Favorite Live Music Venue

[R_of_G]

What are some of your favorite venues to see live music? Answer doesn't have to be a place that still exists either, see mine...

1. Tonic, NYC which is now closed
2. Madison Square Garden, NYC you won't find better sound in any similarly sized arena anywhere, guaranteed

notice i listed no venues in my {now} hometown of Tampa, FL. that is because every last one of them has a sound problem, or is just so riddiculously crowded [with not a fun crowd] as to make enjoying performances unlikley.

 

[Justaguyin_nc]

1. Mud Island Memphis Tn. 5,000 seats in the middle of the Mississippi river, looking back at the Memphis SkyLine... always a good time.

2. War Stadium, Nashville Tn. ... I seen Pink Floyd Here.. soooo.. it rocks!

 

[stingx]

Beacon Theater - NYC.
Hammerstein Ballroom - NYC
Terra Blues - NYC
Aldo's - Lyndhurst, NJ
Scotland Yard - Hoboken, NJ

 

[Spudman]

The one I've been happiest the longest with is the Big Easy in Boise Idaho.

There is a pit in front of the stage then about 20 feet back the floor goes up 3 feet and there is a railing. If you get in to the club early enough and stand against the rail you are then 20 feet from the band and at stage level. It's then real easy to lob tomatoes at the bands.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

1. Trail Creek Cabin, SV Idaho Most intimate, best sound, danced with my wife about 15 feet from Lyle Lovett while deer grazed on the hillside above.

2. tie: a) the Pier in Seattle, great views. b) River Run base at Sun Valley, Idaho. Music viewing and listening is better in SV (again, was dancing with my wife about 30 feet from Bonnie Raiit, Keb Mo and Carol King as they combined in one show there), but Seattle has the view of the water, the boats, the Olympics, sunset, etc.

3. The Gorge Ampitheater, at George, WA Big, beautiful bowl overlooking the Columbia River Gorge. Views of the band are mostly distant unless you really smash into a crowd. Still fun.

4. Hop Porter Park, Hailey, ID. The Northern Rockies Folk Fest draws some fun folks, and the local center for the arts usually brings in a lesser known but talented group each year. This year was the Sierre Leone All Star Refugee Reggae band. Fun and cheap with the kids!


EDIT: Number One Place I would like to try where I haven't been is Red Rocks in CO. The recordings of U2 "Under a Blood Red Sky" there and the vids are some of my favorite U2 performances, and the venue looks beautiful. Has anyone been there?

 

[guitartist]

The Fox Theater, Atlanta Ga.

The Stones like this venue so much that they played the Fox on their '78 and '81 tours, even though it only seats about 5,000.

Never got to see the Stones play the Fox (tickets were impossible to get for those shows), but I did See Keith Richards kick off his 1988 solo tour there.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Please see Edit with Red Rocks query above.

Also, I had misread and thought it was outdoors only. I need to add the Moore Theatre in Seattle, and I guess the Pantages too, though the Moore sounds better. Saw some great intimate performances from Michelle Shocked and Cowboy Junkies there long ago. Also, always had fun at the Blue Moon in Portland.

Here is a pic of River Run and the view of the stage that is easy to get:

Places I didn't like: Kingdome, Tacoma Dome, Seattle Coliseum (Now the Key Arena).