I recently attended a concert here and it was my first time ever going to the State, an iconic…read morePortland landmark. Getting into the theater was attacked tricky as there was a lot of road construction happening nearby and the sidewalk was partially closed. I found on street parking just two blocks away. Upon entering, everything was easy to locate, bar, merch counter, bathrooms. They even had big water thermoses and paper cups if you didn't want to buy a drink. There were ushers floating around, so I had no problem finding my seat. I did explore up to the upper level and was surprised there wasn't any real lighting in that staircase. After the concert, exiting is a little crowded. Being an old building, the doors are fairly narrow. Overall, it was a nice evening and I will definitely go back!

The state theater is a historical venue, we can to see Lucy Darling!…read more Great show, we were on the first floor balcony, lower level and had a Great view. There is a couple of bars in the venue and bathrooms on both floors. Challenging for handicapped friends. We did not eat anything we ate before we came to the show and plenty of options in the area. Service was prompt and staff were great.

Does Maine have a higher-than-normal occurrence of local horror films due to its naturally spooky…read morecharacter? Perhaps. Damnationland 2014 provided a peek inside the minds of a few local filmmakers. Ranging from humor to surreal to straight-up-slasher, this festival was all-around fun (and not too bloody for the slightly-horror-averse like myself). For those of you expecting shaky cameras and stilted performances, think again. There wasn't a stinker in the bunch. Looking forward to an equally spooky offering next year. *at least one extra star awarded for the quality tagline "The way life should bleed"

2015 was my first experience going to this event. The State Theater is such a great facility to…read morehold this local "horror" movie feature. We did not realize just how popular this is and thought that getting to will call 30 minutes before opening would be plenty of time. We were wrong. The line was already around the corner and 1/2 way to the church. Many more people came as we waited. *a credit to event staff for repeatedly coming around to let ticket holders know this was will call/buying and they could go to the front if they already had a ticket*. My only opinion being that there should have been more than one person in the booth and split the line in two, one being buying tickets and one line for will call. It was great that they held the start of the show until the line had mostly gotten back up on to Congress St. Not knowing what to expect, we were surprised at how great the production was in each short film. For me, I will always think of what happened at my favorite coffee shop which was a featured location in Misandry. The trailer awards were great and we were happily surprised to see a finalist group we know. The overall flow and presentation was well done and the organizers did a great job. Now that we know what the hubbub is about, I'm sure this will be a yearly event for us.

I have attended events here in the past including multiple beer festivals and had a great time at…read morethose. Recently though my wife and I came to our first concert at Thompson's Point. We came for the show that had DJO as headliner (that you may know as Steve Harrington on Stranger Things). Yes he is the singer of his own band if you were unaware. I think due to the huge popularity of Stranger Things helped make the show sell out extremely fast. Firstly, as many reviews mention parking, I do want to talk about it briefly too. I recommend not wasting your time attempting to park on site and find a side street or nearby place and walk here. Even if you pay for nearby parking it'll be cheaper and it will make leaving significantly easier as leaving can be a bottleneck. Alternatively if you do park on site after the show ends visit Bissell Brothers to kill some time to allow traffic to leave. Concert wise unfortunately weather was not the best during beginning of the night. The shows are rain or shine and really only cancel if thunder/lighting are causing potential danger. Thankfully they do have the covered pavilion if it is raining. Also for a venue they have many porta potties available in so called "Toilet World". They also have a good variety of food trucks available (shout out to my favorite Iron Clad Eats). Then despite the sell out show they had so many bartenders that there was never much longer than a wait of one or two people in front of you. Drink prices like all concert venues are overpriced but expected. For non-alcoholic drinks check out the food truck options instead for a possible lower price. Music wise and sound quality were good and DJO put on a good concert. Didn't really know the opening band called Pond but they were solid too. Overall worth seeing a concert some time at Thompson's Point especially if the weather is more ideal. Beautifully located by the water with some fantastic views as the sun goes down.

I have to be honest - I felt very let down by my experience visiting Thompson's Point. I had heard…read moregreat things about the concert venue, and was excited to go when my boyfriend surprised me with tickets. We packed a blanket and drove an hour up from Portsmouth, after reading online that many people bring blankets or chairs. We arrived a full hour before the concert and waited outside with some others. What we saw when we arrived was surprising to say the least. While many venues that have designated areas for blankets and chairs are on some sort of hill, Thompson's point was pretty much a flat field. The blanket and chair area was surrounded by metal barricades that blocked the view of the stage - if you could even see at all! Due to the lack of slope and large standing area in front of the blanket area, if you choose to bring a blanket or a low chair, you WILL be looking at people's backs all night. YOU WILL NOT SEE THE STAGE. I was unaware of this and never in my life have been to a concert venue where the stage was not visible for more than half of the audience. You might be wondering, "why didn't you just stand?". My boyfriend and I are fortunate to be able bodied young people and while we could have stood, we didn't really want to and that should be fine for a venue that supports blanket and chair use. Not to mention that I am not very tall and cannot usually see when standing in the crowd of a concert, so it would have been less comfortable for the same experience. However, it's important to remember that there are many people who cannot stand for long periods of time and paid the same price as those standing in the front for their ticket. They want to see the stage too! And they deserve to see the concert they pay for, just like anyone else would. Not to mention, much of the audience did not adhere to the defined sections. There were people standing EVERYWHERE - on the sides of the sections, in between the standing and chair sections, and to be honest, it made me feel unsafe. Certain areas are meant to be walking lanes, for safety purposes like if there was a fire or other emergency. Other outdoor venues, BankNH pavilion for example, do not allow people to stand in the aisles, which is a perfectly reasonable rule. I do not understand why this type of safety is not enforced at Thompson's point. Additionally, the parking situation here is unfortunate. There is not even close to enough parking for the venue, so we had to pay $40 to park in the lot of some sort of doctors office. It feels odd to me to have such a large venue without much of a plan for parking. In short, I would not go back here. Their blanket and chair allowance is misleading, as no one in those sections can see the stage. This is not a well designed concert venue and its management should have some serious discussions about what can be done to allow a pleasant experience for ALL audience members, not just tall ones who want to stand. The one star is only there because the sound quality was good.

My wife and I recently went to our first show at Blue the other night. Had never really known it…read morewas a spot prior to this concert. It was an album release party for local pop-punk/emo band Broadwing. The card featured other local bands as well as a New England DJ. I know now that some shows at Blue are free or minimal cover which is great. Tickets for this show ended up being $12 which is a great value for a concert/night out. Hard to find tickets that cheap nowadays. The person working the door was friendly and had our name already so didn't even need to pull the tickets up. Bartenders were friendly and the drinks were well made. I especially liked their spicy cocktail Bing Bong which had the perfect kick to it! Prices were reasonable for drinks as well. Venue is on the small side as expected but had a great vibe for intimate smaller shows. Even with a sold-out show it was not overpacked. The acoustics and sound were good for a smaller venue as well. If you love smaller concerts I would recommend checking out their event schedule to see if something piques your interest. Also if you are a fan of pop punk music then do yourself a favor and check out Broadwing (especially their song New England Baby)! Very down to earth friendly band!

The online presence of Blue is a dumpster fire. Why do I need to enter my contact information just…read moreto see what's happening tonight? If I don't, there is NO current reliable information on who's scheduled. Pathetic and unreliable. I'm not doing it. I've enjoyed many evenings there, but the basic management of the venue is a joke. It will be a shame when it closes. What acts are scheduled for the NEXT WEEK? How difficult is that to maintain? Apparently, it's not possible.

I saw Anastasia: The Musical when it was on Broadway, so I wasn't sure what to expect when I went…read moreto see the MSMT production. I was blown away by the theater, the production value, and the quality of the performers. Any of those actors could have stood on the Broadway stage and fit right in. The building, Pickard Theater, is beautiful and looks like an old church. The ushers were friendly and helpful. We were sitting midway back in the balcony and had a perfect view of the stage. I doubt there's a bad seat in the house. The tickets were more expensive than we expected but it was absolutely worth it!

I saw West Side Story yesterday. Just WOW! I've been going to performances at this venue for many…read moreyears and they are always great, but this totally took the cake. Interesting, complicated set design, great casting, great performances by the principals. But the best part was the production numbers. Amazing dancing. Also, this year there is a shuttle so that parking is less of a hassle. This is the last play of the season and there is still time to see it. Highly recommend. Wish there was a way to give 10 stars!

Amazing intimate venue for being up close and personal with musicians and performers. Great…read moreacoustics and nearly feel as though the performance is just for you with limited seats and proximity. Staff is great, super friendly and welcoming. On tap beer selection, wine and snacks available if desired. Unfortunately I am not local or I would definitely grab a membership to enjoy the front row tables and be a regular here. Street parking is available or short walk from some of the larger public lots as well. Walking distance to a number of local restaurants and bars to grab a bite prior to or after events. Highly recommend getting out to support this awesome venue!

This is a great venue to watch artists in a very intimate setting, where you could almost have…read moreconversations with the artist as they played on the stage. The seating is limited with some obstructed views, but the audio was great and there's a selection of beverages that you could have as well, including free water. The staff was super friendly as they escorted people in and checked IDs at the door and the show that we went to was phenomenal and enjoyable. I will definitely come back if an artist comes through that I wanna see here. Oh the show we saw was the Jackie Greene set.

Quaint little venue to catch a good show. Stopped in to experience Bound and was pleasantly…read moresurprised with this venue! Small amount of street parking available or parking garage just down the street. Small lobby area which is where the box office is located as well. Once in you can take an elevator or the stairs to the second floor for concessions and theater access. One can enter the theater from the second floor or venture up another flight of stairs for entry towards the top of the seating area as well. Volunteer staff was great today, very friendly and helpful. Can't speak of concession as they were not open for this event. Bathrooms available in the second floor as well. Not sure how I have missed this venue with all the time spent in Portland, but don't take as long as I have see what's upcoming and experience a great time at the theater!

The Laugh Track is a fun, fast and fabulous 90 minute play about Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll…read morejr...the writers of the I Love Lucy Show. Taken from Ms Pugh's autobiography, but with some poetic license by the wonderful Playwright, Wendy MacLeod, it recounts scenarios from Madelyn Pugh's perspective both in and out of the writer's office. Her role back then was NOT always as an equal, though she was equally as funny a writer as her male counterpart. It also hits on the dynamic between all the people involved in making that show a groundbreaking hit as well as the ultimate end of the show in 1957.

Fantastic talent at "The Million Dollar Quartet." Audience was very appreciative and gave them a…read morestanding ovation. Street parking was easy. The theater holds a bit more than 300 people. Ushers are friendly also. Support them. Just one small thing, I wish the music wasn't so loud.

I'm new to the hometown theatre scene, but so far I've been to 4 different venues this year, and I…read morecan say, this is one of the nicer spots, as far as over appearances go. Clean. New. Warm. Yes, it's small. About 20 rows, maybe 20 seats per row. That being said- there's not a bad seat in the house. We saw "A Christmas Carol" and I've gotta say, the actor who played Scrooge is incredibly talented! The entire cast really did a great job. Very short play, but quality. But the review I guess is more for the venue, I bought tickets and upon arriving realized that my grandmother had also bought tickets. I didn't want a refund- it was our mistake- I more so wanted to let them know that the seats I purchased would be empty, should they want to fill them. To my surprise the very sweet ladies at the ticket office offered to switch my tickets to the next play in January! Super impressed with that, and will continue to support them, they do a lovely job there.

This remains an amazing place to experience outdoor movies! Bathrooms are spotless and concessions…read moreare great. No, there are no latte's or kombucha available (thank God). Operator John remains committed to preserving this excellent piece of Americana - thank you!

Used to bring family here all the time, will probably not return again. Place is now somewhat run…read moredown with rude staff working out front, ultimately left feeling more sad to see it in such shape rather than simply disgruntled by an abrasive employee.