Because we haven’t run enough argument-generating music lists today, here’s another, from Paste magazine (via Stereogum), citing the best live music venues in America. Quibbles first: glad NYC’s Bowery Ballroom is there, but where’s the nearby Mercury Lounge? Up in Cambridge, Mass., Club Passim gets in over the Middle East? (Passim would deserve inclusion if it were still 1962, when Bob Dylan used to play there.) On the plus side, I’m thrilled that Colorado’s Red Rocks amphitheater made the cut; best concert I ever attended was the landmark U2 show there that was recorded and filmed as Under a Blood Red Sky. (I’m not too sure, though, about Paste‘s command of geography: Red Rocks is properly listed among venues in the Southwest, but Boulder’s Fox Theater, just 30 miles north, in the same state, is listed in the Midwest.) Anyway, here’s where you weigh in on whether or not your regional favorites made the list. Let your fellow PopWatchers know where they should go to hear live music when they visit your town.
May 30
2007
11:01 PM ET
What's your favorite concert venue?
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Personally, my favorite venue is The Station in Rhode Island. Everytime I play there, I swear it’s like the place is on fire or something!
I rather fancy The Altamont Speedway. That venue is #1 with a bullet in my humble opinion!
Totally inappropriate, “Jack Russell.” Think about it – would you honestly make the same comment if your best friend or your mother were trapped and begging for their life to be spared?
Jaggers’ comment was not funny. Did anyone pick up on that? The Altamont Raceway was where former Jefferson Airplane/Starship singer Marty Balin was hit over the head with a pool stick while trying to break up a fight started by a bunch of Hell’s Angels. Later during that concert, a girl died.
Jones Beach is nice on a good night, but I like Webster Hall and Irving Plaza.
I like the Nikon at Jones Beach theater..like its outside on the beach, it cannot be topped!
Chastain Park in Atlanta….
saw Van Morrison there last month and it was out of this world…
Definitely the Troubadour in Los Angeles.
I like Slim’s above Great American Music Hall for SF; though GAMH is closer to the Phoenix Hotel, and it’s in the Tenderloin, so it’s easier to score drugs or hookers, so I can see why music people would like it better.
My favorite is the ornate Fox Theatre in St Louis. It’s beautiful, with perfect acoustics and not a bad seat in the house. It also happens to be Jerry Seinfeld’s favorite performance space.
I can’t believe they chose Schuba’s in Chicago, it’s nice, but very small. The Metro is a far better choice, its capacity is 1,100, it’s wide instead of long so the sightlines are great. The only problem is that the drinks are expensive ($5.00 for a Miller Lite? Where am I, Wrigley Field?).
The Fox Theatre in Atlanta is amazing and is closely followed by The Tabernacle.
the state theatre in detroit is an awesome venue…it’s impossible not to have a great time.
The Gorge at George in Washington State is an excellent outdoor venue with an amazing view of the setting sun for evening concerts.
I don’t know how they left of the Greek theater in LA. Nothing better than a concert outdoors.
ok, so being Canadian…I really don’t know many music venues in America…
but in the name of fairness, I’d like to contribute what I feel is one of the best concert venues in Canada
The Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto is a fabulous space, an outdoor area with 2 walls and a partial roof, grass seating area as well as chairs…
It’s just a great place to hold a concert!