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Orpheum Theatre
Rating Details »
Category: Music Venues [Edit]
Neighborhood: Downtown1 Hamilton Place
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 679-0810
- Nearest Transit:
-
Park Street (Green, Red)
Downtown Crossing (Orange, Silver, Red)
Government Center (Blue, Green)
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Garage, Private Lot
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Mon, Fri, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
96 reviews for Orpheum Theatre
I went to The Orpheum for the first time on Halloween. I was in town for the Guster show that night.
Were people thinner in 1852? Just asking... Because... I'm a tall and skinny man (call me "lanky") and I was uncomfortable in the seats. I searched the room for a fat person just to see how they were coping with the narrow nature of the seats, and I spotted none. Maybe the heavy-folk know better than to see a show at The Orpheum.
And really. In 1852? People were dressing in layers. Especially in Boston. We're talking dresses with overcoats and furs and hats and... LAYERS! There's NO WAY they were able to squeeze into these tiny-ass... folding chairs. They're linked in rows, but they're folding chairs. In fact, my seat smelled like a 19th-century woman. Don't ask me how I know that.
Really. The seats are tiny. Can't say it enough. TINY. SMALL. PETITE. WEE.
The staff on Halloween were AMAZING. Beyond friendly, and definitely enjoying the crowd. Hard to have a bad time on Halloween with all the drinking and costumes and all. Kudos to everyone working that night.
Points deducted for the $8-dollar PBR tall-boys, and lack of booze. No booze at a venue? I understand Blue Laws, but I have a hard time reconciling them with the fact that IT'S BOSTON. THE birthplace of this country's Irish-Catholic alcoholism. One should be able to get a whiskey. Just saying. Meh.
Additional points lost due to the lack of air-conditioning. WOW. It got hot! And damp! Humid! Ick!
Love me some history. Love it. I prefer comfort and alcohol.
Let me start by saying this is an OLD theater. The fact that they spell theater as 'theatre' goes to prove that :) That said, it's amazing that the theater is still in use for events held today. I've been there twice, both times for an annual dance competition. It has the capacity to hold a lot of people (approx 1500?..probably more). And you can see the stage from pretty much every single seat. However, those are the only good things about it.
Yes it's an old establishment - but they can certainly put more money and make the airconditioning better in there. The upper balcony levels get incredibly humid and hot and its just not enjoyable. The seats are very uncomfortable and can be difficult to find if no usher is around. The drinks are incredibly expensive (but that's something that is prevalent everywhere). They can certainly make renovations to this place by making the seats more comfortable and installing better air conditioners. Also, I love old places, but they should be kept well and the Orpheum just isn't. It has an odd smell to it (not the pleasant kind similar to opening up an old book....yes i'm a nerd).
On both occassions I would have enjoyed myself more had the theater been more receptive to its paying customers and give them a more comfortable place. However, that is not the case and that is why I have to side with saying I've experienced better....much better.
I went to the Orpheum with my wife to see Guster on Halloween. We sat in the upper balcony which was a mistake. Being a sold out show, the upper balcony quickly became remarkably warm and humid. It really did feel like a sauna up there. People around us began to disrobe: several men took off their shirts and one "girl" behind us took off her skirt.
I had brought 1 quart of water with me, but this was inadequate. If you'd like to avoid buying $4 bottles of water, I'd recommend bringing 2 quarts of water per person if you are sitting in the upper balcony. If I ever go back to the Orpheum, I'll bring more water and I'll spend a little more money on better tickets so I don't have to sweat through the show.
Guster did put on a great show though, and we had a good time despite the sauna treatment.
Went to the Orpheum last night for the first time and saw the Cranberries, it was a great performance by the band, but the venue on the other hand...I ordered will call tickets and it took me twenty minutes in the will call line to get them. There were only two people in front of me. It took so long that the guy in front of me and I started to wonder if they were drawing the tickets.
Once inside I stayed clear of the alcohol stands, I know better than to drop that kinda loot on booze. I saw the merch stand but I thought I'd hit it on the way out, big mistake.
My ticket was in the front row but all the way on the left so I could only really see Dolores because of the speaker stack, so be aware of that.
So as I was jamming out and taking some pictures one of the security people came over and rudely told me that I had to put away my camera cos it was "too professional", I have a Fuji Finepix S700, which may be a good camera but is no where near a professional camera, it's not even an SLR. I told the lady that it wasn't and she then told me that it went beyond a point-and-shoot and they would take the battery if I pulled it out again. Wow, I've been to sporting events, concerts, weddings, random things and never had any issues with the camera being "too professional". That kinda left a bad taste in my mouth but whatever, I have a very good camera on my cell phone so I just used that.
Then came the onslaught of the slutty girls wanting to come to the front and take pictures, which of course meant getting in my view. Did the security say anything to them? No, in fact they took some of the pictures for the girls.
Finally the show ended and I thought this was my chance to buy some merch, ha ha nope, I couldn't make it that direction at all, we were all herded out the door which was the opposite direction.
The only reason to even think about going to this venue is the sound system, it was pretty good for such an old venue, I was kind of impressed.
So here's what I learnt last night, don't get will call tickets, don't wait to buy the merchandise, don't get seats all the way on the side of the stage, don't bring your good camera, and do avoid this venue if possible.
We managed to snag some free tickets to see Lenny Kravitz at the Orpheum Theatre. I've been to this venue before but it was always for much more laid back musicians. In general, this theatre is beautiful. The acoustics are great and I don't think that there is a bad seat in the house to hear the music.
My main complaint about this place is the seat. They are super tiny with very little leg room. For those shows where you are sitting the whole time it is almost unbearable. For shows like Lenny, where you stand, it gets so hot it makes you want to throw ice down your shirt.
Although this isn't my favorite venue, I will probably go back and this time I'll be sure to make sure I have an aisle seat and a travel fan.
Went here to see my fav comedian, Daniel Tosh, the other night. The architecture is gorgeous and while I was in the front right section, the place didn't seem big enough to have many bad seats.
However, the seats are tiny which isn't a problem for me and my short legs, but it is a huge pain to get through as everyone has to get completely up for you to get through. And their numbering system kind of confused me because some seats were missing numbers. I mean I know it's not hard to figure out, but I should be able to see a 12 on my seat and not just have to assume it's there, especially since the side section skips numbers.
And I ordered 2 beers and it was $20! I mean I know it's more expensive and all and they were large beers, but seriously $9 for a Miller Lite???
I had the awesome experience to see the Yeah Yeah Yeahs play here Monday night.
After perusing the reviews, I was almost scared that this was going to be a crap venue.
But I had an excellent time and it was sooo much fun.
The Orpheum Theater is really small but packs a great sound and I felt like no matter where your seats are, you can get a clear view of the stage. I was in right orchestra in row W and had a clear shot of the stage the whole time.
My own gripe is the rows are really small but that didn't prevent me from dancing a little, I did wish the crowd was more into it or maybe just my section was LAME-O.
For this show, we could bring our $10 beers to our seats! Staff was really nice but are really adamant about helping you find your seats when you walk by them for the 10th time. But its cool, they are just doing their job.
I would definitely come here again for another hot show.
And if you can, buy your tickets at the box office, you def save some loot by not getting livenation service fees.
On Monday, I went to go see my favorite band, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, at the new-to-me Orpheum Theater by Downtown Crossing.
It may be just because the show was astonishing, but I really enjoyed the venue. I had ironically great seats because I was seated above the stadium seating entrance, meaning there were no people in front of me, I had a banister to put my drink on, and when I got to hot from all the dancing, I could just put my whole body over the banister.
The prices, on the other had, were the only drawback I could find (Four dollar Pretzel?! Nine dollar beer?!). Also, the seats weren't entirely comfortable, but it wasn't too much a worry because your standing up the whole time.
The hall itself actually looks pretty nice and Jane Austen-y. I could actually see the band, and probably so could the people 10 rows behind me, perfectly.
I think I'd definitely go back to the Orpheum. Especially since it's only a 3 minute Subway ride from South Station.
The beautiful architecture, good shows and location saves this place. I don't really find the seat uncomfortable for an average size person as many people have complained about on here. But I can understand someone bigger or taller would feel uncomfortable.
I just went to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and it was incredibly hot and the hall wasn't even full! I feel bad for the band that was jumping and running around on stage.
I don't like when you buy the tickets via their website it isn't first come first serve. I had bought these tickets the hour they came out, and somehow I got a ticket in the back of the hall. I DON'T UNDERSTAND!
I will come back here again if there is a show I like, but I think it would be better for slow intimate music or a comedy show. Plus, maybe it would be a bit cooler? Let's hope.
I came here twice last year: once for David Gray and another time for Brian Regan's stand-up show. I'm not sure how long the Orpheum has been here but I can tell it's been a very long time. The building is falling apart and on each visit it seems in almost worse condition that the visit before. The musty air smell and creaking floors are a true sign of it's age. I would say it's one of Boston's last remaining staples of the city but am afraid it's on its last legs. The draw to come here isn't there for me anymore expect for when headlining acts turn up.
On both visits last year I sat in the same section just left of "LEFT CENTER." This section, like all the sections, is not comfortable; there is little arm room and even less leg room. During high energy concerts most people stand so it's not a major issue. However, when you are watching a comedian joke around for almost two hours things go numb quick! My ass must have fallen asleep five time in an hour. Things pinch and dig into every part of your lower body. At times you are asking yourself, "What the hell am I sticking to???" What I find more amazing are the people who seem to balance drinks and food during shows.
The Orpheum isn't all bad, it's got a lot of good points. You do get a more intimate experience coming here than a larger venue. The theatre is accessible very easily but the Green Line and there are plenty of restaurants/bar around for afterwards. One major selling point is that buses for the main acts are always parked in the alley in front of the theatre. So, if you hang around long enough you might actually get to see or meet the act you just watched for two hours!
booo. It was so hot in there and super cramped, which makes it hard to enjoy the $50 I just spent on a ticket. I keep saying I won't go back, and this time I mean it. I felt so claustrophobic, even on the asile
It would get one star, were it not for the intimate size and beautiful, ornate architecture & character to the building. That is where the good ends. Grossly mismanaged, with bitter, incompetent employees who bully their customers, and basically add little but malaise to the atmosphere. It seems that with ticket prices being what they are, a renovation might be in order. The place smells like gym socks and the seats look like original 1930's fake velveteen with springs poking through them. It also seems that the sound system does not jive with the acoustics of the building as it gets a bit warbled in the upper balconies. A Boston original and a treasure, but until they get new ownership or management, this place won't see any more of my dollars.
It might not look like much but I love this venue. I would definetly recommend it.
I went to ZZ Top at the Orpheum on September 15th. I've always loved this venue...the accoustics are amazing. It's such a great place to see a show. My best concert memories happened at the Orpheum.
I'm so excited to report that the venue has renovated the bathrooms!! Not sure if this has anythign to do with Don Law buying the place back or what but it looks like they've finally started to put some time into the place. Hopefully they'll keep working on it and it won't look like such a dump.
I hate assigned seating. It's a useless, contrived idea to try to assemble a hoard of people at a punk or metal show. I second the complaints of the comfort level because I got a splinter on my calf.
But I like this place and it is very convenient. It is also like a time warp portal located in the center of a Metropolis. I would like to photograph it with the central air blowing through my hair. The retro decor and the genuine archaic-ness of the billboards, opera house style stage and skinny, rock hard seats (which becomes tolerable when your ass surrenders consciousness) is what I like about The Orpheum.
Someone should open up a late-night chiropractor office next door, because YES, the seats are god awful. I came to my first show at the Orpheum last October (Of Montreal) and didn't suffer all too much, but my seat for the recent Andrew Bird show -not even in the balcony mind you, but right up front in the orchestra - left me twisted and contorted in all sorts of ways during Loney Dear's opening set. I finally went to complain between performers, eventually winding up with a house manager of sorts who bumped some guy on crutches out of a folding chair in order to give me a more comfortable seat, which, even though the guy with the broken leg scored a front row seat out of the deal, made me feel like a bit of a douche for the rest of the night on top of having one killer back ache.
The Orpheum certainly has "character," and it is pretty to look at, but I'll definitely think twice about purchasing tickets for another show here.
Pretty stage area, good location.
...and that's it for the "pros" column.
This place is so shabby. Seriously, the owners can update this place without losing the charm. The chairs are probably the worst. Dirty, cloth ripped in various places, no numbers. I'm just glad my next show is at the Colonial.
I can't do it again...I can't sit through another hot ass show trying not to fall asleep from the heat coma I'm forced to endure.
I first went to the Orpheum for Iron & Wine and literally fell asleep. (not entirely the Orpheum's fault I'll admit) We had to leave before the show was over because it was so freaking hot.
I went last night for The Shins and while the show wasn't a drag I still was dozing off because of the sauna. I just can't do another show there. Which totally sucks because other than that I don't mind the place.
Ah the Orpheum, birthplace of my favorite concert-going story.
It's all been said before, small seats, beautiful interior, fun environment, and the balcony is falling. . . I'll go into something a bit better:
Security here is kinda funny. Having played and worked enough shows, I know what to say and where to go and what to do to just walk into almost any venue anywhere and get a pass, if I'm really hard up. That being said, the guys are the door are TOTAL pricks, which I guess is good for business, when it comes to keeping unsavories like myself out. In fact, when I copped passes to see NIN here all those years back, I was asked FICE times to show my pass to take a leak. FIVE!
I JUST HAVE TO PISS!!!
But once the house cleared out, and the only ones left were the groupies with after-show passes (no trent wasn't there, yes I know where he went, no I won't tell you), the crew, and myself, I walked onto stage to talk to the roadies and crew with nothing more than a grunt to the woman sitting by the door.
That's it. flas the pass five times to take a leak and none to go fuck with the instruments. HOW DOES THAT SHIT MAKES SENSE?
Ahhh, the orpheum.
Too HOT!! This place is so friggin' hot once all the people jam into the cramped dirty seats here. I love small venues for shows but going here is just painful. Between lumpy seats and its sauna like conditions (which only gets worse when you on the balcony) I tell myself I am not going back. I know I will because I go where my performers go but I will be prepared.... sneak in some bottles of cold H20 (gotta be comfortable and thrifty!)
Oh glorious Orpheum. You're just so cute! Tucked down a alleyway in Downtown Crossing with a facade that draws you in. You're so small and intimate, too. Ugh! But you're also VERY OLD. The old carpeted floors need to go. The walls need to be cleaned. The bathrooms need to be completely updated. The chairs ... need numbers ...
Somehow I managed to purchase tickets literally in the uppermost corner of the tippy top balcony for the John Legend show. I'm always in the balcony. John's voice projected outward and his hands moved over the piano, but all I could hear was *bwaa bwaam bwaaaammmmpppp ... bwaa bwaa bwummm bem* . The sound of Charlie Brown's mother. Granted that I'm sure the upper most corner of the tippy top balcony wasn't designed for acoustics, but come on, this place sucks when it comes to sound. And why does anyone go to John Legend except to HEAR him. Doh!
So I'm starting to warm up to the Orpheum.
The first time I went there was last fall to see Iron & Wine, and between being squished against a wall and having to deal with technical problems that produced a ton of feedback during the show, I wasn't too pleased. The dude who kept yelling "Free Bird" throughout the night didn't really help things. It's not that kind of venue, man.
The second time I went there was last week to see Of Montreal. Great show, definitely on the loud side, the only real issue was that it was freezing inside! But dancing to the music pretty much solved that problem...
Finally, I was there a couple of nights ago to see The Decemberists (totally recommend them by the way, they are excellent live!). Was up in the balcony this time and could see fine, but I was a little distracted by how much the balcony was moving once everyone started getting into the music. Falling to my death at a concert is not really my idea of fun...and let's be honest, it's an old place, so I was kinda concerned.
Overall, it gets the job done. It's easy to get to, it's pretty inside, though worn around the edges, and although there isn't a ton of legroom, it doesn't necessarily matter since you'll end up standing at a lot of shows anyway. I'll definitely keep going to shows there, but I'll probably try to avoid sitting in the balcony next time.
Well last night I came her to see Ben F*cking Folds TEAR the place down!
The crowd was even persistent enough to demand a second unplanned encore despite the crew's attempts to clean up the stage. It was pretty hot, so five stars for that.
As for the actual venue, I was a bit confused. Pizza and beer? Sticky sticky floors? Is this a concert hall or a baseball stadium?
I didn't mind the crammed seats too much, especially once we were all on our feet. I actually kind of liked snuggling up to the cute boy sitting next to me (my boyfriend) during the first half of the show. However, being a 5'6" girl between two taller gents, I didn't manage to snag either of the armrests during that time. Crammed elbows resulted.
The sound was decent, though I could tell that about 1/3 of the audience probably couldn't see much behind the giant speakers on the front of the stage. I think the band actually made the sight lines worse on purpose, though I don't know why they would...
The ushers were all 40-something book club ladies. Not exactly expected. They also made me go up the stairs even though I was sitting in the second row of the second section, much more easily accessible from the lower stairway. Aren't books supposed to make you smart? I don't want to bash them though. They seemed nice, just kind of out of place, even for an older artist like Ben.
The pretty murals and ornate architecture was odd but it seemed fitting in a way. Boston is old and it's inhabitants are scrappy. We make do with what we have (in the way of buildings) and this place has history, so I can deal with scuffed and tiny seats. I prefer the intimacy over shiny, new, and impersonal anyway, like, I dunno... when I saw Ben at the Garden.
if yelp would let me give this zero stars, i would. 1 star is far too high.
This is the WORST venue in Boston. seriously, it's not worth coming here- wait to see your favorite band somewhere else!
i went last night to see the shins...went a little early to find my seats, decided to go grab a drink and food somewhere and return at intermission. well, the orpheum has a no re-entry policy they fail to mention expect for in tiny signs posted above the doorway. when i asked the people working at the door about, they told me "you have eyes, use them to read the signs." after more extremely frustrating conversation with these people, i gave up.
why would a business choose to treat their customers with such contempt? i understand the door people don't set the rules, but there's no reason to be so rude, sarcastic, and downright degrading about implementing them. get a life people.
aside from that, the seats are uncomfortable and it's hot as hell.
ORPHEUM SUCKS. PEOPLE WORKING AT THE ORPHEUM SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Who needs their knees anyway?
It is almost ridiculous how cramped the seating here is. Plopping myself down in the darkness, I swear I shaved off some of the bone from my kneecap. It was literally impossible to sit normal and so I had to adjust my legs diagonally to the right. Thankfully, Tarah H was having the same problem so we both slanted ourselves accordingly. Danny Devito and Rhea Perlman are so lucky.
It was difficult to navigate the building, random halls and stairways combined with confusing mirrors made me feel like I was in some sort of fun house. But there are ushers strewn about so they'll be happy to point you in the right direction.
Overall, the building is really pretty with some classic architecture that could use a little updating. The location is terrific, in between Downtown Crossing and Park Street so there are plenty of transit and nightlife options nearby.
Aside from the cramped seating and awkward shuffles throughout, it's a cool venue. Especially when you're watching Margaret Cho with a bunch of gays, lesbians, and hags - tight squeezes are fine by me.
I've seen more shows here than I can remember. A few (Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck, Smashing Pumpkins) were surreal and wonderful. Others not so good.
Here's the deal: The Orpheum is about 30 seconds from crumbling to the ground - despite the 50 cent restoration fee we paid for YEARS with every ticket. The balcony bounced up and down when the music gets loud and people move, and even though you can't smoke there anymore, this place smells like it still has a 5-pack a day habit.
If you must pee, use the bathrooms up on the balcony level. The others are usually small, packed, and kinda sticky.
All things considered, I'd rather see a show here than just about anyplace else in the city. As we Bostonians say, it's got chahm....
So much hate for the Orpheum! I'm kind of surprised, because while it's not my favorite venue, I don't think it's all that bad. I've never had a bad view from my seat, and I've been placed just about everywhere. It's a little scary when the balcony shakes when everyone dances - I have run through just about every disastrous possibility in my mind (and analyzed who would be most likely to survive if the balcony were to collapse) and it still doesn't keep me from coming to shows here. The bands that play are usually quite good and I always have a fun time.
Careful about trying to sneak anything in, though - they're really strict at the door at most shows and will search your bag like mad. You cannot hide anything, and any attempts to bring in a foreign beverage WILL be regarded as attempts to smuggle in booze. I have been forced to pour an almost-full Vitamin Water into the trash because it looked like "jungle juice".
-1 star for how difficult it is to pee. Like, forealz, pushing through a huge crowd in the lobby and then waiting in a super long line to use a grimy toilet is not my idea of a fun bathroom trip. And -1 star for general sketchiness.
Hmm. I seemed to like this place a lot more than other Yelpers.
I bet it's because of one or more of the following reasons:
1) I managed to get a seat that was all the way over to the right of the venue, and there was some space between my seat and the wall to put my giant purse and get situated.
2) Alanis Morissette.
3) The crowd was actually really good...very minimal on the screaming drunk girls, more mature (but still FUN) crowd that I liked.
4) Alanis Morissette.
5) I have this natural fascination for all old buildings, especially old theaters, and this one is no exception. History gets me sometimes.
Now, let's talk about the restrooms, shall we?
Ladies, we always have to wait in line for a restroom when we're attending a popular event, or at an event at TT's where there is only one stall in total. But shit, this line was long! A half hour before the concert was supposed to start, the line was going out the door and into the main lobby!
Luckily, Theresa C. and I are resourceful and went all the way up to the balcony to find a second bathroom that was much less occupied. But it could have used a bit of a scrubbin'.
The Orpheum has a lot of interesting gigs coming up, including Trey Anastasio and Robin Williams, who has already sold out the place.
Saw Margaret Cho here last night and almost started rolling on the floor laughing until I realized it was covered in sticky dirty things. The show itself was awesome (they let us bring our drinks to our seats) and the theater is right in front of the Park St. T station, so kudos for the location.
I was concerned, however, that a gigantic paint chip (or perhaps the ceiling itself) was going to fall down and hit me in the face, what with everything cracking and peeling everywhere.
The mustiness in the air is a little unsavory when you first go in, but then you get used to it. Kind of.
While it seems to be a very polarizing place, I love the Orpheum, I remember waiting in the lot in front of it to get tickets to see Tori Amos back in 98, seeing the Cure there in 97, Ani Difranco, Sigur Ros, all sorts of great shows and great memories.
I like the acoustics, I don't love the seats, and I love the general ambiance of the place...you can feel the history in the air, on the walls, in the uncomfortable chairs...There are of course other venues to see shows at in Boston, but I've always enjoyed seeing bands I like at the Orpheum. Sitting down seems to dissuade the typical hipper than though, being there to be seen chatter that pisses me off when I have seen shows at other venues...like when I saw Godspeedyoublackemperor at the Roxy, where I was treated to nonstop chatter while watching an anti capitalism and anti establishment band flanked by fake palm trees in giant gold pots. very odd.
Interesting venue - it's been reviewed to death so let's just give you a few need to knows about the place:
1. no overnight camping, frisbee, or drinking in the alleyway. I know, I was shocked too. Much as I wanted to kick up an ultimate game just before Margaret Cho...
2. Graffiti in the bathroom indicates that no heavy cleaning has been done since the late 90s:
"Indigo Grrrls 4eva! Lezzzzbe friends, '96"
3. Tall people need not apply. I'm 5'3'' and was sccrrrunched into my seat.
4. Orchestra section = no bad seats anywhere in the house
5. Pretzel and beer vendors in the lobby. Surprise! You're not at the theatre you're in Fenway. Who knew?
Saw Eddie Izzard on 4/28/08. While normally I would be thrilled that Eddie went almost 2 hours straight (once everyone finally got in and to their poorly marked seats,) my body was screaming in pain after 1 1/2 hours. The seats are so tiny and I was jammed right up against the side wall. There was hardly any air circulating in the place and I was burning up even though it was maybe 50 degrees outside. Our entire row had to actually get up and get in the aisle so we could get to our seats. If there was ever an actual emergency or a fire, certainly most everyone would die.
The slope of the seating isn't great, either, and I was straining my head the whole time to see around someone seated two rows in front of me, and I'm 5'7". I'm sure it was a jewel in it's day, when humans were much smaller, but it is in quite a state of disrepair now. To spend over $60 per ticket and suffer through so much discomfort will make me save my money for concert DVDs instead.
We would have purchased some merch, but once you get close enough to actually see the merchandise, the guy yells at you to get to the back of the line which is slammed by people trying to get in the theater entrance. My husband got back in line, had two people cut in front of him and they bought the last XL of the shirt he wanted... mind you, this was BEFORE the show and it was only the first of 3 nights Eddie was there. Sad times. If anyone can find a "cake or death" XL men's t-shirt from the tour, please let me know.
I hate it. I mean its pretty inside but im not a small dude and I was in pain the whole time, plus i was on the balcony and barely so the top of Tori Amos's and Margaret Cho's head.
Never again.
The Orpheum sucks when it comes to concerts, as least if you are anywhere besides the first 10 rows and maybe the balcony (I have no experience with the balcony). While I like the fact I can sit down while waiting for the show to start, in reality, it can get kind of annoying. Plus, once, when I saw the Decemberists, NO ONE stood up for the first few songs.....it's like it wasn't a real concert.
The line for getting merchandise is a JOKE btw. Imagine 8000000 people trying to fight to get to the front of the line. Plus, the guy that does it can be a real asshole most of the time....no wait, all the time.
Also, they were unnecessarily stringent when it came to cameras. For the same concert, my BF brought his expensive camera because he wanted to take some nice pictures. They wouldn't let him come in with it.....they said they don't allow professional cameras.....WTF?! SO!? We couldn't go back because we no longer lived in the area. So you know what they did? They stored it in a random room. A $700.00 CAMERA IN A ROOM?!?! I nearly had a conniption. I think I might have flipped out on the lady. But no matter how much I bitched, they wouldn't let him keep the damn camera. Even if he promised not to take any pictures. What were we to do? We couldn't leave, so we begrudgingly handed it over to them. Although I wouldn't leave until I physically saw them lock it up.
So not only did we have crappy seats, but we were both worried that people were fiddling around with our camera as well as the possibility it could be stolen/broken. Not fun. Thankfully it came back all in one piece. But I was seriously pissed.
The place is really pretty, I'll give it that, I would probably not go back there for a concert if I can help it, but if there was something else playing there, I'd go.
I like that they sell ticketmaster tickets without charging that convenience fee. Also, extra points to the guy that was totally nice and awesome about finding me 2 tickets to the Sara Bareilles concert. He didn't have to be that nice, but he was, so he is great in my book and the only reason why I give the Orpheum 3 stars instead of 2.
I've been to the Orpheum twice now, first time being the only person wanting to see Dinosaur Jr. at the Built To Spill show and the second time seeing the Hold Steady. And I gotta say, I'm just okay with this place.
It's old and decrepit, but I'm one of those suckers who falls for that sort of aesthetic. That being said, there are modern floor cleaners that can get the stick off of old floors. Gross. Acoustics were okay as far as my untrained ears could tell, but they need to fire their lighting guy. There's this set of sixteen lights in two clusters of eight pointing toward the crowd that will be flashed from time to time with the music, and at least in the Orchestra seating they're absolutely blinding. It really REALLY pisses me off. It does get about as fun as a meticulously seated rock show can get, I suppose.
That being said, I don't think I've paid less than $40 to go to either show. I paid somewhere close to that to see Bob Dylan and Elvis Costello on the same bill not one year ago. I think any other club in town would have these shows for possibly half what you're paying to go here.
It's worth going at least once if you have the cash to drop on it. I've had some great times here, so it gets a good rating there tempered by the price and cleanliness of the venue.
I've only been here once, and when I walked in, I was quite turned off by the rundown-ness of the place. The seating is kind of unstable and very squished, allowing for very little leg room.
But really, I wouldn't mind coming again. I had a very good time here, because I came to see Mika in concert (I HIGHLY recommend seeing him live!) and I had seats that were close to the stage (Sorry, can't speak for the balcony or anything). Though the seating is annoying, you'll most likely stand up during the show, so then it's not really a factor anymore.
For the Mika concert, there were giant puppets, blow up puppets, and a huge confetti shower. So obviously there is a lot of possibility for some fun extras, depending on who/what you see at this theater.
Finally made to a show here last Friday (The Cult). Interesting venue with a lot of character. It's a great location - steps from the Park St T. It has lots of bars (yay!) and I found the staff to be more helpful than the usual drones.
I didn't think the acoustics were great - I couldn't understand half of Ian Astbury's between-song patter, although we were right up in the Balcony.
The one major caveat is yes, the seating is VERY cramped. I'm a shade under 5' 8" and I found it a bit on the cosy side.
The big guy in the seat in front of my buddy leaned back to stretch at one point and practically had his head in my buddy's lap.
So cool venue, but if you're over 6 foot tall, I hope you make friends easy.
Oh, and The Cult rocked!
Regardless of venue, I generally feel that: good concert = fantasmical, and bad concert = bleh. After all, it's the band I'm there to see - yes, ambiance helps enhance things, but it's not my deciding factor in what makes a good concert.
Still, I can't praise the Orpheum beyond all means. If I were to rate the concert/band itself, I'd award 5 stars. I really liked how polite and efficient the entry staff were. Much appreciated, since it's become a serious peeve of mine how rude some event-staff are when you are frisked by sketch security, shunned for your bag, told to throw your camera/gum in a bush, dumb drink-ID policy (ahem, Tweeter Ctr) etc. you get the idea.
Although $9 a beer is a total ripoff, drink stands were convenient. Available all night and it was kind of nice that we could drink in-seat. The merchandise area was wide and easy to see, and although it unfortunately was cash-only, at least there was an ATM. Many clean bathrooms, and good temperature too - arctic-cold or dripping sweat at over-humid places gets nasty, fast.
Yet I, too, must whine about seating. The front-balcony is actually decent, much better than the far-back seats. Plus, they're so close together! I'm petite, and even wee me felt my knees squished so leaned slightly sideways. I felt bad for people with normal-length longer limbs. I like the intimate feel of the place, and how it felt kind of 'old school': some great light-play, but no crazy effects, just the band wandering out to perform amidst the gear and backstage spillout.
However, the seats aren't condusive to raging fun. Luckily, we had some good-crazy fans sharing our area, so our little corner of the theatre was fantastic and full of energy. Although scattered audience members were up in their seats losing themselves in the music and scene, the general crowd was pretty flat and I didn't like how the 'everything seated' vibe felt so wrong at a rock concert. I felt bad for the people in the front-row, who were obviously restraining their 'raging' due to the rotund staff members sullenly parked in strategic locations around the audience. Way to ruin the mood, guys.
If only they would rip out the entire middle-front section of seats on the first floor, so that at least part of the crowd could have an exciting standing area, I think this place would become a much better venue for concerts, rock or not. In my experience, the acoustics were good and the amentities were there - decent bathrooms, nice doorstaff, beer, excellent bands, and charming run-down old theatre atmosphere. They just need to make some essential changes to take this place from "ok" to stellar.
Beloved artist/band name emblazoned on my iConcertCal. Eyebrows raise, mouth moves swiftly into a large O, clap like a seal. Read location, "Orpheum" and I am deflated, like Nat'l Geographic boobs, like lost balloons. And what do I do then? Well, half the time I don't go.
I made the mistake of seeing shows here twice. Erykah Badu would sound amazing in a tin can... if only you could hear her. These kinds of sound issues are typical. Nevermind the fixed seating preventing gettin' yer groove awwwwn.
What kind of concert is that? One in an aging theater unfit for music performances. And yet so many fantastic acts are booked here which illustrates the apparent paucity in quality live music venues in this city. And if these guys are charging $35 for a balcony seat it might be a lucrative biz venture. Anyone want to step up?
I like where the Orpheum is since it is so close to Park Street and Downtown Crossing, but the place itself is kind of gross. Historic, old school, shabby chic...whatever you want to call it, I just don't think it's the greatest venue. I have seen bands perform here is the past which was okay because you stand up for most of the show. Recently I have gone to two comedy shows...Bob Saget and Margaret Cho and it was painful sitting in the cramped rows for the entire show. The orchestra is a bit more roomy, but the balcony is a tight squeeze especially when your BF is over 6 feet tall. Oh and don't even get me started with the bathrooms...ughhh!
I'm sorry, but anyone who charges NINE dollars for a BUD LIGHT gets an automatic demotion. I know times are tough, but REALLY?!
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5/11/2007
I've been to the Orpheum twice now, and I really like it for rock shows. Even though the seats are… Read more »
