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The Rave Eagles Club
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:
- DJ, Live
- Best Nights:
- Wed
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Yes
- Coat Check:
- Yes
15 reviews for The Rave Eagles Club
The Eagles Club is a huge ballroom-style concert venue in the Rave complex. I've seen shows there since 1988 (Fishbone, anyone?) and most recently caught an excellent Kings of Leon show there. I'm really happy they decided KOL was getting big enough to earn the Eagles distinction after seeing them pack the Rave stage last year.
The Eagles provided plenty of space for a very excited dancey crowd! Upstairs there are a few small rows of theater seats for those who like to sit, and don't mind a higher vantage point. I watched the opening band from up there and it was perfect. Sound? I love how everyone's a sound expert these days at concerts but don't expect nearly as much from their tinny compressed-file lo-fidelity MP3 players. This is a big room, folks! Yes, there will be some bleed! I thought the sound was good without being too cavernous. I really didn't notice since I was enjoying myself so much. I don't think many other KOL-ites noticed either!
Parking is ample in the area around the club. Just make sure you park legally, as parking cops troll the area. Also, this is an area to take caution in women, so if you're alone, park in the lot. My friend talked the guy down from $10 to $5. Just turn on the charm!
I will say the Rave should think about adding some light to the Club, especially to the lower level men's bathroom. It was about 20 watts darker than the torture room in the movie Hostel. Creepy! I thought the Camel-sponsored smoking area on the way up to the Club was a great idea! With the big windows open, overlooking Wisconsin Ave. There are so many bars in the Rave there was almost never a line for drinks. I added one more star because if you get on their mailing list they'll send you Free Ticket Wednesdays (Tuesdays, Thursdays..) tix. My ticket was $25 for a show that cost $38, PLUS you get two free beers with that! A bargain if you're planning on drinking anyway!
*Note to my Chicago peeps! Check out the Rave if Chicago shows sell out! (And they always do, don't they?)
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As far as sound goes, the Eagles Ballroom needs serious, serious work. They use it for bigger shows, but you can't hear shit because of the echoes and reverb. Not to mention the screams, which are a given. The Rave's smaller room(s) are much better, however.
I hate that they don't let you bring water in, and don't have drinking fountains, and charge you $2 just for a plastic Solo cup of water. I swear, they must have ambulances there just to handle the scads of dehydration cases I'm sure they get every single night. Good God.
Parking is abominable as well, from both sides of the fence. I live right down the street, so I can walk, but when I want to park my own car -- God forbid -- NEAR my own residence, I can't because all the stupid people going to the stupid Rave have parked their stupid cars in every single available space (yes, even the Taco Bell and the bank lot are usually full). This is a major inconvenience and should be a freakin crime. They have a parking lot but it is TEENY TINY and they fill it up with the damn buses for the artists anyway.
I also am not a fan of the prices they charge for shows, although they do a lot of promotions, I will give them that. There is also very rarely a show here that I want to see, but there have been a few. But that's neither here nor there.
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I was here for the social distortion show on August 1st. I consider this place kind of like a hybrid of the Aragon and the Metro in Chicago, with more bars. It wasn't hot in here like the Aragon, it wasn't crowded to the point of not being able to move like the riv, and it wasn't as dingy as the metro. I didn't like that you couldn't bring in cameras at all or they'd be confiscated (thank god I checked before heading up there bc we cabbed it from water street), I didn't like that they stole my mug from the safehouse, and I didn't like that the bars didn't take credit cards. However, I though the sound quality was decent, it wasn't smoky despite the fact that you can still smoke inside venues in Milwaukee, and the service at the bars was pretty good because they had enough bars/bartenders to serve the people. Plus they have tables to sit at. It's cool, honestly I have no complaints (maybe because I'm jaded from the shitty venues in Chicago, I don't know.)
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1. I was told there would be a huge, well-lit lot to park in. When I got there I was directed by some crackhead-looking guy with an orange vest into a lot with maybe three spots in it (but zero lights), and had to park right next to a huge bag of trash. To my amazement, my car and everything in it was there when I got back.
2. Went here to see The Roots, Talib Kweli, and Pharcyde. I really, really wanted to see Pharcyde but when I got inside the venue 10 MINUTES BEFORE THE START TIME ON THE TICKET, they were finishing! What the hell is that!?!
3. I couldn't decipher one word Black Thought of the Roots was saying. I have seen them maybe four times now, this was by FAR the worst. Absolutely awful sound.
4. Talib came out during the Roots' set (I guess they needed a break?), did about three songs, and left for good. I blame the venue.
Why is there no option for zero stars? Seriously.
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Total Dive, and not in a cool way. Anal security people, old and run down venue, and terrible sound.
More than anything else, BAD VIBES. Just feels really oppressed in there. Just a feeling I got. Maybe it's the history of the Ambassador Hotel across the street and the characters that frequented the area (ahem, serial killer). Also, in the 60's this was a white's only club and it sparked some huge racial issues, so maybe that had something to do with it. Anyway, in my opinion it just has a really heavy feel to the place. Def not a happy fun vibe.
The upstairs ballroom is totally fascinating. Gargantuan ballroom that is an echo chamber. Apparently there were boxing matches here back in the 20's or something.
If you live in Milwaukee, sorry to diss your place. But this venue made me want to skip town ASAP!
The Rave is the usual signed/touring band spot for Milwaukee, WI. I have seen a range of different shows there and have been overall satisfied. I like the style of the venue. Some bands have even mentioned how cool/crazy the venue is (Ian from New Found Glory said something in a magazine about hiddenish areas in it). The one thing about The Rave that is kind of their downfall is the ticket prices. They have jacked up the prices since I have been going.
The Eagles Club is a Milwaukee landmark that, with some TLC, could really shine again. My grandparents went to Big Band dances here in the 1940s and my mom went to high school prom here in the 1960s. Buddy Holly played one of his last shows here in the 1950s. There's a hidden swimming pool in the basement, and so many nooks, crannies and hidden passages a lot of folks think the place is haunted. These days the building is about half-used as a venue for rock, hip hop and R&B shows.
There really are two venues here, the Rave and the Eagles Ballroom.
I give the Rave itself 3-4 stars. It's OK for rock and hip hop shows. Pretty good stage layout, good acoustics.
I give the Eagles Ballroom one star. It is an echo chamber. Back in Big Band era this place must have been incredible. But modern acts get drowned out here in all the reverberations.
I'd like to see the owners of this rough-hewn gem sink a little capital into improving the appearance, and returning the Ballroom to its original state as a reception hall. It simply does not work as a music venue.
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Yes, this place is awesome. Love the building and the vibe you get when you come here.
Copy of Review for "the rave"
This place is fucking awesome and creepy! I love that you can get lost in here, there are very few buildings like this.
Although they may not always book the best acts I have never been to a show here that I wasn't happy with. No venue will always book the same style bands and this place is no exception. They have had bands from NOFX to Joan Jett to Slayer to Iggy Pop and a bunch of shitty emo/hardcore/pop bands that all sound the same.
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A deceptively gigantic venue (beware of getting lost in the maze) with multiple levels and stages. The Rave was more than sufficient to host a huge electronic act such as Kraftwerk. The sound system seemed pretty satisfactory. Also, there are more bar options here than you could shake a swizzle stick at.
Kind of a bummer that the club is located relatively isolated, not incredibly close to the rest of the "action" in downtown Milwaukee, but..well.. there is a Taco Bell across the street., if that's any redeeming factor. :P
I find the sound to be real shitty - in both the Rave and the Eagle's Ballroom.
The drinks are averagely overpriced for a venue.
The Rave has a cool look to it and its nice to have seating (small cocktail tables along the walls).
The Ballroom is near impossible to navigate during a sold-out show.
I want to give it four stars but there is just something about this place (or these places) that doesn't do it for me.
I actually liked this venue. Sure its older and I noticed the bottom floor was made out of an old bowling alley floor but I don't know why so many complaints. I'm not a sound expert or anything but I didn't notice any problems with sound and yes, it is a dark place but I'm not looking for bright lights during the show. Parking was easy, I parked on Wisconsin avenue and I think the guy who works the mini mart across the street is so funny. Just ask him about his Ja Rule story.
This venue is so cool! The overall setup of the venue is interesting with an opened upper level, multiple music rooms, great bands that come through, and plenty of bars. The drinks are a bit pricey, but the atmosphere more than makes up for it. For a cool concert experience you should definitely hit up the eagles ballroom.
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I'm orginally from chicago and living in san francisco, and I've been told that the Rave is one of the best venues in Milwaukee. Holy shit. The acoustics were okay and I actually enjoyed the multiple stages. THe architecture was interesting as well. However, the two stars come from the fact that while I was seeing Rusted Root there, I literally thought I was going to freeze to death. Granted, it was during december (I think) but it was literally so cold in the venue that I could see my breath, and not just a little bit, I looked like a fucking smoke stack. Not to say that I didnt dress for the occasion, I had on a sweater and jacket, but this was ridiculous. Slip your landlord a little extra and get the heat turned back on for fucks sake. The pubescent and pushy staffers that before the show were also huge dicks. Ruined the night.
Great place for any kind of music. Dweezil Zappa did a great job up here recently.
the rave eagles ballroom is awesome i have seen some amazing acts here in my days, from guster to third eye blind to snoop dogg to eminem...just to name a few...awesome spacious place with beer tents and bars around, can get super crowded in the front but hey its a concert venue, if you dont wana be in the crowd theres space near the back, sound can resonate throughout the nice large area and they draw some great acts.
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