How much does the venue impact the quality of the show?

[oistheone]

On the drive back from Boston, I was reflecting on the best concert experiences I've had. I came to the conclusion that ALL of my favorite concerts happened in AWESOME venues. Venues with great sound, great sightlines and minimal hassles with bathrooms and beer lines.

I've been to enjoyable shows at less-than-desirable venues. But they could have been AMAZING shows if the venue was right. (NYE at Agganis for example)

I submit that it is impossible to have an AMAZING show at a shitty venue. An enjoyable evening, yes. But is it possible to have one of those life-changing, "oh MAN!"-type shows at a venue where the sound is crap, the lines are huge and you have to fight for your spot every second of the show?

[e_wind]

it greatly impacts it. My favorite shows ever:

red rocks 11
red rocks 12 1 and 2
cap theater 1, 2, 3
Forecastle
Chicago 10
st. louis 11

all fantastic venues, with the exception of maybe Forecastle.

[EverythingChanges]

I think Forecastle is an awesome venue.  The stage could be slightly bigger, but I really loved it.  Maybe I haven't been to really amazing venues yet, but that was a great one imo.

[oistheone]

I'd agree that Forecastle was a great venue. As festivals go, Forecastle + Roll Call was heaven! No lines, could easily walk up to a great spot, sound was FANTASTIC and as an added bonus, the crowds were always in great spirits!

I should add that sometimes an AMAZING crowd plus an AMAZING show can make up for a shitty venue. For example, Bonnaroo. That place is practically hell on earth by most definitions (long lines, extreme heat, overcrowding, lots of wackos) but if the band, timeslot and crowd mood is juuuuust right, magic happens. The type of magic where you forget where you are and just have the time of your life.

BUT I would say this is an exception to the rule. More often than not, a shitty venue will DRAG DOWN the crowd, thus making it almost impossible for an AMAZING show to be salvaged.

[Fully]

The venue doesn't affect my enjoyment of the show, maybe just my enjoyment of the time before the show. The performance and the crowd affect it more.

[dp74]

I submit that it is impossible to have an AMAZING show at a shitty venue.

I submit the Terminal 5 shows to prove that statement wrong.

[headhunter]

I submit that it is impossible to have an AMAZING show at a shitty venue.

I submit the Terminal 5 shows to prove that statement wrong.

Correctamundo!!!!  I've seen great shows at better venues but T5 is still the standard-bearer.    They just don't get better.  "At least not in my mind."

[oistheone]

I still don't know why T5 gets shit on so much, I thought it was a decent venue! The sound was a little shakey, but it was pretty easy to get a good spot, and bar lines weren't brutal. And that rooftop patio thing was sweet! However, I do agree in that it was far from a GREAT venue.

I believe this goes right back to my exception though, in that a stellar crowd can save a great show from being ruined by a below-average venue. The crowds were so far off the hook they were back in the lake. Especially at the shows earlier in the week, it was as if a single non-fan wasn't anywhere near that building. Each person knew exactly when to shut the hell up, when to jump up and dance or when the put that fist up in the air and ROCK!

[logan5ive]

The venue definitely impacts because it affects the sound which affects the performance.  Red Rocks is a near perfect venue and the results in 2011 and especially 2012 show.

[walterfredo]

generally speaking...a HUGE impact.  Exceptions to the rule always exist, my personal exceptions...

MMJ @ T5 and Phish at the Arco Arena in Sacramento (1996)...both terrible, terrible places to see a show and both among the highlights of my musical experiences. 

[rincon2]

Venues where I have seen MMJ
1. The Greek L.A. Side riser seats are awful, but at least they have video screens. Volume way too low, too many rich people living in the surrounding hills.
2. Pantages   Beautiful venue. Way too hot on the balcony. I should have used the tickets on the back row of the floor, that I gave to my son and wife. Wasn't going to make my buddy hang out with one of them.
3. Sant Barbara Bowl   The loudest night show I have seen there. A-list facility. Watch a great band, the beach is visible, and the sun goes down.
4. The Gibson L.A.  Could be great, but half empty, and buttload of tech problems. Strangest set list I have ever seen. I think it might be one of the shows Jim has referred to as an off night.
5. Wiltern. If ever a band and venue were meant to co-exhist, this is it. Phenomenal venue, great sound. 100% proof that a venue can improve a show.( The band and it's setlist mght make this observation a bit subjective.)

[manonthemoon]

I think venue plays a huge part for the reasons other people have already stated.  First and foremost is the sound quality as some smaller venues always seem to have problems with their sound systems.  A lot of the larger stadium venues loose the intimate feel and I rarely enjoy those as much.  I think places like the fillmore in SF, the Cap, 9:30 in DC usually come to mind when I think of great venues to see shows as they are just the right size for me and the sound is usually spot on.

[Tracy 2112]

Best MMJ show I ever saw was at The 40 Watt in 2005, which cannot possibly be known for it's great acoustics. It was hot and smokey and packed and the crowd and the band were ONE. Amazing.

Worst show ever was Ryan Adams at The Ryman, which is known for it's acoustics and holiness. And the show sucked ass.

[sweatboard]

When I read the title of this thread the first show I thought of was that show at the 40 Watt.  I would rather see a band at The Pilot Light in Knoxvile as opposed to Madison Square Garden 10 out of 10 times....it's just not always in the cards.  The reason I LOVE live music has to do with sweaty, smoke, beer, tension, noise, passion,...intamacy...more stuff you can't always explain...

When you seek it out and it answers back, it's pretty powerful. 

[sweatboard]

IT...still moves 

[Tracy 2112]

When I read the title of this thread the first show I thought of was that show at the 40 Watt.

LA and I were listening to Magheetah from that show, the opening, and I still get goose bumps listening to everyone singing and still feeling the the crowd's energy surge in certain places. In fact, I am getting goose bumps typing about those goose bumps!

[wonderfulman]

It really depends what you consider a good venue. Some might think a good venue is one with great acoustics. Some might argue that a good venue is a place that has excellent energy/history. With that being said I have seen MMJ at venues that have amazing acoustics, and venues that just evoke amazing energy. My favorite MMJ venues are.

1) Radio City (great acoustics and perfect venue for MMJ. One of my top 3 favorite venues in NYC)
2) MSG (Does not have the best acoustics but IMO, nothing can top a great show at MSG.)
3) The Gorge (Beautiful scenery and notorious for one of the best venues in the country)
4) Bonnaroo (The main stage at ROO is shadily one of the best sounding stages out there. With the exception of the first few bars of VD at ROO 11', the sound was spot on)
5) Red Rocks (Between the scenery, history, and energy, it is undoubtedly the best venue out there)
6) Capital Theatre (Amazing history and great sound. The fact that it is 40 minutes outside of NYC brings it down a few notches)

[Shug]

In general, I think the venue quality makes for a better concert experience.  Seeing the Grateful Dead at the Henry J Kaiser in Oakland, The Frost Amphitheatre at Stanford, The Greek in Berkeley, Compton Terrace in Phoenix, etc etc was wonderful compared to seeing them at the basketball arenas.  I always looked forward to those shows in the "special" venues and often went in just a little more excited, a little more primed to have a great time.

But I've also seen some of the best rock 'n' roll ever in divey, dark, dirty clubs like The Channel in Boston (Georgia Satellites in 1987, a beer-spillin', sweaty, crowded rock 'n' roll throwdown) or at weird places not designed for music (SRV at the rodeo grounds in Pueblo, CO in 1986).

I think the overridding thing about what makes great rock shows great is the passion and energy of the band along with the passion and energy of the crowd.  When those two things are happening, its gonna be great.  That can happen anywhere, but being in a great venue might sometimes put both band and fans in a frame of mind that is conducive to a great musical event.

Some of my favorite venues:
The Fillmore in SF (they do such a good job at giving the fan a great experience, its almost like you are in a sanctuary where The Man cannot touch you as long as you don't hurt anyone else)

The Great American Music Hall in SF is like a tiny, fancier version of the Fillmore.  Its my all time favorite venue I've ever been to.

The Ryman in Nashville - such great sound and history, I can't help thinking about all the greats that stood on that very stage when I'm seeing one of my faves there.

The Wiltern is pretty sweet with its gentle tiers of standing GA floor and a rail for each tier.  2nd tier dead center puts you at eye level with the band right in the sweet spot for sound, perfect!

I'm looking forward to seeing the Black Crowes at the Vic in Chicago this spring, I think its gonna be a good venue.

[el_chode]

Brooklyn was perhaps the wost concert I've ever seen. And it had NOTHING to do with the band.

[dp74]

Brooklyn was perhaps the wost concert I've ever seen. And it had NOTHING to do with the band.

couldn't agree more, and it was a hometown show for me.