Maybe this belongs in the travel forum, but venues are a great thing to discuss.

A couple of years ago I was in the Bay Area riding the Caltrain from Mountain View into San Francisco. Suddenly out the window I saw
Cow Palace and was totally taken off guard. I remember that name from reading about famous Nirvana shows, but that wasn't even close to being on my radar on that trip. I had a brief star-struck moment. That venue is larger than life and there it was. So much history right out side my window.

Famous venues are just as pivotal to the industry canon as the music that they hosted, yeah?

Yeah, I agree with this. The place I have probably seen the most shows is the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY, the home of some legendary Grateful Dead shows in the early 70s. Up the street from the venue, Janis Joplin purportedly wrote Mercedes Benz and debuted it that night at the Capitol. It has more recently hosted Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and one Eddie Vedder and the Earthlings. It is often associated with a lot of jam bands playing there, and Phil Lesh played the venue more than 100 times.

All this to say the sound and layout are spectacular there, which is why I go to shows there.

The Fox Theatre in Atlanta has been one I’ve wanted to go to for a long time. And we’re finally getting to. The night between the two Pearl Jam shows, we’re going to see Peter Pan there.

Fun topic.

We visited Seattle last year and parked behind the Moore. We went to get things from our trunk and noticed the biggest pile of human shit I’ve ever seen. Had to be multiple people or one now deceased person. Handkerchief draped over the top made me laugh.

Notable venues I’ve been to:
First Avenue: It’s our most famous local venue. My first show of many there was Weezer in 96.
The Metro in Chicago: Just saw Local H there last year.
Red Rocks: Saw Beck there on the Colors tour.
MSG: PJ 08, 16, 22. It’s the most overrated concert venue ever.
Fillmore in San Fran: Saw Russell Crowe’s shitty band in the early aughts.
Catalyst in Santa Cruz: Reel Big Fish on my birthday and a just before they broke Sum 41 opened.
Alpine Valley: Rage Against the Machine and PJ20.
Shoreline Amphitheater: Multiple Bridge schools among many others.

My all-time favorite venue was the beach in Pensacola for De Luna Fest in 2012.

I stayed at a place across from the Moore in 2000, I think it was called the Commodore.

While I was there I walked to a show at the Croc. A day or two later I had a brief tour of the OK Hotel and took a cab out to the Sound Garden.

i've been to a bunch of the classic chicago ones over the years. plenty i haven't as well.

the metro stands out, thinking about the bands that have gone through there in their primes, and how intimate it is. the bar still only takes cash, even post covid.

Madison Square Garden is a weird thing. It has bad sound unless you are in the front half of the place, and lost some of its allure with the remodel, but it’s not known as a great live concert space, it’s the energy in the room from the folks that are there, and that artists often bring a little something extra to the place because of the reputation on the crowds and it being NYC. But the venue as a place does not have the sort of sound system you’d hope for given its importance.

I have seen some shows at famous venues like the Beacon Theatre, Bowery Ballroom, and other spots in NYC (Mercury Lounge, Irving Plaza, Brooklyn Bowl, etc.), SPAC in Saratoga Springs, which is one of the better amphitheaters. Great Woods in Mansfield. My favorite is still the Capitol Theatre though. That place is amazing.

The Beacon in NYC is great. Been there a few times.

The Ryman Auditorium is its own little history and culture. Been there plenty.

The Tivoli Theatre in Chattanooga is nice as is the Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville.

McCarren Pool - the audience stands in a big emptied public pool in a park in Brooklyn. I saw Gov't Mule, Wolfmother, and Two Gallants there in 2006.

Suffolk Downs - It was a horse racing track in East Boston. It held concerts in the 60's and 70's, including the Beatles. And then it stopped being a music venue for more than 20 years, before again hosting concerts for several years starting in 1999. And then again it stopped being a music venue for more than a decade before, during which time horse racing ceased. And then in 2023 in opened again as The Stage @ Suffolk Downs, hosting a few events a year. My only show there was Radiohead on the Kid A/Amnesiac tour.

The Anthem in DC is great.
I always loved going to the Gorge for stuff
Red Rocks didn't impress me, seemed over-hyped
my favorite for nostalgic reasons was City Island in Harrisburg, PA. Saw Judas Priest, Cinderella, Stryper, Ratt, and a few others with my dad there back in the day.

Boston has 2 new sizable venues: Roadrunner (3,500 capacity) and MGM Music Hall (5,000).

The stages of MGM, Fenway Park, and the House of Blues are within a few hundred feet of each other.

strictly in terms of indoor aesthetics, the auditorium theatre in chicago designed by louis sullivan takes the cake. the radiohead show i saw there in 2006 was among the best.

Best: any little hole in the wall in New Orleans.

Worst: Mohawk in Austin.

growing up in Colorado and seeing dozens of shows at red rocks was fun..
paramount theater is a great venue
bluebird theater as well
Fillmore..denver
Wiltern in LA is nice
Hollywood bowl
seeing John prine at Carnegie hall was something....
so many more

The Wang Center in Boston is similarly ornate and beautiful.

Yes! Chris H_2 and I saw Sigur Ros there!

Living in central IL, most of my big-city shows have either been in Chicago or St. Louis, plus a lot on the University of IL campus in Urbana.

A few favorite venues:
Fabulous Fox Theater (St. Louis)
Buskirk-Chumley Theater (Bloomington, IN)
Copernicus Centre (Chicago)
Oriental Theatre (Chicago)
The Pageant (St. Louis)
The Castle Theatre (Bloomington, IL)
Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts (Normal, IL)

The Auditorium in Chicago is beautiful (saw Dylan, Tom Waits, and EV there), but I found the seating uncomfortable and the sound bad (though for what it's worth I'm 6'4 and have only ever had lousy seats there). I've seen many shows at the Metro, Aragon, Riviera, etc., and have enjoyed the concerts, but never left with especially fond feelings toward the venues themselves. I've heard great things about the Vic and Park West but have never been to either.

i'm staring at that awesome poster (inflated price notwithstanding) hanging in my office as i type this.

[for those keeping score at home]

Yeah the poster is in my office. One of my favorites

NYC is famous for outstanding venues. At that rep is deserved.

Having said that Radio City Music Hall is the worst venue I've ever been to for concerts.