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Went last week to see Sawyer Fredericks (Wolfchild opened). Had to stand out in the rain because they closed during sound check. Had not seen that happen before – a bit annoying. Then they were late opening the doors. But, okay, maybe that’s on the artist. We were third in line so fortunately got seats at one of the 4 or 5 tables against the wall. There were no chairs set up when people started arriving so folks were just setting chairs up willy nilly. Seems if you are going to allow chairs, then you would set them up in advance to maximize the space? So, of course, there was some adjustment to the seating when it got crowded. Also odd that they let people stand on the aisle side of the rail… doesn’t seem like the fire marshal would approve of that…? Oh, and those folks block the view of the folks (like us) at the tables. Still, it was a great show. The most annoying thing was people talking loudly and having conversations while the artists were playing. Wish they would put some signs up asking people to show a little respect for the artists and other patrons. Service is super friendly! One free refill on pop, so nice for DD’s. The beer list is excellent – lots of styles plus a few ciders.

Sessions Music Hall – Menu with Prices – 44 W 7th Ave, Eugene

Anytime I would say, “I haven’t been to the Hi-Fi yet,” people would look at me like I was crazy. Well I finally went for a show and got the full experience. The show was in the larger room with it’s own bar and while the bar area was fun it kind of sucked that it was behind the stage. The people spending the most money can’t even take their drinks to watch the show. The sound was great and there’s not a bad view from the dance floor. The staff were friendly, especially the bouncer at the door. I was super bummed out to find that the outdoor area with the fire and tables was only for the other side of the venue. We were paying a lot for our tickets and were only able to stand in the parking lot. I don’t understand why there isn’t a nice outdoor area for the other side of the venue or some way to share the outdoor space with someone who lets you back in to your correct show. Besides that, it was a fun night and food trucks park here for lunch and during shows. If you can’t find street parking there is a large parking structure across the street.

Sharp 9 Gallery – Menu with Prices – 4608 Industry Ln, Durham

A jazz club in a warehouse/industrial building? Believe it – this is a hidden gem offering a mix of music artists hosted in a very unlikely place, but it works. We paid for our tickets online, made the short drive from Chapel Hill, parked right in front for free, and entered the building wondering if we had the right place. The host had our name at the door, and we could see the stage ready for a show. There are about 25 small tables with 3 chairs each – we found a nice spot off to the side with a great view of the performers. We brought a small cooler with a bottle of Chardonnay and some cheese and waited for the show which started right on time. There was also a refreshment stand, but the option to BYOB was nice. And the music was first class. Selfishly I had hoped we could keep this place a secret – but it deserves to be shared! Check out the website for upcoming performances and give it a try.

Mojo’s and Legends – Menu with Prices – 113 N Erie St, Toledo

For being in such a hell hole like Toledo, this place is by far the best gay joint I’ve ever been to and mark my words I’ve been all over this country more than most will ever dream of going. So I know what I’m taking about. Now there’s a difference between a night club and a bar/show club. This place is a real time bar/show club. New to the bar or the scene? No problem. It’s easy to talk to folks and get to know new people. Everyone is welcoming and open there. Wanna bring a group of friends to see the amazingly talented and legendary shows? Perfect place to do it whether you’re gay or straight. The place is clean, it’s safe, and the employees are fun! No one is left in a corner without someone to talk to. You won’t find annoying cliche chiqs here, no fighting gangs, or annoying little children recently legal and causing problems. Trust me, it’s a great time!!!

The Basement – Menu with Prices – 1604 8th Ave S #330, Nashville

I love this place the most because it gives upcoming musicians the opportunity to fine-tune their craft. Seasoned artists perform here as well, keep an eye on their calendar. You may or may not hear a country tune.Cheap cover charge, cheaper drinks. I recommend ordering a beer directly from the bar. Be sure to tip the hard working staff well and buy merch from the artist.The venue is small, claustrophobic small if seeing a popular act. Expect to stand and have folks talking over the music, especially if itâ??s a busy night.

Santa Barbara Bowl – Menu with Prices – 1122 N Milpas St, Santa Barbara

I seem to be odd man out here, but as smaller venues go, this is low on the list. To me, the prices are just slightly above what I think they should be for the quality of the venue. People say there’s not a bad seat. Well, that depends. How good is your eyesight? You can see, sure, but you’re far away if you’re in the back. That’s not intimate. The thing I hate most is there is NO WHERE that you can stand or even stroll and still see the band. Or even listen, really. If you’re at a seat, you’re stuck in this tiny space that’s hardly big enough to shift your feet. You get a hard bench seat if you want to sit, and god help you if someone obnoxious is in front of you. (Like the rabid fan of Midnight Oil, about 6’5″, who stood up, spread his arms wide, and swung his whole body side to side through the whole show. I couldn’t see sh*t. And though I had an aisle seat, they wouldn’t let me set one foot into the aisle. I paid $100 for that seat and gave up another concert elsewhere. Waste of money and time.) Last night I picked up a program when I entered the seating area and paused momentarily to browse through it to see if there was anything interesting in it (I wasn’t in anyone’s way), and in just those few seconds an usher was already telling me to move along. The place had only just started filling up and there were very few people around. It’s overkill. They’re also overly militant about changing seats during the show. At that Midnight Oil show, towards the end I finally managed to move in front of the guy, but the show was all but over at that point. I guess they didn’t see me do it, because someone else did it and they made him get out. Seriously? When there are only one or two songs left? Parking? What a hassle! There’s almost none at the venue. I feel sorry for the people who live nearby, because their streets fill up, which makes getting out crazy and there’s basically no traffic control. And because the venue is close to homes, they shut the shows down at 10:00 even on weekends. Blondie quit before she’d finished her set because she ran over. Watch the ticketing availability, too. They’ll offer only certain sections and then later open up better sections. (You can’t exchange your ticket unless it’s for a higher-priced seat.) I hate that! It’s like ticket roulette when you make a purchase. On the good side, they have a lot of toilets in the ladies room. Yes, the setting is beautiful, but I don’t go to a concert to enjoy the sunset.

Optimist Hall – Menu with Prices – 1115 N Brevard St, Charlotte

Ever since I heard about this opening up, I had been excited to see how it turned out. Now that it is open, the space is beautiful! Only a few vendor/businesses have opened up: Sushi and Bao/Ramen to eat and a pet supply store, and of course a coffee spot, but you can totally see all the “coming soon” spaces. In fact, I think the Dumpling Lady and Archer Paper Goods has opened since I visited. So since OH is located right alongside the lynx rail line, I took the train to Parkwood Station and then walked about a block/block-and-a-half to get to it. There is still quite a bunch of road construction, so be careful. At least there is a side-walk, however, the landscaping and trash pickup is sorely needed. Coming by foot, you actually pass the Duke Energy wing first (it looks like people already work there). What a cool place to work! My guess is that the parking is used by employees during the day, and then business goers in the evening. Since I didn’t come by car, I couldn’t tell if parking was easy or not, but there is a big lot and there are spaces surrounding the building. I hope there’s an easy pickup/drop off spot for ride sharing. The apartments surrounding OH are either being built or are already opened, so I’m sure residents will definitely benefit from this hall. Inside is separated into all kinds of seating areas. Good for meeting folks for business or fun. I even saw some people working away on their laptops so a good place to use wifi and write the next great American story. There’s a small courtyard with a covered space in the middle of the hall with more tables and seating, I would think they could use the pavilions for concerts and the like. Overall, I’m excited to see Optimist Hall in full strength when all the vendors open up.

Taqueria el Torito – Menu with Prices – 2515 Freeman Mill Rd suite b, Greensboro

If this was asked of me before i stopped comming here they may have gotten 5 stars. I will no longer come in this place. Me and my family used to go here january to May we ate 3 times a day (everyother day) $35+ a visit. I thinks its the owners daughter or sister they look just alike.. I tell them everytime i go in there she doesnt listen shes too busy speaking spanish talking junk she isnt listening. I get the same thing all the time im in there all the time well i used to be and she still say she doesnt remeber and if she does she messes the order up anyways like my smoothie. Its not that hard to be quiet stop talking junk and make the food. But shes rude. I told her the last time i was in there my family will never be there again if shes still there. I havent went back since and this was almost 2 month ago. Ik our business was just somemore money but ive told everyone ik because that girl is just so rude. Hire people who understand both languages and if they speak spanish make sure there not talking about customers while the customer is inside the store. They’ve lost my business completly.

Imurj – The Artists’ Cafe – Menu with Prices – 300 S McDowell St, Raleigh

What makes Imurj worthy of a five-star review is what they are doing for local artists. All kinds. This is a usable venue for folks who want to express themselves and for those of us who want to appreciate the arts. It is downstairs from Whiskey Kitchen downtown. There is a little shop area selling local artists’ work. There is a small stage, small bar and various seating areas…couches, fold out chairs and high tops. Kudos for a good size women’s room with several stalls. My only dislike was that the small bar was short-staffed on the night we went, so it took forever to get drinks. But to me, that is off-set by what they are doing for Creatives! Highly recommend keeping an eye on their website, because there’s no telling what shows and terrific entertainers are coming up next!

Legacy Billiards Bar and Grill – Menu with Prices – 5303 N Market St, Spokane

They just opened recently like within the last few months. Really nice open space with 16 Diamond pool tables. If you don’t know, Diamond pool tables are known to be one of the (if not the) superior pool tables with tighter pockets, one piece of slate (so you’re not experience funky table rolls) and they’re felted with Simonis 860 aka Tournament Blue. What all of that is saying is these are very nice pool tables. Legacy uses Cyclops pool balls. They hit a little different than Aramith balls which are what you usually use in most bar pool halls. The most distinctive thing about Cyclops are the colors. On the whole, they have a pastel look. The 7 and 14 balls are light blue versus the standard maroon. These colors show up well on camera and you often see them in professional competitions. I also want to note it costs $0.75 per rack which I really appreciate given 1) the nice equipment and 2) there’s a certain other pool hall here with the same tables and balls, but they charge a whopping $1.00 per rack which is crazy sauce! While I didn’t order food, I know they have the same menu as 7th Rail (same owner) and I really enjoy 7th Rail’s food; it’s bar food, but really good. Only reason why it’s not 5 stars is they seemed to need more staffing and the parking situation was a bit confusing. Not sure if you can park in the lot across the street, but I’ll ask the next time I’m in. Even though it’s in Hillyard and the area seems slightly sketch at night, this is a nice bar to hang as you can see from the pictures. They also have free WiFi!

The Pyramid Scheme – Menu with Prices – 68 Commerce Ave SW, Grand Rapids

I’m think I’m going to remember this place forever because we stayed at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and coincidentally attended a show at The Pyramid Scheme. Since we’ve never stayed in GR before, I’m not familiar with this venue, but based on the groups that were playing, I assumed it was a smaller/darker bar that has a back room for concerts. I don’t know if they do it for every show, but they sell a shot and a beer together for $6. Obviously well liquor, but that’s a heck of a good deal! I also liked the set up of the “concert hall” with the 2 sides that are raised up and people can choose to sit at their tables or stand at the railings to cheer on the awesome acts that come through. Since it’s not that big of a venue and we weren’t there to watch some smooth jazz show, I can’t comment on how the acoustics would’ve been if it wasn’t a hard rock show. All in all, I would definitely go back for another show there.

Evolution Wonderlounge – Menu with Prices – 10220 103 St NW, Edmonton

My first time here was to watch Hedwig and the Angry Inch. It’s a rock and roll musical, featuring a fictional transgender East German character named Hedwig. I’ve seen this show a couple of times in the past. I was excited to hear that it would be playing here. I wasn’t sure how the seating worked in this venue. Luckily, I arrived 45 minutes early. There were a few seats at the front reserved for VIPs (people who paid more for their tickets). The rest of the seats were general seating (first come, first serve). There was a limited number of seats. People who arrived later had to stand in the back. There was a bar service before the show. I didn’t see anyone eating any food. Just drinks. They stopped serving drinks during the show. The washroom was nearby and was gender neutral. Overall, the show was well done! It was everything I expected. The sound quality was okay. I could hear clearly when the actors were speaking. However, it was a bit harder to understand when the characters we’re singing. I am very familiar with the songs, so I could still follow along. The band was amazing and the acting was on point! The costumes were also true to the characters of the story. This venue was perfect for this particular show because Hedwig and his band, the Angry Inch, perform in bars. It’s reminded me of a dinner theatre show, where the actors (in character) mingle with the guests. The lines blur between reality and fantasy. It was fun to feel like part of the show! Overall, I had a fun experience here! I enjoyed the show! It was a wonderful opportunity to support our local artists!

The Zoo Amphitheatre – Menu with Prices – 2101 NE 50th St, Oklahoma City

Lived here my whole life and never been to this venue before last week. Such a cool location. There are some idiosyncrasies you should know about though. First, requirements for what you bring in are strict until they’re not. Definitely no ice chests, outside food or drink, pets, purses bigger than a clutch, or umbrellas (rain or shine). On some of their printed materials it says no blankets allowed. This rule was done away with in late 2017, so come with a plastic-lined one. On their prints and online it still says in all caps NO CHAIRS, but when I attended last week there were chairs everywhere. This is annoying because they have a bit of an ant problem. My girlfriend is allergic and came home with big welts. I was just itchy. Bug repellent may have helped, but we couldn’t really tell. Deet is for mosquitos. It wasn’t terrible, but we both got 4-5 bites before we stood up. Wish I’d known about the chair policy changing. It seems like it’s either a word of mouth thing or it depends on the show? The inconsistency is annoying. Anyway, those are the pitfalls. It is, however, still a great spot. They have cheap beer everywhere and a full bar in a few places. $8 for a regular drink and $16 for a double, which is pricey, but pretty standard for music venues. Bathrooms are what you might expect. Kinda gross, but bearable. Expect long lines (15 minute wait) between sets. Volume is high, but not immediately painful. I’d bring volume-reducing earplugs to be safe, but I’m an old man inside. Sounds great though. Seems like the General Admission area is a fun place. Depending on the music you go to hear people will dance in the aisles, which is a blast to do and watch. This is a great spot. Just be careful about what you bring in.