SHARING MY VENUE VISITS IS MY FOAVORITE THING TO DO. CHOOSING THE FAVORITES OF THEM IS ALL THE TOUGHEST THING TO DO. The following list represents a small sampling of my favorite upcoming venue visits. I hope you take my advice and book those tickets today!

BARBARA JORDAN POST OFFICE
Where It’s At: Houston, TX
Who we seeing there?: Björk, Aphex Twin, Liars, Arca, Banks
The Lowdown: This massive flagship downtown Houston post office was decommissioned in the spring of 2015. It’s currently being developed into a full-functioning multi-use entertainment complex, featuring restaurants, retail, media, and events. Though renovations on the space have yet to be completed, the interiors have already been virtually gutted, leaving wide-open spaces dotted with gigantic concrete pillars. Some of the interior walls feature large ornate murals, with more (hopefully) popping as the project continues to move forward. The site served as the venue for the 2016 edition of the Day For Night festival, a multi-media event featuring musical performances and light large-scale light and sound installations (including a VR exhibition curated by Björk). The official name has yet to be decided upon for the new complex, though the names Central Post (which to me sounds like weekly suburban newspaper) and Post HTX have been used as placeholders. The latter seems likely as both a website and Facebook page have been set up under that name, with photos and some basic information.

Oh, THIS is a good one: Well, the main reason I went to Day For Night was to catch Aphex Twin’s headlining set, as it was his only US tour date scheduled (and his first appearance in America in what seems like a century), and he did NOT disappoint. The weather that Saturday had been muggy and unseasonably warm for December, peaking at around 80 degrees. As Aphex Twin took to the main outdoor stage, clouds started building in the west and the wind picked up, as did the urgent, trippy energy of Aphex Twin’s glitch-heavy set. Before we knew it, the rain was pouring down on us, as lightning was flashing across the sky, almost perfectly timed with the fervor of the music. Ten to fifteen minutes later, the storm was gone and the front had passed, and the temperature had dropped almost 30 degrees, forcing us to just keep dancing to keep our damp and chilly bodies from succumbing to the cold (like we would’ve stopped anyway)..

"MY FAVORITE STAGE IS THE ONE WITH AN AUDIENCE" - PHIL LESH

ELECTRIC FACTORY

Where It’s At: Philadelphia, PA
Who we seeing there?: Lupe Fiasco, Slayer, Two Door Cinema Club, Zedd
The Lowdown: The first Electric Factory was opened in 1968 in a tire warehouse, and operated until its doors were closed in 1973. The current incarnation of the famous venue was opened in its current location in 1994, this time in an actual converted electric factory, and was named after its predecessor. The venue boasts both an indoor space that operates year-round as well as an outdoor concert lot during the summertime, complete with food trucks and beautiful views of the Philadelphia skyline.

Oh, THIS is a good one: While living in NYC, a friend of mine drove down to Philadelphia to catch The Mars Volta in the indoor space of the Electric Factory, yet we arrived a bit early so we decided to check out the nearby Dave and Buster’s, which neither of us had ever been to. After several shots called “over-unders” and a quick game of Skee-Ball or twelve, we hopped on over to the Electric Factory to catch the show, arriving just in time to catch the beginning of Mars Volta’s set. However, as the lights went down and the amps screamed to life, we both realized we had not brought earplugs with us, and thus spent the entire drive back to Brooklyn screaming WHAT? over and over again in attempt to have a conversation through or temporary deafness.

EMO'S

Where It’s At: Austin, TX
Who we seeing there?: DJ Shadow, 2 Chainz, Ani DiFranco, The Drums
The Lowdown: The Emo’s that exists today is a far departure from its humble beginnings as a punk club in the downtown Red River music district of Austin. Opened as a sister club to the original in Houston of the same name, it survived for almost twenty years in its downtown home, serving as a popular stop amongst revelers attending the annual South By Southwest (SXSW) festival, an event that occurs each spring in Austin and virtually takes over the entire downtown area for an entire week. The downtown location closed unexpectedly in early 2011, but was reopened as Emo’s East in a much larger, state-of-the-art facility in the Riverside district of the city, a good mile or two from downtown. Many lamented the “loss” of Emo’s to commercial pressure when the new location opened, but has still remained one of Austin’s most popular venues nonetheless.

Oh, THIS is a good one: Back in 2013 I was doing press for Art Nouveau Magazine at Austin’s monstrous annual South by Southwest Festival, and one of the acts featured was Australian electronic duo The Presets, a band I had been dying to see since I was introduced to their Apocalypso album back in 2008. Thinking it was the original Emo’s in downtown Austin, I was surprised to find that Emo’s had relocated to its current location. Feeling spirited and full of festival zeal, I decided to walk to the venue from downtown, thinking it would be a quick little jaunt. Long story short, it wasn’t. I got lost, ending up on some creepy footpath along the interstate, finally having to ask a young homeless woman for directions. As it turns out, she used to work at the original Emo’s back in the 1990s, and told me a few stories about her time there. When I finally got to the venue itself, I was taken aback by its massive size, though quickly adapted to the crowd’s energy, making fast friends with fellow Presets fans and dancing till the wee hours of the morning.

HAMMERSTEIN BALLROOM

Where It’s At: New York, NY
Who we seeing there?: Marilyn Manson, Kaleo, deadmau5, Sting
The Lowdown: Located in the Manhattan Center in midtown New York, the Hammerstein Ballroom was originally constructed as a space for the Manhattan Opera Company (which was run by Oscar Hammerstein) back in the early 1900s. It only survived as an opera house for a handful of years before the competing Metropolitan Opera Company paid Hammerstein almost a million and a half dollars to stop production for a decade. He obliged, and the space became a mixed-use space for several decades, serving as a stage for theatre and a Freemasons temple. The space was virtually left to rot until the building was purchased by the current owner, Sun Myung Moon’s Unification Church. The theater was renovated in 1997 and renamed the Hammerstein Ballroom, and now serves as both a music venue as well as a space for private events.

Oh, THIS is a good one: My first time at the Hammerstein Ballroom took place in 2006, right before I was set to move back to NYC after spending several months at home recuperating from the first time I moved to New York one year prior. My friend Lauren and I took the train in from New Haven to catch Muse, our new favorite band. The band’s three members put on a dynamite set, and were all dressed like Alex Delarge and his droogs from A Clockwork Orange. I was so transfixed by the experience from spot on the general admission floor that when we turned to leave at the show’s conclusion I almost fell over backwards, as I had not taken into account neither the size of the venue nor its gorgeous ceiling mural.

HENRY MILLER
MEMORIAL LIBRARY
Where It’s At: Big Sur, CA
Who we seeing there?: Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, Fruit Bats, Foxygen
The Lowdown: What now stands as the Henry Miller Memorial Library started out as just a little house on a beautiful piece of property in Big Sur when it was constructed in the 1960s by Emil White, painter and best friend to the illustrious (and often scandalous) writer Henry Miller. Upon Miller’s death in 1981, White decided to dedicate his home to his friend, working with the Big Sur Land Trust to turn it into the headquarters for the non-profit that operates it today. According to their Mission Statement, “The Henry Miller Library is a public benefit, non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization championing the literary, artistic and cultural contributions of the late writer, artist, and Big Sur resident Henry Miller. The Library also serves as a cultural resource center, functioning as a public gallery/performance/workshop space for artists, writers, musicians and students. In addition, the Library supports education in the arts and the local environment. Finally, the Library serves as a social center for the community.” It is also the former home of the Woodsist Music Festival, and puts on numerous cultural and musical events throughout the summer months. It is unfortunately virtually inaccessible at present due to extensive road damage that CA-1 (the only road that goes there) suffered during the 2016-17 rainy season.

Oh, THIS is a good one: The Woodsist Festival was relocated from the Henry Miller Library to the Loma Vista Gardens in 2015 (it was relocated again the following year to Point Reyes due to a nearby fire), and so I ended up attending its final edition at the HML when I went in 2014. The two-day event boasted one stage that featured a handful of bands each day, with access to the library, record store, and nearby creek. My roommate and I pre-gamed with cardboard liters of Bandit wine in her parked car alongside CA-1 and then walked down the hill to the library to the sounds of Angel Olsen, sounding like the woods were singing to the sea through the trees. Since our bladders were full of cheap wine, we both had to immediately pee, and so we instantly honed in on the Port-o-Potties as they were the only turquoise thing in sight, save for some bitchin’ jewelry worn by the cashier at the record store inside the library. As we approached, we noticed a sign on the door that said GUYS PLEASE PEE IN THE CREEK: EMBRACE THE GREAT OUTDOORS. AHH… which made me chuckle heartily, almost losing control of the fluid I was trying to keep inside of me. I made my way over the rocks down to the creek, and was reminded of summer camp as each of the three guys who had already climbed down there had chosen the three farthest spots from one another, creating a triangle of childlike embarrassment (Side note: I later decided to curb my liquid consumption a bit, as the trip down to the river was a bit more treacherous in the darker hours of the evening).

LINCOLN HALL
Where It’s At: Chicago, IL
Who we seeing there?: The Shadowboxers, Car Seat Headrest, Kevin Morby, Protomartyr
The Lowdown: This Lincoln Park venue opened in 2009 in a renovated nickelodeon under the guidance of the Schuba brothers, proprietors of the famous Lake View restaurant-venue hybrid, Schubas Tavern. The event space is cozy with a capacity of just barely 500 people, spread over a main floor and a balcony. The event space also features a restaurant and bar with small bites, salads, sandwiches, and Schubas’ famous mac and cheese up for sale. The venue annually hosts several of Lollapalooza’s night shows, which give the good people of Chicago who can’t afford the festival’s steep ticket prices (~$375 for a GA weekend pass) a chance to see some of the acts playing the festival.

Oh, THIS is a good one: I’ve only been to the event space once, catching British rock band Wolf Alice at one of the Lollapalooza night shows, utilizing a ticket not being used by a friend of mine. I ended up meeting up with a friend of hers and having a wonderful time at the show chatting and banging heads, reminding me of the abundance of warmth and heart that presides in the Windy City.

LUPO'S HEARTBREAK HOTEL
Where It’s At: Providence, RI
Who we seeing there?: Modest Mouse, The Descendants, Krewella, Cold War Kids
The Lowdown: Currently located in the former home of the Strand Theater, this Providence mainstay started out as a mere pipe dream rolling around the brain of a Massachusetts-born psychology major. Quoted as saying that he” couldn’t think of anything cooler than owning a bar and having Bo Diddley play there” in a 2015 Providence Journal article celebrating the establishment’s 40th anniversary, music lover Rich Lupo realized his dream (well, at least the first part) when he opened Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel at its original location on Westminster St in 1975, five years after graduating from Brown University. Since then, the concept has evolved from neighborhood jukebox bar to one of the most famed institutions in New England. It has also seen two other locations – its second, opened in 1993, being a renovated department store (which included a “stairway to nowhere”), and its third, current home at 97 Washington St., opened ten years after its predecessor, in 2003. Just goes to show that if you have an urban area in dire need of entertainment/nightlife, $25000 (or whatever it’s equivalent in 2017 would be, probably something along the lines of $871292089890689075), and a pocketful of dreams, you too could one day have your musical idol playing NINE SOLD-OUT SHOWS at your bar in just a few years time.

Oh, THIS is a good one: Back in 2008, a few friends of mine, myself, and my then-S.O. drove from Connecticut to Providence for a much needed night out on the Saturday following Thanksgiving, seeking a little dance therapy (and a little cardio boost) at the Girl Talk show at Lupo’s. 2008 also happened to be the year that I turned twenty-one (just three months prior), so I was thrilled to show off my new horizontal 21+ ID to anyone and everyone who asked for it, as were the rest of our group. The bartenders probably should have cut us off after the third Long Island Iced Tea—a drink I now find incredibly foul, perhaps because of the events that transpired over the course of that evening, which included a lot of laughter and being told to stop running around the balcony, but also included a screaming match during a 90-minute car ride up to Boston which almost resulted in a break-up. I don’t know if the bartenders at Lupo’s are still quite as generous with the booze as they were a decade ago, but if they are, merrymakers, do yourself a favor and air on the side of caution (or, don’t order giant pint glasses filled with liquor).

MASQUERADE
Where It’s At: Atlanta, GA
Who we seeing there?: Raekwon, Easy Star All-Stars, Frankie Rose, The Wailers
The Lowdown: This venue is located in the area formerly known as Underground Atlanta, a shopping and entertainment district in the Five Points area of Atlanta – named as such for the developments use of viaducts to create a sheltered, quirky enclosure, under which shops, bars, and restaurants were situated. The area has since been sold and redeveloped, and Masquerade was relocated from its original location to its new home in 2016. The venue boasts three different stages, named Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory, all located on the same level with individual points of entry- which differs from the design of its original location at a repurposed mill in the Fourth Ward, where each stage was located on different levels of the building and were individually accessed via windy corridors and quirky stairwells within the mill.

Oh, THIS is a good one: Back in 2013, while I was still living in Louisiana, a whirlwind trip through the Southeastern US took me to South Carolina and Atlanta to visit some friends. My arrival in Atlanta happened to coincide with a performance by James Blake, an incredibly talented electronic musician and singer/songwriter at The Masquerade, so my friend and I decided to go. His set took place in the ‘Heaven’ space—appropriate because of Blake’s angelic voice, yet the sweltering heat made it feel much more like Hell. Still, we braved the tropics and eventually found a great spot under what seemed like the only A/C vent in the place, watching his dark frame silhouetted against the back of the venue as he performed. As I looked around I noticed that a lot of people—and I mean A LOT—were making out…and a few others were looking like they were just about ready to do a whole lot more than that. I don’t know if it was the heat, or the music, or both (it was probably both) but that night proved to be quite…rewarding for many of the attendees present.

MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURG
Where It’s At: Brooklyn, NY
Who we seeing there?: of Montreal, Liars, Mew, Saint Etienne
The Lowdown: This Brooklyn institution originally opened as Northsix back in 2001, just as people were starting to trickle into Williamsburg from Lower Manhattan. Northsix became a haven for indie-loving Brooklynites, and was one of the first venues to open shop in what would become one of the most popular neighborhoods of New York City. In 2007 the original management of the venue relinquished the property to Bowery Presents – a New York-based promotion company – most likely due to rising rent prices as a direct consequence of the area’s exponential growth in population and its new staetus as a Brooklyn “destination” for citizens and tourists alike. The venue was then renovated and reopened as Music Hall of Williamsburg, and though many lamented the takeover back in 2007, the venue has consistently booked solid acts, capped crowds and drink prices at a reasonable level, and provided excellent sound and sightlines. It’s a hit amongst locals and visitors alike, and will probably remain a steady, friendly face in Brooklyn for many years to come.

Oh, THIS is a good one: I have been to this venue so many times it’s difficult to pinpoint just one memorable moment, so I guess I’ll name a few: New Year’s Eve 2008 with Crystal Castles, when Janelle Monáe joined of Montreal onstage for a cover of Bowie’s “Moonage Daydream,” the night I drove to Brooklyn—and back—from CT just to see Yeah Yeah Yeahs at MHoW, when I fabricated a whole story about some dead relative to a security guard just to get back a confiscated flask (he totally called bullshit, but let me have it anyway)…I could go on and on. I miss this place everyday.

ONE-EYED JACKS
Where It’s At: New Orleans, LA
Who we seeing there?: Delorean, Waxahatchee, Thee Oh Sees, Cults
The Lowdown: From its perfect sightlines to the efficient centralized horseshoe bar in the main room, this miniature concert hall in the French Quarter of New Orleans is bursting with personality. That, and the color red. Pretty much everything inside is red (and/or black…but mostly red; it’s like stepping into a checkerboard, or a deck of—ohhhhhh, now I get it). Most shows here cost between $10 and $20, though entry on some nights is as low as $5. Quick-witted bartenders echo the joyous heartbeat of New Orleans as they sling extremely reasonably-priced cocktails and ice cold Abita beer, lightly sassing you as you order that fourth double-vodka-Red Bull with a confusing yet comforting mix of warmth, wisdom, and side-eye. The space has something going on practically all the time (it is open nightly), and nights with live music (usually up and coming indie acts, sometimes a legend walks through and plays) are separated with other delights like burlesque and comedy nights, album release parties for local artists, and a healthy dose good ole’ fashioned clubbing, especially during their free weekly ‘80s dance party held every Thursday.

Oh, THIS is a good one: One of my favorite performances of all time was Father John Misty’s (real name Joshua Tillman) appearance at One-Eyed Jacks in 2013, touring behind his excellent debut LP Fear Fun. Tillman was still coming into his own after leaving the band Fleet Foxes, and clearly the New Orleans spirit was alive and well inside of him, along with many other kinds of spirits. He was clearly drunk and spilled his whiskey onstage, tried to balance on a chair, and went several love-rants about New Orleans, all while never missing a beat and hitting every note with perfection. It was then I knew that he would be a force to be reckoned with in the future.

SHORELINE AMPHITHEATRE
Where It’s At: Mountain View, CA
Who we seeing there?: Incubus, Muse, Phoenix, Foreigner
The Lowdown: This sprawling venue was the brainchild of famed San Francisco music promoter Bill Graham, as he wanted to bring a large-scale outdoor venue to the area without further cramping the immediate San Francisco area. The venue boasts both tiered seating directly in front of the stage (including VIP boxes), as well as a much larger sloped lawn area behind used for general admission ticketing. The venue can hold a whopping 22,500 people, though it is very rare that capacity is met (though it does happen). The Amphitheatre sits directly next door to Google’s Mountain View campus, and has played host to hundreds of summer shows and festivals, including Neil & Pegi Young’s Bridge School Benefit, an annual event held as a fundraiser for the Bridge School, a nonprofit school for children with severe speech disabilities. The lineups often boasted impressive billings of artists, all of which traditionally play only acoustic versions of their material (the event’s future is unsure at the moment due to Neil & Pegi’s rather contentious recent divorce). It’s a great place to grab some $25 lawn tickets and check out some bands you may not typically see otherwise.

Oh, THIS is a good one: The first time I enjoyed the lawn at the Shoreline Amphitheatre was for the 2015 edition of Live 105’s BFD festival, an annual event put on by the local alternative rock FM station. Headlining that year was Modest Mouse and Of Monsters and Men, but before they hit the stage, crowds were greeted with sets by alternative bands Atlas Genius, Cold War Kids, and Panic! At The Disco, the last of which was certainly last on my list, though that was not the case for the majority of the crowd. Once Panic! At The Disco came on, the audience leapt to their feet, singing along with each and every song the band performed, including an earsplitting cover of Queen’s classic “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which was just…awful. As soon as the set concluded, a good 75% of the crowd left the venue, leaving plenty of space for my roommate and I to get closer for the final two acts. I have never seen an exodus of quite that size before, but I sure wasn’t complaining.

TEATRO APOLO
Where It’s At: Barcelona, ES
Who we seeing there?: Deradoorian, The Avalanches, Ty Segall
The Lowdown: Originally opened in 1904 on the Avenida Parall-el in Barcelona, the Teatro Apolo is one of the oldest still-operational venues in the city. It served as a space for stage plays until it was purchased in in the 1950s by Matías Colstada, who vowed to make it the premiere destination for the ever-popular Spanish zarzuelas (musical theatre productions). In 1991, it underwent a full renovation, increasing the capacity to 1000 patrons and opening a second, smaller venue within the same building known as Sala Apolo. It reopened in 1993 and currently serves as a top destination for artists and musicians of all kinds. It also serves as a venue for the Primavera Sound Festival’s “als Clubs” series, in which Primavera artists are invited to play venues throughout the city in addition to their scheduled festival appearances.

Oh, THIS is a good one: The first time I went to the Apolo was back in 2012 for a Primavera Club show, featuring the band Beach Fossils. I noticed something peculiar when ordering drinks there, however, as my vodka soda came as a glass with a handful of ice and some vodka with a separate bottle of club soda. As the night progressed, I found it became somewhat cumbersome to dance with a drink in one hand and a half-empty bottle of soda in the other, and apparently I was not the only one. As I made my way over to one of the garbage bins scattered around the venue, I noticed I was wading through a sea of glass. Evidently at the Apolo, people just dropped their bottles—and glasses—on the floor when they were finished, creating a rather hazardous environment for anyone not wearing close-toed shoes—a harsh reality that was met by my friend Maria, as her flip-flops did not guard her feet from being sliced on our way out that evening. Upon my return in 2016, I had warned my friends beforehand, though I was hoping their policies had changed (long story short, they hadn’t).

UPTOWN THEATRE
Where It’s At: Napa, CA
Who we seeing there?: Randy Newman, Boz Scaggs, Pixies
The Lowdown: Originally this Napa theatre was opened back in 1937 as a combination entertainment venue and movie house, and would remain a cinema destination up until its closure at the turn of the millennium (by that time it was housing four separate screens), when the love affair Americans once had with going out to the movies was starting to wane. Local movie buff – a dreictor, maybe you’ve heard of him? – a man named Francis Ford Coppola, who lives in the area (and now owns a winery) decided to gather investors interested in reopening the theatre as a live venue. A full renovation took place, which included reopening the space into one grand theatre space, a brand new sound system, and the restoration of the Greco-Roman mural featured on the ceiling of the original theatre’s construction, one that had been painted over several times in the decades since its initial opening.

Oh, THIS is a good one: Back in April of this year I was reviewing the Rufus Wainwright show at the Uptown Theatre, but the theatre had only provided me with a photo pass—no ticket. After waiting outside for an extended period of time as the box office agent went to speak to the manager, he returned with a ticket for me—smack dab in the middle of the tenth row. Since photographers are usually only allowed to take shots during the first three songs of the set, I found the idea of climbing over a dozen or so people in the middle of the show, I nervously headed out the lobby to check out the merchandise to figure out my next move. After a lovely chat with the woman running the merch stand, a security guard came out to inform me that a seat in the third row was available, right on the aisle, and so I took the instant upgrade—which made for a very pleasant evening with one of my favorite artists.

WANG CENTER
Where It’s At: Boston, MA
Who we seeing there?: Hans Zimmer, Harry Styles, Chris Rock
The Lowdown: Located in the heart of Boston’s theatre district, the Wang Center only became to be known as such in the 1980s. In the years before Dr. Ann Wang’s generous contribution to the former Metropolitan Theatre, it served as a popular spot for live theater for many years, as well as the home for the Boston Ballet from the 1960s until 1980. The theatre has since been completely restored and brought under the ownership of the Citi Performaning Arts Group (now called the Boch Center, who also manage the nearby Shubert), with event coordination provided by the Madison Square Garden Company. Apart from being a city landmark of the city of Boston, the theatre has played a role as the set for films, including classics like The Witches of Eastwick (as part of the interior Jack Nicholson’s character’s mansion) as well as the more recent period piece American Hustle.

Oh, THIS is a good one: My only experience at the gorgeous Wang Theatre was catching songstress Fiona Apple on her most recent tour back in 2012, following the release of her fourth LP The Idler Wheel. This was to be my redemption, as the only other time I saw her was almost a decade before at the Mohegan Sun Arena, a show that was unceremoniously interrupted by a sick friend who had consumed far too much vodka beforehand. This show turned out to be wonderful, although Ms. Apple somewhat alarmed the audience as some technical difficulties caused her to pound angrily on her piano and growl loudly before storming offstage briefly. When she returned, she was cool and collected and she resumed her set, which was beautiful, though we were on our toes for the rest of the evening, lest another outburst spontaneously occur.