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I've seen all sorts of venues... to be entirely cliche I've seen the good, the bad and the downright ugly, and this place ranks among the best in the country, as far as I'm concerned. Phenomenal sound, great atmosphere, and the even the curtains were pretty. Some of the crowd was pretty annoying but that's probably less to do with the venue and more to do with the act [Alkaline Trio, bless their hearts]. The parking situation wasn't even that annoying, nor was it very far away, even after arriving late. I don't say this about music venues much, but I really loved this place, and can't wait for another show there. Another perk my fellow health conscious yelpers will appreciate: NON-SMOKING. Halle fucking lujah!
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Wow, after reading some of the reviews here, I was expecting this place to suck. But, perhaps I just had a really great experience. We went to see the Peter Murphy show on July 12th (oh.. and my review of Peter Murphy: AWESOME!!!!). I had some friends who had a VIP package and done a meet and greet, and my hubby and I happened to run into them as they were about to go up the elevator to the VIP lounge, and the doorman let us go up with them. He was super nice. (Thanks doorman, you're cool!)
I thought the lounge upstairs was pretty flippin' sweet. It had a middle eastern theme going on and smelled like incense. I like incense. The service at the bar was pretty good, and I felt the prices were not out of hand, in fact they seemed to get cheaper as the night went on, which is weird. I had no complaints about the drinks.
We ended up sitting upstairs in some extra box seats (we had GA tickets.. but nobody was sitting there.. why waste them?). The whole place has great seats, it's a pretty intimate location, which I love. The sound was great as well. (Uh... did I mention Peter Murphy is pretty much God?) After the show we hung out on the upstairs patio and drank and chatted until closing time. The waitress outside was really nice and put up with our drunk ramblings.
Soooo.. I have zero complaints! We had an amazing time. Granted, had we not had a sweet VIP experience, I may be writing a different review.. but for now, this is it.
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The House of Blues is officially my favorite music venue in DFW. I've seen Bands from Coheed and Cambria to Eisley play there and they all sound fantastic.
Some smaller venues have a tendency to not prperly adjust the sound for different types of music. I'm impressed that during a good loud rock show you aren't fighting the volume and you can hear a nice balanced show. At the same time, you can see a more laid back band with a softer sound like the Raconteurs and enjoy the acoustics.
I'm old so I prefer seating during shows. At HOB prefered seating is in the balcony. I've yet to find a bad seat here. I avoid the floor during shows that may encourage the stupid act of crowd surfing. HOB doesn't allow moshing but that won't keep you from getting kicked in the head. During more tame shows general admission is fine. You can see the stage from any angle. I should know, I'm short. :-)
They have a loose policy of "Jumping the line". You have to eat and you have to spend $X and it allows you to pass through to the concert without having to stand in line outside. During bad or hot weather this is fabulous. Keep in mind, they typically do not allow same day reservations and I think they won't seat you till your entire party arrives so plan ahead.
In terms of food, it's not bad. It's not great but it's better than most food you can get at a concert venue. There are few choices for us veggie types but you can make it work. If you eat at the HOB take your time and check out the memorabilia around the venue. They pay tribute to many oldie but goodies.
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Trendiness meets vomit.
Please note, my review will expand to more positive heights once I do indeed drop a zillion dollars to go to a show here, but till then, we're limited to the bar, a few cocktails, and too many A&M alumni.
To begin, this part of the city is my least favorite when I'm responsible for driving/parking. I'd rather eat a waterbug than valet, so you can imagine my amusement at this venue's "lot."
Infraction 1: I'm handed a glass of wine with perfectly-formed lipstick replicas of a previous patron's sip-smudges. This glass hadn't seen soap and water in God knows when.
Infraction 2: John's bloody mary looked, smelled, and tasted like, no kidding, pasta sauce. It was thick, over-spiced, and lacking alcohol. If I looked hard enough, I'm sure I could have found some chucks of ground beef.
Infraction 3: Paying a price for drinks that had been blessed by the Pope himself, except that our drinks were not, in fact, blessed by the Pope himself.
The place looks pretty cool inside, and I'd like to try the venue. But really, if it puts the Granada out of business, I will burn the MoFo down.
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The restaurant gets 1 star because the service was good. As for the food, not so much. Everything was either way over seasoned or to greasy. It was a huge disappointment. I had a turkey wrap and they even messed that up! Crazy...
Now for the good part:
5 Stars for the Venue!!!!!
If you have yet to see a show at the HoB, you're missing out. The sound is outstanding and there isn't a bad seat in the place. Sign up on line with HoB to get special offers and some great discounts on certain shows.
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Music venue: pretty damn good...one of the few places where the bar is right there to get a drink while you are watching the show. enough said, Smoking outside...minus one.
Restaurant: Uh, seriously, never come here to eat. Think of an overpriced touristy restaurant that you would avoid like the plague in another city and act accordingly. My pork chop was so dry and flavorless that I barely ate half of it...that goes for the mashed potatoes and green beans too. The best thing is to get the cornbread with the maple syrup/honey flavored butter and some voodoo shrimp appetizer and call it a night. Or follow my example and just drink your dinner and be done with it.
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I know that some people view arrival of HOB as the landing of the Evil Empire. Yes, it sucks that they have undoubtedly taken some clout from the Granada and may have led to the ultimate demise of the Gypsy tea Room. Yes, standing in security lines and being wanded takes some of the fun out of attending a music event but sadly, this is the nature of our times so we must deal with it.
So, overall this chain venue has done a pretty decent little job. I never felt like security was obtrusive in any way. If anything, I liked how there were enough people to direct you when needed. The floor was adequately sized. The sound was not the best but did the trick nicely. Drinks were priced as expected but the pour was good and the bartenders workd their asses off to keep lines moving.
Overall, this location was far better than some others in the chain, and although it lacks the ambiance of a Granada, it is a comfortable, safe place to see a show. One huge complaint is that sometimes prices for some of their 70s & 80s has-been bands are way too expensive (B-52s, I love ya but $75? Come on!)
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I've seen two shows here in the past month (X & Blind Melon). The facilities are pretty nice. It's clean. It's laid out pretty nicely too. Pretty much every seat upstairs has a great view of the stage. I don't go to too many shows, but this is the nicest small venue I've been to.
I wish Yelp would give you the option of a 1/2 star, because this review should really be 3 1/2. What keeps it from being a 4 is the expense.
I'm not a total cheapskate, but I don't like having to pay $7 for a frickin well drink. Granted, the well bourbon is Jim Beam, but c'mon. And at the last show, the drinks were cheaper, so I don't know if they vary based on who's playing. Shiner's were $5 last night and only $4 last month. Prices may have just went up.
My other complaint is HOW LOUD THE FUCKING SPEAKERS ARE WHEN YOU SIT IN A BOX SEAT. I'm shouting because I can't hear a damned thing today. It's my own fault...I should have remembered how loud it was during the last show and brought ear plugs with me, but fair warning for you. If you are going to sit in the box seats (which are directly in front of the speakers), bring some ear protection.
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Wanted to review the restaurant at HOB. The menu has a variety of things available - burgers, pizza, pasta, steak, snacks - really something for everybody. I've only had the sandwiches and the apps thus far but liked both. The pricing isn't too bad considering that they are "The Man" and service was okay too.
It's crowded before big shows but if you're going to catch a smaller act during the week it's a good bet for quick seating and dinner before the show.
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My life is akin to a grey, flat-paneled, non-descript and featureless board. Devoid of any color and texture.
For me, vanilla would be the 4th of July on freakin' steroids. Heavy on the John Phillips Sousa.
More accurately, I'm more aptly described as a pabulum-type of a guy. No personality; a blank, raw slate. Mr. Unexcitement.
Ta Da.
I spend my empty days toiling in front of a computer screen; carefully crafting words, ensuring that they convey perfect thought and accurate description. (But, hey ... I'm not professing to be a damn copy editor or proof reader; that's my soft-spot.)
Years ago, before I hooked up with SO, I attempted to impress chicks over a cocktail with the line that I was a "writer." While I tried to spin that I was working on the Great American novel or a screenplay that George Clooney had commissioned me to pen as his own personal rocketship to an Oscar nomination; eventually the ugly truth would spill out. After downing the third flaming zombie, (heavy on the rum), I would boozily confess to what I truly was ... a senior technical writer of those pharmaceutical inserts that accompany your latest prescription from Walgreen's. (Oh, the shame!)
For me, an exciting day in the world of writing is switching the presentation order of the molecular structure of your latest painkiller with the clinical precautions of the medication.
But despite my utter blandness, every now and then, I try to introduce a little hot and spicy salsa into my otherwise featureless life.
While I have no musical appreciation (except for my love of the spoons in the fifth grade), on rare occasion, I decide it's time to get "hip" or "down" with the latest musical group that is touring through the Big D.
A few weeks ago, I decided that I needed to venture outside the walls of my home and do a little toe-tapping in a musical venue.
When I presented this option to SO, she naturally wanted to know who the performers would be since we hadn't been to a concert in nearly three years.
"The Go-Go's," I proudly exclaimed, thinking she would think I was, once again, a cool and happening type of guy. "They're appearing at the House of Blues."
"Are you crazy?" she exclaimed, " Like, they are so eighties."
Now, I admit that SO is significantly younger than I, so I threw out a reconciliary retort.
"And who would you prefer to see?"
"Matchbox Twenty?" she replied.
"Like, they are so nineties," I responded.
On the big night of the concert, SO and I arrived a tad too early, since we had never been to the HOB. We thought we could probably snag some food (not having dined there earlier) in the concert area prior to the musical festivities.
Sure ... you could get some food, but the most basic form of hot dogs, candy bars, and other assorted inedible shit right outside of the venue area. I suppose we could have made our way into the restaurant, but the clock was a' tickin, so we settled for the carny crap. (Or, at least SO did... I decided to double-team on the bourbon on the rocks. It would meet my caloric requirements and boost my levels of musical appreciation.)
We found our way to our balcony seats and got settled. Finally, the opening act appeared ... Fast Ball. SO was convinced that they were a Wallflowers cover band. I rolled my eyes and retired to the bar.
Even I knew better.
Finally, it was time for the Go-Go's to appear.
Between sets, it took some time for the HOB to set up for the band. After all, it was Geezer Rock. Geezer Rock demands oxygen bottles, wheelchair ramps to meet the ADA requirements for the performers, as well as ample emergency medical personnel on hand in case of coronary overload on the part of an audience member or the band.
I must say I was quite impressed with the timeless ability of the Go-Go's. It was almost like I was watching a twenty-five year old television set broadcasting MTV of days gone by.
And for the HOB concert experience? I'd go back again. It was perfectly enjoyable. Great sound and passable libations.
And one more thing ... GEEZER ROCK RULZ!
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We went early to grab some dinner before the Badfish (Sublime tribute band) show. They stop taking reservations at 7, so we opted for reservations at 6:45. It was a good call b/c the place was packed. I had the pulled pork sandwich and my husband had a pasta dish with chicken and mushrooms. The food was pretty darn good...not mind altering, but good. The service, while friendly, could have been a little more attentive and speedy. The restaurant falls in the 3-3.5 range as a good option before shows but not a place I would run to if I did not have to be at the HOB anyways.
As far as the venue goes, we bought seats upstairs in the big room...Cambridge Room, I believe. We stood back by the bar for the opening bands and took our seats for the Badfish show. The acoustics were great and there is not a bad seat in the house. It looked pretty crowded on the floor with a little bit of rowdiness and plenty of pot smoke. At this old ripe age of 28, I don't do crowds like that anymore. Paying the extra charge for seats is definitely the way to go. My biggest complaint is that beers are expensive...five bucks for a Bud Light. That was a bit ridiculous but other than that, a good time was had by all and I would not hesitate to return for a show.
The HOB is a solid 4 stars.
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Over the past couple months there have been a lot of great shows at the HOB. They are probably the spot in dallas that most popular acts will come unless they are big enough to sell the AA Stadium. Yes there is security at when you walk in, so get to your show early cause there will be a line. Also if you know a show wont sell out buy your tickets there and save yourself the wait in line for will call. The sound is unbelievable. I saw a blue grass group here and they only play acoustic instruments and the sound was unreal. The group even commented on the sound being so amazing. The drinks can be pricey , but you can expect that from a corporate franchise. They have a snack bar outside the theater and they sell some yum yum chicken tenders!
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The first thing you notice about The House of Blues when you pull up is that you have to pay at least $8 to park anywhere close. You're going to a concert though, so you are used to paying that much to park at places like Smirnof and Nokia, so you just shrug it off. Next, you walk up to the actual venue itself, and it looks pretty cool with it's Bourbon Street - style architecture and big balconies. You are starting to get excited about the upcoming concert at this venue. You walk up to the window to purchase your ticket and start to pull out your crisp 20 dollar bills you got from the ATM run you made earlier that day, because when you looked at the HOB website for ticket prices and availability - it quotes the ticket prices as being from $25 - $35. You thought to yourself, "cheap seats - awesome". However, no where on the site does it say that all tickets are through evil Ticket Master, so after you ask the ticket agent for "one of the cheap seats that are $25", you may be a bit surprised when you are told that you owe $42.25. Their site should warn you about that, because when you are starving from saving up your lunch money all week, you know to budget in at least another week of hunger or an extra $15 for Ticket Master's fees.
Once you get inside the venue is divided up into different areas. I only experienced one of the ballrooms and the bathrooms. By the way, the ladies bathrooms had plenty of stalls, toilet paper, paper towels, and were relatively tidy - so HOB gets a point for that.
The acoustics are good. Both the shows I have been to at HOB have played different types of music, and it has all sounded good. It's also a smaller venue, so you can see the facial expressions of people on stage and you can throw a bottle and have it hit the drummer if you need it to.
However, I had to pay $4 for a can of Bud Light, which is ridiculous, and there is no smoking anywhere on the inside, which is also annoying. The anti-smoking rules in Dallas actually really p*ss me off. Restaurants - OK, I get it, but bars and live music venues? Come on. I once saw one of the musicians playing on stage at the Granada light up during the set and smoke. Like anyone was going to say anything to him.
I digress. The question I had to ask myself after having been to 2 shows at the House of Blues is "was it worth the money?" The answer is a 50/50 split. One of the shows was fantastic, and totally worth the money, the other show was not. My recommendation is that if you are going to see a band that you are a big fan of - then go see them at House of Blues. However, if you're not familiar with the band, I'd pass.
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When I finally got to go to HOB it was to go see the Eagles tribute band Tequila Sunrise. Me and a buddy went there and quickly discovered without a reservation, you are gonna wait, a loooooooong time. I'm not sure if that's changed since but I know if I go again it will be to make a reservation.
The food is something like cajun infused with something. I had the jambalaya which to my surprise was not soupy at all (maybe this is more authentic?). A good sized bowl of rice with all the meats, very little sauce, whole chicken wings in the mix, and sitting right on top, a habanero pepper. Yes I ate it...and yes it hurt, but damn it hurt so good. My buddy had the ribs which were very tasty and actually had a bit of a kick from the sauce. I personally enjoyed the food.
Luckily I didn't have ticket issues because they were only 12 bucks a person. The concert hall was something like a theater of old with standing room only for general admission on the first floor and a large balcony on the second floor if you want to sit. You won't get a bad seat if you go upstairs so general admission is completely acceptable. VIP gets you seats on the first floor right in the middle. The concert was completely worth the money and I can see HOB filling in that niche of smaller traveling bands. As mentioned too, don't take your camera!
Parking is the only downer. The entire neighborhood is the lofts and condos around Victory park and for the most part, you will not be able to park in the street. 10 bucks to park in the two lots near HOB really sucks considering (a) cash only and (b) pay first. Yep you guessed it; I had to go to an ATM before I even set foot inside HOB so be warned.
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Went to HoB for the first time tonight to see Common, and I liked the venue more than I thought I would. Here's the breakdown, because everybody loves lists:
Pros:
1. Excellent sound
2. Stage is extremely high, unlike the old Gypsy Tea Room stage, which was maybe three centimeters off the ground.
3. Great sight lines from almost everywhere. There are pillars on either side of the soundboard, but aside from that, no complaints.
4. No smoking. I love not smelling like an ashtray, and don't think cancer seems all that fun.
5. DART access means my car doesn't have to go anywhere near the West End and I can save $10 on parking.
Cons:
1. Goddamn, these shows are expensive. Maybe I'm just used to the little indie shows I grew up going to, but I hate forking over $45-50 every time a band I like comes through.
All in all, I dig this place. It's not somewhere you'll go to get trashed, unless you have a $100 bill burning a hole in your pocket. And sure, there are no seats downstairs, but if you can't stand up for a couple hours, maybe your nursing home shouldn't let you out at night. If seeing a good show is your main objective, I think this place will leave you satisfied.
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The only saving grace of this venue is the excellent sound. Otherwise, it's a mass-marketed, wannabe antique road show.
And I'm still not sure which is worse: airport security lines or HOB security lines? There's absolutely no reason for the venue to wand anyone down coming inside. It's senseless and sets the tone for a "we don't trust you" attitute. Not very welcoming, I do say. I won't be going back, even if my favorite band is playing there.
We went to the HOB to eat dinner and see Blues Traveler. We had a great time. The restaurant was fun and the food was good.
We were able to park for $10 in the lot next to the HOB, but for $2 more we could have valet parked instead. We had seats in the balcony and we thought the view and the sound was great. The only reason they don't get 5 stars is because of the multiple lines to get in. Since we got there early and we ate at the restaurant, we were able to go in 10 minutes earlier than the 7:00pm door time. While we waited we were wanded with the metal detector and braceleted for alcohol. After that we waited to have our ticket scanned, and then we went downstairs and waited for the doors to open. It all seemed kind of pointless.
Overall a great experience and we can't wait to go see another act.
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I've been to multiple House of Blues locations (L.A., Anaheim, Las Vegas, New Orleans and my hometown of San Diego). This one is up to par with the rest of them. The music hall has good lines of sight and the sound is good.
Parking is not fun in this area and don't bring your camera or you'll have to pay to check it in.
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I felt like cattle at House of Blues. Lots of process just to get into the show.There is no smoking inside, no sitting unless you have VIP and parking is ten dollars. Definetly get VIP because there really is nowhere to sit downstairs. Good things? Great sound and lighting.
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With the death of the Gypsy Tea Room comes the House of Blues Dallas. So far I've been to quite a few shows at the HOB. (Buddy Guy, Subdudes, John Butler Trio, Ghostland Observatory). Man, this drains my wallet.
They did a pretty good job with the building. If you walk up the front stairs it takes you right into the restaurant area. There is a large number of tables with a stage in the back for gospel brunch, among other bands to enjoy while eating. Good sized bar area.
The Foundation Room is ok. (private members only) -- It's decorated in Voodoo style decor with oriental rugs everwhere and incense permeating throughout the entire bar/lounge area. There are several dining areas and a few private rooms. For the membership price, not really worth it ~ you can't even see the music hall from there. It would have been cool to have at least a glass wall to see the venue. On top of that, you have to pay extra for each show. Great space for bday parties or events though.
The main room is setup with upper balcony and main floor seating. In order to hear very well, you have to get from beyond the low ceilings into the main area to be about 20-30 feet from the stage. Everyone else is yaking around the bar areas...(typical Dallas).
Overall, setup pretty well but the Ticketmaster prices are ridiculous and will keep me away unless there are bands I really want to check out.
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My wife treated me to the Gospel Brunch for Father's Day. The buffet was great and the show was very uplifting, and I mean "uplifting". Amen, brothers and sisters. You won't be disappointed.
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When I heard they were making a House of Blues in Dallas, I was excited because it meant a lot of the bigger artists that usually skip Dallas would probably be making a stop. So far, there's only been one show I had to go to, and that was M.I.A. about a month ago.
The price for the show itself wasn't too much ($20), but Ticketmaster and it's outrageous "convenience" charges suck. But I'm not reviewing Ticketmaster here.
My only complaint is the parking, but that's pretty much my own fault. I don't like taking the train, and I was already running late as it was.
Well, I actually have a second complaint. Once I got there, all of the supporting acts were done with, so maybe the people at the door were not expecting any new customers. I walked straight in the first entrance, got a wristband from one of the door guys, and walked right into the venue, and no one checked for tickets. Kind of bummed me out that I spent about $60 on two tickets that didn't even get checked.
The venue itself was excellent. All the TV's were tuned to the Cowboys game, which I was watching at home before I left. Inside it was nice and cool, which is crucial at shows. The sound and stage were great, and just the architecture of everything was nice. I've never been to a venue like it before. I didn't get to check out the bar, but from what I heard drinks were high priced so I didn't even bother.
It's a place I'd definitely go back to next time someone I really want to see strolls through town.
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the first thing i remember is the poppers. holy christ. how did i survive to write this review?
i got my ol' pal dick the rza (classic dallas blues musician) to drive us down to the house of blues to see some band the kids dig called kings of the bone age. whatever. i can mosh.
the first thing i thought of falling out of the car was, holy shit! this is the hipster emmys. or nightlies. everyone knows no self serving indie rock cat leaves the couch before seven. much less the shower.
it was a who's who of bartenders, waiters, (no busboys), drinkers and carousers. i said to my old lady 'lynn', wow, this sucks.
upon entering the place i found the house of blues to be just what i had reckoned on...a bluesy throwback to the bars my uncle al took me to in mississippi in the forties! JUKE JOINT! the paint was nearly peeling off the walls w. the sounds of matchbox 20. you could see the 4 month history disentegrating into the future in acrid bass lines. they didn't hassle white folk! man, this place is awesome!
umm, where's the bathroom?
also, never got searched. hopeful in the fact that the next time i go to one of these shows i can take a pic of every fucking dickhead college dude that asks me how much i know the band. i don't. know the band. if i did i wouldn't be pissing next to you.
robert johnson must be smiling. oh wait, he went to hell. that was the deal. did i mention the gospel brunch? (tix recommended).
watched the show. solos, 'you guys are way better than (last town). boring.
and i had eight seizures due to strobes.
uhhh huhhh, just like the delta i know and love.
thank you dan ackroyd and that dude from the hard rock, you have brought the blues to my town and the $11 dollar five a.m.
god bless the blues,
HK
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I wanted so badly to like this place. I was pumped about a Dallas HOB for months, but they let me down on my first visit.
I went to see George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic the first week HOB was open. First, parking is death (in fairness, the whole neighborhood is bad), and valeting is ball-park expensive. After waiting in line for the lounge side of the venue, I was turned away for having closed-toed, strap-heeled sandals on. Let me repeat that: I was DRESS CODED at a P FUNK SHOW.
So I went to the other side to wait in line for an armband. Then I was directed to another line to be wand-swept for security. I then proceeded to a THIRD line to have my ticket scanned. The whole process took roughly forever.
It then took me 45 minutes to wait in line for a drink. The bartenders are awful, even for a new venue. I mean unforgivably bad. I repeated that process only once more during the night, while I normally would have gotten tossed during such a cool show.
While the showroom is beautiful, it's designed terribly, and there are many bad sightlines and sound holes. If you're unfortunate enough to end up under the balcony, you won't understand a word.
*UPDATE 9-12-07: Well, I did return to the HOB for Ween a few weeks back, and I have to say the place HAS improved. I bumped my rating up to 3-stars.
They seem to have tweaked the sound system, they cut the in-the-door time in half, and the bartenders have improved considerably.
It's still a bit too "TGI Fridays" for a rock venue, but since it's only one of about three venues left in the neighborhood, I guess I'll have to learn to love it.
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