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WaMu Theater At Madison Square Garden
Rating Details »
Categories: Performing Arts, Music Venues, Stadiums & Arenas [Edit]
4 Pennsylvania PlazaNew York, NY 10001
(212) 465-6741
- Nearest Transit:
-
Alabama Ave (J)
Broadway Junction (A, C, L, J, Z)
- Parking:
- Street, Garage
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- Live
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
22 reviews for WaMu Theater At Madison Square Garden
Excuse my review for being kinda old. But I recently started yelping. I went to the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden last year on 9/23/08 to see the America's Best Dance Crew Tour. For that being the smaller venue it is still pretty big and can accommodate a lot of people. The entrance to MSG is huge, I got my ticket scanned and was directed to the WaMu Theatre. There were a lot of people in the lobby area of the WaMu Theatre where food, drinks, and dance crew merchandise was being sold.
I passed all that stuff and went to the bathroom. The bathroom was nice, spacious, and clean. No lines even though there were a lot of women in there. The security guards were laid back, which was good for that event. Nothing going on but a lot of happy people dancing along and cheering for Jabbawockeez, Super Crew, Fanny Pack, ASIID, BreakSk8te, Iconic, and Lil Mama. I had a lot of fun that night and really nothing to complain about except a group of late comers, that had me moving seats in order to accommodate there large group. But I was having such a good time so I did not let that really bother me. Plus the music was to loud for me to tell people that they are in the wrong seats haha.
I'm not entirely sure that many of the reviews for this venue are for the actual venue...but whatever.
I am reviewing the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden. After only one event, I feel I have a pretty good handle on the joint.
It has the stadium seating thing going on, which I don't entirely hate. Actually, I kinda like it. I like it more when I have good seats, but what can you do. Getting in was easy, getting out was easy...drinks were expensive but its friggin' Madison Square Garden. What...no well drink specials? Please. Show up drunk, you rubes.
Security was wonderfully lax, at least for an old-head metal show. Smoke 'em if you got 'em. Sound was muddy, but I didn't expect anything less so I wasn't upset...I suppose I should have expected more, but I know better.
By Manhattan standards this place ain't half bad...which means its pretty good. You have no shortage of transportation options, nor meal/drink options in the area, so you gotta take the good with the bad.
If I felt like it, I would elaborate at great length about the humor at watching a metal show crowd (in the Theater) and a Britney Spears crowd (in the arena) figuring out which line was which, but I'll save that for another day. Hint for the Britney dunces: Don't follow the 300-pound guy in a black T-shirt. Probably not the same show. Also, kill yourself.
I saw David Gray here recently and while the show was great as always the venue was average at best. The seating was ok but the ceiling seemed very low for such a large space and thus the sound of the show suffered. Views were decent from most spots in the theater and the 101 and 102 sections are def the place to be as its a much narrower venue then say radio city. The Main lobby bar area gets way overcrowded and the bathrooms are far away, which is kind of annoying. Its Ok but there would have to be an unbelievable act there for me to go back. If David Gray played there again I would certainly go, I just wasnt impressed with the venue. MSG is a great sports venue but only an average music venue and WaMu falls in the same average category.
When I heard that Ricky Gervais was performing, I knew I had to get tickets. I ordered two tickets for the show at MSG with no one to go with me and no real plan of how to get down to NYC. No problem. As the time got closer to the date of the show, I had yet to ask for the time off from work and still had no travel partner. Eek. I was almost prepared to just consider the tickets a loss, until I had a fateful meeting with a beautiful boy. Hooray!
So Baby B and I made the journey south from Boston( where we have the Gahhden) to enjoy the comedic stylings of Mr. Gervais and spend some time strolling around the city.
Madison Square Garden and its WaMu Theatre is smack dab in the action of NYC. The venue was welcoming and we had a smooth entry into the theatre. The theater is big and clean and new and sparkly and very air conditioned. Our seats were located in the middle section, center right. We had a pretty good view of the stage and the sound quality was great. There was however a crane with a camera on it, since they were filming the show for a dvd and that occassionally obstructed my view. The seats were pretty comfortable and my tall B appeared to have plenty of room for his beautiful long legs. We didn't get any snacks, but the concessions were full of smiley employees waiting to serve.
The show was amazing. I was crying laughing at some points. The show alone was well worth the four hour drive down, but the time spent with my travelling companion was the very best part.
I would never see another show here again! this theater is so small and every single seat is squished in. Anyone over 6ft tall should just stay home, you'll be thankful you did. I am 5'3 and under 100lbs and I was squished. There is not a single ounce of leg room, so when one person in the row needs to get up, your entire row must stand, leading the the three rows behind you not being able to see while they exit and then when they return again. We were there December 27, and they had the air conditioner on full blast freezing everyone out.
While there really isn't a bad seat in the house, I also don't like being able to feel the breath of my seat neighbor. Sorry.
Its very easy to get to as its in Penn Station, but that's all its going for it.
I don't like big venues only because I'm not into paying $300 for really good seats. We were a bit far up on the right side of the stage. The view wasn't that great but at least the screens were nice and big.
Beer was $8.
I've only been here once. But that one time provided me with my most exciting and religious experience ever: seeing Radiohead in a small venue. This was my sixth time seeing Radiohead but because the place was so intimate, and because I knew all the songs, including the new material, I just had a perfect time.
As for the venue itself, the air conditioning wasnt too great when the show started. The show was in June and it was about 200 degrees outside. So when I got inside and got in my seat, I was still sweating. thank god it improved as the night went on.
I don't think there is a bad seat in the place. The sound is very good, not perfect like it is in the Garden itself. But I would definitely come back.
And oooh look, I'll be back next week to see Norah Jones and M. Ward.
Okay, so Aly W. got press tickets to see Snow Patrol and OK Go here at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. Once we figured out where to go, we were fine, and we had a great time. The Theater is really an awesome concert venue, and our seats were excellent, and the show was phenomenal. We were centrally seated, in one of the very first row behind the standing room area. The seats were comfy, the view was great.
The trouble lies in the getting there. We confused a LOT of staff by being from the press. First, we were shooed away from the main entrance and told to go to a "green awning." Then, we learned that there were MANY green awnings. We next went to each of them, and didn't find anyone who could help us. Ultimately, we found a green awning that said "staff" and we began to be logged in. However, somewhere in the process of logging us, they realized we were in the wrong place, and sent us back to the ORIGINAL main entrance we'd come to the first time.
At this moment, we feared the worst, that we had missed our concert entirely! We were told to go to window 5, which ultimately turned out to be the wrong window. FINALLY we got our tickets, but not our OK Go backstage passes. (Those never surfaced, and at that point, we just wanted to see the concert.)
I'm not sure if the trouble/confusion/unhelpfulness of the staff was due to the fact that there was both a concert at the Theater and a basketball game going on at the same time...? Either way, venue 4 stars, staff, 2 stars.
In order to see well, you need to be up in the front with expensive seats. At least in the arena it's stadium seating, and there I felt squished with the big lady next to me. In order for one person to get in, you need the whole row to get up too, its like the movies. Only two stars for the way it looks - because its neat and clean, but pricey... $4.75 for water, but what do I really expect! They make so much off of this!
Hey you, straight woman, yes, you. We need to talk. You and I. Come over here, and sit. OK, so, although I'm sure you think it's totally "cute" or whatever, "romantic," or something along those lines...I'm fishing here...it is never, under ANY circumstances, a good idea to take your boyfriend to see Tori Amos. EVER. Are you listening to me? Never, ever, ever. Actually, while I'm at it, let me add to the list-
Sarah McLachlan
Fiona Apple
Jewel
Sheryl Crow (he'll just want to do 'er anyway)
Melissa Etheridge (in which case you shouldn't have a boyfriend...)
Alanis Morissette
It just isn't for him. Stop trying, because he'll never "get it." Plus, the poor guy looks miserable having to sit through Tori's 2+ hour performance. I'm sure you have a girlfriend whose shoulder you can cry on, or a favorite gay who would gladly take his ticket. But LEAVE THE BOYFRIEND AT HOME. And before you talk back to me, if you're going to tell me that your boyfriend is a big Tori fan too...then maybe he should be taking HIS boyfriend to the show.
But that's besides the point. I wasn't too impressed with the venue. Pretty mediocre. Although drink were relatively inexpensive which was a huge surprise for a concert venue, in New York nonetheless. Sound was good. And Tori was amazing (duh.)
The WaMu Theater, or the Paramount or the Theater or whatever its called these days is a really nice place to a view a concert. The way the Seats are arranged gives you a pretty nice angle on the stage from no matter where you sit, and the sound is quite nice. While I've never been in the GA Pit, the section is fairly large and roomy enough for a big concert. I came here to see the reunited Verve and had a great time.
While I like the sound better in the main arena, I certainly have no problem coming here vs. going somewhere like the Beacon- a similar sized venue that isn't half as nice.
Ok, so I'm assuming this is the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden. The name "WaMu" isn't in the title when I searched, but I think we're all yelping about the same place.
I had a pretty good experience here seeing Wintuk - one of the Cirque du Soleil shows. My friends and I had pretty decent seats as we were about 10 rows up from the stage, but to the right, as opposed to center stage. During the show I was thinking that all the seats in this place were pretty good and that it didn't seem that there was any area with an obstructed view. I think it might be a decent place to see a concert too.
Also, being from Jersey, you can't beat taking NJTransit into Penn Station and then just walking upstairs to the theater.
First the good news: the Theater at MSG is a beautiful and rather intimate arena. In fact, had I known it was so small, I definitely would have picked to sit in a seat rather than stand amongst the rabble on the floor. But, on the bright side of general admission is the magical wonder of being 15 feet from Beck.
Now the bad news. I don't know if I just have bad luck at concerts, but I was pissed before we even entered. We ended up having to do a complete lap around MSG in order to find the entrance for GA due to a lack of signage. Already grumpy, we entered and as I had my bag searched, the bag-checker had the audacity to make an unsavory comment to me. What the fuck??? I paid $55 for a ticket to get heckled??? Do I have asshole written all over me?
The best part of the evening was getting shoved and almost decapitated by a d-bag who I then pushed with a force I never knew I had, sending him flying into the crowd, after which C, to whom I always express my doubts about him defending my honor in a dire situation, got up in his face and they started yelling at each other until the guy realized C was about 2 feet taller and backed off. In retrospect, it is kind of funny, but once I got elbowed in the head again we decided to leave during the last encore song. Sigh. Why do I bother? I think next time I'll skip the concert and just bang my head against the wall. Although then I wouldn't be able to write a yelp review about it.
Well last night I attended my 6th concert here at the Garden, It is so far my favorite venue (as compared to Nassau Colosseum and the Nokia Theater in Times Square.)
I always enjoy myself here, the stadium seating is great and I have never gone home disappointed.
I have learned that the closer you are to the stage, (I refuse floor seating- I prefer stadium) the better the food options are.
Now I wish I could have given this arena [MY FAVORITE PLACE TO SEE CONCERTS] 5 stars, but I could not. The one less star then 100% is due to the people who decide to light up a cigarette or a joint. The smoke bothers me since I am an asthmatic. These smokers are inconsiderate jerk offs. I don't care if you smoke and damage your lungs but there are OTHER PEOPLE HERE WHO SUFFER FROM YOUR STUPID DECISION!
Aside from those people listed above, I always like an evening at the Garden.
The Theater at MSG is quickly becoming one of my favorite venues in town. Why?
--Clout: It has the name recognition of Madison Square Garden and all that brings with it, without the obvious drawbacks of a cavernous sports arena space to contend with. Not just for up-and-coming folks who can't manage to fill the vast arena space upstairs, the theater setting draws even the most respected, best-selling artists. You can catch bands as diverse as Death Cab for Cutie, Radiohead and Van Morrison here.
--Intimacy: Who wouldn't prefer two nights in this warm, intimate space over one night in a sports arena? Rather than screaming "rock star!!!!" like its upstairs neighbor, it coolly implies "class-act success." So when bands like Radiohead decide to test out new material on a smaller crowd of hard-core fans, they turn up here. And from the fan's perspective, even those at the extreme back of the house walk away feeling as though they've gotten up close and personal with their idols. And given the stature of some of the acts that have stood on this stage, that can be a once-in-a-lifetime feeling.
--Floor Plan: Once inside, you'd never know you were in a legendary sports complex. In fact, it has more in common with "performing arts centers" than arenas. A gently sloping rise from the stage to the back wall, there is only one main level, providing undisturbed site-lines all the way to the stage. The side walls serve as balcony wings, for fans who like a raised vantage point. With more sedate shows, the seats extend all the way up to the stage, while bands with a more rocking edge often opt to remove the front section altogether, and give their most dedicated fans a standing-room-only pit at the foot of the stage. Every seat manages to feel close. Even half-way back in the house, one can still see the facial expressions of the band.
--Sound: Not only is it cozy, intimate, well-situated, and a talent-magnet, but the sound is first-class as well. The single-floor, sloped room acts as a funnel for the sound. So in addition to the best gear money can buy, the acoustics of the room keep the sound focused, without dispersing heavenward they way they do at the arena upstairs. The sound remains warm and intact, with good separation, avoiding the common trap of losing all the low end to too large a space. If only Andrea Bocelli and his orchestra could have played downstairs -- we would have heard the cellos and bass fiddles.
Like a few of the other reviewers here, I really appreciated the smaller venue. The feel of the theater was closer to that of a movie theater than a a large capacity venue. Even though our seats were seated literally on the far left aisle, and even then we had a clear view of John Legend and most of his band.
Unlike some of the other reviews, I had no problem with staff directions. We got to our seat right away. Unfortunately, I wasn't that impressed with the sound as some of the other reviewers, although it was loud without being overpowering, a definite plus, it could have been more crisp.
Another thing I like about MSG is it's location--right in the middle of Manhattan. It's nice having the option to walk home after a show, and I'm sure folks who use the LIRR or NJTransit find it way convenient.
This is the third time I have seen a show here: okay the first time was not a show but my graduation from the New School in May of 2004 (MA media studies hooray!!) Second show: Death Cab for Cutie 11/06 and now this week two Tori Amos shows. Now I *heart* Tori but am the first to concede that her fans come with special demands.
The Theater is as other yelpers have stated-intimate and with the exception of two areas int he way back that were not sold due to obstructed views-you have a great vantage point no matter where you sit. They need to check the little Xmas lights that illuminate the aisle signs-during the opener it was so dark no one could see a thing and the staff were not all that helpful.
I was in 202 the first night-last night we were in 300 in the 2nd to last row-the you are lucky to be in the building seats (which is bullshit because I was in the Ticketmaster system the second it went on sale but that is another post-just ask those parents of pissed off Hannah Montana fans) My main complaint (aside from the lady who chose to text on her blackberry the whole damn set) was it was so hot-maybe it was because we were seated under an overhang but it was not comfy.
Would come here again but the thing about venues is that if I want to see someone I will go there even if it is a rat infested basement somewhere.
I saw Scissor Sisters here a couple of weeks ago. Thankfully there were very few earlybirds so I got a great floor spot in the general admission. I actually liked the venue a little more than MSG because floor seats weren't so hard to get.
There were one of two cons... (that I overlook regardless) which was being late getting the opening act on stage... and they wound up being p*ss drunk and sucking balls. The other con was the fact that they should ESTABLISH to concert goers that general admission means you go AROUND to the BACK. Sheesh... I had such a hard time with that one.
Otherwise, seeing SS at this venue was a surreal experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the venue and being able to be close up to the performer.
The Madison Square Garden has a world-wide reputation as a great sports arena. That's fine with me. But it also has a world-wide reputation as a music venue, and rock and pop musicians actually aspire to play here, the way classical musicians aspire to play in Carnegie Hall. I can't imagine why: this place is simply not built for music! The only places from where you can enjoy a concert are the first few rows of the floor and the two lower side levels directly flanking the stage. If you're anywhere else, you're screwed to various degrees.
Further to the back of the floor (which is completely flat, with no sloping of the seats) you can only see the stage if you're 6 or more feet tall. Shorties like me have no chance of seeing anything. This matters not to the box office, which charges the same exorbitant prices for the floor whether it's in the front or in the back of it. The further you get from the stage on the sides the worst the view gets, and the worst the sound gets. By the middle of the venue, and especially in the back directly across from the stage, the echo gets so terrible that you hear everything twice. And now you can't see anything either.
If your favorite band is playing there, you have little choice but to go see them at the Garden. But don't expect a unique, intimate - or even passably enjoyable - experience. The only thing a concert at the Garden is good for is boasting later that you went.
I feel bad criticizing this place because I had one of the most transcendent musical experiences of my life here (Radiohead, June 2006). But I couldn't help but notice that their accommodations for wheelchair patrons were awful. I don't use a wheelchair but I happened to be sitting nearby. Several wheelchair spots were reserved in the last row of the 200s section; pretty central, and they offered a great view... as long as everyone stayed seated! This was fine during the opening band the Black Keys (who were awesome by the way). But once the headliners took the stage, almost everyone stood up, and the wheelchair patrons had to look at backs the rest of the evening. One of them tried to wheel closer to the aisle so they could see better, but the usher made them go back to their reserved spot! So useless! I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of other venues had this same problem -- I just happened to be a witness to MSG's annoying lack of accommodation.
On the plus side, the sound system was amazing: the band's complex and intricate arrangements registered surprisingly well. The seating slopes upward so sightlines tend to be decent as long as you can stand up (I'm really short but could see fine even when folks in front were standing). Finally, though seating capacity is more than five thousand, the theater feels intimate; Wikipedia says no seat in this theater is more than 177 feet from the stage. http://www.reference.c...
I saw Annie with my family at this massive theater. The sound was pretty good where we sat, but we were in the front row. I noticed when I walked in, however, that the sound wasn't nearly as pure.
This place isn't so big that a concert here will be bad, but it won't be the best concert you ever experience, either. I saw Lauryn Hill here years ago and that was damn good, just because she was awesome and Outkast was strong opening too. Years later I saw Outkast headlining and they gave a good show too. In general though I just think it's tough to get that amazing concert atmosphere going in such a controlled setting. For example, getting a beer for 7 bucks after waiting in line in MSG lobby just isn't the same as pounding some drinks back at a smaller venue. And you could stand up in front of your seat, but you still know you're in front of your seat and can't move too much. I would say to go here for a concert only if you can't wait to see the act that's performing.
