I've been to the Armory a couple of times, one while empty and once while packed with people for a 1975 concert a few years back. Parking for this venue can be found all around Main St and directly next to the venue. This can be a pain point for some if you're unfamiliar. They bring in a huge variety of acts all throughout the year and also host events (thing weddings, corporate parties, etc). The drinks are pretty reasonably priced from what I can remember (this may have changed) and there are two bars throughout the venue. Bathrooms are very nasty and the acoustics/sound of this room can make it difficult to hear anything front men and women are singing at any given time. Overall I think this is a fine venue and I'm glad we have it here! I don't do a ton of live music anymore, but I'm grateful to the armory for bringing in such a wide array of programming. read more

Rochester Main Street Armory - The 1975 - May, 2017 - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Rochester, New York

Great concert venue. Saw Old Dominion here - seats available in the balcony. Floor is standing only with a few picnic tables near the bathrooms. I could clearly see the stage from all places in the venue. One entrance for thousands of people. The line made it from about 4 blocks away to the front door in ~25 minutes. Getting out of here after a concert is MUCH better than it's been for me at other venues. Warning- it is HOT inside. Pretty sure they don't have AC or fans (that work). Unless you're attending something in the middle of winter, wear as few layers as possible. Highly recommend going to the gas station a block over for the 2/$3 Gatorades after the event Decent ticket prices - good venue for avoiding crazy fees. read more

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Want to give this a 3.5.... Went to the Armory for the first time for a recent Old Dominion Concert! LOCATION: Main Street in Rochester. Have to pay for parking unless you're lucky enough to find a spot on a side street. We went early and the line was down the street x2 blocks, and around the corner x2 or more blocks. Took us 30+ minutes to get inside. I get that. Famous/Popular Band comes to town and we all want to go! Once inside you'll see how really big this place is! I mean it's an armory! It held 6000+ servicemen/women in it's day. It has restrooms on both sides so that's a plus. Of course still had to wait in line for the ladies room.... lol. I like how the stage comes out into the crowd. There's no seating on the mail floor - standing room only. You can get an up close and personal experience if you're willing to risk it. For me, at 5'2" it was difficult as I couldn't make my way past or see over the tall people! We made it up front pretty close, but ... this cavernous place.... no air conditioning. I almost passed out from the heat and the bodies around me. Had to hightail it outta there to get into the lobby for some air. Oh, you can't exit the building. It's a no re-entry policy. Crap. For the first 2 acts we were inside ... but for Old Dominion we decided to stand back near the open doors and lobby so we could get some air. Let me tell you.. the sound was way better in the back! I love that we saw 3 big name acts for $40! (High Valley, Michael Ray and Old Dominion). I can check this off my "bucket" list. I'm not sure I'd return to this location for another concert. Maybe I'm just getting .. old! ack! I guess I prefer bigger arenas or assigned seating :) read more

Rochester Main Street Armory - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Rochester, New York

I've been here twice now, most recently for Beartooth this past spring. I love the venue, but wish they would've had the balcony open for the show. I'm not a guy that likes to be near the pit or anything crazy, so an upper view would've been awesome. Otherwise, I've really enjoyed this for a concert venue read more

Rochester Main Street Armory - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Rochester, New York

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SCAM ALERT. Danger. Avoid. Avoid. Avoid. I called the venue before purchasing tickets and the man who answered the phone claiming to be the owner lied to me. And I purchased the ticket based on his lies. There is no mention of a camera policy on the website, and the owner or "owner" said, "Of course! Bring a camera! We love it!" So I came into the venue with a camera. $50 and so much gas and five hours later. How the venue chose to handle this was traumatizing. I told the story to the security guard who stopped me for having a bag after I passed through an airport level of metal detection. He assigned someone to watch me and went to check. Came back. "Nobody knows what you're talking about." I asked him to confirm the phone number. I wasn't wrong. Now I've got this dilemma- throw a bunch of gear in the car and pray for no break-ins or leave. And I'm being treated like a criminal. The security guard hovers around me. Mind you my bag and I have been thoroughly searched and I'm just standing frozen in place, dumbfounded. What I had thought was reality over the five hour solo drive suddenly was not. I had based my decision to purchase a ticket and drive five hours on a conversation that turned out to be a lie. I was struggling to process it and I wanted to know my options. So I walked up to Will Call to ask. Let some people go ahead of me. Because I'm not trying to waste anyone's time, I'm just in shock. Will Call Lady is terrible, toxic. Not a moment of "I'm so sorry there was a misunderstanding." She berates me for "wasting security's time." I'm still not sure why this is a security issue. I'm inquiring about a refund at will call. But this is her power, her hold on the situation. The security guard comes closer. The implication hangs heavy... She could have me forcibly... I don't know what. Did the liar in the office know he would put me in this horrible position? Shouldn't I say something? If this happened at your workplace, wouldn't you want to know? So it doesn't keep happening? The Will Call Lady could attend to the growing line of other patrons. She doesn't. She just screams at me, an ultimatum like I'm an impudent toddler, I have to tell her right now if I will put my camera in the car and come back. If I don't, the company that sold my ticket will see that it wasn't scanned and I can ask for a refund. Apparently this, too, is a lie, as the ticket company later tells me that it can't help- the venue has a no refund policy. Will Call Lady is screaming and I'm afraid I'm about to be grabbed or pushed by security, so I walk back out the door. Now I haven't answered her ultimatum, so I'm afraid to try to go back. The venue is maskless and unventilated and crowded, so I'm afraid to go back even if she retrains her focus and rage. There isn't a guarded parking lot and I watch a homeless? man scream at passing cars right next to mine, and I never would have been here with a camera or been here at all had they not lied at the office... It's 2021. It is far past time to stop celebrating some 1970s "we can treat you how we like" concert ethos. This entire incident was just cruel. I have since found Yelp reviews that describe similar phone conversations with "the owner." I believe the problems at this venue are systemic. Do not support a business that couldn't give a rat's ass about you and will threaten you as they commit fraud. Be very, very careful to stay under the radar here as they are not afraid to escalate what should be nothing. This show had a pretty much all white audience. I shudder to think how they treat hip hop fans. read more

Rochester Main Street Armory - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Rochester, New York

I'd give this venue five stars if the acoustics were better there. It's a big, empty room. It's here where you find out how good the sound engineer is. I've seen some GREAT shows here... e.g. the Pixies & the Flaming Lips... and some bad, like Lucinda Williams (performace good, sound & sight lines sucked). Parking can be a challenge due to the diverse surroundings. If you're patient & don't mind paying some extra $$, parking can always be found. I'd rather pay $5 to park in some random lot than get a parking ticket or get towed. Always preferable. Also, be prepared for general admission. Almost no access to the seating on second level for most concerts due to safety concerns. If you're an older dude like me & feel the need to sit down, there is limited seating in the back. read more

Rochester Main Street Armory - I've seen a TON of great shows @ the Armory... the Pixies being one of the best! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Came here today for the REXPO, reptile convention and it was a really good time. Place is like an old castle, both in appearance and size but also in the lack of ability to heat the damn place. Youd think with it being a reptile expo they wouldnt mind turning on the heat or at least closing doors to trap the body heat of the hundreds of patrons, but no this place was freezing!!! Still a 3.5-4 star experience as far as the expo is concerned, but I will have to give this place a 3 star review since the doors opened at 10am and the made us all stand in the freezing cold instead of letting us occupy one of the 2 main entrance lobbys. Yikes! read more

Rochester Main Street Armory - REXPO 2016!!! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Rochester, New York

We've been here a bunch of times for fight nights and I'd call it a solid venue. The atmosphere is good. The bathrooms have been clean. And the parking situation isn't terrible. There is a reasonable amount of parking around the armory itself and then also a lot across the street. Typically there are food and beverage vendors. The food we've gotten has been fine and at the fights at least there has been a fair selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The vibe in here is definitely cool. As a swing dancer I would love to host a huge dance event here. The wood floors are great and the space is wide open, giving a lot of flexibility for various events. On the whole, we've had a great time at the fights here and love traveling down from Buffalo for them. read more

8/19 Anthrax/Black Label Society/Hatebreed. There has never been enough bartenders, the lines stretch all the way to the other side of the room. There is no air conditioning and there are not even any fans, probably about a 100 degrees and very humid. People frequently walk around smoking cigarettes with nobody asking them to stop. The mens room always has smokers gathered with lit cigarettes. All if these things happened on the night in question plus the show was cancelled due to a poorly constructed stage that nearly collapsed. This place sucks and the people who run it should be embarrassed. read more

Spook easily? Poise pads for you my friend. Think your tough and nothing phases you. What you're a cyborg? Go for the full on diaper. This place will make you jump, crawl, curse, yell and ultimately trepidatiously progress through a maze of sequentially themed "environments" which are designed to at least make you shiver. Believe me...you'll shiver... maybe call for mommy! The Castle of Horrors- An Annual Offering from one of Rochester's premier venues ( Main Street Armory) earns its place on the annual rotation list. Maybe more fog would help them get that last elusive star rating. This year I anticipated experiencing this seasonal event with someone who would try to take the macho role at the start and find myself with the same person having an "every person for themselves!" glaze in his eyes. Well that didn't happen () and I found myself alone in line without anyone else to join me for the adventure. ( rainy day Thursday solo in the ROC) So off I go alone- solo... have fun was barely mentioned until I had my first heart thump. By time i've experienced 5 minutes of this 20-30 minute showcase i've might have already lost all sense of time..gleefully.. on a surrealistic and psychotic level. Does being alone add to the thrill or reduce the enjoyment or would having someone else's fear factor only enhance it? Let's just say the producers are way ahead of it and regardless of group size... you ain't going to sleep anytime soon. Find a chant that you can whisper to keep your courage. Mine was: "Good show! Well done" and I was able to walk out at the end without a wet leg. Oh yeah, fairly often my Jamie Lee Curtis screen came out. Expertly stitched together is an onslaught of disjointed sensory overload with the only common themes being ZOMBIES and programmed fear factors. This experience heavily relies on the Audio instinct we have, and leverages our instincts to be startled by loud-sudden-noises AND conditioned sounds of "living" danger to seek help (thank U J.J.Abrams). With over 20 distinct environments you follow a path riddled with laser triggers that activate auto-mechanical figures and places LIVE local performance in expertly designed blind spots to turbo charge your fear instincts. Throughout the "maze" the overall themes are clearly apparent and each room Is "propped" with minimally comfortable ( or at least familiar looking) attention growlers fan. Check out this tip: YELP TIP: Don't get mesmerized by the shiny baubles or bizarre bear read more

Rochester Main Street Armory - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Caught the Breaking Benjamin concert at this venue on Saturday. It was my first time at the Main Street Armory and I found it to be a great place to see a concert. It was all General Admission so I loved that you had the option of sitting upstairs rather than cramming against all the drunk college kids. We had a great view from the balcony and it was much more enjoyable with the 25+ year old crowd that seemed to gather up there. Positives: Beer was $5 a cup. Fair price for a concert. Lots of parking options even in the snow storm. They got you ushered in quickly and efficiently. Downside: It was freezing in there. If you're attending a concert in the winter wear a heavy jacket. Trust me, you'll want it!! Don't think for a minute that the body heat of strangers will help. There wasn't even hot water in the restroom sinks. No beer or bathrooms on second floor. Kind of a pain to miss portions of the show when you need to head downstairs for everything. Also, as I mentioned before it was definitely a large college-aged crowd. Complete with girls crying in the bathrooms and booze being spilled all over the ground. (For the most part it was under control and the old heads in the balcony behaved like mature adults.) I would see another show here. read more

Rochester Main Street Armory - Breaking Benjamin concert. View from balcony. 2/14/2015 - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Rochester, New York

I echo Breanna's sentiments. This is a solid establishment for shows and events. I am not familiar with any of the sporting leagues but I've been told that they hold volleyball and paintball games. What I love about The Main Street Armory is all the acts that they bring into Rochester without the high ticket price of big venues. Because of the high ceilings it's hard to make out anything being voiced on a mic. The sound however is much better from the ground floor. They used to have a good selection of craft beers, but now they've gone back to their roots of only serving Blue Light. Which is unfortunate and I hope once summer gets closer they expand their selection again. They also offer well drinks and cocktails. A Long Island iced tea will run you $10, but it's worth it since you only need the one. They beefed up on security, because like any other decent place, bad apples ruin it for the rest of us. Hopefully there's no more cuts in bar service and hikes in admission to compensate the extra muscle. The bathrooms are better than expected. It could be much worse if you put thins in perspective but I won't "dive" into it. The parking situation is like the early bird getting the worm. For the folks that like to grab dinner and drinks beforehand to avoid lines at the door, you can expect to park a block away or hope that the auditorium is not holing a show at the same time. Be ready to park far. In these winter times, it's NOT recommended to park in the side streets in the nearby neighborhoods. You might get side swiped or blocked in. As far as tickets, I recommend grabbing them from our favorite Monroe Ave retailer that is Aaron's Alley! read more

Rochester Main Street Armory - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Rochester, New York

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This place is a nice venue for bigger concerts. Particularly because its general admission so you can choose to stand in the back or go right up to the stage. Or if you are feeling tired perhaps you go to the balcony to sit down. All areas in this venue still have great sound. So far I have seen: Icona pop, Matt and Kim and Passion Pit (02/2013). MS MR and Vampire Weekend (12/03/2013) read more

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Large, open venue with a ton of space to move around. Depending on how packed the show is, they may open the balcony area. It's nice because you're able to see the stage pretty well from anywhere in the arena part of the venue. I've been to numerous events here, and have learned that the experience staffwise is super varied depending on the event. Electronic music events - if it's a sold out show expect to be waiting in line awhile as security is extremely thorough. Trying to bring in things such as a tube of Chapstick, open pack of smokes, makeup touch up..Don't bother, as it will be taken and thrown out. They're also pretty strict on how big your bag can be. I've been turned away with a mini backpack that's smaller than most purses these days. It's also during these shows the bar will serve water bottles, but without caps. Not sure what's with that. Rock shows - way more lax. It took about 30 seconds to get patted down and have my bag gone through. Same bag that got turned away at the electronic music show got in with not problem. With my Chapstick.. Expect to be a little fondled on pat down though. I mean, is it really necessary to touch boobs? The bar situation is what you would expect from a live music venue.. Beers 5 bucks, mixed drinks 5-8$. The sound is alright, not as crisp as I would like, but to be expected considering the acoustics of the place. What most people don't know about the armory, is there's a whole different section that's also used for shows down in the basement. I love it because it has that kind of old school, underground feel (no pun intended) read more

Rochester Main Street Armory - Primus brought Oompa Loompas! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Rochester, New York

A really unique place for a concert. I've been here twice, including the Cage the Elephant show just a few weeks ago. Indoors, the temperature is controlled even in the middle of summer/winter, and the roof is high enough that you never ever feel closed in. My one complaint is that when exiting after a show, they only open up one set of doors for the whole crowd to pass through, so it takes a few minutes. Tons of street parking on the surrounding side streets. Don't bother paying for it. read more

Rochester Main Street Armory - Cage the Elephant at Main Street Armory in Rochester, NY. March 26 2016. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Rochester, New York

The Main Street Armory is a good place for the Rochester music scene, and tends to get some pretty big names. Each year, Rover's Holiday Hangover (put on by 94.1 the Zone) is put on here, and I have seen a few alternative bands over the years. They have recently amped up security. There is a female and a male line when you get closer to the steps for a check point. They look at your bags and pat you down pretty seriously. Workers try to make the process faster by IDing for 21+ in line. The bar normally has Labbatt's, Pepsi Products, and a few other things. Bottled Water is $3, Soda is $4, Beers are $5, Wells Liquor drinks are $6, and top shelf liquor is $8. The lines can be long, but they go pretty quickly. When the bartenders get slammed, they are just trying to push drinks out and move on, so be aware of how much your drinks will cost. They tried to short me a few bucks more than once, and I just was careful to pay attention to that. Especially if you end up buying just a coke, they might try to charge you the price with liquor. It is a cash bar. If you don't know to bring cash to a concert, then just go home lol. The acoustics are pretty decent. The thing I like about the Armory is that you can see and hear well in most places that you are standing. From past experience, if you are one of those people that pushes up to the front row, you will be standing inbetween the speakers though, and will not hear squat. I learned that the hard way. If you don't mind being a little farther back, or to the side, it is easy to see and hear, you will have space to dance, and you will find your group of friends better if you leave them to get a drink or pee. In the winter, I typically wear something long sleeved, a zip up hoody, or a leather jacket because it doesn't get as balls hot inside like other small venues do. Also, parking isn't always the easiest, so if you have a little ways to walk, or a long line to wait in, you don't want to freeze. Last week I parked in the far part of the Village Gate, and walked. Some people pay for parking, or try to find places on the side streets. That's my take, I will always come back for a concert, but knowing the ins and outs of local venues always helps make the night more enjoyable. read more

Been to this venue a few times and never had trouble with crowd because the events were graduations. Got 3 older teens going for a concert and I wanted to ask about the safety for general admission "through the door" policies, given that 11 kids were crushed to death in Buffalo a number of years ago, trying to get into a gen admission concert. I had thought general admissions were outlawed after that, but guess not. The person answering id'd himself as the owner. When I asked him about the safety procedures for allowing the crowd to enter the arena without people getting shoved or knocked down, he stated that, "We have security out the wazoo. That's not gonna happen." Great. Ok. You have security, but inadequate security is not why people have been crushed at these events. Overcrowding at the entrances is the reason. I responded, "I've been to events where the crowd was allowed in sections but spaces put in between like 30 to 50 people at a time so that there was room for someone to fall down." The dude interrupted me and began shouting at me over the phone (respectable business owner, right?). He shouted, "That would take 8 hours to move 5,000 people. I've been doing this for 11 years. You're insulting the shit out of me." and hung up the phone. First of all, this is how large venues ensure crowd safety all over the world. It doesn't take any additional time because the security guys simply have a few people wait every couple of minutes to make gaps in the crowd as the line proceeds inside. Second, any business owner owes it to the public as well as to their business to speak politely with customers. There was no challenge on my part - just 2 questions about safety on entering the building. Escalated at me - a complete stranger asking a question very politely. The entire call lasted 3 minutes 21 seconds and included the "hello - thanks for calling me back stuff - - "which means the dude started shouting at me after 2 questions. Needs anger management. Should not be allowed to deal with the public. read more

I can't believe all of the decent to good reviews of this horrible space. Maybe in comparison to some of the other venues in Rochester the Armory can be considered ok, but as a venue in general, this place is absolute shit. If there was a fire in the building everyone would be burned to a crisp in seconds. I've never seen a more cramped exit for a venue in my life, and I've been to lots. The acoustics during concerts is subpar, it's always about 20 degrees hotter than it should be in the building, and you're always a bit uneasy about being stabbed during a show there. I really want to avoid this place like the plague, but unfortunately bands I enjoy keep getting booked here. Damn you Main Street Armory, Damn You! read more

Nice place, so-so sound. Went to Weezer the other day, my first show at this venue. There was a lot to like: Parking was convenient and plentiful. I parked behind the Aud on College st, and leaving was a snap. There's a lot on Main St, but it was really congested afterward because concertgoers were crossing with no regard for traffic lights. Inside is pretty nice, and there's a huge wrap-around balcony. So you can have your choice: get up close with the crowd-surfing idiots, back up a bit and have some elbow room, or sit in the balcony in comfort. Bathrooms are fine, totally functional and, if not clean, at least as clean as I've seen in a mid-size venue like this. Staff was friendly and professional. They even spared my ten-year-old son the pat down. I'm always a little nervous going in with tickets printed off the internet, but getting in was a snap. Well-oiled machinery. Can't tell you about the concessions, I never buy food or drinks at shows. They're always crappy and overpriced. Plus, I'm there with my kid, not drinking. There was one drawback, and that was the sound. The opening band sounded like garbled mush, but that was partially them, I think. Their style. I was hoping that Weezer had brought their own sound crew. Nope. Still these "Audio Images" people. And, during the opening number there was horrible feedback, I think from the bass as the bass player seemed really frustrated. They got it resolved before song #2, and from then on the sound was good. Not super-awesome, but better than you'd think given the huge, gymnasium-like look of the place. I'll be seeing more shows here, I'm kindof withholding judgement on the sound quality. read more

A solid establishment for events and concerts. I've been to a few shows here and wondered how the bands will sound in the church-like, echo-y space, but it was just fine. Whoever does the sound for these shows makes it work. There's a balcony surrounding three sides of the venue, great for a seated viewing option, although I've never gone up there save for hanging a banner. Most of the events I've attended here have been in the summer and it was a sweat-fest. There isn't any AC so all the body heat gets trapped in and you're wishing you wore hotpants and a midriff top. They sometimes plug in those industrial size floor fans, but that only does so much good so stay hydrated and bring a hand fan. I think it's a decent event venue - lots of open space to work with kind of like a gymnasium. The food that they offer, perhaps provided by a standing caterer is OK. Mostly the bar food variety so you can get mediocre pizza, cheeseburgers, etc. Although, I did sample the queso sticks (with no regard to my health) and they are actually quite good. It's like an unusual nacho concoction with the outside being bread crumbs, tomatoes, black beans, etc. filled with nacho cheese and a generic salsa (similar to Pace). They have a couple craft beer options available too so you don't have to get Blue Light. Last time I was there, they had a Victory and a Great Lakes option on tap. It gives off an eerie vibe and feels haunted too so this would be an awesome place for a giant Halloween party. SyFy's Ghost Hunters say it's haunted so I believe it. read more

Been to the Armory for a handful of events over the past 10 years or so. The venue, while still good, hasn't changed much over the time span. The building is always extremely warm, regardless of the time of the year. It's still somehow manages to sound great. The acoustics shouldn't really work, but whoever handles the sound does a great job. It's in a great area, and is walking distance from many other local attractions. The location can be tricky during rush hour or when the Auditorium has an event. Their main parking lot is shared with a local church, so depending on the day there may not be any parking at the actual site. However, there is a lot of street parking in comfortable walking distance as well as local public lots. read more

Nice concert venue that can accommodate thousands of people and still have the sound be top notch. I've seen O.A.R here decades ago and now Bessnectar. I gotta say though -- that HEAT at some of these shows is pretty intense. Probably unavoidable with the thousands of people it holds generating their own body energy, but it can be pretty overwhelming. Luckily, there's an upper area that's sometimes open and less crowded for the more 'stand up and dance' kinda shows. Water cost $4 and they didn't allow re-entry which was a bummer, otherwise -- at least the sound is good. read more

I have been to 3 concerts at the Armory and I think this is a great venue. It's on Main Street, so the parking situation isn't the greatest, but I usually park in the Village Gate parking lot. It's only about a 5 minute walk from there, and Village Gate is a good place to grab food before or after the event you're going to. The inside of the Armory is very open and spacious. The floor is large and there is a ton of room to move around. Bar booths and a couple food stations are located along the walls. I have never gotten anything to eat at the concerts I've gone to, but the bars aren't bad. $3 for bottled water is a bit pricey, but mix drinks like Rum & Coke or Gin & Tonic are $5. That's roughly what you'll find at just about any bar you go to for a mix drink. The sound inside the concert hall is very good. I was able to hear all the bands very well, and it was easy to understand the vocals. That is not always the case at other venues. The Armory has an upstairs balcony that runs along 3 of the 4 walls. The balcony has seats so you can take a little breather if your legs are starting to hurt you, but I will warn you, do not sit on the ends next to the stage. The speakers are all pointed out in front of the stage, not to the sides, so it's next to impossible to hear the vocals from the side balcony seats. read more

I like the armory in general..easy access bathrooms....the bar wasn't all overcrowded. The bassnectar show was really great....good visual show. Good Times! read more

Rochester Main Street Armory - Bassnectar - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Went to the bloody Mary festival and it was so much fun. Had 10 restaurants/bars serving bloody Marys some were more creative than others. Some I could have done without but it was a good event. Will definitely be back next year!!! read more

I'm constantly impressed on how many people this venue can fit! This venue is exclusively general admission combined with larger capacity, so waiting in line for at least 45 minutes after arriving early has always been something I have anticipated. I am not constantly impressed with the way the management deals with lost items or contact information. When I had lost my house keys at a concert, I was told to wait the weekend for them to find them. When I called back on Monday morning, they didn't believe I should come in to look for the keys if my description did not match. After going back to the vet and speaking to a few managers, they informed me that at the venue I attended they simply thew out a lot of the found items that night. It was awful. read more

This is another great piece of Rochester history. I play volleyball here, attend concerts here, and really anything else that happens here, if it interests me then I definitely attend. It is an amazing old building, and if you can get a tour of it definitely check it out. Its hard to believe it was in such disrepair a short time ago and was full of pigeons. The acoustics aren't top level - but that isn't what it was designed for so that isn't shocking. Parking is a pain - but its a city venue that wasn't originally designed to hold massive events either so that isn't shocking either. Its a great thing that we have in Rochester - definitely take advantage of it. read more

Pretty good concert venue. I have no major complaints. Sound is good. Though, it is absolutely atrocious if you sit in the balcony. If you care at all about the show you're at do yourself a favor and don't sit up there. Plus it's probably 20* warmer up there than down on the floor. The stage is elevated fairly high giving people a good chance to see from the large flat gymnasium floor. I haven't had any issues with security the 2 or 3 times I've been. I never seem to anywhere though. Beer and drinks are on the cheaper side for a concert. Limited selection though, only 2 beers I think. You should have a good time if you stay out of that balcony. read more

I drove about five hours to get here from where I live back in 2011 to watch Judas Priest during their farewell tour. The doors opened right on time, the will call pick up was quick and efficient to the point that even having to stop by the will call desk, I was still able to be right at the barricade during the show. The bouncers were very good at what they did, and treated everyone fairly. When one person started to be obnoxious, he was warned and then swiftly ejected, and they made sure everyone was taken care of. The bar had fast, friendly service, and knew how to treat each customer with a sense of urgency. The restrooms were also squeaky clean. The only reason I give this place four stars instead of five, is due to the sound quality. It wasn't terrible, but for a band's final world tour ever, definitely should have been much better. If a show came to this venue, however, and I had the opportunity to see it, I still wouldn't hesitate to purchase a ticket. read more

Let me preface this review by saying I have been to many unknown venues for concerts and prefer the smaller ones. I pretty much avoid anything with over 4k capacity. I went here for a Papa Roach show (which was really a Godsmack show). I'm not that familiar with the bands so I was a little out of sorts with the population that attended, but told this would be the standard crowd. It's not a horrible place, but I wouldn't go back here again. We walked from an awesome hotel (about 15 minutes) and it was a nice night- little chilly. I got a little freaked out when some black dudes (about 4 blocks from the venue on the way there) asked us if we wanted to buy hash, and then coke, and started following us (thank god we had our running shoes on and are in good physical shape). In any case, the hired help and security were pretty nice; and the prices for drinks were normal for rock shows. There are two floors; and we found the view was better from that aspect; we could see all the knosching on the floor and a few people being brought out hurt, but those security dudes seem to have their stuff together. So, for me, I would say I wouldn't go back to see a hard rock show there and the act definitely influences the crowd behavior. Plus, it was a long road trip for me and just not worth the drive. read more

Worst security staff in the business! Went here recently for a wrestling event. The doors opened 90mins late and when we got in they were still setting up. Got a drink at the bar before entering the main event room, and when entering security scrambled to check IDs of people who were already drinking, holding up the line even further, very unorganized. No ventilation or AC, very uncomfortably hot, humid and smelly inside. The worst was when 2 of the rookie security guards did not know how to escort out a drunk patron who was clearly over served. The guy had his hands up and was walking out yet they still felt the need to tackle him to the ground, handcuff him, and kick him while he was face down and compliant. When the guys friend came over to contest how they were treating him the scaredy-cat security crew started spraying everyone with pepper spray inside the venue. Security noticed someone videotaping the whole ordeal on their cell phone and took it and smashed it on the ground. I've never seen anything like this, and this was a family event mind you. I'm never going back here and I encourage others not to as well. The real disturbing piece to this story is that some of these terrible security guards were armed! Yes armed, with handguns. It's a matter of time before someone gets shot in there for no reason. Please fire your current security staff and get some professionals in there. It will cost a little more than the $9/hr you are currently paying these off-the-street thugs, but will be a much better investment in the long run. read more