The Catalyst is a staple of Santa Cruz. I haven't been here in 20 years so it was like I had never been before. We had tickets to see Third Eye Blind. We got there when doors opened and got inside pretty quick. They have 2 bars- one of which is on the left side as you face the stage. That half of the floor is 21 and over. The other side isn't. They stamp you when you get there if you're over 21 (show valid ID) and you are free to roam. We don't drink - but plenty of people were. It DOES get VERY full in here. So if you're claustrophobic or get anxiety being in tight quarters with hundreds of strangers this may not be for you. There are two long benches one on either side of the main floor. Pro tip, grab a spot here so you can stand on the bench and see the show. I'm 5'5" so there is NO way I would have seen a thing had my husband not spotted this bench when we got there. Plenty of beer, cocktails, water, etc. I was surprised to see glass being used only because it seems so probable they could get broken during the show. All the staff was pleasant. Great intimate venue for shows! read more

The Catalyst - Stage before the show - Music Venues Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Always great time at the catalyst. Feel free to try out the trifecta evening by doing Karaoke upstairs, catching a chill show at the smaller stage, and then hitting up whatever interesting event is happening at the larger stage (for us it was an ABBA night). The karaoke crew is one of the most interesting crowds I've seen and I'm here for it. There's only ever like 10-15 people there and yet there's always a waitlist because everyone who goes is down to sing. It's rarely your typical karaoke songs too but they'll play anything. read more

Security is really crazy here. I had a bad experience a couple years ago and went up to the Staff to ask for help, the security guard who I was complaining about grabbed me and pushed me out the door. The other guy that was with him even asked him to stop and leave us alone and the guy wouldn't let up. I also so this same security guard push into the woman's restroom and accuse a group of girls of drinking. Will never, have never gone back. Go to San Jose or SF instead for shows. Way cooler spots. read more

THE HU!!!!!!!!!!!!awesome venue! Up close and personal! The Catalyst did not disappoint! The HU brought down the roof! read more

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I've been here twice in the past year, both shows were extremely fun! Security and people working the door were professional yet easy going. They were quick to make sure everything went smoothly and no trouble going on. Lots of good food/coffee places in walking distance, and get here at least 30 minutes early for decent parking (on the street/me) or you'll have to walk quite a distance. Would definitely make the drive from the Central Valley to see more bands I love at this venue, again! read more

The Catalyst - Touche Amore in The Atrium - Music Venues Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Omg this place is amazing! Every time I have gone in got a great deal! Christian and JT are great budtenders! Pride Month and they definitely represented so thank you for that! Will be going there on a regular now! read more

Last night was my first time at the Catalyst and needless to say it was my last. First, they don't let water packs in which is my bad I should've looked through the rules, and I ended up bringing one with me. I expected to be fine because as a type 1 I like to monitor my water intake and I felt discriminated against because I wasn't allowed access to water and had to pay for a plastic water bottle? Speaking that this venue is located in Santa Cruz which is somewhere specifically by the beach, I don't see how selling plastic bottles is helping the eco system with littering, reducing plastic use, and selling water bottles for $2 just isn't fair. Diabetes.org says I am allowed to bring what I feel is necessary to control my diabetes and when I was cornered by not one but three of their so called "employees" I had an anxiety attack because of how hard they were pressuring me regarding the situation. As someone who does suffer from anxiety, depression, and diabetes I felt the staff as a whole were very unprofessional and uninformed. I was let in by the front door staff with my backpack and when I was in the door I was told "how did you get that backpack in here?" After stating I am a diabetic this employee egged on the situation rather than deescalating it. He told me "I've been here longer than my boss so I know the rules pretty well" and I told him well maybe you should tell the people at the front the rules since you know them so well because he was being VERY rude when I was politely asking a question regarding a water station. Very unprofessional way of handling a situation and I told him as someone who works in customer service I would never talk to someone as he talked to me while I was clocked on the job. TLTR: If you have a disability or health issue don't expect them to care Secondly, transferring over the tickets from my friend to I was a struggle itself and when I get there the will call person was joking around saying "oh you're the person I've been dealing with on the phone" I thought nothing of it and joked around with him but the staff heard my name and all began to run their mouths. Grown men who can't act grown. Third, after reading another review I will agree that the crowd was very aggressive and there was even a fist fight between two girls which wasn't stopped by security until after the fight was over. Ruined the vibe for a bit and it was I'm assuming because this venue is 16+... weird. Basically: the staff is rude, unaccommodating venue, broken glass everywhere by the end of the night because who the fuck sells glass beer bottles at a concert. But Subtronics was amazing, I just hope he never comes to do a show here ever again. read more

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I think every experience or what you're going for matters and is different. First time here at the catalyst. It was a reggae concert with fortunate youth. Reggae shows are such a good vibe. The people are always so nice at these concerts, of course everyone is on a good relaxed vibe. During this time, it was not so packed, before entering they asked for your vaccination card, if none, you can't enter. Thankfully I had mine saved in my medical app. So make sure you carry that! They have different 21 and over areas, they really enforce that which is a good thing. The drinks were good. I really liked the people and I'm sure 90% and over are all locals. So I can only speak for this reggae concert. The dress is really casual... there was plastic separating the area. read more

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This is probably my favorite venue in Santa Cruz: 1. The space is small and intimate enough to be able to see your favorite artist up close. I even got spit on by my favorite artist which was a plus! 2. The Catalyst brings the biggest names in the industry without making you pay huge bucks. I'm really into edm and I've seen Rl Grime, ILLENIUM, Yellow Claw, Said the Sky and more at this venue all for under 25 dollars. That can't be said for most venues. 3. They have pizza right outside. Enough said. 4. For a college campus town, having a club near by is great for spending time with friends without having to drive so far. The catalyst club is literally a 5-10 min drive from UCSC. 5. I got to see my favorite artist Louie the 1st open for ARMNHMR your in 2018, and that show was amazing! read more

Real spacious venue with relaxing vibe. I'd rather come here to enjoy live music than go back to the Warfield in SF. The environment was real lax, their security isn't scarily strict and I appreciate that. The seating arrangement is first come, first serve. The pizza being served next door after the show is over is also a huge plus, the best post-show snack. I'm glad I got to see HONNE here, amazing set. read more

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I had a really great experience with the staff here. There was a man in the audience sexually harassing my friend and I ended up going to the bar and asking for a bouncer. The bartender took it seriously and he ended up sending a few people (one person to stay with us and a few other people including the manager looking for the guy.) They found him and kicked him out! I felt much more safe and had a great time enjoying the rest of the concert read more

This is such a tiny venue. You can get up close and personal with some of your favourite artists if they play here. The atrium is where the bands play and I was literally only a few feet away from one of my favourite artists. The sound is also really good here. The only thing that sucks is you can hear a lot of noise from the bar but if the band isn't quiet, it's not a huge deal. I made the trek when Brian Fallon cancelled his show at the Warfield and added a last minute show here. I'm glad that I went because the sound at the Warfield is always beyond loud so this was definitely way more intimate. I would definitely come back here if there's another performer I want to see. The crowd was for the most part really well behaved. Aside from the heckling but Brian brought his sassiness that he's known for so it was all good. Until next time, let's party for now! read more

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Arrived at the venue @ approx 8:15pm ahead of the posted start time of 8:30pm on the email and printed ticket. When we arrived, band was already playing. When we entered the balcony area for the "Balcony Reserved" tickets purchased (at additional cost), discovered that not only didn't I have a reserved seat, but there were NO SEATS AT ALL available in the balcony area, all filled. Brought this to the attention of the security staff, they informed me that they don't know what happened and that we would have to leave the balcony area (since there were no seats). He didn't even want look at the ticket I was trying to show him to prove I purchased 2 seats there. His only response was "You need to leave right now". Nobody at the venue seemed to care. Unable to locate a manager and nobody would even provide me with the name of the manager. My girlfriend (who just had knee surgery and needed to sit down) and I were relegated to standing at the rear of the venue near the exit as the floor was completely full by this time. Because of her condition we were forced to leave after only a few songs. On the way out, I asked someone at the door what time the event started and they said 8:00pm. When I tried to show them the start time of 8:30pm on the ticket, without even looking at it he said "call e-tix". Totally indifferent/incompetent staff at the Catalyst and incorrect showtime information provided by e-tix, which precipitated the whole mess in the first place. I'll skip this venue in the future and watch my favorite bands someplace else (likely in a different state) lol. read more

There is a larger and smaller stage area. Great venue for a more intimate concert vibe. I've been a few times and if you look at lineups you can score some artists before they really blow up. Long drink lines and I have never tried the food. read more

Ditto other reviewers. All standing-room-only for main floor. For sold-out shows you can't see much from the back of the hall unless you are NBA material.. Small upstairs balcony with tables offers a less claustrophobic experience. It was so crowded for the California Honeydrops I couldn't move. They do not enforce non-smoking regs and the guy in front was sending up plumes of tobacco vapesmoke. On the other hand ... great place to see bands up close if you can stand the crush. Good sound system. read more

I didn't come to a concert here when I was in college. Lame, I know. But I came back for a concert later on and I was okay having missed out on this experience. It's not the best concert venue, doesn't have the best sound, it's small, crowded, dirty but it has that fun concert charm to it ya know? They have some cool and random artists come through here, definitely worth it to keep your eye on their performer list and come by for a cheap concert sometime but I wouldn't go out of your way to come here. read more

I had never been to this venue before. Nice location, clean and service was good throughout.

I have gone to the Catalyst for years, especially to see Y & T as we did this last weekend. It has always been a fun venue, not crazy crowded and no fight to get a drink. This last weekend however, was quite the opposite. They were sold out, awesome! However, we found out later that they were still selling tickets even though it was "sold out". Our friends bought tickets at the window and were told that it was sold out and if they wanted tickets, they could, but would have to pay more than the original price. Um, hello Fire Marshall. It was more crowded than I have ever seen it. You could not move. There were people everywhere including on the stairways that were the only way people could get down on the floor. The bar situation was dire. The bar when you first come in used to be fully used and no problem to get a drink. Now, apparently, you are squished into a very small space for "21" and up to get a drink. There is no rhyme or reason for lines. No one knows what line does what and people just push in. I gave up, twice. The bar down on the floor had ONE person manning it. They also did not sell water at that bar. No sign saying this until you got to the front of the "line" and asked for it. If you wanted it, you had to go back up to the other bar. While the show was on, it was easier to get a drink. How do they not have a Beer only line? I was not able to attend last years, but I was told that they were letting younger folks in and there were ropes to divide people according to age. I heard that people were tripping over the ropes. I guess it didn't work out because it was not like this the other night. I did hear that they are now letting in 16 and up. I guess this is true due to the unfortunate display of puppy love that I observed in front of me until I couldn't take it any more and moved. Catalyst, we love you, please get it together. read more

One of your employees pushed me for no reasons for sitting on a chair, why would you assault and battery at someone for no reason? 1: I was not intoxicated 2: Why can't your employees act as professionals and ask me in a professional manner? I will file an case for assault on the person whom sales t-shirts at your location. Thank you read more

This place USED to be cool. Nowadays you got a Fence separate from the teens for drinks only. You guys have really screwed up everything here. Go back to your roots, 21+ and over shows and you will hopefully get the regulars back. Otherwise I'm out just like a lot of your locals. Nobody likes a sold out show with a bunch of jackwagons you gotta deal with Go to Moes or Felton for the real people. Peace out. read more

Great just hella loud I felt like my heart was gon come out my chest . Really fun tho!

Drove from SF for a show here this weekend. I have never experienced this, but they force you to go into a weird fenced off area on the floor if you have a drink. The fence goes straight down the middle of the venue and it creates an extremely awkward experience due to the following: 1) You could easily trip on or over the fence since you can't really see well in the dark while a show is going. So it's essentially a huge safety hazard. I seriously question the fire marshal if he/she approved this. 2) The fence forces people who pay more (drinkers) to get a shittier place to stand. And the people who aren't buying drinks get a front row pass. This is totally ass backwards. 3) It makes it so that if your friend isn't 21, and you are and want a drank, you can't stand together. 4) You have to stand off to one side whether you have a drink or not. There is no center space. I usually like standing in the center and like the stereo balance of being centered. So why not just give 21+ wristbands like every other 18+ venue? ~ I liked the staff here, and the drink prices were decent. The sound was not bad. Beer selection was okay. read more

I'm glad that we have the catalyst as it's really the only decent sized venue in the area......but the place needs to be bulldozed or at the least heavily remodeled. Service is ok, drinks are pricey, and the place is just kinda sticky. My advice, besides spending more time cleaning, is to have more people in staff for bigger shows. It doesn't make sense to have two people behind the bar with 300 people in the venue and then a day later there are two people behind the bar with 25 customers. read more

Great music venue! I love this room and the stage! The staff was a joy to work with and made our experience amazing.

I had a legal vaccination card on the paper not even on my phone and some very young (19) bouncer wouldn't accept it even tho he accepted my friends pictures of there's. Not only am I frustrated that I I couldn't see the band I bought tickets to! I can't get my money back! Absolutely ridiculous! Not only did I waste 90$ but people I talked to said the venue was super lame! 100% Don't recommend giving your money to them! F the catalyst!!! You guys suck! read more

This is a great intimate, yet big enough venue to go to that has affordable shows from awesome bands. This is where you look to see if that band you loved in middle school or high school is playing. I've seen many of my favorite old teenage angst bands here like The Used, Taking Back Sunday, and New Found Glory. Luckily these bands still make music so when they go on tour I get to check out their new stuff but bands are also good about playing the old stuff we fell in love with. Also great for seeing punk shows. My friend is super into punk and a lot of the bands he loves will play there. I also come here for up and coming artists that are either from the bay or it's my last chance to see them in an intimate venue before they start booking the bigger not as awesome venues. You have the option of a seated area on top or you can be down in the general admission/standing room/the pit. Your girl here is a though it out stay in the standing room as close to the front as possible if not right on the barricade chick and I love the energy this venue has. When the show is done you can get big slices of slutty pizza from a place that is connected to The Catalyst. Can't go wrong with some bomb pizza! I hope my favorites continue to come around here for a long time and I hope I'm still in those pits during my mid life crisis years later on in life. read more

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Went to see Western Addiction and The Descendents on 4/7/17. Easily found street parking, which was a surprise considering it was Friday night. There were two separate lines entering the venue due to another show happening at the same time. Once we stepped inside there were two more lines, over 21 and under. Needless to say, some were a little confused as to which line they should be in. Finally inside, it's packed, and ventilation isn't so great. You will likely not need a jacket in this place, ever. Watched Western Addiction from the floor and decided to move upstairs for Descendents. The sound was okay, viewing from mid-floor you still have great stage visibility which is an issue at other venues. They have it sectioned off, no drinks from downstairs allowed upstairs etc. Odd since there is a bar up there too. From door staff all the way to tickets and bag check, someone needs to give a boost to their employees. Nobody looked happy to be there, it felt a little uncomfortable as a first time venue experience. Overall, the band's were amazing, the bartenders worked their butts off, especially the ONE GAL handling the bar on her own upstairs. The line was down the stairs all night and she kept it moving. A++ read more

The Catalyst - Descendents - Music Venues Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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This is not a place I feel comfortable at at all especially as a non white female. I will not be giving my business to this place anymore.

For reggae all stars this is the place to be, except sometimes it's not all that. Tonite is Alborosie and Yellowman. It wasn't as expected and very, very short gig, especially for $40.00 a tkt. Very disappointed, alot of folks just left early. The bartender was extremely rude and disrespectful. Hopefully next time it won't be so terrible. read more

The Catalyst is an awesome venue to see live music up close and personal without spending a fortune. When I lived in Santa Cruz, I enjoyed coming here to see various hip hop artist on a regular basis. More recently, I saw a folk band, Blueberry Smoke for like $20! It didn't draw a huge crowd so there was lots of room to dance and our group had a great time! The venue has a capacity of approx. 1,000. There is a main general area on the ground level as well as a small amount of tables and standing room on the upstairs balcony. I prefer to be upfront and center although there's definitely some shoving to be expected. The bouncers aren't the friendliest but also don't crack down on people smoking during the concert. They split up the 21+ crowd from the underage crowd with an awkward plastic divider down the middle of the dance floor which looks super awkward before the are fills out. I'd try keeping the bathroom visits to a minimum bc they are pretty gross. But once you look past that, it's bound to be a great time! read more

This place is downright awesome!! - The smaller venue makes for an amazing experience, immersing yourself in the sounds of the band and the fans dancing all around. - The vintage decor and feel is classic Santa Cruz. Who doesn't love that! - There's three bars inside! Yes, I said three. Two on the lower level and one upstairs. So plenty of chances to get your drank on. - Fantastic views from nearly anywhere in the place. - Standing room only down on the main floor makes for the perfect huge dance floor! Whole reason for going to a concert anyway right? Who goes to a concert and doesn't dance? :P *** TIPS *** If you're wanting to get a table on the upper floors you better get there early. Like at least an hour before the doors open. Those suckers are limited and people run for them! Yes, it can get hot in there, depending on the night in question. Go during winter and with the doors open it's a lot cooler. But seriously, who complains about a concert being hot? There's hundreds of other people packed in the building with you, of course it's gonna be hot! Dress in light, breathable clothing and your golden. This is a concert hunny, they're all hot. I don't understand what others are saying about the staff being terrible or rude. They've always been perfectly fine with me and my friends. But then we're not entitled little buggers that demand everything right this second. A little courtesy and patience goes a long way. :) read more

The Catalyst - Beats Antique. Pic taken from left side balcony. - Music Venues Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Venue is historic and intimate. Came for the Tech concert. Neutral about this place. Decent show tickets pricing and your typical $10/drink. Kinda like a boyfriend/girlfriend you don't want to break up with because they're "convenient" and has some good benefits. read more

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Website said doors open at 8:30, show at 9. Got there at 9:10 and still no one on the stage. Was told main act was expected anywhere between 10 and 10:30. I said that info needed to be on the ticket. He shrugged and said "no refunds." I walked away. I hadn't been to the Catalyst in more than a decade, and now I remember why. Super disorganized, apathetic and unprofessional staff, and a less than pleasant clientelle. Bye! I just hope my $30 went to the Lucky Chops... they deserve all the luck! :) read more

I went to more than 5 concerts at the Catalyst, and I can assure you that the money that you pay for tickets for this venue is well worth it. The Catalyst provides 2 venues - Mainstage and the Atrium(a more open venue - ideal for guitarists and small time artists!) It also has a pizza shop on sight in the case where you get hungry after the concert. Checking into The Catalyst is efficient, but so so, as sometimes Security pats you down, and other times they don't. Crowds will vary based on the artists performing during that time, but expect a variety of people from UC Santa Cruz Students to 21+ adults. Overall, a good experience! NOTE: if you're 21+ and want alcohol, you need to go in a separate line in order to get stamped/ID Checked. Also, you get access to the Balcony in the case where you don't want to stand in the crowds of people. A plus! read more

I was an audio engineer with a touring band that came thru the catalyst, and all I have to say is DO NOT bring your band to play at this place they DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE ARTISTS AND CREW WHO PLAY THERE!! My bag was stolen out of the green room after the show and no one who worked at the venue was helpful at all, they told me the security cameras don't work and haven't worked for 25 years which is totally negligent. There was no security staff and they were harsh and rude when I expressed my concern about my things being stolen out of our PRIVATE dressing room. The manager was rude and Insisted I lost my belongings and that they weren't stolen, he talked down to me and was absolutely unwilling to help retrieve footage from any of the surrounding business cameras. Do better. read more

200TH REVIEW!! I came here to watch Kehlani's concert and I had a blast! At first, I was wondering if this venue was able to fit everyone because there was a long line when we arrived. Parking was easy to find since there's paid parking right next to the building. They were also renovating the parking lot directly behind it. The security were pretty rude to everyone so you have to watch your encounters with them. The place itself kind of looked sketchy at first because it looked run-down and it didn't look like it wasn't maintained. I feel like there was also no ventilation inside because it got really hot. read more

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1. This venue is very poorly ventilated. It was ridiculously hot in there last night, and the security wouldn't open the doors to let air in. 2. The security sucked. They treated band members as if they were anyone else (though they need them to get paid), and were using their authority to the extent it reached. 3. Three fights broke out and security did nothing to solve them. 4. There are a bunch of hippies/homeless people outside this venue begging for money, food, alcohol and/or drugs. The only good things about this place? The pizza, and the fact I got to see my good friend play in his band. Unfortunately, this venue is so lame that I will not EVER come here again to see any band that is also booked anywhere else nearby. read more

They get two stars because they have amazing performers here. They get minus three stars because the atmosphere is awful, the bathrooms are absolutely disgusting and the people that frequent this place are oftentimes drunken sixteen year old idiots (for this reason try and go to the shows that are 18/21+). When you see a show in the main area, be prepared to have your feet stepped on, your body bruised and your vision obscured by ridiculously rude and tall people who feel a need to stand directly in front of 5'3" girls who then can't see anything. If you can, try and see someone perform in the little room off the left side of the main entrance. I saw Murs here and it was an incredible experience. The stage is lowered so it feels like he's actually interacting with the crowd, not performing AT the crowd. The people in here were way more relaxed too-there was none of that feet stomping or obnoxious pushing. I think the only way I would come back to this place is if the performer was in this little room-I'm just too old to be pushed around by drunk teenagers!!! read more

This review is for the sound engineer who completely shit the bed tonight! I just one of the most interesting bands I've EVER seen and was horribly disappointed by the sound. I saw The Hu, a Mongolian hard rock band, and they were fabulous to watch but the sound was absolutely atrocious! I don't really know what the problem was, this was my 1st visit to the club, I've wanted to go for years, they have great bands roll through there all the time, but if the sound is like that for nationally touring acts I can't believe how they stay in business. Everything else was great there! I'm a bartender of forty years in the entertainment industry. I've worked at big night clubs and dingy dive bars all over the San Francisco peninsula and this was the most disappointing sound I've ever heard at a concert. The bar staff busted their asses! The drink prices were extremely reasonable! But from the start of The Hu's set I couldn't hear the vocals and one of the guitar players seemed like he was playing air guitar. If you get a chance, see the band! They are really incredible! I doubt anyone will even pay attention to this but I hope someone at the venue pays attention and corrects this problem. I'd love to come back but I have strong misgivings about spending money at a place that was SO BAD on a first impression! HU HU HU HU HU HU read more

I saw The Expendables here last night along with Strung out & Pour Habit, I think that's what their called. The show was amaaaaazing. The Venue -- is pretty small but spacious enough to stand around and still watch. The view from the top which is 21+ because there is a bar area is a good view. You can watch the show without being pushed around or invading someone's space. The Staff -- quick and efficient. The stamp you for entry and stamp you if you're 21 which allows you privileges to the bar area/upstairs. The Bartenders are so fast! It's amazing. I didn't have to wait 30 minutes for one bartender to come around to take my order. I think the prices are fair. Coronas & Heini's were about 5 a pop! Not too bad. The bathrooms are a bit dirty and I think by the end of the night they were all clogged because there was only about one or two stalls working and the line was out the door! No entry for those who are not 21. Since it was a 16+ event, therre were some immature jerks doing inappropriate things. I hate events like that even though it was a good show. read more

The Catalyst - view from back of the catalyst..near the stairs - Music Venues Near Me - Santa Cruz, California