Sonar

 

8

43

Natalie F.

Silver Spring, MD

I have been to several shows and dance party's here and the one thing that never seems to change are the longest lines ever! I saw Ween back in November and we waited about 45 min. just to get inside and we had tickets in hand! Then we had to wait at least 20 min. to get a drink! I would by 2 at a time so I wouldn't have to get back in that fucking line. Taxlo use to be really cool too, they use to play really good indie dance music with some 80's thrown in, now it's ALL techno bullshit and I swear everyone is between 16 and 19 years old! I thought this place was a bar too? I really have no desire to go back anytime soon.

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5

46

Caitlin S.

Baltimore, MD

Sonar is a down and dirty place to dance.  Unless you get there very early or are having the parking luck, it's going to be a pain to find a spot.  Cover is always fair, and sometimes even free.  This place is not pretty.  Remind yourself that you are not going for the looks, which are dark and warehouse-y.  Drinks at the bar are cheap, and the bartenders are efficient and friendly.  They have some water jugs for designated drivers-great idea.  The music is typically good, although you may need to stand through some so-so acts before the headliner comes on.

My issue with Sonar is that there are a ton of kiddies roaming around-it is 18 and over, after all.  This wouldn't be that big of a deal, but without fail, I get fallen into, stepped on, and sloshed/spilled on by some 19 year old girls dressed in Forever 21 mini-dresses and pointy toed high heels.

If you go, go with patience, and wear comfortable shoes.  You've come to dance, plus there's really no where to sit down in the main room.

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2

39

Andrew W.

Baltimore, MD

Great for what it is. I love this venue to see certain bands in. I have never had a bad time. People looking for a fancy club for room to move around should steer clear of Sonar.

Those looking to have a dirty, cheap, Natty Boh can induced good time should feel right at home.

Multi rooms with different music going on in each. Also there are 4 or 5 bars as well.

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3

32

Brett J.

MD

Sonar started as a tiny corner nightclub in Canton, back in 2000-2001. When they moved to Center City the club consisted of only the lounge and club room, what is now the concert hall was just a parking garage.

They struggled for a couple of years as an "EDM only" venue. Occationally special parties were thrown in the parking garage area but only when they started booking live rappers and bands, did they realize the potential of the club.

Over a three year period, the garage gradually transformed into the concert hall that it is today and we've seen Sonar's target demographic change from the "Starscape" crowd to more rock-friendly scene, with the crowds changing nightly along with the bands.

Sonar lately has been focused on booking alternative/indy/emo bands such as Thursday, Coheed, A Heartwell Ending but has also hosted KRS-one, The Wu-Tang reunion, Ziggy Marley and Jello Biafro. Recently, Sonar has started booking more EDM acts again - I'm very exciting to see Mr. Scruff coming back to town!

Sonar's long-running staple, the TAX LO dance party has been a regular Friday-night party for almost 5 years. The party originally started in the lounge with 30 punks and hipsters hanging out to 80's and metal music. The party is now held in all 3 rooms of the club, bringing close to 1,000 young (very young) hipsters, indy rockers, art school kids and the random others in every week to hear everything from BBC to Interpol.

The bar staff at sonar are some of the nicest people in town. Most have been there for years, going through the transformation of the club along with the owner. These guys don't treat the place like a giant concert hall full of strangers. They still treat you like it's a small dance club with the same weekly regulars and it feels good that in a crowd of 1,200 the bartenders still remember your drink without you having to ask.

Sonar is simply the biggest concert venue in our around Baltimore. Odds are that you'll be hear to see a band one day just because it's the only place that can fit them. Even if it isn't for a show, you should still stop in (there's rarely a cover for the lounge), just to play a game of pool and say hi.

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Elite '08

9

56

Susan T.

Ashburn, VA

I LOVE this place.  It reminds me of the 9:30 back in the day (you know when it was at 9:30 I Street). It has the smell, it's a dive, it's a club that makes me say...ahhhh.   I saw the Heartless Bastards there and it was great.  I got right in front of the stage and took awesome pictures.  I think it's a place I'll go back to again.

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0

6

marc x.

San Francisco, CA

Its places like this that make me glad I don't live in the south.  I went here to see one of my favorite bands play.  A great all ages shows, only it was ruined by the fact that they still allowed smoking inside.  It would of been a great venue if I could of breathed easy, and didn't have to thoroughly wash all my clothes when I got home.  I guess some places are still stuck in the 20th century.

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1

2

chuck g.

Baltimore, MD

Sonar is one of those places you try once, and you say to yourself, "that was pretty much the worst night club I've ever been to." Then you go back again because everyone else is going, and then you kick yourself in the ass because you realize once again that it is such a horrible place, you wish you had your time back, but you never will.

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0

7

Jessica D.

Brookline, MA

First, what's really cool about this place is that, on most nights, it's FREE. You can't beat that. And, while there's no dress code, I find this draws a more interesting crowd. The club has several rooms--one is a lounge area, one a more intimate space with featured artists (i'm guessing here), and a HUGE main dancefloor. We're talking plenty of room to move around, and an easily accessible bar area.

I've paid a hefty cover plenty of times to get into clubs that weren't half as cool as this one. If you're looking for high-brow sophistication, you might be disappointed by the mix of people. But the DJs for the weekend nights were quite good, very danceable, yet eclectic.

I don't even live near Baltimore anymore, but I think this place works hard, and does a lovely job.

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29

202

Eric P.

Baltimore, MD

Many good acts play at the Sonar when in town. Otherwise, not much of a reason to go here...

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5

25

Theorn C.

Baltimore, MD

Damn this place is big! The main stage/ dance floor area is enormous. That would explain why Sonar has quickly become one of the biggest draws in the region for promoters to put on acts ranging from Wu-Tang Clan to The Maryland Death fest to Kid Koala. This club is pretty divers in the sense that one night you can go and be surrounded by underage raver kids on pills and come back the next night and have the awful experience of those INdy Rocker Glam 80's hair freaks.  You'll find yourself wondering how fucking rejected these hipster scene kids must have been when they were actually in high school. They must have been  biggest bunch of dip shits for them to prance around as tough they are still in high school  while they are in fact in their mid 20's. ..RANT!! Some evenings you'll find your usual club going lounge crowd..you know the sort I mean. Basically what I'm saying is that club is not a place for "this type of person" or "that type of person"..it's big ass club that has some form of entertainment for just about any one who likes any type of music, shooting pool, making out in public, getting served by a fairly attentive  bartender or paying a little more than you should but not as much as you expected for drinks. I have fun most times I go here.

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