08/27/09

Disgusting Venue

by RudyV

Saw NIN on 8/26/09 and even though I'm a huge fan of the band the venue ruined the show for me. There was minimal ventilation which in it of itself is a problem but was made worse when the steam and sweat from the crowd caused enough condensation that actual drops of sweat and other junk started dripping from the ceiling of the balcony above us. It wasn't just one or two drops but you could have probably filled half-a-cup with what dripped on me. The lines of vision are also terrible for this place. Unless you're willing to stand in a hot,sweaty, and uncomfortable pit you're going to have something obstructing your view. For me it was partly the balconies as well as the columns supporting the poles. A testament of how bad the lines of vision are is the fact that venue provides flat-screen televisions on the upper floor. Why would anyone want to look at a tv? Unless NIN plays there again I don't envision myself going to this venue again.

• Pros: None
• Cons: Lines of vision are horrible. No ventilation.

05/27/09

horrrible sound, terrible venue

by jamallen80

I've been to just about every major venue in NYC, and this one is by far the worst out of all of them. Terrible sound quality, poor construction inside (walls look like a bunch of college kids built them in a frat). The upstairs levels are terrible, as you can't see anything - that's why they installed the flatscreen TV's up there. If I want to watch a show on a flatscreen TV, I'll watch palladia at home!

Also, the sound is a complete wash - unless you are directly in front of the stage where you can semi hear what the band hears, it's trash. And good luck getting to the front unless you get there 3 hours before the show starts.

It's really unfortunate, because for some reason all the promoters are booking the best acts there - they must treat the musicians really well or something back stage, because this venue is terrible for FANS! I hope the musicians wise up and see that the fans write bad reviews of this place, and book more shows at Hammerstein, Bowery Ball Room, Music Hall of Williamsburg, etc. Those are excellent clubs, with great sound. Even Webster Hall is better.

• Pros: none
• Cons: many

03/25/09

For everyone complaining about the sound....

by jforsythe62

It is true the sound here is not great, and something that should be noted is that Bowery Presents in all of its other venue's (webster, ballroom, music hall, mercury lounge) had chosen either EAW or Meyer Sound speaker rigs - basically the Ferrari and Porche of pro loud speakers. For some reason a JBL system was the choice here, which is sort of the Mercedes C-Class of the group..... fine for the layman, but you're not getting your hair tossed back.

I was there for the Bloc Party show on 3/24, and all of the criticism voiced on this board is pretty valid - the sight lines are not good (although not terrible), it is far away (but not that far.... whoever said it was a 15-20 minute walk from 53rd clearly is not walking fast enough), the sound is not great (but not offensive), the drinks are expensive (what did you expect?). It was all fine though, and the show was fun - I had a bigger problem with the people at the show than the venue, but that's me. I'll be avoiding it when possible, but if someone you've got to see is playing there..... well, what are you going to do?

• Pros: Example: best croissants in town
• Cons: What are the drawbacks?

11/18/08

The venue is fine - just get there early

by mtochs1

The venue is underrated by previous posters, so I'll slightly overrate it for balance. It's fine. The sound is fine. The venue is your average concert stage. Look at the photo - that's pretty much it. If you can't get there early enough to see the band you want to see, then yes, your sight line will be limited. Beware general admission standing room only! If you don't want to risk it, wait until your artist comes back in the next nine months.

• Pros: Plenty of bars, front rows close to stage
• Cons: Limited sight lines, smallish space for some bigger bands.

10/05/08

worse than i thought

by boldaslove10

last night was my first experience at terminal 5 to see hot chip, and it is safe to say i will never go again. although i showed up late enough to miss the lines around the block, it was no picnic once i got inside. security was a joke, we breezed past the ticket takers (i'm not even entirely sure that our tickets were scanned), and made our way into the venue. the overall vibe was a concert hall having an identity crisis: hipster dance club, overpriced cocktail bar, and stanley kubrick decor all combined.

the crowd is the reason why i will never go back. crammed shoulder to shoulder with mobs of upper west side snobs who were coked up and dancing out of their minds is not how i would describe a good time. i did not pay 75 dollars to get body slammed by adults twice my age and getting wailed in the head by wannabe trendsetters who were too coked up to notice or care about what they were doing. to make matters worse, there were so many people packed into such a small space, there was no place to get away and security couldn't have cared less. the average age of the people at terminal 5 was 35-48, and that is no exaggeration. if you're craving an atmosphere similar to that of studio 54 in the 80's this place would be great for you. otherwise, i wouldn't recommend it.

there are many obstructions such as columns and posts, and if you're not careful, you will be smashed up against one for the entirety of the show- like my roommate was.

hot chip themselves weren't that bad, aside from the fact they started two and a half hours late and only played six songs. i was forced into staying longer than i would have wanted because of the sheer multitude of people. thank god we found a secret door back entrance that led us to the street next to the tour buses.

please avoid this place if you want to have a good time. it made me hate people, music, and concert venues as a whole. you will be happier staying in your room and listening to your ipod.

10/01/08

Better than the posts

by Micro19

Rocked out at the Ben Folds show last night. From middle balcony, the sound was clear and vocals understandable - even for songs from new album which we didn't know well. Perhaps they have worked out how sound bounces around in the place.

Think of it less as a small theater and more as a large club and you'll probably not be disappointed. Arrive early for the best stadning places, which could be directly in front of stage, however the center of the lowest balcony ain't bad at all. Side balconies aren't great for viewing angles unless you are on the rail.

• Pros: Sound, bars on all levels
• Cons: Dungeon-y (is that a pro?)

09/30/08

They get good acts, everything else about it is terrible.

by bridge4980

This place is the pits. The sound is horrible, the bars are slow, and there are tons of columns and other sight obstructions so its reallly hard to get a good view. The problem is, they keep getting great acts...i saw ween there twice, the shins, ben folds tonight, the hold steady in november...so it keeps dragging me back. I dont undertand why these bands dont go to better venues...there are SO many in NYC. Anyway, i would not recommend this place unless there is someone playing that you really want to see.

• Pros: They serve guinness, they get good bands
• Cons: Everything else - terrible sound, hard to get a good view.

08/10/08

wonderful venue

by starcleaner

i am very thankful for the past reviews because i took them all into consideration while planning a day trip to nyc from maryland to see the brian jonestown massacre a couple weeks back. it was the best concert experience that i have ever had and probably will ever have. the staff was wonderful- helpful, friendly, and very efficient. there was a bit of a mix up on the entrance time but that was because the band changed the show time at the last minute. however, because of that mix up, we were there extra early and were able to get a spot up front. i would not hesitate to take another day trip to attend a show at terminal 5.

• Pros: excellent staff
• Cons: i think they need to work out some sound issues...vocals were hard to hear at times.

06/11/08

Much better than the reviews below

by jcontray

Reading the reviews, I was expecting the worst for The Kooks gig last night. What I found instead was one of the best medium-size venues in the city. On the side of the stage - the sound was great - everything was mic'ed very well, the vocals were crisp, the bass not too overwhelming. Acoustic guitar was bright and incredibly clear - I feel like I went to a different venue than the people below did.

On top of the great sound, the lighting is well thought out and the venue is simply beautiful. Clean bathrooms, lots of bars (avoid the pop-up bar on the first floor), and even an empanada stand on the 3rd floor. The beers are somewhat pricey ($7 a pop for 16 oz. of Stella or Blue Point) but I've been gouged worse elsewhere in the city.

I would normally give this place 4 stars, as I have been to better clubs, but I'd like to offset some of these horrible reviews below, perhaps more than a few left by competing venue owners or jilted bands...

• Pros: Great sound, lighting, setup
• Cons: Expensive drinks, all ages shows

05/13/08

A seat and a view?

by 34me

I had a hard time deciding whether to rate this place Average or Below Average. Yes, there are three levels, but both the second and third have areas cordoned off for "VIP"s. At the concert I recently attended, much of those areas were empty and they contain ample seating which is difficult to find, particularly on the main floor, which is where you want to be for the best sound quality. Conversely, if you want to actually see the performer, the first floor is the worst place to be.

Be prepared for lots of pushing, shoving and maneuvering through the crowd because it will be constant. If you have Claustrophobia, beware- you will be up close and personal with everyone around you.

The staff is friendly and on top of what's going on; security plays no games.

• Pros: line up
• Cons: set up