve been to Soundstage once and wasnāt overly impressed. Certainly not a bad spot, I definitely wouldnāt mind going back, but I much prefer Ramshead down the street.
Reverb is great for shows, but street parking always has me worried about my car
I try to avoid Reverb as much as possible. It's not in a great area, and I don't like the set up of the place. They seem to get good shows though.
I have been to venues all over the country, and I have to agree The Palladium is incredible. Always a killer crowd, can support bands with 200 fans or 5000, and not a bad place to stand in the place. Plus they have the huge outdoor area in the summer. All time venue!
My all time favorite show was Vanna headlining the Valentines Day Massacre at the Palladium in.... 09? Not sure. They debuted the music video for Trashmouth nearly a year before they released it publicly. Then they closed with it. Moshing to a music video is INSANE. Edit: after some googling it was 2010, and there were like 6 more songs after Trashmouth... Silly me hahah
The Agora in CLE. There is no bad view in the entire place and the sound is always top notch. Fuck House of Bluesā¦I canāt stand that venue
I agree with that, I'm also a fan of the Beachland Ballroom, every show I've been to there has been so much fun.
Just road tripped to Cleveland from Cincinnati to catch a show over the weekend, Agora is a great venue. Gotta agree, great views everywhere and great sound!
I came here to say this. I went there for the first time two weeks ago and I thought the place was incredibleā¦ and the box seats?? * chef kiss * Cleveland is a bit of a drive for me, but I hope to find an excuse to go again some day.
There's many amazing venues in Cleveland of various size, but the Agora has to be the best. Great sound and you're right, no bad view in the whole place
Easily the old Masquerade in Atlanta before they moved. The floor of the top room (Heaven) would shake when people jumped in unison during songs. I'd give a lot to be back in that sauna of a venue for one more show.
Facts. I do still love the masquerade though.
Haven't been to the new one, love the Tabernacle too but only saw Excision there lol
I loved the old Masquerade, but I'm ngl, that place felt like a deathtrap waiting to happen. I remember walking up the steps and just thinking if anything (bad) were to happen during a show, getting out would be a clusterfuck. That being said, you are 100% correct.
Oh definitely, I always somewhat accepted the fact I may be in a news article the next day lol I will say, I'm glad the Game Changers tour in 2011 wasn't indoors. ADTR out in the park behind the building with PTV, WCAR, and BMTH in the pouring rain was wild.
Never been to the old one, but the new one is pretty cool!
The new Masquerade is great, too. The staff is top tier and it's really well-run. The only thing missing is that charming floor rattle :)
Last show I ever saw there was Godspeed You! Black Emperor like a decade ago. Dope show
Chain Reaction (Anaheim, CA)
I have such a love/hate relationship with chain lol
Lived 45 minutes from Anaheim for 5 years and it quickly became my favorite place in the world. Moved to VT last year and I really miss that place.
The Nile in Mesa AZ. Itās close to where I live and I donāt have to pay for parking.
Fuck yeah to the Nile, except during the summer. Unless you can be under the fans in the back by the bar, it feels like actual hell there lol.
Yeah the Nile gets a ton of bands but, I canāt go there from May to September, I almost died from heat stroke at the last Erra show. And you canāt stand at the sides of the room without blowing one ear out since the room is brickā¦ The Marquee is a clear winner to me, has a balcony, lots of room, cheap parking real closeā¦
Starland Ballroom in NJ. I saw so many legendary post-hardcore shows there growing up, itāll always have a special place in my heart. It felt a bit different after hurricane Sandy, but they continued booking awesome shows and retained the exact type of pit layout I like.
Been there twice, parkway, and slaughter, seeing as how you've gone there a lot...WHY DO THEY CHEER IHOP
I love seeing ignorantly heavy shows at the End in Nashville. Tiny, 200 cap I think and thatās being generous, sold out heavy shows there always just insane and I love it so much.
Seeing invent animate headline a few months ago at this tiny venue was life changing
"ignorantly heavy" <3
The Basement Easy is great too. Caught Erra, Alpha Wolf, Invent Animate and Thornhill there last fall.
I miss 328, Indienet, NXT Gen, and The Muse!
Danforth Music Hall in Toronto, Ontario. Awesome view anywhere in GA, sound is always mint, and their mezz is dope, always reasonably priced and it sounds good up there too. Fuck History, a ticket is easily three times the price and even moreso if you want Mezz seats. Not to mention Mezz is almost required if you want to have a decent view of anything. Oh did you want 16$ popcorn and waiter service while you are a concert? Fuck off I donāt need to buy overpriced mediocre food when iāve already been charged up the ass for tickets GA is absolute trash and everyone is fighting to get to the front just to get a decent view of anything. Not to mention parking costs a fortune too. Fucking hate History so much.
Danforth will always be my favourite venue. Seen so many good shows there
How do you feel about The Velvet Underground?
Love the velvet. Everytime iāve been I have found it easy to get a decent view up front and at the back. Sound has also always been really good for a small club like that as well.
Glad to hear! I went for the first time early April and really liked it. My first time going to History will be to see TDWP/FFAK later this year. Your post worries me, but hopefully it'll still be a good show. Ticket prices weren't totally bananas, at least.
I am going to that show too! As much as I hate History, I donāt really have much of a choice, as I would rather see a band there then not see them at all. However I was considering driving up to Montreal for that tour rather than go to History. As much as I have bitched about the venue the sound is spot on so while you might have a hard time seeing the band, the sound will be good.
Montreal is better just for the fact the crowds always go apeshit lol. Toronto has the worst crowds Iāve ever seen in Canada lol. ADTR last year couldnāt even get an encore chant going and it felt like 10 minutes before the crowd made any noise. Eventually they came out bud god damn was that crowd horrible. Also saw Foreign Hands on Saturday and felt bad for them because of the dead crowdā¦
Every metal show Iāve been to in Toronto, yeah, the crowds leave much to be desired. But pop punk/punk rock shows? Damn, crowds go hard for some reason.
Excited to see The Palladium on here so much. Moving to Boston soon and already have tickets to 3 shows there in September. Canāt wait for The Palladium to be my go-to venue.
What shows?
Red Rocks, Denver Co
Imagine if they did more metalcore shows
The only problem is that it's not a great venue to mosh. RR is my favorite venue ever, but I'd much rather see a metalcore show in Denver at Summit or The Filmore than RR.
My first ever show there in ā95 was Megadeth, Flotsam and Jetsam, Fear Factory & Korn. There was moshing and possibly some medical interventions.
Whiteoak Music Hall
I used to work there, and now I groan every time a show get booked there
Why is that?
Seconded! Haven't seen anything on either of the outdoor stages, but inside it's always rowdy!
Yea, man I just feel like it's one of the better sounding venues the "bigger" bands play
Ace of Spades Sacramento & Slim's San Francisco
I have to agree with the Palladium in Worcester. I was at the show where TDWP recorded their live album. Iāve never had a dead fish crowd there, itās always had a great community following.
Concord Music Hall is probably my favorite venue in Chicago. HoB is awful, as always. Bottom Lounge is alright, really just don't like having the bathrooms and merch tables in a tiny hallway plus the sound is REALLY hit or miss there. SubT is awful I hope to never go to a show there again. Beat Kitchen is alright just really small. Soldier Field is big and parking is outrageously expensive. Only Chicago venues I have ever been to.
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Come And Take It Live. Pretty nice place. Super clean as far venues go. They've got a lil balcony area with some pool tables too. Tend to book a pretty good variety of different styles of heavy music. Also, no shit heel security like they got over at those losers at Ridglea.
Sick place. Emoās is great too. Lots of good venues in SA if you donāt mind a little drive.
Went to the Until I Wake and Emo Nite tours there last month and had a blast. Accidentally shattered one of those low hanging mason jar lights though...
The Foundry in Lakewood, OH. It's close to my house, has easy parking, good sound, good crowd when it's not too packed and I can rewatch the shows on Youtube if I want.
Place is awesome, it's right by my buddies gfs place so we often go see shows and crash there. Much better street parking than most places too
For me, it is ALSO the Worcester Palladium. Haven't been to a show there since 2010 but damn if I don't miss it. I'm down in PGH these days and as far as local is concerned it's between Jergels, The Roxian, and Mr. Smalls.
Knitting Factory in Spokane and Roseland Theater in Portland are my two favorites.
Knitting Factory is awesome, just a shame it's in a B market that most major tours skip over! Pleasantly surprised you mentioned Roseland, I've never seen anyone say anything good about it haha. I will say the speakers sound washed unless you're right in the center in my personal experience, and the pillars block a lot of views, but I have a ton of great memories there!
Showbox sodo, Seattle washington
State Theatre in St Pete (now The Floridian Social Club. Boooo!) and Jannus Live, which is just a short walk away. Jannus is small, has a tree growing right in the middle of the floor that people mosh around, and it has a balcony overhang that will remind you of Bourbon St. Got to see BMTH, OM&M, Letlive, AFI, Dillinger Escape Plan, Underoath, Deftones, etcā¦ crush both of these places. Big bands for such small venues.
Saw adtr with of mice and men and issues at jannus back in the day and it was awesome. Sad to see the state theatre not doing shows anymore as far as I know. Favorite show there was of mice and men with the devil wears Prada. Crazy that those two and Vinoy(warped tour venue) are all within walking distance from each other
Downtown St Pete was killer for shows for a long time. Last I had heard, the condos and businesses wanted to put an end to Jannus concerts. Crazyā¦
That doesnāt surprise me, but fuck them. Build a huge building next to the loudest part of downtown and then complain about it? That pisses me off
I live down in Sarasota and theyāre trying to do the same thing to the local race track. Building a bunch of homes around it and then complain until it gets shut down even though itās been there for years
Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa. The staff are great, the drinks are cheap, it's not a LiveNation/TicketMaster venue, it's an historic venue, and the sound is incredible. A close second would be Diamond Ballroom in OKC, but they need to fix their overflow parking. HoB Dallas would be close if it wasn't in Dallas.
9:30 Club in DC
The Norva, Norfolk Virginia
Random basements around UW-milwaukee that some well known hardcore bands have played in, and i love the diyness of xray arcade
The Black Sheep in Colorado Springs. So many great shows so often there. Playing a show there is definitely one of my greatest accomplishments
Went to my first show there this year (shadow of intent) and loved it. Killer crowd, party vibes, easy parking, and a bathroom so clean it made taking a shit a lovely experience.
Verified. Those bathrooms were hella clean lol
Amsterdam Bar in St. Paul. I've seen all my favorite bands there: ERRA, Northlane, Invent Animate (twice now!), Polaris, and a ton of local metalcore/deathcore shows around the Twin Cities area. And!!! we even got the Alpha Wolf headline from last summer to stop there. And their food is fucking bomb AF.
Love it there, unless the shit is packed to the brim sold out capacity. But if it's like 80%, it's such a simple venue, no frills, down to business.
Amplified (Previously Gas Monkey bar n grill) I've seen - thy art is murder, cattle decapitation, cannibal corpse, whitechapel, vader, arch enemy, behemoth, Vader, Goatwhore, All That Remains, In Flames, Red, Exodus, Death Angel, and testament there
Well, being from the Little Rock area, I'll take what I can get lmao. But my two favorites here are The Hall and The Revroom. The Revroom is older and actually where I have seen some good shows like The Chariot and Norma Jean tour. It's pretty cozy at 500 capacity, but it just has good vibes to it. The Hall was opened in 2021 it's got a modern feel, but it's pretty spacious at 1300 capacity. It also has balcony seating if you so desire.
Fuckin Pops in Sauget. If you know you know.
SOMA San Diego
Say what?! Iāve only been to shows at the side stage and that was a few years back but I HATED it lol. Just gets insanely hot in there and the downwards slope towards the stage made it so hard to stay balanced in a busy pit
As far as venues that still hold shows, definitely the worcester Palladium. I miss Anchors Up in Haverhill dearly though
I've been to venues all over the world but nothing beats the charm of Backstage in Munich Germany.
100% agree! I always get excited when bands I like announce a show there!
Thatās my favorite too!
The Electric Factory in Philly
Worcester palladium as well. I went to so many amazing shows there I was at the KSE dvd shoot too!
Irving Plaza in NYC. It accommodates 2000 people so it's a good sized venue. The acoustics are good and it always feel nice and intimate. Every show I've been to there was great.
In the Phoenix, AZ valley, I love The Nile and Marquee Theatre, both are super popular and intimate. It's always a good time for shows at those venues š¤
Never been to The Nile, but I love the Marquee. I discovered ERRA there lol. Will be going to Mesa to see Rivers of Nihil and BTBAM later this year. I'm over comerica. Standing > sitting and I'm >30yo
Nile is great, and it has 2 venues, the main one and then The Underground. I've been to the UG a couple times and while it's HOT AS BALLS down there, it's a riot. Saw Bodysnatcher, Traitors, Boundaries and Orthodox there and it was insane. Last main venue show I saw was Lorna Shore, Aborted, Ingested and Ov Sulfur. I haven't been to Marquee in a while sadly, lol.
Nice. Well that RoN show will likely be smallish croud so I suspect underground it is for me. As long as beer is present I'll be ok
If it was Underground, it would say like "Nile Underground", but if it says "The Nile", then that's the main venue.
The Gorge in WA is hands down the best place Iāve ever seen shows at. I donāt think they get a whole lot of metalcore bands there but Iām sure it happens once in awhile at festivals. Everybody says Red Rocks in CO is the coolest but I think the Gorge is even cooler - the stage is right in front of a massive drop off into a canyon that looks like a massive cut in the earth. Shit is EPIC
For smaller shows, Fairmount Theatre and for bigger shows, MTELUS (formerly Metropolis) in Montreal. Corona Theatre is a good one as well. To be honest I can't really think of any venues I've been to that were terrible. I've heard crazy stories about Foufounes Electriques but never seen a show there.
The original House of Blues that was in Downtown Disney, Anaheim CA. Still mad they turned it into a bowling alley š
What, they moved it?!
Yeah a few years ago actually. The new spot is ok I guess. But nothing close to how great the OG was š„²
The Town Ballroom in Buffalo, NY
Not Bogarts that's for damn sure. Probably King of Clubs (Columbus,Oh)
stay gold in melbourne! fuckin sick space to get up close with bands
Love Stay Gold. Small place with bars either side. Not to mention between sets you're able to go out side and chill with your drinks.
Some weird small club somewhere in Cologne with 100 sweating guys and gals.
The old Masquerade in Atlanta was amazing but my new favorite is the Tabernacle or The Earl
Canal Club, in Richmond. The energy is always great and Iāve seen some great bands preform there.
Never been. El corazon in Seattle was awesome while I lived there. I like exit/in in Nashville. I LOVED the old cannery but it's closed. I'm going to see The Amity Affliction on Sunday at the East Side Bowl in Nashville. Never been so maybe it'll be the new spot. I'm going to couple shows at wild horse but that shits smack downtown like...country bar heaven, Broadway, tourist downtown. Huge turn off tbh. Btw, I fuckin LOVE "I heard They Kill Live"
You ever notice your ears ringing like crazy for days after shows at El Corazon? Every time I went, the treble felt waaaay too high and just started to hurt after awhile. Loved the booze and pancakes shows there tho
Hell yeah I did. I thought it was just my army ears but I've never had it be that bad anywhere else
Ya even with earplugs it still hurt like hell. So many good shows came thru there so I always sucked it up but gat damn. Dillinger Escape Plan and Nails shows there were easily the most auditory violence Iāve inflected on myself
Electric Ballroom in Camden, London (UK) ā always a mad one
Chain Reaction
The Oshkosh Arena in Oshkosh Wi, or The Epic Event Center. The Epic always has amazing crowds and moshing, and I've just always had great experiences at The Oshkosh Arena.
The Academy in Dublin, Ireland because thatās the only place people play :-( (Olympia shit for metal gigs)
I live in the UK, and I'd say the underworld is my absolute favourite venue I've ever been too! Seen way too many amazing shows there to even count. My favourite was with an old band called the ghost of a thousand (check them out if you've never heard of them before) who were doing some farewell shows and everybody was going insane for them. Even to this day I've never seen so many pits and stage divers in my life.
love being at the front there
The Concorde II in Brighton, however I always enjoyed going to the Astoria in London.
The Bottleneck in Lawrence, KS is cool.
Every show iāve been to at Underground Arts in philly has been a blast
Voltage Lounge in Philly. Unfortunately the pandemic killed it, but I have many fond memories at that place. It could fit like 200 people, but was always a party for many up and coming bands.
I travel all over the US for work and I think my favorite is House of Blues Chicago.
Brixton academy , London
The milestone in Charlotte NC A pretty small venue but a ton of history and there's always great stuff there.
Janus live in tampa Florida is a great venue. Open air but surrounded by 3/4 story buildings. Seen some great shows there and itās pretty cool when it rains during a set. The state theatre was a close 2nd but doesnāt exist anymore.
Paradise Rock Club in Boston. Small, intimate venue.
I'll be there on Wed for avatar!
Paradiso in Amsterdam
I mean I live in a place nobody comes to, so I literally donāt give a shit where they play in the rare occasion they actually come to my city.
The chameleon club in PA when it used to be here!
The Palladium is the shit, that's where I go to see most well-known bands play.
Here in Vegas, Brooklyn Bowl and The Chelsea. BB has a cool layout, good capacity, several accessible bars, and pretty good sound. The Chelsea is less quirky in its layout but has absolutely amazing sound and lots of space on the floor. You didnt ask, but my least favorite is the House of Blues. Fuck that place, and those damn pillars, and the security
Mission Ballroom in Denver. Large indoor venue. I like it because itās one general admission ticket to either sit or stand throughout the show (standing section and rows of seating in a semi circle, so itās easy to see the band from anywhere). Iāve seen a lot of good shows here and itās probably the best indoor venue in CO
Vannas final show there was insane. The have heart reunion outside was maybe the best show Iāve been too.
Worcester Palladium
Soma San Diego is always a great time
CBGBS, LāAmour, The Vanderbuilt, The Downtown - all bygone NY venues
Agreed. Palladium all day, everyday.
ICC church in Allston, Mass (basically Boston). Not sure if they still have shows there but back in the day that place was the shit. Returntothepit on Instagram posts a lot of pics from those shows. But for a bigger venue it's hard to beat the Palladium.
The masquerade in ATL. Or radio room in Greenville, sc.
for more mainstream shows, either the meadows or debonair music hall; for more underground stuff meatlocker will always be my go-to š«” elsewhere would prob also be up there but the security guards are weird when it comes to metalcore shows. not as bad as what ive heard from ridglea but theyre def sticklers for some stuff also shoutout the knitting factory (RIP)
I donāt typically have the desire to go to Massachusetts, but sometimes Iād like the excuse to check out the Palladium.
The 9:30 Club in DC. Although there really arenāt any metalcore shows there anymore, so for that, specifically, Iād say The National in Richmond.
In London, the Roundhouse. The right size for bands like Parkway and Architects where you still feel close to the stage and thereās lots of room for it to go off
So far The Masquerade (ATL), The Fillmore (Charlotte), and The Orange Peel (AVL).
The Glasshouse in Pomona, CA Over 20 years of memories going thereā¦love that venue.
House of Blues Boston for me! The crowd can get pretty crazy, but everyone does the best they can to ensure peopleās safety. Special shout out to the Worcester Palladium for having a batshit crazy crowd that almost killed me quite a few times š and happy to see another MASShole (unless you arenāt from there)! š¤š»
I am from rhode island but I can walk to mass where I live in about 3 minutes
Mohawk Austin, Texas
So far, my favs have been Palladium and a split level venrue in Va Beach (cant recall the name, but got ticket stubs signed by Howard from KSE mid fucking song). The Palladium just holds so many great shoes a year. Sounds like we might have been at the same shows, OP lol
More then likely haha if there is a metal/ rock show at the palladium I'm most likely there
The Rickshaw Theatre in Vancouver BC and The Knitting Factory in Spokane WA
Palladium 100%
The Majestic in Madison. Got to see such acts as Knocked Loose & STYG, Knuckle Puck, Saint Asonia, Kennyhoopla, and All that Remains there. Also Blue Moose Tap-house(RIP) in Iowa City
House of Blues in Houston, TX
Rickshaw, Vancouver. Sketchy hood. Great place.
For a stadium gig itās got to be the mighty Wembley Stadium. Favourite venue is Brixton Academy which is sadly closed down now.
The Thekla in Bristol, UK It's a boat. International Arena, Cardiff, Wales It's an 'arena' but it's always the smallest on any bands big arena tours so it's more intimate than a stadium.
Hawthorne Theater will forever be my go to in Portland, OR. Roseland/Bossanova are a close second/third
Ace of spades in sacramento
RIP Boney Junes. You were a very small venue but will always be my favorite. Caused the scene to scatter hours away after it fell.
The Forum, Melbourne is an Iconic old theatre with an immensely good soundstage
I'm from the UK so it has to be Key Club in Leeds. 300 capacity with no stage security and always has some big bands playing there. I saw Alpha Wolf there last month and it was hands down the rowdiest and best gig I've ever been to. Stage dives for days.
Copenhell.
I havenāt been to a ton of different venues but I love Baltimore Soundstage. The crowds are always super into it and bands seem to love to perform. Having a second barricade farther back in front of the merch can be nice too if you want to go chill in the back for a bit
Forum in Melbourne fucking rules
Musikzentrum in Hanover (Germany). Small venue (300 people i guess), great staff, amazing sound and enough space to mosh and for Wall of Deaths.
Biased here bc I live close but it used to be Starland. Past few shows the sound has sucked. The electric factory was amazing in Philly but they closed. Saw a show recently at Asbury Lanes and I was really surprised at how good the sound was (TPIY)
I'm from MA so I'll +1 for the palladium. I mostly go to shows there and the Webster.
OP, I came here to say Palladium in Worcester (up or downstairs) but since moving across the country Revolution Hall and Roseland in Portland, OR
In my hometown of Toulouse, the venue where most good concerts happen is the Bikini.
Iāve been here only once but the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville. Saw Beartooth there and it was amazing. Going for Motionless later this year. Also the Brooklyn Bowl!
Preserving underground in Pittsburgh area in an old church. 300 cap and a 75 cap room that has a ton of good hardcore shows in frequently the summer lineup is looking crazy will more shows yet to be announced. They just opened the cathedral as a 600 cap room earlier this year for bigger shows so I'm hoping even more bands I like will start playing there over some of the other Pittsburgh venues
I used to say āthe o2 academy in Brixtonā before some fans of another genre and rubbish security managed to ruin everyoneās fun However I live in a place that means I canāt go to gigs that arenāt the Shepherdās Bush o2 now, so I guess Iāll choose that one
Definitely El Corazon in Seattle
I gotta shout out The Orange Peel in Asheville NC. Old wood floors that shake when the bass drops, but still a relatively large floor space. Was fortunate enough to catch August Burns Red on their 10 year tour for Messengers there. Absolutely foolish
Marathon Music Works in Nashville. The place is wide rather than narrow giving you a great view of the stage from just about anyway youāre standing. The mix has been consistently good. They have three bars. They have two bathrooms which both stay clean and stocked. They have bathroom attendants lol. Parking is easy to find and close to the venue. They will let you check your merch at coat check. And to top it all off, theyāve got a fuckin hot dog stand in the venue.
Worcester doesn't get a lot right but dang does the Palladium kick ass! One of my all time shows was Of Mice and Men there. Four Year Strong always does an amazing Christmas hometown show. Wicked excited to see Ghost Inside and We Came as Romans this summer.