The Raffles got a major upgrade several years ago with a large new residential tower built next to it. It definitely needed it. As for the PEC I have to disagree with you sound-wise. I may be biased because I rarely sat outside the front half of the lounge but to me it was pretty much great concert sound. Not as good as the new Perth Arena [renamed R.A.C Arena recently] which replaced it, but still great. The Perth Arena seats over 14000 but is otherwise very similar to the PEC except it is very modern and very comfortable. But the PEC is outstandingly the place I have seen most concerts. I was never into pub gigs so it was the Ent Cent I went to. First show there was ABBA and I think the last was probably Robbie Williams on his first Australian tour at the end of 2001 just before PEC closed in 2002.
Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) - 43 Carolina Theatre (Durham) - 23 PNC Arena (Raleigh) - 21 Lincoln Theatre (Raleigh) - 19 Kings Barcade (Raleigh) - 17
Either The Fillmore East or The Bottom Line and also somewhere in the mix: The Summer Schaffer/Miller concerts in Central Park... or on the rocks above the venue. To determine the correct order would take an historian, a bean counter and maybe a Psycho-Hypnotist.
Beacon Theater - NYC Madison Square Garden - NYC PNC Bank Arts Center (Garden State Arts Center) - Holmdel, NJ Brendan Byrne Arena (Izod / Continental) - East Rutherford, NJ
I've relocated far too often to have any one place with a really long list. #1 is Red Rocks #2 is McNichols Arena, Denver (demolished in 2000, replaced by The Pepsi Center where I've seen a few more shows).
I've been a Big Country fan since 1983 - I'm one of the few Americans who continued to follow them after their initial buzz here. Never saw them until they toured in 1993 - went to 2 shows on that tour, and thought that was it. Can't remember how I found out about the Wolverhampton show in 1999 - I guess I must've learned about it before I left the US, as I had no Internet access "on the go" in 1999, so I don't know how else I would've been aware! Can't say I remember a lot about the show, but I'm sure I enjoyed it. Being a BC fan for so long and only seeing them twice before 1999 made it a real treat! No idea! Whatever hotel was like a block from the venue! Maybe there's more than 1 hotel in that vicinity - you could say the name and I doubt I'd recognize it. I stayed 1 night 20 years ago! I'm sure I'd know nothing about Wolverhampton if I'd not been in Manchester and close enough to attend the show...
blossom music center - used to be THE place for concerts in northeast ohio in the summer. haven't been there in years. old cleveland coliseum (now torn down) - used to be THE winter place for concerts in the winter in NE ohio the front row theater - the stage used to rotate. it was great. torn down now, it's a dicks sporting goods store. nautica stage - in the cleveland flats. quite small. very nice venue caesars windsor ontario - have seen quite a few really good shows there.
The couple of times I visited, it was THE place to sit in traffic for an hour and then park a mile from the venue! I did have a "concert miracle" at Blossom, though. In 1998, I wanted to see Spice Girls in CLE and PITT, but I wasn't gonna drive all that way unless I had good tickets. To get to CLE in time, I figured I needed to get a ticket no later than 9:30 AM. CLE is only about 350 miles, which should be doable in 6-7 hours, but that assumes zero traffic issues between DC and CLE, which is nearly unimaginable - especially in summer, when there would be road crews. 9:30 came - no good ticket. At 11, I looked just for the heck of it - and a 3rd row seat popped up. I threw caution to the wind and bought it, even though I had only 8 hours to get there and wasn't at all prepared. I rushed to pack some things and get out of the house. Halfway on my drive, I kept thinking this was stupid - I should go home and beg TM to forgive my purchase, as there was no way I'd make the venue in time. As it happened, I hit zero traffic. I parked in the Blossom lot by 7:15 or so, walked the mile to will call, got my ticket, sat down - and the show started. Even the slightest delay would've made me late. Perfect timing!
Lived the first 32 years of my life in Indiana so I'm guessing: 1. Fort Wayne Memorial Coliseum 2. Deer Creek music center - Noblesville, IN 3. Market Square Arena - Indianapolis, IN
San Diego Sports Arena The Belly Up Tavern , Solana Beach The LA Forum, Los Angeles The Whisky A Go Go, Los Angeles
Orpheum Theater - Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club - Boston Boston Garden Great Woods Performing Arts Center - Mansfield, MA (among a few other names)
My top 10 from my setlist.fm page: Pearl Street, Northampton, MA 22 Bowery Ballroom, New York 16 Madison Square Garden, New York 15 Irving Plaza, New York 15 Great Woods Center for the Performing Arts, Mansfield, MA 15 Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn 12 Roseland Ballroom, New York 12 Orpheum Theatre, Boston 12 Paradise Rock Club, Boston 11 Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn 10
Interesting question that I never really thought about. I'll give it a go. Cabaret Metro- Chicago Riviera Theater- Chicago Aragon Ballroom- Chicago Neumos- Seattle Showbox- Seattle Crocodile Cafe- Seattle House of Blues- Chicago, San Diego
By now...probably the Moda Center, Portland ...maybe just now passing LA Forum (+ later visits) & Hollywood clubs of my youth
Nice set of venues for most of your shows! Only the Fillmore Auditorium remains.... Which of the 4 was your favorite?
All in Portland Satyricon (closed) Blue Gallery (closed) Pine Street Theatre / La Luna (closed) Starry Night / Roseland Theatre Paramount Theatre / Schnitzer Center Runners up Crystal Ballroom Aladdin Theatre Memorial Coliseum Belmont's Inn The Long Goodbye