Attended a friend's wedding at the Swedish American Hall recently and it was a pleasant experience. I will say the venue has a lot of charm and character, and the history of the space is interesting. For access, the stairs up to the main hall are a bit steep, but there is a small elevator that you can use. Honestly, it was a bit challenging with high heels, but manageable. The bar area upstairs is cozy and is right outside the main hall. The main hall is spacious and is a fairly good size for small/medium-sized events. The main hall was used for both the wedding ceremony and reception, which worked out well. The restroom facilities on the first floor were good but the ones upstairs were not the best. The bathroom layout was awkward and it was a narrow space, so shimmying past people & trying to get inside was a bit tricky. Otherwise, the venue was good, and we enjoyed celebrating with friends and had a great time reuniting. read more

Swedish American Hall - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - San Francisco, California

Nice small/ medium venue. Get there early so you can get a seat along the walls Otherwise you will have to stand. . read more

I had my wedding May of last year at Swedish American Hall, with the Cafe Du Nord add-on option. Carrie was my main contact and she was absolutely phenomenal. We were required to get a wedding planner, and do a walk through the week before, but it was all super smooth day of because of that. They were super responsive to all communications and flexible to my weird requests and people pleasing nature. We chose most of the available packages: full paid bar, lighting in Cafe Du Nord. We didn't choose to pay for the photo booth, but people still used it and didn't seem to mind. We had around 100 guests and the size was perfect. read more

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Came here to see Gilbert O'Sullivan perform in his first-ever San Francisco show. It was amazing to sit in the front row directly in front of his keyboard not even 20 feet away! :-) However, I really didn't like the fact that the seating floor was flat. The room could basically double as a high school basketball court, and the seats were uncomfortably narrow and crammed together. :-/ There's a bar there (I took Lyft, BTW) with pretty pricey drinks. I had one Whiskey Sour and that was it. The show was very good! It really was nice to finally see Gilbert perform live in San Francisco. read more

Came here for Willy Mason on a Saturday night. A pretty small and intimate venue perfect for acoustic acts. There is seating on each of the sides so get early if you want a seat. There is also an upstairs for better viewing if the downstairs is too crowded. A decent bar available and the men's bathroom is a urinal and a stall. I would come here again for a show. read more

Swedish American Hall is located in San Francisco. I hadn't been to this venue in a few years. Parking can be challenging, so I parked a distance and walked. It was surprisingly warm that day, but the venue was shaded by the time I arrived. The staff there were friendly and helpful. Once inside, they offered free ice water to hydrate. I was up front near the stage, so I had a good view. The sound was fine after a minor hiccup at the beginning of the set. All and all a great experience and a fine establishment. I hope to be back in the near future. read more

This was my first time attending a concert at the Swedish American Hall. We arrived about 30 minutes before the time on the ticket and we were the first people in line. The line will depend on the act you're seeing. I appreciated that they had the ropes ready. Right at 7 pm, a SAH employee came out and opened the door. He had a smile on his face and said, "Welcome..." It makes such a big difference when people take the effort to be happy and welcoming. They scanned our tickets and checked our IDs pretty quickly. They have a cute bar upstairs (staffed with two bartenders for our visit) with a water dispenser and cups easily accessible to anyone. The bathrooms were clean. I liked the patio style white lights strung across the audience area. The wood furnishings and decor make the place seem very cozy. The seats were slightly padded. Anywhere you sit/stand the view of the stage was probably good. We sat in the front and it was almost weird being that close to the musical act. Loved the concert. read more

Swedish American Hall - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Had the opportunity to see Christopher Willits film and scoring here a while ago as a solo show for an album release/Noise Pop fest. Amazing ambient music, all instrumental + amazing visuals. As for the venue it reminds me of a temple/church/music hall all modern and wood. I have been to multiple Willits shows around the bay area w/ cohorts Tycho, Dusty Brown, Heathered Pearls, Nitemoves. Epic. I'm so glad to be alive in these amazing times with interesting music food and people! (: Enso#9 https://www.christopherwillits.com/ http://www.ticketfly.com/event/764553/ _"I wanna be a cult classic Black boys wrapped in plastic Yeah stuntin is a habit Whatever you want you can have it I always give a lot of lee-way"- Cautious Clay French Riviera read more

Intimate is a great way to describe this venue. But don't forget "sit-down" as well! I came here for an event held by Culture Collide and Noise Pop SF to see some of my favorite musicians/bands *cough* Milo Greene for their so-called "An Intimate Evening with Milo Greene," and I have to say... It sure was intimate! The place is charming. It almost reminds me of a little dance hall with people line-dancing all around, arm-in-arm as the cute Etsy-style strung lights are hanging above. The event was pretty low-key and there wasn't much management going on. Just two simple guys handling the bar (thanks for the yummy daiquiri), and a floor and upstairs viewing area. The stage itself projects pretty well throughout the hall that the music seems like a full-out concert. The only thing that makes it more intimate and stripped-down is that you're able to be close to the performers and see them in all their glory! Also, you can totally hear people having conversations with each other. Very light-hearted. Very intimate. I just wish I weren't strapped down to my seat to see the performers... Their music just wanted to make me get up and dance and scream and sway right in front of their faces! Made me want to fan girl, but this ain't the place for it. "Whooo's" and cheers are just enough! read more

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Saw an Irish indie rock band here. Lovely little venue to see a show. The sound seemed a bit distorted on the night I was there. Perhaps it was a fluke, hard to say. Still, it's a nice place to get close to your favorite artist or discover a new one. Bathrooms are clean, people seem to be generally polite and the bar is small but there's something for everyone, including Tequila Ocho which was a pleasant surprise. Bartenders are friendly and helpful. We had excellent parking karma that night and I didn't drive, so that was all good by me. read more

To me, this venue sux. It is true that it's a nice little intimate space with pretty sparkly string lights and in a good location (no food, but lots to eat and enjoy around the area). However, I have the same beef with this venue as I do with Brick and Mortar. It's too F#$%#ing hot! I know, music venues in general tend to be warm, but the owners of SAH really need to like, loosen the purse strings and invest in some AC, even just a light fan. Or consult with Rickshaw Stop, which is way too cold, and try to even things out. I saw Snail Mail here last night and even she apologized for feeling crappy because she was sick and the heat in here didn't help. I felt really lightheaded, too! If you work in a hospital, maybe you could try to hook yourself up to an IV beforehand if you need to come here. I do work in a hospital so I'll try to do the same next time. Anyway, the drink selection is fine, but pretty expensive, even for a music venue. $11 for wine.. $8 for an Anchor Steam.. $12 for a cocktail (though it was a good one, albeit only like 0.5 ounces).. $4 for a Tecate, at least. read more

Held a terrific private event here for 100 people. Great ambience with the lighting flexibility to create the mood we wanted. The built in stage and screen worked very well for our entertainment and slide show. We had the main hall plus a side room with windows that looked over the street for a dessert area. The staff was great to work with and partnered well with our caterer. For certain size events here I'd build a valet service into the budget as the street parking in the area can be tight. read more

Never thought I'd write a review of an event venue, but then I never thought I'd suffer through a concert quite that bad. My personal opinions about the artists aside -- but here they are: Deaton Chris Anthony (opener) was aggressively offensive cacophony and Dijon (headliner) did the best he could given the circumstances -- the people in charge of audio this evening (2/19/20) were unprofessional at best. It hurt to try to listen to the music that was coming from DCA. Sure, it was supposed to be loud, and perhaps his normal speaking voice is "mumbles," but not a single intelligible word came through while he was on stage. Dijon came on -- finally -- and it wasn't much better. The main difference was that some young man who worked there became aware of the sh*t audio quality and was trying to get the people in charge of the controls to do their damn job. I left four or five songs into the headliner's set because no one should have to listen to audio quality that poor. If your equipment is busted, then replace it. If your sound people are inept, then replace them. read more

Great venue for Swing-Dancing! SITREP It was a bit odd when I came here on this evening to attend a swing-dancing event at the street-level venue part of this building know as the Swedish American Music Hall. For YEARS I've enjoyed coming to this building, but to go down into the "subterranean" part of this complex known as Cafe du Nord where several events - but my favorite, "DARK SPARKLE" - have been hosted here since I've been coming since 1999. THE SETUP However, on this occasion, it was to go to the multi-purpose room to enjoy some live music and dancing. The floor is an exceptional surface for dancing since it doesn't have a sticking problem. There is plenty of room and I can see why so many people love to have their wedding receptions hosted in this room. This is a definite plus location if you are looking to just rent out a hall so that you can put together your own set-up if you are a "do-it-yourselfer." THE LOWDOWN The Swedish American Hall is a great venue for that special dancing event you are angling to put together! read more

Sort of reminds you of an AA meeting hall (not that it's a bad thing, I've been sober 26 years so I should know!), but set up for live music. Excellent acoustics, totally unpretentious and down-home vibe. Intimate. I had the profound pleasure to see Aqualung here, and as he played his gorgeous, soulful music on a baby grand piano I felt he was singing just to me. LIFE IS GOOD! read more

The Swedish American Music Hall just breathes character. You can feel the past and charm of this place - the moment that you step inside. From the dark wooden regal pointed throne chairs to the dim lighting and yellow and blue curtains - this hall bears testimony of it's Swedish Heritage and stands out as a truly unique event venue. Trust. read more

I had a great time there last night, 10/16/18. Was actually volunteering for LitQuake, although the event was for "The Residents." First time I'd heard of either the band or the authors (turns out, one and the same) which many people attending had difficulty believing; but whatever. I run into similar skepticism when I discuss the merits of the "Legion of Super-Heroes." So, you know, nothing new. #limitedminds Anywho, the best part was the STAFF! They were amazing. The music and stuff, fine. Different certainly. Set my mind a-vibrating. I mostly handed out programs at first. AND THEN! while the band played their curious, mondo electric brain bleed fuckyourhead sounds, I got to guard "The Green Room." Exciting! These residential people were quite hush-hush on whomeverthefuck they were, so guard I did. Former Navy. I can do that. #paraderest Fuck that, I stood there like I had better things to do, but haha! And people tried! I think. There were a number of dubious characters who were either "lost," or were wondering, "what's back here?" or were just giving me nasty looks for no good reason. And I was SMILING! I was smiling like nobody's bizness. Now, it would help to know, that I am 5'10" and have a big ole scraggly beard. And am 51, and have gone way gray (platinum, thanks!) from my formerly red locks. And my hair's cut short, but I could use a haircut. Okay? OKAY. And I'm nicely dressed. Unusually. But I look like a good guard back in thurr, I can assure you. Last thing: QUEEN FOR DAAAAAAAYS. #whersmahpurs So. The bartenders are fantastic. The people running the event: they know what it is they are doing. 'Nuff said. This one person I worked with: LOVE HER! She helped me out in this one situation with this one ... patron, shall we call them? This patron was quite rude. Quite rude, indeed! I could not believe my ears & eyes, I tell you I could not!! He was saying things that, were I an employee and had any fear whatsoever as to my actions this evening affecting my job, my livelihood(!!!), I might have been made very upset! Oh dear, or dear, or deary me!! But no. He tried to make me cry, the mean man! He told me I had failed! This tiny, tiny man! (He was might height, if not taller. But still. TINY [penis] ) I failed at nothing. I rocked at my job. THIS GUY has some major issues he needs to look at in his own damn soul. And I mean, DAMN. However, as I said, the staff were a-MAH-zing!! And especially that one person I mentioned above. She just told me to shake it off, these things happen, people like that are everywhere, it sucks but what are you going to do. And the things is, she was incredibly busy, but she took a few seconds to say these quick words to me because I was, yaknow ... (sniffle) really FUCKING PISSED! And she's right. Shake it off. I had. I found some flakes. These are the flakes. I also wanted to say I really had a good time at the Swedish. So, here that is. Haha! P.S. If you ever need me to do what I did again, 4rls 4rls, LMK. Fun! read more

I came here recently to watch Gallant. Seeing that it was hosted by Noisepop, I kinda expected that it was going to a be a sit down event like much of the other reviews and photos implied. To my surprise, it wasn't! For everyone else that's wondering, I suppose it depends on the event. When I went, the main floor was more or less standing and the second level was also open for those wishing to sit instead. Luckily, I got there early enough to secure a good spot. There's a sign saying no in's and outs, but I think that only applies to those under 21. This is good to know since they have no ATM available so if you would like to purchase merch or something from the cash only bar, then your best bet is to rush over to the businesses next door. The size of the venue is small in comparison to other places I've been to, so I think it's safe to say that any spot in the house will still feel pretty intimate. Sound was great. I liked the aesthetic of the place, too. Overall, it was pretty nice for a smaller venue. Only dislikes about it is parking is a kind of a hassle, it's cash only, and that IT'S SUPER HOT. Other than that, I wouldn't mind coming back here again to watch more shows. read more

Yes, "intimate" is the word for this venue. It's like a community center with an old-fashioned north-European interior. I see Noise Pop indie rock music here. I've seen Rilo Kiley like ten years ago and last night I came back for Mark Eitzel. They offer some drinks. I like this small music venue. If you have an indie lifestyle, you'll fit in here. read more

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It's been a while since I've been here. I was here previously to hear one of my favorite rock musicians Greg Dulli. For this occasion, I saw a great Scottish band called Trashcan Sinatras. The venue is a big open space which can be filled with chairs or not. That night, we were seated on folding chairs. According to a search online, there is 250 person (seated) theater capacity. At this point in my life (50s), I like seeing bands in smaller venues. Its hard to tell if the acoustics are good, because I was seated in the front row and the music was at a very nice (undistorted and not too loud) volume. The sound seemed great to me. Apparently, they have a fully stocked bar at Cafe Du Nord which is downstairs. They had a "satellite" bar in the back of this venue which wasn't very well stocked but got the job done. We were trying to get some scotch (seeing a Scottish) band, but they didn't have any at this location. They suggested going downstairs. This venue has good, warm vibe to it and I will be back again. read more

Great staff. Super responsive and helpful. Reasonable pricing for SF. Odin hall was a good size but there are historical furniture pieces that cannot move which definitely did not go with the theme of the party. Overall I'd use them again. read more

Saw Stephen Malkmus the other night and left my debit card by mistake, they held onto it for me. Thanks S.A.H.! Shout out to Dan for his help! Great venue, that gets good acts, run by good folks! Check it out. read more

While I haven't been to Swedish American Hall as often as I should, when I do go, it reminds me how much I love it This most recent visit was to see THOMAS DOLBY do his "Invisible Lighthouse" show which combined a mixture of media, music & memories. Thomas had filmed a short documentary about a lighthouse that was being torn down, in the city where he grew up - it goes on to delve into the world of childhood memories & how reliable our memories are overall.....but no spoilers here! I really liked how there were live sound effects during the show - like walking around a field or on the rocky beach The Q&A after the documentary however, was excruciating!! This guy would NOT get off his soapbox about the devaluation of music by the digital age of YouTube & Napster.......he also apparently has a Documentary coming out sometime next spring - will definitely be passing on that one! But this review is about the venue.......which continues to offer great sound levels & sightlines. Checking in at Will Call is painless & laid back & drinkys are allowed inside Only minor complaint was w/ their actual "seats". This was a seated show & they used the MOST uncomfortable wooden foldout chairs that were crammed way too close together & gave me a backache There was no sense of ergonomic support at all.....and when you're forced to sit there for 2.75 hrs w/ no ability to adjust your seated position b/c of the cramped quarters, it takes its toll But even that said, this place rocks & is such a small, intimate venue that I'd still happily come back again & again.....I would just make sure to better position myself in the crowd so I could get up & stretch the legs read more

I don't know if it's the staff at SAH, or the staff from Noisepop, but the staff are completely non-responsive and rude. Need to contact them regarding a venue question? Need to know what time the box office opens? Nope, you can't. There's no contact info. When I managed to get a way to contact them, they were pretty much non-responsive. Something came up and I wasn't going to be able to stay for the show. Look, life happens, and sometimes, we have to change our plans. I showed up AT the venue, in-person, and asked to get my will-call ticket changed to a friend-of-a-friend. They absolutely refused. WTF. Come on guys, you have a freakin PIECE OF PAPER where you just have a list of names. How hard is it to just WRITE SOMEONE ELSE'S NAME in my place, especially when I showed up IN PERSON at the venue to confirm my identity with my ID and credit card? Will call tickets usually imply that I go in person and PICK UP tickets, not "get my name crossed off of a guestlist". I purchased the tickets -- I should be free to do what I want with them. Also, do you understand how business works? If I end up NOT going to the show, you will lose money as a venue since you lose potential income from drink sales, etc. If you just let someone else inside in my place, it costs ZERO dollars in extra marginal cost, and you may gain extra revenue from them actually making purchases inside. Think about that for a minute. read more

This place served beer and wine when I came here to see a movie of Old San Francisco and live jazz music. It was so cool to see a black and white movie of San Francisco from 1906 and then to have a orchestra jazz band play live and sitting eating pop corn and drink a cool beer from the bottle...... They did served ALCOHOL very cool!! read more

Flashback: prepping for the 4th grade Holiday Concert Jared: la la LA la la Mom: Honey, what are you doing? Jared: Exercising my voice like Whoopi taught me in "Sister Act 2" Mom: Go on Jared: "Oh happy day..... ohhhhhhh happy day.... when Jesus washed..." Mom: Okay, hold up for... Jared: "... washed AWAY my sinnnnnnnsssssss" Mom: You don't believe in Jes- Jared: "When Jesus waaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" Mom: Honey, can't you sing about the Macabees? Or how about Moses? He was a good man. Jared: But Sister Mary Clarence makes Jesus sound more fun. Seeing a show at the Swedish American Hall took me right back to my elementary school auditorium. They were about the same size, both had a small balcony that could hold a few parents who wanted to discreetly hit the bottle, and both have really uncomfortable chairs and a tiny stage. But I still loved it. Saw Noah and the Whale here last night and it was a perfect place. The sound stayed and carried well, I felt like the band members were within reach (because they were... well, if I had arms like Elastigirl), and they couldn't (pretend to) leave the stage before an Encore, so they just stood there while we clapped. It was especially like elementary school because after the show, I traded some pogs for X-Men cards and told my friend he was a fartface, had cooties, and that his Mom was so dumb she heard it was chilly outside and grabbed a bowl. read more

Perfect venue for an acoustic "MTV Unplugged" type show. Very cozy and charming, it's great for an interactive feel with the performers. Only downside is that you can't enjoy wine or beer with the perfomance. read more

I throw up an extra star for this place on the condition that everyone understands that this venue is perfect for only a certain kind of show. Quiet? Folky? Acoustic Guitar Singer/Songwriter Stuff? This place is perfect for those types of shows. There is normally plenty of seating, the lighting is nice, the interior is warm and comfortable, and the acoustics are very nice. Almost literally perfect for a quite acoustic set by Brit Daniels of Spoon, Laura Veirs, or a similar set. However, this place would lose stars rapidly if they started trying to book loud full band shows here. It is fairly small, it lacks any-type of sex appeal, and they offer no alcoholic beverages. read more

Reasons I love this place: 1) They book great shows. Liz Phair's acoustic set, Richard Buckner, Josh Rouse, etc. 2) You can sit down (and if you get there early, very close). 3) It's easy to get to and you can go to Cafe du Norde for a drink afterward. read more

This Swedish cultural center was one of the venues for a NoisePop 2013 event. The venue was adequate for the event, with nice meeting rooms complete with funny throne-like Swedish crafty-looking chairs and gingerbread trim. They have various meeting rooms, and a ballroom for rent, and it would be a good place to hold a small conference or a meeting. It's conveniently located on Market Street, and the Muni stops right in front, and there is an underground station down the street to the east. read more

I've only been to one show at the Swedish American Hall, and all in all, I enjoyed the experience. Pluses: -intimate venue -affordable tickets! ($15 to see Peter Moren) Minuses: -curfew (band has to stop playing at 10 pm) -uncomfortable seats (my butt was more sore after the concert than after a 20-mile bike ride) -chilly (skylight windows were open) -no alcohol When I enumerate all the pluses and minuses, it may seem like the disadvantages outweigh the advantages, but really, it was fine. Check it out and decide for yourself. read more

I Recently helped plan an event here and it turned out to be a pretty good space. The interior of the main room has some really special touches. I love the wood floors and the royal-like chairs that line the walls. The balcony is a nice touch for additional seating. The manager of this place is pleasant and happy to walk you through the place and answer all questions. The event was a continuous conference set-up, and we used two of the upstairs rooms in the Hall. The smaller room was alright, just make sure you check out all details regarding out-lets, audio and wi-fi, because all need to be arranged in advance (if specifics are in order). Cool venue, something a bit different and I would like to experience an intimate concert here to get a better feel for the place. read more

There is a first time for everything. Seeing Jandek's second performance in the world and going to the Swedish American Hall are now off my list of firsts. Great show, great space. This is a great venue for a sit down repertory performance and really did Sterling justice. Hope to see some more great acts here because the BS that passes for music at Du Nord these days is killing me. read more

It's cute, it's simple, it's Swedish, it likes acoustic music. If it was a man, I'd date him. The lack of luster wouldn't keep me around for much longer than a couple of free dinners though. read more

Saw Noah and the Whale here a while back. It's a nice venue, but I think they should change it up depending on who's playing. For one, seats at certain shows just make things awkward. I would've felt much more comfortable watching NatW if I were standing and dancing along to their upbeat songs. I think at some points they were thinking the same thing too. Luckily, by the end the audience collectively agreed to get up and dance to the last song. Overall, seats are weird at certain shows, and they're not always needed. Second: The sound and stage was just alright. I mean, it's kind of cool because since it's small and school-theater-like the artists seem really close to you, but I think I would've appreciated a bigger stage. Other than that, I would probably watch another show here if it were a more mellow one (like Jazz or such). It is in a nice location and the people who took tickets were very friendly. read more

I had a great time at w00tfest but the venue sucked. There are no tables and the chairs are the kind meant to be used for 30 minutes max. Cheap folding crap that hurts your butt after an hour. Even worse is no booze! I did sneak in my own but that doesn't count. If you really want to see whoever is playing go ahead but if your on the fence skip it. read more

Great venue for a small, live, intimate type of show - you feel like you're right there with the performer(s). Up close, and personal. While they don't have a liquor license, you should know that you can wander downstairs into Cafe Du Nord (they waive the cover if you have the stamp that shows you were upstairs for the show). If you're not lucky enough to have some back-side padding like me, though, you might want to bring your own cushion - you know, like you'd do at a baseball game, or something. Otherwise, say night-night to your bottom (apparently). ;) read more

wifey and i just got back from a private event held here at swedish american hall. i have to say that the place is pretty nice...decent for what it is. the amount of space was unbelievable...it looked pretty tiny from the outside but once you go in, there was a bunch of room to boogie down and even set up a bar. there's also an upstairs which was set up with tables and chairs. my one complaint? the bathroom. ugh. it was so freakin small...i almost got slammed in the head twice when someone attempted to walk in. the 2 stalls did not have any locks on the doors...heck, the doors wouldn't even close all the way. once again, i almost got hit on the head again when someone attempted to come into my stall. oh, and the soap dispenser thing in there is super old school and broken...not to mention, unsanitary! oh, and the place was freezing cold! even those who were drunk were still shivering! not sure if there is a heating system...but whoa, it was cold. other than that, pretty good venue. not sure how much it costs...but not bad for a work event! read more

Lets get down to business. How does this place not server beverages? I am not just talking about booze, but they do not server anything. The two times I have been here I have really enjoyed both shows. Small, intimate and decent acoustics make it a great place. However, at both of these shows they did not server any beverages NOT EVEN bottled water. Maybe they sell stuff at other shows and the two I went to are anomalies. . Come on let a brother buy a coke or bottled water! Plus the place gets hot. Like booty hot. Like I am in a native american sweat house hot. If they just hooked a brother up with a bottle water I would love you all for eternity. read more

I have seen 3 amazing shows here and a few really good ones - Bob Mould, Zach Rogue, Than Nguyen, Trashcan Sinatras, to name a few and musically, my socks are knocked off. I also get to sit close, usually within the first two rows or so. In this sense, I'm in heaven and I'm TOTALLY SOBER! The bummer is that the chairs are not comfortable and there may or may not be non alcoholic refreshments. Also, it is pretty chilly in there.... So, I'm torn with my review - some of the best shows I've seen in SF, and, as a native Vermonter and general badass, I'm fine with putting up with a little discomfort for a unique experience. I wish I could give Swedish American Hall 5 stars, but if I'm going to see an "indoor" show, it should feel a tiny bit less rustic. Though the bathrooms are waasayyy better than any Honeybucket in the city.... read more