Best indoor concert venue
Train performing at Star 94's "Not So Silent Night" at Center Stage in December. The venue was your choice for best indoor concert venue in and around Atlanta. Photo: Hyosub Shin, hshin@ajc.com
YOUR PICKS
1. Center Stage
You say, “You can sit or stand depending on your ’style,’ it’s small enough to feel intimate, and the seating areas and extra room around the outer part of the venue are great.”
2. Fox Theatre (tie)
3. The Tabernacle (tie)
4. Smith’s Olde Bar
5. Variety Playhouse
Janelle Monae performing at Variety Playhouse in November. The Variety is our pick for best indoor concert venue in and around Atlanta. Photo: Hyosub Shin, hshin@ajc.com
OUR PICKS
1. Variety Playhouse
Keeper of the Best of the Big A and Live Music Picks writer Shane Harrison says, “It isn’t so much the physical venue that makes this place special. It’s the way it lives up to its name. Windstorm Productions, the Variety’s in-house booking and promotion team, brings in a stunningly diverse array of talent. In April alone the list of performers includes Latin dance music powerhouse the Afro-Cuban All Stars, San Francisco avant-rock pioneers the Residents, country and bluegrass great Ricky Skaggs and British blues legend John Mayall. Now that’s variety.”
2. Fox Theatre
3. Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
4. The Tabernacle
5. Eddie’s Attic
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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
129 comments Add your comment
GTPHISH
March 7th, 2011
1:42 pm
Without a doubt, the Fox Theatre is the pte-eminent concert venue in town; when an act makes it to the Fox, they themselves know they have accomplished something and seem to play-up to the room;
Tabernacle & Center Stage are also awesome.
Honorable mention: Smiths Olde Bar
Kay
March 7th, 2011
2:48 pm
The Fox Theatre
Becky
March 7th, 2011
3:31 pm
The Fox Theatre…
leo
March 7th, 2011
3:48 pm
Saw Santana at Center Stage, could not hear for days, but worth it!
Andrew
March 7th, 2011
4:48 pm
Fox and Center Stage (Cube got my head ringin still.)
SteveC
March 7th, 2011
4:53 pm
Eddie’s Attic: smoke-free, great acoustics, and performer-friendly
ziza
March 7th, 2011
5:00 pm
center stage and the fox
Wow Man...
March 7th, 2011
5:02 pm
The best two are the 688 Club and the Agora Ballroom and The Great Southeastern Music Hall. Oh wait..that’s three. Can’t forget about the Fox..oops that’s five. Gotta go with the Fox …Don’t make’em like that any more. And it has a phantom, that’s cool!
Lisa
March 7th, 2011
5:02 pm
Variety Playhouse by far.
mojo
March 7th, 2011
5:07 pm
The Tabernacle!
In Town Kid
March 7th, 2011
5:12 pm
Tabernackle gets my vote for #1
Fox #2 and Smiths for a real intimate appeal gets my #3
chacha
March 7th, 2011
5:13 pm
The Tabernacle, most definitely!!!
Laurie
March 7th, 2011
5:15 pm
The Fox, no question about it.
Will Ashworth
March 7th, 2011
5:15 pm
without a doubt, 100% tabernacle
tabelz
March 7th, 2011
5:16 pm
Tabernacle!
Fox comes second
Matt in Athens
March 7th, 2011
5:16 pm
Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, 40 Watt Club if you include surrounding areas
Scott
March 7th, 2011
5:18 pm
Cobb Energy Center.
Concertgoer
March 7th, 2011
5:21 pm
Larger venues would be the Fox and the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.
Medium venues would be Variety Playhouse and the Tabernacle.
Small venues would be Smith’s Old Bar and Eddie’s Attic.
kristie
March 7th, 2011
5:25 pm
Gwinnett Arena (free parking rocks!)
mld465
March 7th, 2011
5:29 pm
8 Traxx at Andrews Upstairs in Buckhead!
WhiteRabbit
March 7th, 2011
5:33 pm
For rock shows and the like, the Variety, of course. For serious music, Spivey Hall.
Emily
March 7th, 2011
5:34 pm
Smith’s Olde Bar easy.
Deke
March 7th, 2011
5:38 pm
Variety Playhouse.
Greg
March 7th, 2011
5:38 pm
Eddie’s Attic has the best overall sound.
Smiths and Vinyl tie for my favorite small venue.
Variety Playhouse is my favorite big venue.
Center Stage is solid for a bigger venue.
Tabernacle is a horrible venue.
The Loft is the worst.
Pat
March 7th, 2011
5:41 pm
Gwinnett Arena, Cobb Energy Center, and Earl Strand Theater (Marietta)
Jason
March 7th, 2011
5:46 pm
Wild Bills…..it a little ways out but worth it. Lower tix pricing. Hot staff. Cheaper drinks
WyldBill
March 7th, 2011
5:52 pm
Smith’s Olde Bar, hands down.
kyndkylie
March 7th, 2011
5:54 pm
I’m torn! I have 3 loves in ATL: Fox Theatre, 5 SPot & Smith’s Olde Bar!
Matty Joe from Kokomo
March 7th, 2011
6:17 pm
Smith’s Olde Bar
At larger arenas like The Fox, Cobb Energy Center, Phillips Arena or even Center Stage I inevitably wind up seated directly in front of a drunk female whose shrill screeching has been used in the mountains of Afghanistan to flush the Taliban from their hiding places and into the sights of our drone assassins.
I would rather stick needles in my eyes while running naked through the streets of Tripoli shouting
“To Hell with Kadafi” rather than endure that type experience again.
From Norah Jones to N.W.A. give me Smith’s Olde Bar.
Michael
March 7th, 2011
6:40 pm
The tabernacle without a doubt
Gary B.
March 7th, 2011
7:08 pm
Center Stage and Variety PlayHouse
starry
March 7th, 2011
7:08 pm
Center Stage!!!!
RobM
March 7th, 2011
7:09 pm
Tabernacle all day…
PJ
March 7th, 2011
7:10 pm
Smaller – Eddie’s Attice, Buckhead Theater
Larger – Cobb Energy Center, Fox
Gregg
March 7th, 2011
7:25 pm
Smith’s Olde Bar and Eddie’s Attic!!
michelle s
March 7th, 2011
7:29 pm
smiths olde bar
Dawn
March 7th, 2011
7:34 pm
Smiths Olde Bar!!!
jennifer
March 7th, 2011
7:59 pm
TABERNACLE!!!
Annette
March 7th, 2011
8:10 pm
Smith’s Olde Bar
40 years & counting
March 7th, 2011
10:33 pm
Fox, Variety Playhouse and the Metroplex (RIP)
The WORST is the Civic Center. TEAR IT DOWN!!!!!!!
40 years & counting
March 7th, 2011
10:34 pm
Oh yeah, The Tabernacle is great too!
Peachtree Images
March 8th, 2011
8:49 am
THE TABERNACLE!!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone get a great view!!
Grant
March 8th, 2011
10:48 am
Smith’s Olde Bar. duh.
Lisa
March 8th, 2011
11:28 am
Love the Variety Playhouse. Not too big, not too small. Derek Trucks, Shawn Mullins, Joan Osborne. Just a few we’ve seen that rocked the place!
CG
March 8th, 2011
12:05 pm
Fox is the best but gotta love King Plow for a smaller venue
Will
March 8th, 2011
12:06 pm
The Masquerade is the best place to be. Amazing atmospherel… But as for a concert venue goes, for acoustics and whatnot, definitely The Tabernacle.
Ganners
March 8th, 2011
12:08 pm
Tabernacle and The Drunken Unicorn!
Spence
March 8th, 2011
12:08 pm
Smith’s Olde Bar is the best in the Atl. for live music because of their fantastic sound system, smoke free atmosphere (since March 1 entire bar is smoke free), rockin’ staff, free parking, central location, great drink and food specials and of course, Smith’s brings in the best national and homegrown acts!
Ceej
March 8th, 2011
12:09 pm
Tabernacle
Ben Haad
March 8th, 2011
12:16 pm
The Fox, hands down.