Lorie's Venue Reviews

The Fabulous Fox Theatre is a premiere venue for live music seating a reported 4,665 patrons. It was the site of the last show of Prince and Col. Bruce Hampton. Acoustics are best in Loge and 1st Dress where you will also get the best view of any light show. This is where I usually usher so come say hi. Downtown parking so be prepared to pay or park several blocks away on the street.  Official Page of the Fox Theatre in Atlanta | Fox Theatre 

The Eastern gets bonus points since I can walk there. Seems to me it holds 4000 or so. Some shows have seating and other are General Admission. Great sightlines and acoustics. Check out the rooftop bar! Parking is easy I am told.  The Eastern - Atlanta, Georgia (easternatl.com) 

Great talent and a wide range of music. Seats 3000+ I think. Got a serious renovation pre-covid. Lots of seats, but room to dance on the sides and in the pit. A couple of parking lots next door although neighborhood street parking is usually not hard to find.  Variety Playhouse (variety-playhouse.com) 

Great intimate venue. Actually, venues since there is an upstairs music room and a downstairs one too. Only a few tables upstairs so come prepared to stand and dance. Bonus points for the free parking across the street in Ansley Mall.  Smith's Olde Bar - Live Music Venue and Restaurant in Atlanta, GA. (sobatl.com) 

Yeah, you can see the symphony here, but also a wide range of jazz, blues, and rock. Sometimes even backed up by the symphony which is very cool. Great acoustics of course. Sometimes no dancing depending on the show and the ushers ;). I of course will be all for you dancing if you are in my section! Usual caveats about downtown parking. https://www.aso.org/

Great acoustics. Intimate venue. Gets great talent for the venue size which is maybe 1-200 people tops. I like to dance which doesn't fly at a "listening room" like Eddies though if you get a table on the side/back you might be able to get away with it.  Eddie’s Attic | Live Music in Atlanta, GA (eddiesattic.com) 

A brewery that loves to support music. Good range of local bands. Easy parking. Some outside seating. Sometimes the show is inside and sometimes outside. Primarilly local talent and usually a lot of fun. http://www.steadyhandbeer.com/

Great talent at a smaller venue. A bit odd in that is wide but not deep. The sound is very good though. They book a wide range of great acts. Food options as well but I'd not go there for the food per se. You used to be able to park down the street for free but no more.  Terminal West (terminalwestatl.com) 

Great little place to catch talent on their way up. Hate that you have to go through the smoking area of the bar to get to the music. https://badearl.com/

Super small venue (seats 100 more or less) with easy parking and a nice variety of acts. They claim to be a Listening Room, though they don't seem to mind if you dance on the side or back, but most people sit.  http://redlightcafe.com/

OK. So minus 3 off the top for being a Live Nation Venue. It was a 10 before then. Now no wandering up to see your friends as everyone is in a restricted zone and they still have a strip search mentality although no feeling you up anymore (yet) since post covid opening. I do love a good wood dance floor though. Venue apparently doesn't even rate their own website that describes this historic building. I recommend you check out the Wikipedia page  Tabernacle (concert hall) - Wikipedia 

Nice small local spot for local bands. Good food and drinks. Great parking. Chill environment. Nice staff  

Its fine. It's a smallish listening room. No dancing and they mean it if you are up front. Tables by the stage are very close together to the point of intimacy with the person behind and next to you. Table service though which some will appreciate. I usually sit in the back cheaper seats and can dance there.  https://citywinery.com/Atlanta

AKA Chastain Amphitheatre. Technically municipal owned but run by Live Nation so -3. Parking is a mess -1. Very chatty group of patrons -1. 

Big arena with terrible acoustics and worse parking.  And you have to go through ticketmaster so while not technically a Live Nation venue there's that. 

More of a music school that has an outdoor space for concerts. Nice friendly venue run by super nice people. Outdoors so you take your chances with the weather.  Bring your own food, chairs, and libations.  Never had a bad time here. https://musiconmainstreetlilburn.com/concerts.html 

Also Live Nation. They do a good job with parking though and seems a bit more chill than Ameris. Usually a fun parking lot scene. Lawn slope is good.

Fun local talent and you will love it if you like smoky taverns and hate it if you don't. I don't . http://msttucker.com/

Definitely OTP. Live Nation so -3, also the slope of the lawn is way more steep than it should be or is comfortable so -1. The do a pretty good job with parking. Last time I was there they dumped my entire backpack so what's the point of them having to be clear? - 1 for general harrasment

AKA the "Coca Cola Roxy". Located in the very artificial area called "The Battery" this square box concrete floor venue has little ambiance and poor acoustics. But don't worry, as bad as that may be the parking is worse. Oh and of course it's a Live Nation venue

The pride of Morrison Colorado. Historic. Iconic. Scenic. This venue has it all except a covered roof, which would spoil the vibe anyway.  Homepage - Red Rocks Amphitheatre (redrocksonline.com) 

Wow. Just Wow. Built just for music and the sound is great. The visuals are more impressive than the music even so go see anyone there. My recommendation is to be on the floor and stand at the back. If you don't like standing, then the front of the 100 or 200 sections will be next best. I just don't like the possibility of some curmudgeon behind me complain about my being up and dancing. Dancing at a concert is a surprise?

A venue so great that I will not even deduct points for my catching COVID there. Not on the beaten track but isn't everything these days just a LYFT ride away? Parking can be a challenge but overall a great vibe and venue. https://tipitinas.com/

Go see some music with altitude in Frisco Colorado. Tiny venue which punches well above it's size for talent and sound.  10milemusic.com 

I am not usually an amphitheater fan but I can make an exception in the case of The Warf. Located near a funky shopping area, easy parking not too huge. Well worth a road trip. https://alwharf.com/amphitheater

Now if you want a theater to dance in while in New Orleans', the Joy will meet your needs and then some. There are seats upstairs for the sitting types, or you can be on the ground floor dancing away. Maybe not lots of history ambiance, but still a great spirit and always has great talent  https://thejoytheater.com/

New Orleans' take on a classic theater. Not quite the Fox in Atlanta but that is a very high bar. Catch a show and you'll be able to wander to the French Quarter while the night is still young by NOLA standards  Saenger Theatre | New Orleans | Official Website (saengernola.com) 

Caught the house cover band (Reckoning) on a Wednesday night. Surprisingly crowded and strong band with good sound. Attracts good talent for size of venue. Easy parking  https://charlestonpourhouse.com/

Chill venue with easy parking. Onsite food and beer and drinks at the Whale which is attached. Outdoors so minus 3 point if it's raining :). https://www.therefinerychs.com/

Solid local place. Can't speak for the parking. Your basic square shaped concrete floor venue. Bars is well located inside the music. Can't speak to the parking since we walked but looked challenging. Good places to eat nearby before the show https://www.thesignaltn.com/

^ is about the best an arena is ever going to do on this scale. But it's a nice area. Plus minus on the parking. Word was the food options are fine.