Tour Prediction and Speculation Thread [ARCHIVED] Tour • Page 531

I’m hoping for a hometown release show or something, but probably won’t happen.
(Since I said it, it definitely won’t because I’m bad luck, haha)

 

I think Ram's Head is okay, not great. I hate how the weird shape makes it possible to get a bad spot, which shouldn't be a thing in a place that small. I've only been to Baltimore Soundstage a few times but I think that's definitely my favorite small-midsize venue in the city

I find myself going to DC for shows a lot more often, which I'm okay with because it's easier for me to get to. I just went to the Anthem for the first time last night actually and while I did end up having to park far away it was a pretty positive experience, it seems like a cool venue in a nice area.

@cwhit the one and only time I've ever been to Rock & Roll Hotel I'm pretty sure I parked in that exact CVS lol. I wasn't a fan of that place though

My favorite venue in the area is definitely the Fillmore but that's probably because I can literally just drive straight down Georgia Ave for 20 minutes and I'm there, and parking is super easy and free

Sorry for this super long post that maybe 2 other people in here will care about lol

 

oh, am i going down a dc/baltimore venue deep dive? i sure as hell am.

DC:


for the u street venues:

9:30 Club is pretty much the perfect midsized venue for shows, it draws good crowds and it's probably the best sounding venue in the area for the size. it feels much smaller than it is. tickets can get expensive and parking is a little annoying, but there's a little strip slightly north of U street that I always park when going to those. used to be like no food around, but as the place has gentrified there's a lot right there now.

dc9: i probably like this place the most out of anywhere in DC because they get a ton of really good shows and they're cheap and the place is super tiny. i've seen a bunch of bands that have gone on to huge places after playing there first.

black cat: venue is always a little above average, it's further away from my parking spot and it's a mess to find other parking around there but it's right across the street from amsterdam falafelhouse which i go to every single time i go there. just one of my favorite pre-show spots (or post show if that's more your speed). i like the backstage more because it's more intimate and i've seen some great sets there but they're doing a lot of renovations and i have no idea what it'll be like

howard theater: only been there twice, it was fine i guess, nothing really stood out


other dc venues:

rock and roll hotel: the venue in dc i go to most, it has the most really great shows and is closest to me, it's so easy to just park at the CVS on the corner, and there's a decent amount of food right on h street now. the sound isn't great there, that's my only complaint, it's perfect in pretty much any other way

songbyrd: super out of the way in adams morgan and parking sucks, venue shape feels weird (hard to see from further back, but they've sadly been getting more and more good shows. ugh

comet ping pong: out of the way again, but tons of good shows and the space is nice, and the pizza is dope. plus you can bother some conspiracy theorists by going there. more suburban so it's easy to park

the anthem: new by the people from 9:30 club/merriweather, it's amazingly nice and sounds incredible, it's just such a pain to get to and the tickets are super expensive. i've already sold tickets to a couple shows i was going to go to there because i didn't want to get out there

union stage: haven't been there yet but it's right by the anthem, they're already starting to take a bunch of shows that would be in easier spots and it's a bummer.

diy spaces: i'm so out of the loop for DC now, haven't been to most of the ones that do most shows these days


DC area but not DC:

fillmore: fillmore is fine, it's just so generic, which makes sense as a chain venue. don't have much else to say about it, seen some very good shows there but it's just so bland. downtown silver spring has super easy parking and lots of food options though, which is a big plus, but you have to take 495 to get there from baltimore which is my least favorite road ever


baltimore:

rams head: maybe my least favorite venue, the sound is just horrible there and the crowds suck a lot. i never see bands stand out there. always bummed when shows go there. luckily it's walkable for me now but the parking garages around there are like 12 bucks and it's a bummer. food is solid, good peruvian chicken place right on the corner, and there's all the downtown options a little further

soundstage: another fine venue that doesn't stand out too much, it's okay, i really don't have much to say either way about it. right next to rams head gives it the same options

ottobar: i've done a season pass for three years, and show quality is way down this year, probably because of there being more venues in dc now. i've heard very bad things about the staff there, and that one pole is the most ridiculous thing when it comes to visibility in a venue, but i've had so many good times there. and parking is super easy too

metro gallery: might be better than ottobar now, venue is consistently very solid, but the show selection again has been down this year. street parking in the neighborhoods around is nice, but the diner on the corner (which was solid food but bad service) is now gone, so there's less right there to hit up that's cheap if you're coming from out of town. though the best wings in the city are a few blocks away, between ottobar and there

joe squared, the crown, EMP collective are all places i've booked, and they all have their pros and cons. baltimore makes it very hard to put on DIY shows, i'll just say that, and none of those places are totally ideal for the kind of shows i'd prefer to do

 

Pitchfork lineup roll out begins at 11:30 AM EST today.

 

hippodrome and lincoln are almost basically the same. gypsy sally's was an interesting place. hate echostage. only been to pier six once.

 

i was only thinking of straight concert venues so i didn't really mention hippodrome/lincoln theater/meyerhoff etc

echostage isn't really a rock venue anymore since the IMP partnership ended with the anthem starting, i did see the 1975 there and the place is massive but it's just an EDM club now

 

Echostage sucks. Pier Six sucks.

 

I enjoy pier six mainly for reggae shows...or shows I have lukewarm interest in because pier five let’s you sit along the promenade for free. Miss the fuck out of sonar and the recher tho some HOF shows at those places RIP

 

i only went to one show at sonar and the recher before it closed, i'm too young, haha

 

Do you ever make it down the other way to Richmond?

 

Kinda makes me want to evaluate all the North-Central Jersey/NYC/Eastern PA venues. Should I?

 

i've only been to richmond once, and that was when i was visiting one of my old writers. went to strange matter, cool place. it was the TWIABP/dads/pity sex (though they dropped off) tour in 2013. richmond doesn't ever really get things that make it worth going to, other than a few emo fests earlier this decade but i didn't really travel for shows now as much as i do. plus from baltimore it's like three hours, i go to philly pretty often though

 

ram's head seems okay to me, but i've only been there during maryland deathfest. soundstage is cool in my book because they remove the barriers for deathfest weekend, and you get shenanigans like this:

 

Please do! I have been to three venues in that area... loved one hated the others.. loved Theater of the living arts in Philly saw Amity Affliction there. Absolutely hated Croc Rock in Allentown saw ADTR and Underoath there hated PNC arts center in Holmdel even more saw Incubus and JEW.. what are your favorites!

 

richmond is amazing historically for metal, hardcore, and punk that falls out of the purview of this site. as you mentioned, strange matter is great. it's been a few years, but i remember the camel being pretty good when i saw the swellers and fake problems there way back in the day. the canal club...was not my favorite, but they seem to get decent shows every now and then. i've heard good things about the broadberry from my old buddy i used to go to metal shows with, but that opened after i moved to IL.

 

Yea I’m an old man it seems lol best show I have ever seen was Norma Jean at the recher absolutely destroyed the place.. Brandon jumped off of the ceiling speakers absolute craziness

 

richmond seems like a super cool city, more and more shows have been doing the philly to richmond jump and that pisses me off quite a bit, hahaha. but yeah, windhand is from richmond, right?

 

only two i saw were in like, 2010 and 2011. the say anything/saves the day/motion city soundtrack/AGBPOL tour at sonar and the TEN reunion show with man overboard and young statues at recher. didn't really get up to baltimore much until like, 2012/2013

 

Yea born, raised, and stayed in the area so I have been going to shows here for 18+ years and it seems like the large corporation sponsored cookie cutter venues are becoming the main option which stinks

 

Haven't been as far as Philly for a show but I've been to Stroudsberg. Anyway...
NJ
Starland Ballroom - I've been here a stupid amount of times in only a couple of years. Everything there is actually decently priced, but they pack people in and dry out the air so you spend more money on drinks. Also, pretty much no breathing room in the whole venue.

Gamechangerworld - I think this place got shut down? Anyway, the promoters that book this place are largely very sketchy. Shows always getting shut down. Also, the venue is very oddly structured. That being said, they have very good security. I was barricade when Four Year Strong played, guard got his tooth cracked and still kept doing his job the whole show.

Stone Pony - Never been to a show here, but it's a very nice venue. I was here to pick up The Maine's last CD which they distributed a limited edition of through this venue.

House of Independents - Haven't been, but everyone I know who's been there says it's the perfect alternative to Gamechanger. Very clean, good security, etc.

Dingbatz - Basically a bar, no idea how I got in unattended at 15. Anyway, absolutely disgusting venue but in a novel sense.

PNC Bank Arts Center - I've only been here for one actual concert, Blink-182 in 2016. Pretty nice as far as concerts go but security is the worst. They check your ticket at like 3 different points between the arena and the bathrooms. Also, at that show they shut down all of the men's bathrooms except for one, which was unfortunate. As far as Warped goes, they've set it up differently every year, but it's pretty well done. Full Sail was in an awkwardly small place for Knocked Loose's set, so people were falling to merch tents and stuff.

OceanFirst Bank Center - Went here when it was still MAC at Monmouth University, for All Time Low. Pretty average venue, basically just a basketball arena with a stage.

Vintage Vinyl Records - Not really a full venue but they have a stage for instores. All the staff there are great, and the owner Rob is a very nice guy.

PA
Sherman Theater - Only venue in PA I've been to, one of my favorite GA venues.

NYC
Irving Plaza - Hands down my favorite venue. Great staff, reasonable prices, great view from anywhere in the venue.

PlayStation Theater - Some security was pretty awful at this place, but some was really good. Guards yelling at kids to leave while waiting in the coat check line, shoving kids who came over the barricade. Other guards were really cool though, handing out water and stuff. Also, this is another venue where they dry out the air a lot. Facilities themselves are very nice though.

Central Park Summerstage - Was here for All Time Low last summer. Nice venue but security was horrible. Guards were more concerned with yelling at kids for "running" than they were with pulling kids out of the crowd who passed out. Also, instead of giving out water they would spray people with a hose on full blast. I didn't mind, but it was kind of obnoxious.

Madison Square Garden - Only ever been to the theater under it. Had assigned seats and came late, so I didn't get to experience the venue much. That being said, they upsold merch by like $5-10. Payed like $35 for a Neck Deep flag.

Barclays Center - this place is crazy. They have so many food places in the venue. Haven't been in about 5 years, though.

 

9:30 Club is the GOAT and that's all there is to it.

 

Gotcha. Wasn’t sure where exactly you lived to go to so many in DC. Richmond definitely has been getting some amazing stuff since I moved back in 2013. Strange Matter is one of the best but there are so many venues around that are really fun. I’d recommend hitting it up next time Philly gets skipped on a tour. I go that way pretty regularly and the drive isn’t too bad if it’s for a really special set.

 

Stone Sour Announce Spring Tour With Palaye Royale, The Bronx & '68 | Theprp.com

 

That's awesome for '68.

 

I just wanna say I appreciate all the venue talk. Especially for DC/Baltimore. I'll probably do one for NC when I get some time for a big post.