Mill Creek Tavern

Elite '08

154

517

Bill M.

Philadelphia, PA

I helped promote a show here last night, And while it has a lot of potential as a music venue, I going to need to give it another try to fully enjoy it. It was kind of a mixed evening since one of the bands scheduled to play couldn't make it last minute. But overall there were some good reasons to like it and be a little disappointed.

The Bad -

1. A friend and I ordered a basket of chicken fingers and cheese fries while the second band was setting up. They didn't come until the 3rd band was getting ready to set up. An hour for chicken fingers and fries? Did they have trouble killing the chicken?

2. What Nicole and Wallspro said about the patrons was fairly true. but the venue bar is separated off from the sit in sports bar by doorways. so it's not like any epic battles between college students hipsters and old sports fans are on the verge of ensuing.

3. They had Mrs. Pacman. But it was in an arcade console and not the traditional tabletop that you should see in a bar. that's sacrilege by my book!

4. It's a good or a bad depending on your preference. But it did allow smoking.

But the main reason I loved it -

As a music venue I feel it has a world of potential. It was a good stage with great sound. the bar was HUGE and could bring in a lot of people. It's run by Ben Morgan (a.k.a MC Digga - Philly's number one German rapper with Teutonic flow) who really is committed to the Philly music scene. It's also in West Philadelphia which has a pretty vibrant music scene, so it brings in a pretty good mix of bands.
Also unlike most venues, The Mill Creek has a lot of Free and All Ages shows to offer. So it has an overwhelming potential to be great.

I think I'm giving it another try. Maybe when my friends Bloody Wall Of Gore and Hulk Smash play on the 28th.

Update 10/9/07 - The 28th made me feel right at home. and it's not like you can go wrong with the occasional awesome free show now can you? It gets another star.

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70

300

Nicole R.

PA

This place struggles with its dual identity as a dive bar and venue in a way that the Khyber juggles the two seemlessly.  This is probably due to the fact that the locals at Mill Creek are crotchety old drunk dudes and the locals at the Khyber are microbrew/Highlife swilling hipster kids.  So whereas at the Khyber there is no real tension between the venue-goers and the drinkers, at the Mill Creek it can go down gangster style.  Not that I've ever seen this happen, but it could.

This conflict of interests is also evident in the way they book their gigs.  Whoever does the booking has this annoying tendency to put Grateful Dead coverbands with indie-kid bands and it just does not jive.  Add that to the fact that it is infested with Penn Students the way in which a two-star hostel becomes infested with scabies, and you have it.  Two stars.  Also- nothing stunning on draft.  The Jameson is reasonably priced for the area but it's not keeping me coming back for more.

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14

36

Wallspro S.

Philadelphia, PA

Definitely not a great place to see a band or get a drink, unless you live within walking distance. As it is, I live within walking distance and have been here more than my fair share of times.

People saying the usuals are old mean drunk types are right. Not to say I would prefer irritatingly homogeneous Penn kids, but old mean guys sitting over a budweiser gets are just as boring as young, dumb college kids ordering rounds of jager.

All that aside, I have seen some very cool shows here, and definitely gotten drunk a few times, but it is certainly not high on my list of places to hit for a night out.

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15

361

Jake P.

PA

I would begin with a ditto to everything previously mentioned by Nicole.

I have witnessed the clash between local yokuls sucking on Bud Lights when an influx of hipsterism hits the scene to catch a show. It's never good, and I try my best to choose no side.

The Mill Creek has a name that would fit some place down in Deep Creek, Maryland or along some lake in New England. From the inside, you get that feel... with lots of stained wood, a big bar, and a variety of brews on tap and in bottle.

But the extra space that MCT uses for bands is cool for the West Philthy music scene, but it really clashes with the bar's motif. I've never had a great, comfortable concert-going experience. Equally, I'd never dream of hitting this spot up for a cold one without the music. This paradox leaves Mill Creek what it is... a meeting place for kids to hear their friend's bands before they all meet somewhere after that's more condusive.

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13

38

astro t.

PA

I don't know how to categorize this place.  It's got a lot of everything, food, beer, bands and DJ's.  The menu is varied and they serve bar food late which is a good thing to know if you're running around late at night.  I've seen shows here a few times and it's been really mellow and it's mostly local bands where everyone knows everybody.  so if you like it like that, this is the place in west philly.

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