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The Fox Theater
Rating Details »
Categories: Music Venues, Landmarks & Historical Buildings [Edit]
Neighborhood: Uptown1807 Telegraph Ave
(between 18th St & 19th St)
Oakland, CA 94612
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Sat, Sun
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- Yes
176 reviews for The Fox Theater
Amazing, absolutely amazing; beautiful theater, classy and friendly staff, good drinks and such amazing visuals everywhere you turn. This was the first seated show I have seen here and was blown away.
Saw Puscifer two nights this week and hope to be back for the Pixies tomorrow night.
I will definitely be back and looking out for upcoming shows here.
This theater is wonderful, warm and classy. There are lots of neat, beautiful details to examine while waiting for the show to begin. There is ample leg room which I appreciate as a tall(ish) person.
The staff are welcoming, helpful and seem genuinely excited to be working here. One woman even seemed to be having more fun at the MIKA show than we were...and we were having a LOT of fun.
I highly recommend making a pre-theater dinner reservation at Flora (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) so you can have your dinner and theater in a one block radius.
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The Regina Spektor concert brought me back to my old haunts in Oakland. I hadn't been back in a while so I was completely surprised to find the area surrounding the Fox Theater completely gentrified.
The area around it is actually stunning. Luxury lofts abundant, swanky new bar scenes and a safe distance from the ice rink garage where parking was a flat fee for the night.
Getting to the theater, it's bright lights were inviting and I love the classic ticket booth, even if no one was selling tickets in it. Inside was renovated extremely nicely. Normally old theaters tend to have that musky smell, but everything looked amazing inside and didn't have any odor.
The opening act was a myspace band that we decided to skip, and then headed to this bar attached to the theater which had display panels abundant so you could see who was on stage.
Lastly the sound in the theater projected so very nicely. I'm not sure if it was just that Regina is awesome live, or the theater, but I can attribute it to that. Overall a great experience, the bartenders made strong drinks and the ushers were nice and helpful. I wouldn't mind seeing another concert here, other than the fact that it's so far away from where I live.
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Really nice theater. Easy to get to via Bart (19 st station).
The location itself is a uncluttered and well-lit, inside as well outside while waiting to get in. Inside is more grandiose than I expected - ornate decorations everywhere, lots of staff at every level.
Regina Spektor and the earlier band (Jupiter One) sounded clear, and the light show wasn't overly distracting.
I'm sure the view from the balcony seats must have been a treat too.
Looking forward to coming back again in March. I'll probably try to get there earlier than usual as well - a long lined was already there about an hour before the doors opened.
I haven't quite figured out what look the Fox Theater is going for in its newly refurbished state...Indian? Persian? Moorish? Is it supposed to look like the Alhambra in Granada or Agra Fort a stone's throw from the Taj Mahal? I'm not sure, and I actually don't care. The back-lit rugs in the wall openings. The Buddha-esque statues that flank the stage. The heavily detailed ceiling bathed in purple light. It's all very Grauman's Chinese Theater-like, but it all works somehow. Best of all, the seats in the mezzanine are comfortable with plenty of leg room. I'm just too old for general admission. Know what I mean?
I came here on Saturday to see Mika, a flamboyant cross between Freddie Mercury and the Scissors Sisters. He's the one who tries to be like Grace Kelly (mmm, mmm) but all her looks were too sad (ahh, ahh), so he tried a little Freddie (mmm, mmm) 'cause he's gone identity mad! (OK, those are his words, not mine.) The depth of the stage allowed for his retro-solar system set and the breadth allowed for his stomping dance moves with flailing arms. The teeny boppers enjoyed his show, some as old as me. The Fox is not the vaunted palace the Paramount has become, but it is a terrifically atmospheric venue for a mid-level performer not ready for the arenas. I'll definitely come back to see the next flavor of the month.
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WOW! Is the only way to describe this place! So beautiful from outside to in. The staff are friendly, the smallest details were taken into consideration when creating this place. A truly magical venue for a concert!
Worth the wait. In the eighteen years that I have resided in the Bay Area, no other venue has been able to compare in the amount of service, the proximity to both mass transit and to freeways (besides Paramount, also in the same region) and the access to food and drinks within the space of the venue. On the main level you have cooling vents on the ground, not on the ceiling making it much more ventilated when it's a sold out show.
I have seen a few bands here: Band of Horses, Monsters of Folk and throughout the time span between shows, the sound quality and the cleanliness of the venue has remained the same.
By sitting in the last row [check your tickets, it's AA] of the balcony right in front of the guys controlling the lights, one can truly appreciate the grandeur of the Fox Theater. The theater is absolutely beautiful, and the seats/aisles are well-kept, comfy, and clean. Yeah, you're way up there, but if there is to be dancing, you can jump around freely in the back row without blocking anyone's view... which we did since it was the Kylie show!
You know those lines that wrap around the block that you usually see in front of venues? There's none of that here! They let you in the doors efficiently [Bonus stars in my book!], and if the front doors weren't enough, there's a side entrance at the Den where you can grab a few bites/drinks beforehand. For theater food, it's quite good.
In terms of transportation, it's not too far from BART. If you're wanting to drive, there's plenty of parking within walking distance. Our good parking karma landed us a spot right across the street from the theater!
Definitely a venue I wouldn't mind visiting again.
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I'm in love with this theater
Madly in love
With the gorgeous architecture, the stunning décor and the uber impressive sound
There is not a bad seat - seriously
Its small and intimate and I cant wait to go back
The neighborhood is good, lots of parking (we parked a couple blocks away with ease)
A few bars and restaurants with in walking distance
The staff was friendly (it almost seemed over staffed.....)
The lighting is beautiful - it actually made me physically happy to be there
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Five scenes from an evening in San Francisco and Oakland.
1) I'm seeing Bon Iver tonight. Bon Iver is one of my favorite bands. I've been waiting to see them live for a very long time. I've yet to see a show at the newly-renovated Fox Theater. I am, as they say, quite stoked.
2) All of a sudden, I'm running late. I was supposed to have a leisurely evening - go home, grab tickets, BART to Oakland, hang out at Cafe Van Kleef with a couple of greyhounds, head over to the show. Instead, I can't find the tickets I bought months ago. I'm tearing apart my room, I'm ransacking my car, I'm coming up with nothing, I'm anticipating the worst but hoping for the best.
3) Ticketmaster comes through. They arrange to leave replacement tickets for me at will call. I no longer hate Ticketmaster. I guess this explains the $10 "convenience fee." I rush to BART.
4) I squeeze in one greyhound at Van Kleef before I meet up with fellow concert buddies. As I pick up my miracle tickets, my partners-in-crime choose the perfect spot: just beyond the first pit of crowd, up against the railing. Line of sight = perfect. We discuss babies and careers and learning how to play the guitar.
5) The show begins and ends. The show brings me happiness beyond words. BART brings me back to San Francisco after post-show beers at Radio. I stumble home, tipsy from music and alcohol. I stop at El Farolito for a burrito and finish half. I sleep with one thought in my head and slight heartburn in my chest.
Bon Iver. September 24th, 2009. Best show of the year. Thank you, Fox Theater, for allowing it to happen.
(Beautiful. Majestic. Classic. A much-needed large venue in the Bay Area. All of the above.)
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My friend and i went to the Regina Spektor concert the night before halloween and the show was amazing. Probably due to the fact that Regina rocks, but, the lights outside the theatre were completely inviting and as soon as we walked in we went to the bar to get a drink, which was strong and served by a very friendly bar tender. Drinks in hand my friend and i traversed our way up to the balcony where our seats were. The view of the renovated Fox is breathtaking. It's a gorgeous theater with ample stage room, a blue lit ceiling and ornate wall decorations. The sound in this place is amazing as well, even from the balcony every word Regina said/sang was perfectly audible. My only complaint is the fact that there's no leg room in the seats. But whatever, its easily overlookable.
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I've seen 2 shows at the Fox and absolutely loved everything:
Easy to get to and plenty of parking.
The Den - attached bar which you can hang out in before the doors open. (oh and they usually open the back entrance through the bar as well so you can go right in)
Huge, clean, well appointed bathrooms.
Lots of bars throughout the venue and strong drinks.
Stunning accents, lighting, decor, etc.
No problems with sound (at least not at Paolo Nutini or Bloc Party).
Super nice and professional staff. I had an issue with my tickets at Paolo (not the fault of the theatre) and they were very nice in dealing with it.
My only gripe was that during Bloc Party (which was on 4/20) there was hella weed being passed around. I kind of wish security would have made people put it out. I have a lung disease and me + smoke of any kind = me needing a breathing treatment and hacking up pieces of my lung. Please don't smoke around me fellow yelpers.
peace, love, and good booze ~ chase
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What a BEAUTIFUL venue. It is MUCH larger than I had expected and I can say that even the BALCONY, BACK ROW, offers good views. Of course, you'll need your binoculars or opera glasses, but the floor is clean, the seats are comfy and the interior is GORGEOUS!
We were here for KYLIE and OMG, it felt like a CIRCUIT CLUB. NO LIE.
Plus, they serve ALCOHOL (bar downstairs and upstairs for drinks) AND the bar /lounge downstairs also has a little station for FOOD and has tables and seats to LOUNGE.
AWESOME venue and I can't wait to return to Oakland (yah, I can't believe I'm typing that) to watch another show here at the Fox Theater.
PS - If you get there early enough for a show, there is PLENTY of street parking (metered during the day, but FREE at night!) and there are lots really close by. Also, very easy hike from BART!
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Holy crap! There is some eloquence in Oak Town! Who'd have thought?
Ok, that sounds snobby. But seriously, Oakland has some wonderful little nooks and crannies that I keep discovering. If you get the chance to go to an event in the Fox Theater, GO!
It's gorgeous, opulant, ornate, well-maintained, did I say gorgeous yet? The inside is like a Hindu temple, complete with large statues of an elephant god, ornate carved wood paneling and ceilings. Seriously, wow...
I saw Kylie Minogue here last night. Holy Moley! She blew me away! I can't even go into it because there are no words to do her show justice. I may die happy now that I've seen her again.
It's also a block from a BART station, so you can bip over from the city with ease and not have to worry about parking (or getting your car broken into). It's worth your $6.20 round trip from the city. Trusss, girl... truss....
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I'll always think of this theatre as the venue where I saw Kylie Minogue!!!! :) I heard that this theatre was recently renovated -- it is absolutely beautiful inside with East Indian-inspired accents, lighting and fixtures. While waiting for Kylie to make her initial appearance, I kept looking up and around admiring how beautifully the walls and roof were designed.
I was on the floor general admission -- I thought the acoustics were all right as far as the music and singing, but I couldn't understand Kylie when she spoke - but that could be because we were all screaming, dancing and delirious that we just simply couldn't comprehend much. Ha!
It is so convenient that the 19th Street BART station is within a block, and I hear the bar across the street called Flora is a good one. Loved the concert & I can't wait to come back for another show!
Love you, Kylie!!
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If you didn't know, now you do.
Oakland is a Fox.
I came here last weekend, because Kylie was making her first stop of the "For You, For Me" North American tour here. And while I have only managed to regret coming to Oakland (sorry, Oakland) on the past occassions that I have had to. This time it didn't disappoint.
First of all, the concert was like gay church. And that's awesome in itself.
And if you think of the concept of a gay church, the venue itself is perfect. Lush surroundings, leather seats on the balconies.. the decor is amazing. There are also four bars inside the venue and one actual bar (The Den) that you can hang out in which if you have been to Seattle, is similar to the Showbox.
That's so many opportunities to get your Jesus juice and get your party on. AMEN! Or in this case, HEY GIRL!
The sound was weird, but I'm going to go for that was because of the audience. Could barely hear Kylie when she talked, but the show she put on was of stadium magnitude, but managed to fit inside that theatre!
You surprised me, Oakland - and I loved it. If you happen to see your favorite performer choose Fox Theatre for a venue, don't think "WTF, Oakland?"
It's for a very good reason.
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Bon Iver's show last Thursday at the Fox Theater was incredible.
Okay, okay, I may be biased for the following reasons:
1. It's Bon friggin' Iver
2. I got lucky with tickets a week prior for pretty much the same base price (thank you nice person on Craigslist)
3. I was front and center on the floor, so most likely did not have any issues with sound compared to those at the balcony and mezzanine levels
4. Wait, did I mention it's Bon Iver?
All right, but really, it was a sweet show, lighting and acoustics were great, and the architecture is spectacular. While waiting, we ooh-ed and aah-ed, turning our heads one way and then the other, up towards the ornate ceiling and then to the crazy gold statues chillin' on the left and right of the stage.
There are a number of bar counters on the first floor as they are located at the sides of the room and back center, so no waiting in line. Servers also come around to the floor if you want to order a drink and bring 'em back to you. While this saves you the trip to get up yourself, it can be a little annoying when you're watching a show, and the person next to you is yelling they want another Lagunitas IPA (nothing against Lagunitas, of course). It's a very good ploy on Fox's part to get people to buybuybuy and drinkdrinkdrink, especially when you only have plastic to use (credit card max is $20). If you're in this situation, you don't have to go through a maze of people to reach the bar after your first drink, then your next one, and the next, so on and so forth.
And of course, location is prime--you hop on and off the BART, walk a block and it's right there. I'm definitely looking forward to catching more shows here.
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Hooray! Gorgeous.
A little bit Disneyworld/Indiana Jones-ish on the decor, but you've got to love those plush leather seats.
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I went here for the first time last Thursday to see Bon Iver. I was standing in the very front, so he was right in front of me! Despite standing in the front, the sound was amazing (usually you should stand back a bit further to stay away from the bass).
The sound quality was pristine. It was amazing how you could feel and hear each instrument. The floor was literally vibrating to the sounds of the instruments, especially the drums.
The lights were tasteful.
The venue ambiance has a nice classy and upscale feel. The architecture of this place is truly amazing --I remember being there a few years ago and it wasn't something worth remembering but the renovations did the place some good! It's a truly beautiful place.
The staff is one of the most courteous and friendliest folks that I've ever came across. They were very accommodating and were not jerks.
It's a really small and intimate venue --sort of reminds me The Independent but more up to par.
Parking wasn't that bad --I was lucky and scored a parking spot the block over however they open up lots to park in for $10 if you are unable to find street parking.
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Australian Pink Floyd rocks. They even have enough cred as a tribute band to have played David Gilmour's 50th birthday- and if they're good enough for him by dammit, they are good enough for me. I was still a little glimmer in my parent's eyes when original Floyd was touring, so this is as close as I'll ever get to the experience of seeing my favorite songs performed live.
I saw them first a few years ago at the Paramount, which was awesome. And for this kind of show the sound was also paramount to the quality at the Fox last night. The vocals manage to get very muddy in my opinion- a little disappointing. I've seen two other shows there since the reopening, and had the same feeling about the sound.
But back to Floyd, a great show. Body shuddering to the bass, eyes seared by the light show- and yes, I even got freaked out by the giant pink kangaroo- I won't lie.
I love all the easy access to various bars and bathrooms. And I ESPECIALLY love the wall of switches between the Den and the actual venue. I could stand and toy with those things all day....
What I didn't love where the smelly assed carnies that stood in front of us for the entire show. Greasy hair and holey clothes, sucking down drinks and ignoring the 7 year old with them who had her hands over her ears until after 11 on a school night. Maybe get the kid some foam earplugs- just a thought. But that would take forethought, and what can you expect from parents (?) who smell like an old laundry hamper.
Addendum: If you caught or picked up a bracelet style glow stick during the show, it explains any herpetic sore or bedbug that you might have taken home. Yeah. The Carnies had those alternately in their mouths, tucked into their hair or in their back pockets the entire first half of the show, then threw them to you. Wasn't that sweet!?!
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I LURVE THE FOX THEATER.
let me count the reasons why:
1) not having to drive to SF
2) plenty of free parking
3) saved $4 toll
4) shaved an hour of commute / parking time
5) no traffic
6) uptown is happening!
7) the den: great drinks, crowds manageable.
8) lots of top acts come here
9) balcony seating is super comfy with great views
10) a symbol of hope for oakland
the downside?
1) muddy sound
2) sound system sucks
3) did i mention the sound yet?
yeah, yeah, yeahs rocked this place hard.
echo and the bunnymen, decent show. poor sound.
up next, the pixies 11/10.
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Fun times at the Fox! I went to see Bon Iver at this venue a few days back. The place is gorgeous with all of the elegant detailing on the wall lovingly restored to what I can only imagine was its former glory. I felt like I should have donned a nice cocktail dress and heels to fit into the elegance of the place. There are three tiers for standing room, each outfitted with a nice long bar and tons of carpeted open area for milling around. I hear the balcony has reserved seating but didn't make it up there. I thought this place was such a great spot for seeing a band that I'd likely even return for a show that only promised to be half as good as Bon Iver was this past week.
Oh and one tip on the drinks...if the high prices annoy you, consider checking out the bar a few doors down, to the left of the theatre if you're facing it head on. I don't remember the name but it was a good starting point for my evening this past Thursday.
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I LOVE seeing shows here. This theater is easily my favorite one to watch a band in. If only it were in San Francisco! San Francisco theaters should take a clue from this theater. It's got gorgeous architecture but all the convenience of a modern theater. My favorite are the vents every few feet in the floor that blow up cool air during a show. It keeps the area from getting stuffy and unbearable. It's also a great size for a theater, large enough for a crowd to make it lively but small enough that you get an intimate show. Love, love, love this venue.
This is a beautiful theater, with a great layout, but what really won me over was the amazing staff. We went to the Flogging Molly show last night and from start to finish, everyone that we interacted with was efficient and really helpful.
Now, for those of you living under a rock (just kidding), Flogging Molly is a band that plays upbeat Irish influenced music (also known as paddy punk.) So you best believe that there was a rocking mosh pit down by the stage. A few songs in and I took an elbow to the face and had quite the spectacular bloody nose. I made it off the floor and out of the auditorium (more of a feat than you might imagine) and got myself to the bathroom.
Once I'd gotten my nose and face cleaned up, I was heading back to the show when I was stopped by a few concerned security guards. They convinced me to stop by the medical room and get checked out. They took care of me, set me up with some ice and gave me a comfy seat to kick it in for a few minutes. The security guards continued to smile and check in with me after I'd headed back into the concert and just generally made me feel really safe. Which, I have to say is rare but exactly what I always want out of security!
So yes, while the Fox theater deserves a wonderful rating just for being an awesome place to listen to your favorite band, they get double extra credit bonus points for taking such good care of me.
P.S. I didn't notice any of the sound complaints other Yelp users have mentioned, but it is a really big theater so I can imagine the balcony seats might have some issues? My ears are still ringing, proof that the sound is pretty awesome on the floor.
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It's a little pretentious but it works. I've seen a couple shows here and I don't agree with the sound issues, maybe some of the bands didn't dial in their sound or maybe it's bad in the back but since I always get up front it hasn't been a problem.
Anyway yada yada yada basically all the same things others are saying just wish BART ran a little later and I could party in Oakland after the show but with budget cutbacks I doubt that's going to happen anytime soon.
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This place is amazing, by far the best venue I have been to in the bay area that isn't simply just a bar and stage.
I have been to the warfield, great american music hall and my old favorite the fillmore.
There is many things that make this place amazing, like many others have said it is within walking distance of BART, the architecture inside is simply breath taking. Actually let me devote a little time to that, the statues on each side of the stage are amazing, from a distance they look like statue of Buddha but as you walk closer you see that they are of something different but still very nice. The windows that are on the upper level on each side have a very nice flair to the whole environment. I can not adequately do this place justice in words.
The other cool things about this place is that they give good size pours on drinks, the attached bar to the venue actually feels like they put some thought into making it a comfortable addition and not just an after thought or a last second addition.
If you are a person that enjoys a great show and also likes an amazing venue when you are at the show you owe yourself to go to this place.
I would agree with other reviewers that the sound is not great here but I still had a blast when I saw Flogging Molly here.
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Over the summer we saw Sonic Youth perform here and it was amazing- well, the show and the venue!
This venue was beautifully done, so wonderfully put back together. It was truly a magical place to see a band perform! The sound was fantastic! It seemed like anywhere you stood or sat would be a great place to see the stage. Security was efficient and did a great job at getting the scumbags out who caused problems. Parking was easy at the parking garage that was available for special events with a $5 parking fee.
we highly recommend coming her for a show!
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Last night I caught Paolo Nutini at the Fox. This is a really nice venue to catch a concert.. The whole place was recently renovated and is in pristine condition. Built back in the twenties, it has the flair of the Chinese Theater down in LA, with over blown statues and cues from the Far East. I read that Theater had gone in disrepair for almost forty years and was just recently renovated and recognized as a historical landmark. Thank god. It's a really great venue to see a band. Unobstructed views from just about everywhere. Their are several levels, tables, a private area, and several bars.
Paolo Nutini was great too! Loved the music and sound and I'm definitely going to go back. An added bonus is that the Theater is a short talk from 19th street BART station. Rock on!
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I'm going to echo what many have already said.
THE SOUND HERE SUCKS BALLS.
Fox, are you reading these Yelp reviews? Have you tried fixing the sound? Every person I know who has been says the same thing 'The Fox is a great venue, easy to get to via BART, and is beautiful. Love not waiting for drinks. But the sound sucks.'
How could a venue pour money into such details as numerous bars, excellent decor, adequate staff, but blow it on the whole reason people pay money to go there for - music... sound?!!!!
My experience in seeing the Yea Yea Yeas was that it sounded like I was listening really far away from the stage - like on the outer skirts of a headliner at Coachella, or up against the fence on the field at Shoreline, when in fact I was on the next tier up from the ground floor!
There was no umphhhhh to the sound. No thump in my chest which made me think 'wow, this sounds great.' In fact, at first, I thought the guitar was not going through the monitors and what I was hearing was directly from his amps! That is how weak the sound is at the Fox Theater.
Apart from that, this place is fantastic.
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I saw the Arctic Monkeys here a couple of weeks ago and loved it! They had great lighting, it was intimate but still big enough to have an enthusiastic crowd.
They have a full bar which was nice, however the beers where more expensive than I would have liked. Comparatively they are cheaper than most theaters though, so plus for that. :)
I took off a star because there was a bit of feed back. I think when your revenue generator is hosting musicians you should make sure that your sound system is top notch. Whether it was the band's fault or not, there shouldn't be feedback at a concert.
Otherwise I loved it! I will be going back hopefully, the staff was nice, the place was clean, not too much more you can ask for!
A cathedral would be a better place than the Fox, but alas most bands won't play at one. This high ceiling venue is gorgeous with it's South Asian decor and great lighting. You never feel too uncomfortable from being suffocated in a stuffy crowd, and besides there's usually a bar close by when you need to duck out. I've seen Animal Collective and Bon Iver here, two of the best shows I've seen.
What really makes the place is the staff. At the Bon Iver show, a friend in our group had a lower balcony ticket and the rest had upper balcony tickets. Not wanting to be split up because of this small mistake, we let a usher know and she fixed everything for us. She gave our whole group access to the VIP area, which is an awesome upgrade to all our tickets! That was so nice of them.
Nice venue with great acoustics, though I prefer the outdoor ones for a place like California. And com'n let's be honest, you're going to get tickets based on the show or the band that's playing, not the venue. I saw Snow Patrol here and they could have been playing in a junk yard, and I still would have enjoyed it.
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Went and saw a show here for the first time. So Gogol Bordello, which were amazing by the way, but this is about the Fox Theater.
We arrive at the place and it is pretty nice on the outside. Like a theater that has been kept up. On the inside is where the magic is. The theater is completely beautiful. Architecturally it is amazing!!! The walls are very ornate and the lighting is done very well to set a good mood. The general admission area is very nice. There are 4 levels each just a few feet below the one before. There were at least two easily accessible bars for your drinking enjoyment. And best of all, on the floor were many ventilation holes that blew nice AC up your leg and into your shorts on the night of a hot concert.
My only real gripe is that the acoustics of the room didn't seem like they were ideal for rock concerts. I know that rock concerts is just loud music, and it could have just been the sound engineers but I have heard better sound from louder shows at other venues.
That being said, I would still go back. We got there 20 minutes before the show and got free street parking. Can't get that in SF.
I think this might be one of the most beautiful venues in the entire bay area. Not only is it incredibly BART friendly, like across the street from the station, but the space is just so bloody gorgeous. I mean seriously, there are garuda like massive statues with glowing eyes, giant moroccan lamps and a beautiful and ornate ceiling that changes colors with the flood lights. There are no lame rules like "no crowd surfing" the bar tenders are friendlier than most of the city's concert venue alcohol jockeys, maybe its because they have enough bars for a space that large.... and did I mention the place is beautiful? I'll definitely go back... no if only they did filmore style posters, my night would be complete...
i got to catch a show here and was very impressed by this place. cool decor, its HUGE and air conditioning vents in the floor?
next time i think ill go for a seated area rather than general admission because it is SO big and im not so tall, but i hope to be back soon!
Can I just say that if you have not seen The Yeah Yeah Yeahs live that you have to see them! The Fox Theater is such a beautiful location equipped with large bathrooms, a gorgeous interior, lots of near by parking, great acoustics, a smoking area (if you smoke), and a full bar.
The Yeahs rocked the house and nothing could have made that show better!!
For years the band jammed on, they've played since their youth and never stopped for one moment to see their aging grace....
In the midst of uptown and stray cats and fog emulation from rustic manhole covers. Stood a theater cross sectioned by streets stained with trodden-over gum marks fashioning its work of art, step by every step.
The Golden Fox; meticulous ingenuity erected from the thoughts of mans imagination. A golden illuminated hall dedicated for currency flow and rock stars that still got the edge even after being faded from decades past. Which draw the random to come out and play.
They come to listen to the crackling of the grunge guitar. They come to witness the coruscating shrapnel of verbal hypnosis. An intangible favor received, a long held desire fulfilled.
With seating that leaves much to be desired, I immediately realized that standing up was a necessary solution. I couldn't help but stand. Perhaps when the star power is in motion, and the hues of spectrum splendor are glowing Sonic Youth, sitting just doesn't seem to fit in the equation.
I remember the early 90's when google was a number and MTV was "music television" and the "real world" was real.
I remember when Kurt and Courtney disassembled doll parts and placed them in a heart shaped box.
I remember when pumpkins were so much more then Halloween, when a stone temple pilot could fly into the black holed sun led by a crow that inspired a Goth nation...
I was amongst those who were encapsulated by ultra cadence and justified by true alternative. Thus beginning to realize that something's are still worth holding onto...
I'd like to think Kim Gordon was singing to me tonight...I'd like to think I was singing back.
Be it concerts of melancholy inspiration, or a radio resonating from the head. The melodious unison of those who rock together will always set the standard for those yet to come, the day dream nation.
In a palace of foxes we truly were presented with legend tonight.
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This place rocks...here's a rundown:
Pros:
The selection of bands that have played here is excellent. So far I've seen M Ward and Sonic Youth. I've missed a lot of really great shows though.
Decor is amazing. From the sign and marquee outside to the huge sculptures and ornate details all over the inside, the place is a palace honoring rock.
Location is perfect! 5 blocks from my house and a couple blocks from dozens of great bars. Also it's in the geographic center of the bay area. One block from 19th St BART station.
The tiers on the floor of the general admission area make it easier to see the band without having to be the first person there.
Cons:
Tickets to most shows are more expensive than I think they should be. Tickets are also sold on Ticketbastard instead of a responsible vendor like Brown Paper Tickets.
Sound is great on the general admission floor. However, the sound gets distorted on the balcony. It sounds like the band is playing at the end of a long hallway. It just opened in February 09, so hopefully this problem will be fixed eventually.
The best looking and most user friendly music venue in the Bay Area. Unfortunately, it is also the WORST SOUNDING music venue in the Bay Area.
The sound in this room is horrible. It is not the fault of the sound engineers, however. The sound from the mixing board is fine, as evidenced from the excellent sound in the theater bar (the Den), which pipes in a direct mix of every show from the theater's mixing board.
No, the sound is horrible at the Fox because of the room. I am not saying that this cannot be fixed, but I have been to multiple shows at the Fox (both upstairs and downstairs) and the sound has sucked every single time. Unfortunately, I fear that the sound cannot be improved at the Fox without structural improvements, which may be difficult given the theater's historical status.
I really hate to pan this place because I think the restoration is brilliant. Ironically, while the interiors are gorgeous, the acoustics are abysmal.
I really hope they work this out, but, for now, I will not be spending my entertainment dollars at the Fox.
You have been warned.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/12/2009
Beautiful theater. The restoration is amazing.
The sound, however, is less than ideal. Downstairs,… Read more »
Fox Theater knows architecture, acoustics & interior design! the inside of the venue looks really classy and beautiful, but has an edge to it. i'm very pleased by this place!
stage is awesome for great live bands! (like: Third Eye Blind)
security staff are everywhere and willing to help you.
the venue is pretty organized and clean.
SO...
if you find out your favorite band is playing at this venue, go buy tickets & have fun! :D
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