Venue Name: The Tabernacle
City: Atlanta
State/Province: GA
Street Address: 152 Luckie St NW
Neighborhood: Centennial Park District (Downtown)

Website: http://www.tabernacleatl.com/
Phone Number: (404) 659-9022

Box Office Hours: Friday, 12:00-6:00 PM

Public Transit Nearby:

Buses: 101, 100, 10A, 10B

Light Rail: ATLSC

MARTA:  Gold/Red (Peachtree), Green/Blue (CNN Center)

Affiliation: Live Nation

Year Opened: 1996 (1998)

Brief History: Constructed in the early 1900s as a new home for the Third Baptist Church Tabernacle, the building served as a home for the congregation until the late 1980s. Come 1994, Atlanta was set to play host to the 26th Summer Olympics, which fell on the 100-year anniversary of the games in 1996, and the building was sold to developers looking to repurpose, re-zone and redevelop the area to accommodate the expected influx of spectators and athletes (including the expansive Centennial Olympic Park, which still stands). And while the organizers of the event were eager to find a suitable event space to house the many acts preparing to appear, the new owners of the building were scrambling to get a deal on paper that would transform the old church into said space. House of Blues ultimately signed on to helm the project, accomplishing the transformation in a seemingly impossible six and a half weeks. The HoB operated as such for a couple of years following the Olympics, but then ultimately decided to abandon their new Atlanta location as their lease expired in 1998. It reopened as the Tabernacle, an independent venue, under the management of Lance Sterling (one of the original managers of the project) for almost two years until it was sold one last time to SFX (now Live Nation who still operates it today).

Genre(s)/Musical Niche: Eclectic: Indie/Electronic/Hip-Hop/Rock

Capacity: 2600

# of Levels: 4

Seating: Balcony levels 2-4

Accessibility/ADA: Yes

Onsite Medical: Yes

# of Stages/Performance Spaces: 1

Indoor/Outdoor?: Indoor

Open Season: Open Year-Round

Age Restriction: All Ages

Average Ticket Price: $30

Frequency of Shows: Frequent, every 1-3 days

Sound System: JBL VTX

Notable View Obstruction(s): Some places under the balcony are obstructed by pillars, but there are only a few

Aesthetic/Style (Architecture, Atmosphere, Décor): Neoclassical with ionic columns & arches; psychedelic/carnival-like colors and decorations

Average Temperature: Comfortable (controlled)

Average Hours Open (Doors to Curfew): 7pm-12am

Usual Time Headliners Go On (on average): 9/9:30

# of Bars: 18 (yes, eighteen)

Avg. Drink Price: $8

Coat Check?: Only during inclement weather

Smoking: Designated areas

Restrooms - Quantity & Quality: One mens', one womens'; clean and spacious on lower level

Credit Cards Accepted: Yes

ATM Onsite: Yes - 2

Merchandise: Both Artist and Venue merchandise available

VIP/Upgrades Available: Yes - The Room: private lounge/bar, free appetizers, private roof deck

Available For Private Events? Yes

Parking: Street or at neighboring lots, partnership with Parkwhiz for prepaid parking nearby

Security Check (1-10, 1 being lowest, 10 being extreme): 5 - standard: bag checks, pat downs, etc.

Metal Detectors?: No

Bags Allowed?: Yes

Restricted Items: No professional cameras, stuffed animals

Other Amenities/Activities (Photo booth, Meet & Greets, Tours, Etc.): Photo booth

Favorite Nearby Spots (food, drinks, shopping, lodging, etc.):

--Skyview Atlanta (attraction): Twenty-story tall Ferris wheel located on the edge of Olympic Centennial Park, moves slowly to showcase Atlanta's sprawling downtown skyline.

--Sun Dial (food/drinks): Located at the very top of the Westin Peachtree Hotel, this bar and restaurant offers panoramic views of the Atlanta downtown area (and beyond!).  An epic place for a cocktail or meal, especially around sunset.  Plus, you get to take a glass elevator to the top, which is an experience within its own self.

 

Notes/Insights/Opinions/Tips:

Arrive early to explore the venue - it is quite expansive, from the basement level lounge area - which houses the merch table, bars and eateries - to the eighteen bars onsite (including one devoted solely to craft beer).  Also, if you can swing it, cough up the extra $25 to upgrade to VIP: you get easy accelerated entry, private bar and lounge, free appetizers, and a private roof deck that looks out over the centennial park, the massive Ferris wheel next door, and the rest of downtown Atlanta.