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The Catalyst
Rating Details »
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Thu, Fri, Sat
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- Yes
89 reviews for The Catalyst
Bouncers, bartenders and other staff can make or break a night out partying (as I've learned), so I was bit worried about how much fun I'd have at Catalyst, given some of the bad staff reviews. I needn't have worried, however, as I had the BEST time at Catalyst during the Ozomatli show last week -- due in large part to the sweet, funny (and sexy) staff at the club. Seems like I spent most of the night chatting up the bartenders and bouncers, and by closing time, I felt as welcome after my first night here as if I'd been to Catalyst a hundred times.
So, starting at 5 stars:
- 2 stars because the ladies' room was an abject, sloppy-wet horror by no later than 10:30 p.m.; and
+1 star because I saw that people were left alone to discreetly enjoy their sticky green smoke in the club!
SO IMPRESSEd with the Catalyst.
JUST saw Matisyahu last night, what an incredible show!
I always wondered how so many performers only hit up SF and Santa Cruz. There's really nothing available in the south bay at all.
It's pretty decent despite some rough edges to the joint. I mean who really cares if the paint isn't perfect. It's Santa Cruz for heaven's sake.
The sound is incredible, EAW speakers all the way man. You feel the full spectrum of frequencies from your high tweets to the freakin bombs quaking the walls.
wicked yo, definitely stoked to come back.
dec. 9th - ice cube?!
Seen some amazing shows at the Catalyst...311, a local band called Jetlag ( blows my mind they didn't become huge), the Epoxies, Norman Jean, Reggie and The Full Effect....the list goes on and on.
Sure, they haven't really done any work to fancy up the venue, but thats part of its charm. It's like a much more desirable " Gaslighters Music Hall in Gilroy" but located in downtown Santa Cruz.
If you live in the South Bay, make the trek out to see a band you like, or rapper ( andre nickatina plays here often) , hit Streetlight beforehand and they have a superb selection of hard to find CD's....
All these people calling it a "small" venue have an interesting definition of small; I'd call it medium sized - around 600-1000 person capacity.
It's a total dive; looks like no one's done any work on the place in 30 years, and the bathrooms are nasty. The stage is about 5' off the ground though, so your view of the band won't be blocked, and there are balconies on both sides of the room for the overhead view. When we were there, the sound was pretty good - clear & well balanced, and not stupidly loud, which was nice (and rare).
Bar prices were pretty average - $5 beers.
I saw The Expendables here last night along with Strung out & Pour Habit, I think that's what their called. The show was amaaaaazing.
The Venue -- is pretty small but spacious enough to stand around and still watch. The view from the top which is 21+ because there is a bar area is a good view. You can watch the show without being pushed around or invading someone's space.
The Staff -- quick and efficient. The stamp you for entry and stamp you if you're 21 which allows you privileges to the bar area/upstairs. The Bartenders are so fast! It's amazing. I didn't have to wait 30 minutes for one bartender to come around to take my order. I think the prices are fair. Coronas & Heini's were about 5 a pop! Not too bad.
The bathrooms are a bit dirty and I think by the end of the night they were all clogged because there was only about one or two stalls working and the line was out the door!
No entry for those who are not 21. Since it was a 16+ event, therre were some immature jerks doing inappropriate things. I hate events like that even though it was a good show.
The Catalyst is a good venue conveniently located right downtown. Lots of punk, ska,and reggae artists play here. It's on the smaller side so you won't be seeing the rolling stones play here, but not as small as some clubs in San Francisco. I have many memories of great show here, but of course there are always more concerts in San Francisco.
I was also recently at The Catalyst on the 14th to see The Expendables and LOVE IT!!!! I really love the band and that was my main reason to be there. Although it is a lil difficult when it's 16 and over nights because 21 and over crowds have to drink their drinks in the balcony, this night I didn't mind. I was able to take my 17 year old son and we had TONS of fun!!! We are both huge fans of The Expendables!!! I've also gone there to see Slightly Stoopid and 311 and those were 21 and over and it seemed to be the same. For those of you who live on the wild side and love your 420 and cigs...they don't seem to be bothered with it that much which is cool...to each their own. =) Overall, LOVE THIS PLACE!!! I have nothing but fond memories at this establishment.
Concert venue:
One star.
I have been coming here for 20 years now and the only reason I come back is that there is nowhere else to see these bands. I would rather be at Moe's but that's not an option all too frequently.
This place SUCKS!!!!
The bouncers are the worst I've ever witnessed. I'm a mellow dude so I don't get in trouble but they have no idea how to deal with people without escalating the situation.
The drinks are shitty, expensive and often hard to get.
The sound is terrible.
The bathrooms are a nightmare.
The bartenders are usually dicks, unless you are upstairs.
The pot smoking thing is wierd- pot is great, goes well with music but at these 16 and over shows they force you down to the all ages area if you are puffing a bowl so you must smoke around kids. Then they quasi-enforce it with odd results.
The Upstairs:
3 stars.
Get out of the concert crowd up here for quicker drinks, sit by a window and smoke to cool off.
The Atrium:
3 stars
Cool ancient plants and trees, nice open spot, much nicer bathrooms, some cool free shows, less dickhead bouncers.
I saw Gillian Welch here last Friday. Great show, but this isn't a Gillian Welch review. This place tries to be a performance space, but the sound guy was terrible (was getting requests from Welch/ Rawlings to fix the vocal track) the acoustics were middling at best and some moron decided it'd be a good idea to install those turbo jet dryers in the two restrooms that, incidentally don't have doors.
Nothing quite like having "Elvis Presley Blues" interrupted every 30 seconds by the sound of someone's personal hand hurricane. This place books some good acts and totally disrespects them. Boo.
The Catalyst is the only place to see any major artist who comes into Santa Cruz. It really IS the only place.
It's been around for over 50 years. My aunt even remembers being little, back in the 60's running around the bar, while Bob Marley was playing. This place is such a legend, I doubt it will ever go out of business or close.
They sell pizza outside, which is always good in my book. They have two stages, three bars and a bunch of pool tables upstairs. The smaller stage is usually more local bands, or unknowns. The main stage is where big names play. I have seen some of the best concerts of my life here. They have a 21 and over section, on both sides of the stage that looks over everyone.
No matter what I really think you're sure to have a good time here.
Sound isn't great, the bathrooms are gnarly, and there's a strange localism that kind of hangs in the haze here.
Smaller than the Fillmore SF, but laid out similarly, i.e. long, level floor, so if you're short, you should push your way to the front.
I'm constantly surprised at what acts come through Santa Cruz - the most popular of which appear here or at the SC Civic; you don't really have a choice, so just go and remain hopeful that some melee won't break out.
Really prefer to see acts in the atrium, but that rarely happens...
Moe's Alley, Kuumba, the Rio, and the Crepe Place are all better venues, but they're tiny. Don't expect to see Beck at any of these places.
This venue is a little weird at first. There is a pizza shop, stairs, columns and on first visit I had no idea where to go - though I could hear the music.
It is a BIG venue with a balcony and all. There is a 21+ area with a bar which I think looks like you are putting the old people on display like at a zoo (me included).
Good sound, decent view. Even when it was sold out there was still room to move (yea!).
Parking kind of sucks.
No frills, small venue - a great place to see some of the smaller artists that travel to the "Cruz." It's kind of a dump, but if you want to get up close and personal with one of your favorite bands - this is a great place to do it. No complaints from me, and I've been twice.
Last night was my second trip to The Catalyst; we saw Pepper. About 4 years ago I came here to see the Gza and Brother Ali. I live about a 45-an hour long drive from Santa Cruz, but I feel the drive is worth it to see good music.
This place is pretty cool.. full bar.. they serve food..and the layout is not bad. Its kind of nice that they have balconies. Good place to see a show.
Pros:
-Cheap, local, independent venue. Fuck ticketbastard.
-Huge rooms. Go hang out in one of the front rooms or at the bar if you are bored with the opening acts.
-Great lineups: I have never experienced a boring opener when I have gone here. The booker deserves mad props.
If you are over 21 there is a great view from the balconies.
Cons:
-It is a bit dated, and for a shorty like me, there is hardly ever a a barricade and the stage is much to high for my front row antics. The bathrooms look like I should be doing coke off the toilets.(- 1 star)
-The sound can also be a bit off. Oh, and they always use intense smoke machines that ruin my photos. (-.5 star)
The pizza here is not that great. (-.5 star)
I've seen some good shows here but their drinking situation leaves something to be desired. For all shows that aren't 21 and up (which is the majority of them), drinkers are relegated to the narrow upper balconies. Since for many people concerts and drinking go hand in hand, these balconies overflow with people holding full drinks who, depending on their state of soberness, are either trying to keep their drinks from spilling or spilling their drinks all over others.
The bathrooms are heinous (of course) but the main floor is pretty good for watching shows. It's pretty good for dancing but again, i prefer to dance with beer in hand (I like a challenge).
I will continue to go here because there aren't too many other options in Santa Cruz...
The Catalyst rocked...in 1996. I remember seeing Steve Morse, Alan Holdswerth, Mark Knopfler, Charlie Hunter Trio/TJ Kirk & countless others over the years here. So myself & the missus are staying in Capitola a few weeks ago, didn't feel the Village that night & figured, "why not cab to Santa Cruz" Noticed a decent Jazz/Fusion/??? band was playing & tix were cheap.
Band, OK. Drinks, soda + ice + imperceivable amount of alcohol. Crowd, bunch of fucking local assholes, can you say "wanna fight?" The sound was mediocre, the bouncers as everyone else has mentioned are all roided up meatheads.
Overall, bad call, should have stayed in Capitola.
Checked out Slightly Stoopid this past Saturday at The Catalyst and had a great time. Like others have mentioned, prepare to get a little contact high, but it's not as bad as people make it out to be. I barely felt a thing when I left, but this was most likely because most of my attention was going to the fact that I couldn't hear for a while after the concert.
The venue itself is pretty simple, but highly effective. They have a small stage area when you first walk in, while the main stage is in the back. Picture a high school auditorium with a small stage in the back. This is what the lower level looks like. There are 2 separate second levels to the left and right of the main stage that is for people 21 and over. One of the levels has a bar and while the other just have sporadic seating. There is also a second small bar section when you first enter the room with the main stage. It's very small and can get extremely crowded, so be prepared for this. Come showtime, if you get hungry they serve pizza from the place next door. If you have heard The Catalyst smells of pizza and weed, these rumors are very true.
Overall, I am very happy with my experience at The Catalyst and would live to check out another show. BTW, Slightly Stoopid kicks ass!
I've got a new favorite venue to catch shows in and that venue is The Catalyst. For years I've been trying to get my butt to Santa Cruz for a show, finally did and it was oh so worth it.
The venue is very reminiscent of a mini Filmore. Not really for aesthetic reasons but the fact that it is pretty historic in that big names in music history have performed here. The venue is very much an extra large dive with a mini stage in the front room and the main stage in the back.
This place is super low-maintenance. For instance, you pay 25 bux a pop for a concert tix and in return get these little blue raffle tickets that you would normally find at a church fund raiser. Eh oh well. The drinks are fair priced. The bartenders had no problem making mine extra stiff as per my request.
BTW: Ozomatli totally rocked this joint! Even got to meet and take pictures with a few of the band members hanging out in the foyer of the club! Expect getting a contact high, not only from all the amazing energy of this place but from clouds of ganja smoke! Also, remember there is only one entrance/exit. So at a sold out show the quickest way to leave is getting stuck in a herd of (human) cattle. Moooove!
My hubby and I have only been to The Catalyst once but had a pretty good time. I like the layout of the stage area and the fact that you can catch the show from a bunch of different levels. If you're drinking, you have to stay within the bar area or go up to the balcony area, which gives you a pretty good view of the stage. That being said, it kinda sucks ass that, if you're 21+ and drinking, you HAVE to stay in the bar/balcony area because they allow 16+ into the rest of the show area. Moving on...they also have, what to me seems like a dance floor, on the main level that has bench seating around the edges. Not that you can sit there whilst watching a show- or at least the punk shows I go to- but the option is there. Ticket prices were reasonable and the staff at the club seemed nice enough.
Down sides: bathrooms are DISGUSTING! I literally had to leave in the middle of the show to go use the bathroom at the Mexican restaurant around the block (which, by the way was very clean...too bad I can't remember the name of the place). Please keep in mind- I am a bit of a germaphobe but I can't imagine ANY woman who would willingly use this bathroom. Ewww doesn't even begin to describe it. The other downside: after reading all the reviews on Yelp about places to eat in the area, I was excited to find out that you could get pizza at Rockers in the same building as the Catalyst. What a friggin joke! Nastiest pizza I have EVER had in my entire life- soggy, undercooked, sat out for way too long, cold when served and just overall totally unappetizing. Not that I expected a lot but come on- it's not that hard to put out a decent slice! Total disappointment!
So, there's good and bad. We loved the concert we went to- then again, never been to a NOFX show I haven't loved but still. Would I return to the Catalyst? For a show, absolutely. BUT, I would eat and pee before I entered the place. And if all else fails, I know a great little Mexican restaurant right around the corner where the bathroom code for the door is 9191. :o)
My robot boyfriend T-Bot dragged me here to see Immortal Technique. Though it wasn't my type of music, the place itself was kinda cool. There was a balcony with tables and chairs that we didn't sit at. Instead, we opted to be in the main dance area and it gets incredibly sweaty...bad for a girl who actually cares about her skin. They sold pizza but it didn't look as appetizing as Pacific Ave's Pizza, so needless to say, we didn't try it. What was cool was that they sold drinks and food up until the show ended, around 2:30 am! I think next time, we will sit up on the balcony to avoid the kiddies passing around a fat joint.
Minus one star for the crowd of whack jobs here; one girl actually stole my half empty (or was it half full, haha) water bottle. Gross, what if I had a case of the Herp? Geez Louise, buy yourself a clean bottle.
So I personally love the catalyst.
It get 4 stars cuz well it can be hella sketchy sometimes.
I attend 4-6 concerts here annually so I see the ups and downs.
But for the most part its a fun and really chill atmosphere where you don't get hassled unless your a sloppy drunk high school student or dumb enough to spark up in front of a security gaurd. The bands that come through are really good and you always feel up close and personal
This is a GREAT club to see a live show at, they have an excellent sound system and you can see really well from almost any spot, and I'm only 5 ft so that's sayin something!
The biggest downfall is the bottleneck, they allow ins and outs, but they use two doors to let people in, so if you go out you're basically like salmon swimming upstream. This is also a huge problem when exiting.
Second problem is when there's an all ages show and you're over 21 and choose to drink you are smashed into a corral area and forced to stay there to have your drink. Clearly it is a very hectic and crowded area, and again getting in and out is a disaster.
The door guys and 'bouncers' seem pretty nice and friendly, but I have a little concern that the bar staff don't know what the hell they're doing. First they told us they didn't have Fernet, we asked if they were sure so he went to check and came back with a bottle of Fernet. Then he says there's no gingerale. What the hell sort of bar doesn't have a ginger mixer?
Anyway, I still enjoy seeing shows here and will be back when the occasion arises.
The only thing that draws me to come and enjoy music here are the bands that chooses this location as one of their stop.bar is hit or miss,balcony service gets tricky since the servers adds the tip on top of the drinks that you order.restroom needs attention and how does the balcony area run out of chairs?!?!
Kind of a dump.I went there to see Chris Trapper in concert.Staff wasnt too friendly.The bouncers stare at you even though youre not doing anything.My girlfriend went to get us pizza after we were seated and the guys kept staring at where I was sitting.Luckily,Chris Trapper recognized me and stopped by the table to talk for a minute then walked backstage to so a soundcheck.A few moments later my girlfriend returned and the show started.Alot of weird folks there all around.I'm surprised our car was still outside and in tact.
It had been some time since I had been her to see a show but I still had a great time as I always do when I come here!!! They have some really cool bands that come by to play.. I saw Israel Vibrations a few weeks back and was just in awe!
But if you are over 21 and want to consume some alcohol goodness then you are forced to be crammed either right next to the small bar or up above in the "balcony" area. That isn't too bad though b/c you also get to enjoy other stimulating things (*wink wink*)....
My only gripe about this place is the bathroom but not as much as the stinky pesto smell right when you walk in b/c of the pizza they are serving..
Asthetically speaking, this place is pretty grimey. The bathrooms aren't very clean and the crowds at shows are often strange. (But kinda in a good way! You'll catch some of the wackiest dancing you've ever seen in your life here, promise). I'm not saying any of this makes the venue a bad place. It all actually adds to it's vibe. But I'm just saying, if you're gonna watch a show here for the first time, don't expect anything glamorous.
As far as who performs here, you'll definitely catch some crackin shows from time to time. You'd be surprised at which artists would choose to play here. And it's a range of folks too. From Jason Mraz to E-40, Living Legends to New Found Glory. A bunch of old bands, rock and alternative artists, rappers, and local folks whom I've never heard of. Variety isn't lacking at all. Seems like you can catch any genre of music here.
In my past four years of undergrad at UCSC, I've seen Del the Funky Homosapien, Zion I/The Grouch, and Lauryn Hill play here. Forreal, Lauryn Hill. Crazy right? She actually took forever to get on stage and didn't play for very long, which is typical I hear of hella folks who play here. But to be in the VERY FRONT of the venue where we could almost touch her was worth it. I used to work next door at the shoe store, so sometimes we'd get a rush of customers waiting to get into the venue for a concert. On one particular winter night, we were decorating the store with holiday decorations while Talib Kweli played next door at the Catalyst. We could hear the bass of his songs knocking as we put up Christmas lights. How sick is that?
Get parking behind the venue and you'll often see artists kickin it or walking out to their cars before and after shows.
Sucks that you can't take pictures for certain shows though. I had one bouncer take my camera away for the rest of the Lauryn Hill show. I had to go to the back room to claim it. Boo to you, camera stealing monster.
All in all, good venue. The grime comes with the experience. I was glad to have made going to shows here part of my time in Santa Cruz, and if there are ever future shows I want to attend, I'll definitely may the journey back from the bay to catch them!
This is the one venue that I constantly find myself at, even though it's in Santa Cruz and I live in San Jose. Going to shows here is well worth the drive over the hill.
They always have great musical talents coming through this venue, and the sound in the building is very good as well. The main floor can get really hot when you're watching a sold out show, so I'd recommend finding a seat upstairs on the balcony if you're over 21.
I knock off a star for the pompous bouncers. I have never been a fan of bouncers, but for some reason these guys seem to be some of the worst. I will not go into further detail.
Go to the Catalyst and enjoy some good drinks, and good tunes!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/19/2008
I love going to this club for shows. I have seen so many greats of the music business here. I love… Read more »
Amazing Revelation #1: George Clinton used to be a hairdresser.
Amazing Revelation #2: Kindergarten teachers love the Funk.
I LOVE George Clinton. Not Clinton as in Gap dress "Clinton," but Clinton as in Dr. Funkenstein. In fact, I love him so much that when I saw he was playing at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz, I immediately bought tickets for me and hubby to go. The evening was seriously funkadelic. I was funkin' with the funkers and we funked until the funkin' lights came up. It was AWESOME!
Ol' Clinton and his band was on fire. They played one song alone for at least 30 minutes, which freaked the crowd into a frenzy of sweaty, gyrating funksters, all of us singing along to the lyrics. So much so, I ended up memorizing the song...Double Dutch Bus.
So for the rest of the weekend, I had Double Dutch Bus going through my head...I couldn't stop (trying) to sing it.
"The Double Dutch Bus is on the street
You'd better get off the curb
Move your feet..."
Hubby was visibly perturbed. "You're DESTROYING that song for me, you understand that, right?" Hmph. Whatever. I sound tight when I funk.
I had a persistent earworm. I kept singing that song, even in the classroom, which seemed to entertain the kids, one in particular. There was this cute little boy that was in my class. He had a bit of a speech impediment, which made it difficult to understand him pretty much all the time. Everything he said pretty much sounded like gibberish. He was pretty good at hand gestures like, "I have to pee!" But that was about it. He eventually grew out of it in first grade, but It made for an interesting year in my K class.
Strangely, after the Clinton concert, the strangest things started happening with this boy. He came up to my desk one day and stared at me for a minute. He had the cutest little gruff mumbly voice. I could barely make out what he was trying to say, but it sounded almost like...
Lil' Boy: "Give me a HO if you've got your funky bus fare..."
Me: (thinking about it) "Huh? Wh...?"
Lil' Boy: "I say ssssssss-sugar..."
Me: (looking at boy) "Wh-what?" This kid looked at me, opened his tiny mouth and all I heard was...
"Bip, bomp, bam alakazam
But only when you're grooving
With the Double Dutch Man
Put on your skates don't forget your rope
Cause I know I'm gonna see you
At my Double Dutch Show
Rebecca, Lolita, Veshawn and Dawn
Everytime you do the Double Dutch you really turn it on '
Bilzarbra, Mitzery, Milzetty, Kilsan
Titzommy, Kitzerrance, Kilzommy that's my man
Come on get on my Double Dutch Bus
The Double Dutch Bus!"
I just stared at him for a minute. He stared back. But even though it was Funk-onics and not his usual Jodie Foster Nell language, I STILL could not understand what he was asking for.
I helplessly waved made-up signals at him in wild, exaggerated hand gestures: BATHROOM? He shook his head, no. CRAYONS? He shook his head, no. DR. SEUSS? No. LIGHTSABER? Nope.
Not knowing what to do next, I dug around the desk and found a bag of Goldfish Crackers and meekly offered them to him. To my great relief, he took them, smiled, and went back to his desk. I guess that's what lil' Funkmaster K wanted.
I have GOT to cut down on the Yoo-Hoo.
Only at a Santa Cruz venue would the surface area of my forearms be subjected to being entirely tatted up by a barrage of check point stamps, each ridiculously large enough to warrant their own zip code. Give me a couple more nights with the layers of bouncers working the Catalyst and I'm going to look like a freaking Yakuza.
Before I up and die of ink poisoning though, let me tell you, I spent two hours last night with a whole lot of granolas who would appear to have spent a rather healthy proportion of their adult life smoking something goooood. I have never seen such, ehm, interesting forms of dancing, but it was rad to see in the flesh.
On a whim, my buddies and I (the same ones who shared a delightful evening with me in the dungeons of Vive Sol) drove out to see Patty Griffin on tour. I had never heard of her before yesterday, except for the fact that up until about an hour before curtain, I was really hoping that it wasn't that one red headed comedian chick from News Radio...
Not. Even. Close.
Turns out, she's a folk singer with fiery red locks and a pure, but changeable voice. Itunes doesn't do her justice -- her voice is absolutely soulful and beautiful LIVE (despite the venue's demeritorious sound equipment), but one minute she's Norah Jones Gone Bluegrass, another minute she's a country rock star. I prefer the former since she tends to go really shrill when rockin out.
If you're looking for a kick back evening, Patty Griffin will be at the Warfield Friday 3/16.
a.k.a. - the Capitalist...
What a great place to go to see a band up close and personal...
I got to see the Violent Femmes, No Doubt, Dance Hall Crashers,...and a few others here...
There are always cool bands coming through SC... and if you're lucky enough to be there when that happens... You should take that opportunity!
BTW... don't be discouraged by the 18+ crowd... It actually adds to the overall ambiance of the place.
Shooter Jennings,Buthole Surfers,Maceo Parker,Ministry, Hank 3, G Love, Robert Earl Keen, Sick Of It All, Devil Makes3, what more could you ask for in a dog $#@! town like Santa Cruz? If you go up towards the front the sound is good (Not Filmore,GAMH,War field) but it's better than sitting in some coffee house listening to a weak ass jazz combo.
You can smoke cigarettes upstairs,you can smoke reefer downstairs. What more could you ask for in sleepy little Santa Cruz?
I went to go see a New Found Glory concert at The Catalyst and I had a great experience. Buying tickets were easy and waiting in line didn't take to long.
Inside, it is dark and grungy, but that's what I was expecting from a $20 concert.
The concert was great and I had a fun time. The mosh pits were crazy though and people were getting hurt, so if you don't like mosh pits, stick to the sides of the place.
The coolness factor of this place goes back and forth depending on the management at the time. Sometimes the security are assholes, and sometimes they're cool. The bands that come through here are usually the better of the bands in the area, and the sound system is pretty good. The best band I ever saw here was Habanero.
I can't give it 5 stars (yet) because I've only been once and that was awhile ago (1999, I believe). But it was the best 311 show I've been to! I was under 21 at the time, so I can't comment on the bar. I remember it being really intimate and having a great view of the band. Going to see Jason Mraz here next month, so I'll have an updated review by then!
----
Update: 3 April 08
Came back for the 311 concert (coming back to see Jason Mraz tomorrow night), and had a blast. Had some drama with an older lady who "claimed" a section of the benches on the side. But c'mon. It's general admission, either you sit or stand or let others sit or stand. That's that way GA works. Oh well. Had a great time. Can't wait 'til tomorrow's show. More details about venue then.
Have you ever been torn between going to a sweat lodge or listening to live music?
Well by attending a show at the Catalyst you don't have to decide.
I mean seriously it was at least 90 degrees downstairs and probably 95 upstairs in the drinking corral. Yes they have drinking corrals so that this can be an all ages venue, stupid if you ask me as there are not 18 year olds that like Ryan Adams.
Oh and there is nothing sadder than seeing a sloppy drunk menopausal hippie lady, ewww.
After many years of trying to lovemy town's biggest venue (next to Moe's Alley), I have developed an informed opinion of the Catalyst. My advice: Avoid this venue for any and all reasons, if you can.
Sound Quality: The lowest of any "pro venue" I have ever been to. When I saw Lauryn Hill here, she almost walked off stage cause the sound was so bad she couldn't hear herself. Same with Damien Marley and Modest Mouse. The only good show I've seen here (out of maybe 30) was The Mars Volta.
Employees/Bouncers: The worst part of the Catalyst experience. The men who work the door walk around brooding, screaming and assaulting young show-goers. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I've seen them be absolutely sexist, rude, violent, offensively abrasive, and generally horrible and mean. Sounds dramatic, but I can't stress that part of it enough.
Ambiance: full of tension, egos, and really dirty and smelly. Even the "green room" which is supposed to be the nice part reminds me of a BART public restroom.
Shows: They book great acts! But shit, they never go on until about 2 hours after they're meant to. (Tracey Chapman started 3 hrs later).
Honestly, I've always left disappointed at the sound quality, which would be less irritating if the Ticket Prices weren't always way overpriced. None of this is to mention the endless mess-ups that Will-call has put me (and my credit card) through. The food that was there before Pleasure Pizza came gave me a stomach parasite. Yum.
My friend Lani Trock, a singer/songwriter from Hawai'i who lived in Santa Cruz and now live and performs in LA wrote a song about the ass grabber who helped himself to her behind when she worked as a cocktail waitress at the Catalyst's bar: "Super Booty Ass Grabber". Her MySpace: http://www.myspace.com...
Salty.
That deserves a whole paragraph. Upstairs is dominated by bro-cals who will readily fight you because you didn't go to high school in Santa Cruz, and your dad isn't a contractor.
Downstairs is a meat market in the atrium. Hard to be aggressive enough to meet a slut there. Not that I want to.
Minus two stars for that...plus three for being a great small venue for all kinds of bands. Saw Toots and the Maytals and Devil Makes Three, amongst others. Sweet place to see some bands in an intimate setting.
P.S. Don't be tempted to eat any of the food there.
The Catalyst is a pretty cool venue. There are 2 stages, each with a pretty reasonable amount of space. They have some pretty decent bands roll through, so on occasion it's worth the drive from Burlingame. One complaint I have is that you usually have to pay for each show individually. I would rather just pay all at once for both shows and not worry about showing tickets several times. Also, it's an all-ages bar, so there is only a small area roped off where you can drink, which is kind of a pain in the ass. On the bright side, they do serve pizza and other snacks, which is nice since it's such a long drive back to the peninsula. 3.5 stars
Great all around venue. Perfect for shows for all ages. The way this place is set up you can separate the kiddos for all age shows with the adults easily. The restaurant has good food and the pool hall upstairs is roomy and has many tables. The stage area is large and roomy with plenty of seating and a great mezzanine along the side. The bathrooms are always clean and the staff is always friendly and kind. I have seen many great shows here and had a better time than any other venue in the city.
