The Freight and Salvage is a non-profit entertainment venue. I do not think there us a bad seat in the house. I have sat in the front row directly in front of the stage (Trout Fishing In America); stood against the back wall (great place to dance to Sam Bush Band); and most places in between. The seats are comfortable. The sight lines to the stage are clear and unobstructed. The sound system is excellent. There is a snack bar where they sell some of the best brownies, cookies, and drinks. Often, after the show, the musicians come out to the lobby to talk to fans, sign autographs, and sell a bit of merchandise. Many shows sell out. Buy tickets early and often. There are plenty of good places to eat within blocks of the venue. Nice parking garage a block south and about half a block east to a BART Station. read more

What a lovely little venue! The acoustics were great! I loved the intimacy of the room and the seats were designed so there isn't a bad spot in the house. The stage is very small but that's what makes it great. The reason I am giving it minus one star is because the first half of one of the shows was completely not balanced. The audio team didn't get their act together till after we left (my friend has a hearing problem so it bothered him too much). Also I was not very impressed with what was on the stage (though I heard they got better after we left). Oh well! Try again read more

My friends and I saw our first show at Freight & Salvage this past Wednesday to see a performance by Allen Stone. I had never heard of the venue, and after looking it up on Yelp, I knew it would be a nice and intimate show. The night of the concert, my boyfriend and I were running late due to traffic coming across the Bay Bridge. Luckily, we were able to call in and transfer the tickets easily to my friend's name so we didn't have to wait in a line when we arrived. We went in at around 7:40pm and were able to find seats just behind the sound booth. Like other patrons have said, there is no bad seat in the house. Allen Stone's show was almost 3 hours including a 15-20 minute intermission, so we definitely felt like we got our money's worth. The sound was great and even more amazing to me was that almost no one used their phone to record during the set. Way to be present and enjoy the music, folks! The venue had 2 bars with wine and beer and there was a table for artist merch just outside of the auditorium. Security was lax and we got in with no problems. Do arrive early to circle around for some street parking or better yet, hop on BART and walk over. We ended up parking in a lot for about $5 for 2 hours. We hope to see another show at Freight & Salvage soon! read more

This music venue was not what I expected. It's much better! "Coffeehouse" is not a great description. It's actually more like a small music hall with auditorium style seating, a large, bright lobby and a great snack bar with lots of higher-end food choices (sliders, soup, vegan and vegetarian, etc.). Everything looks new and stylish. The sound was really good, because it's a venue designed for performances, which a coffee house really isn't. Freight & Salvage was very accommodating to my friend who uses a wheelchair. The staff helped me move seats so that her wheelchair could be in the front row. My friend has a hard time drinking from a bottle, cup or can without a straw. The venue didn't have any straws but the young woman working at the snack bar went across the street to another restaurant to get a straw and brought it to my friend so she could drink her Coke. That's service above and beyond! Thank you Freight & Salvage! (We were there for an acoustic Kris Allen show, which was great. I don't live in the area, but I will definitely keep my eye on the F&S calendar and find other shows I want to attend.) read more

This place is the best music venue I've been to. You can be the same room as some of your favorite artists, just feet in front of them. The sound system is wonderful, and they keep everyone safe by checking masks, and vaccine cards. read more

We have recently moved to Berkeley and have already attended 5 wonderful concerts at The Freight. What a privilege to be in the presence of Bobby McFerrin on Monday noons, with the audience wholeheartedly chanting the background rhythms as he sings, wails, whispers and drones his magical leads. With one of us in a wheelchair, we were also grateful for the kindness shown by the staff in enabling us all to be able to participate. What a gift to be part of this community! read more

I've only been once but totally loved this venue. Every seat is a good one and they have first class acts always. Will go back again.

I've always loved this place. I have seen several concerts here. Love the casual, easy feeling and the openness of this place. My first concert was Kim Nalley singing Ms. Nina Simone, Talk About Perfection! My next concert was Kim Nalley doing Aretha Franklin (I see a pattern here) again another amazing night. The only set back is people come in and save 10 seats for their friends, not fair! read more

Went to the Moth-very poignant and vulnerable storytelling. Also funny, authentic. Great venue.

I've seen many wonderful concerts here. The location is convenient, the theater is clean. So delighted that the seats are comfortable (yay for no constraining arms) and it has the most generous legroom around. They have a snack bar - I've only had the bubbly water - but you could get a cookie here too. Great venue. Signing up for their mailing list. read more

My girlfriend takes me here for shows on a semi-regular basis, for which I feel pretty lucky. It's unique among music venues in the bay area, for sure. Where the hell else can you see Chris Smither AND mandolin master Hamilton de Holanda? And while rubbing shoulders with the Berkeley's eco-elite, no less. That's the downside. The crowd varies from show to show, sometimes it's fine and sometimes I feel slightly uncomfortable surrounded by all the thin healthy white people. Your mileage may vary. The seating is about 75% armless, movable chairs. Which is especially nice if you're on the wider end of the spectrum. You can be pretty comfy there, fat or thin. If you want to sit anywhere close to the front. you need to get there seriously early and line up ouside. I recommend bringing a chair for this activity. Perhaps your submissive can take the chairs back to the car after you've gone in to get the good seats. If you show up later, you will definitely be sitting in the back. Which is pretty ok, as long as you're not on the part of the floor that slants backward. Yeah, the space could use some work, but they're moving soon to a new location, I hear. Fat friendly rating: 4 stars. read more

I love this place. It's small enough that almost all of the seats are good and even when the place is sold out you can still move around. The chairs are also spaced apart so you're not knocking elbows with the person next to you and are comfortable to sit in. They have a snack bar with alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks as well as things to munch on, and (very important) clean bathrooms. The sound system in this place is great and they always have something going on. I recommend keeping an eye on their calendar, you never know who's going to show up. read more

What a great music venue! So relaxed and open, feels like you're among family. The diversity and uniqueness of music shows is quite impressive. From bluegrass to classical and everything in between... there is certainly something here for everyone to enjoy and discover. Check out their calendar: http://www.thefreight.org/event Can't wait to return, get comfy, and experience some sounds I've never heard ... read more

Viva la Peruana Susana Baca! Enjoyed this small, intimate venue for a sold-out concert last night. Great acoustics, clean bathrooms, small bar and they are a non-profit to boot! read more

I just realized that I've been negligent and not updated my review of Freight & Salvage since they've moved to the gorgeous new venue. What a stunning job they've done -- translating the relaxed, comfortable vibes of the old digs into this incredible new space. Acoustics are stellar -- they sound engineers are spot-on. And such an amazing line-up of performances, with something for every musical taste. Plus, they offer classes for an amazing array of music, including Uke (yay!), guitar, harp, flute, harmony singing, and more. The coffee house portion is nice -- you can get hot tea and coffee, some nice sweet and savory treats, and wine and beer. The staff and volunteers are always friendly, helpful and accommodating. Parking garage right next door makes for an easy, seamless evening out. I just wish there were more good restaurants in easy walking distance. Seems like a sushi place on the corner would be ideal! But within a 5-block radius, you can find some nice places for a bite to eat before the show -- my favorite recommendation would be Angeline's. Tip: Especially if you're getting tix for several shows, it is worth it to stop by and purchase them on-site. The online service charges are steep! read more

The good - Small venue, good acoustics, really reasonable ticket prices, comfortable seats, excellent show (The Subdudes). The bad - LED chandeliers for house lights. When turned up full they gave us a headache. read more

We were in the Bay Area to see the Giants' opening home game and decided to catch Robbie Fulks at the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley. Fulks is damned good. Think Hank Williams' vocals, Doc Watson's flatpicking, Todd Snider's humorous/serious songwriting, and David Letterman's ironic, biting commentary between songs. I liked the Freight & Salvage as a music venue -- great sound and intimate seating. Warning: They don't serve alcohol. (For a real treat, sneak in a flask of hooch, spike your coffee or peppermint tea right in front of everyone, and watch the judging commence.) The audience at Freight & Salvage reminded us of the public radio hosts of the Saturday Night Live skit called "The Delicious Dish." "Good times." "Yeah......good times." The kind of audience that appreciates it when a group of Puritan Connecticut Yankees like The Weavers turns a darkly ominous song like Leadbelly's "Goodnight, Irene" -- which is about sexual obsession evoked by jailbait, with suicide and murder as potential side-dishes -- into a lullaby. Replace "I'll get you in my dreams" with "I'll see you in my dreams." Good times......good times. read more

Wow, just, wow. I totally judge a business by its customer service, and Freight & Salvage went over and beyond for me! I purchased concert tickets 13 months before the date of the event, and at the last minute had to soar 3,000+ miles away to care for an ailing family member. I hopped on their website, but the return policy made the forecast of a return look pretty dismal. So, I tried to sell the tickets, but no go. I send them my apologies and offered to take credit for a future event, but they searched up my details and in an instant handed me a return and well wishes. Tickled pink I was! They could have stuck to their guns, but they helped me out and I will forever love them. I hope to be home soon and keep a look out for an event to carry me through their doors. read more

Next door parking structure for $5 a night during an event night. 50% discounted price if 30 yrs old or younger, so take advantage of your youth! Spacious seating, hardly a bad seat in the house. If you're open minded about the music you listen to and not a top 40 or under ground music snob or seek getting high off of edm wearing neon pleather, then this is a neat venue to stop by and get a bit cultured. read more

Best live music venue in the Bay Area. Wonderful acoustics, wonderful staff, and always a fantastic experience! We are lucky to have such a jewel! read more

Hi, I think everyone should give the Freight 5 stars. What they have accomplished for folk /blues/bluegrass/traditional music is quite remarkable: a beautifully designed hall that seats 400 to 450, there isn't a seat with a bad view or bad sound, and a sound system that is about as good as it can get. What other cities have this kind of a venue for alternative music? I love the place. read more

There aren't too many places like this around, a smallish venue that serves coffee/tea and has really good live music. The Freight's new digs kind of takes it out of the "smallish" category, but that's easily forgotten. Its new arrangement, in theatre-style seating, however, means that if you bring coffee back, you have nowhere to put it, unless you're sitting right next to one of the rare tables. Oh, another note: they say on their website that they open doors at 7pm. They don't. Also, their sound system, while brand-spanking new and totally up-to-date, seems temperamental. I could tell that the onstage monitors weren't working well (if there were any), because the pianist had a hard time following the guitarist. I imagine they'll work those issues out. I suspect every seat is great, and for live entertainment, I found it fairly cheap. I noticed, however, that it wasn't sold out, and because of all the new seats, I suspect they rarely sell out. They somehow need to find a way to get butts in the seats. The chairs, by the way, are a far cry from what they had before: they're padded and wide enough for even the larger butts. read more

If I had to choose between seeing Cold Play on a jumbo tron in an ice hockey 'pavilion' or seeing Dan Bern at a coffee house and asking Dan from the front row, 'Dan, play God Said No' and then have him smile and say 'No' and getting a laugh from the crowd... hmmm which would I choose? I don't know, that's a tough one. read more

This is a great coffee house. Acoustics aren't top top notch, but what the heck, it's a coffee house! I saw Ellis Paul and Antje Duvekot here, and their vocals blew me away, who needs Bose? The space is very homey. Unpretentious. Good, mellow crowd. And spacious, not like Postcrypt (bonus points to those who know what I'm talking about!) read more

Great place to see your favorite artists...very intimate very memorable setting...always check their line ups and always buy if i see someone I like... read more

Wonderful warm acoustics; Meyers Sound, of course. Great seats, wide and good legroom. Excellent sightlines, well-designed floor rake. Friendly staff, appreciative and intelligent audiences. Easy-on-the-wallet ticket prices, and clean, efficient online ticket sales interface. Best of all, superb diversity in the artist bookings. Take BART or bus, or park in garage next door. Bask in analog, people! read more

Every single time I go to the freight I love the music and I am thankful there is a venue right here in Berkeley for music that would normally not have a huge audience. I am hopeful that when construction is done on the new location and the Freight moves further towards campus on Addison they will be able to maintain their rustic feel and access to bands who may have smaller draws. At the same time I fear that the larger & more expensive venue will change the atmosphere and force the Freight to focus on bands with larger audiences. This would be unfortunate, but we shall see. The concern notwithstanding, it will be nice to have better seats. :-) read more

Years ago my father was the MC on open mic night at the freight. Sopping wet wit, a great stylized fingerpicking blues/bluegrass and an old beatup looking guild guitar that reverberated out 35 years of music every time you thumped it. He fit the freight just about perfect. Berkeley houses a lot of great folk/blues/bluegrass/etc talent and the freight is one of the places they gather (performers also come from far and wide). So the music is really top notch. One more side note... my dad used to collect up a bunch of the brownies and cookies at the end of the night, head on over to Flints BBQ and trade a bunch of them for a robs/links plate. Then he would ramble home and find me still awake, at which point we would share a BBQ and Brownies. Obviously nostalgia probably clouds the hell out of my judgment on the brownies, but those dry little light brown nuggets taste like ambrosia somewhere in the depths of my mind - especially dipped in hot sauce. read more

Saw Vienna Teng here. She was amazing but the venue is really spacious and they serve coffee and alcoholic beverages for their shows. Great variety of music shows, from blue grass to Mozart to folk. Definately a favorite venue in the east bay. read more

The Freight - Music Venues Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I've been tithe old Freight and here, the new Freight and it's a wonderful venue. Not a bad seat in the house. The sound system is great. There is convenient parking near by and the Downtown Berkeley BART station is around the corner. The restaurants in the area are plentiful. read more

What an absolutely GREAT place to see a show. Beautiful spot in Berkeley, great acoustics, and a great collection of "regular" live acts to check out. Although they are a bit cheeky charging $6 for a bottle of beer they pull out of a cooler in the foyer...! read more

Such a wonderful venue. I've seen my favorite folk artist here a few times. Love the atmosphere and wood paneling. Great, spacious room. The seats all have good views. Love sipping a coffee or a beer during a show. Great location. read more

What a cool venue! I caught a show last night (Grant Lee Phillips and Steve Poltz) and was impressed with the beautiful ambiance and the rich acoustics of Freight & Salvage. What is great about this spot is that it's a venue that is dedicated to the performance/performer. The crowd is a mix of students and older folk alike. There isn't a loud bar to disrupt the artist. You go there for the music! Bravo! There is a bar in the back ($6 beer/ $8 wine / $3 assorted snacks + desserts), and their ipad payment system makes it easy to pay with a card. I will be back! read more

I go here often to see The Moth (and sometimes to perform in it), and this is one of my favorite venues in Berkeley. Spacious and well lit, not a bad seat in the house, plenty of standing room, great sound and great air temperature. Parking can be tough but there's a garage right next to the theater, or take BART to Downtown Berkeley. read more

Ok look. I was in a bad mood when I got here because I had been on what might be one of my most spectacularly bad dates ever (he lived with his sister who worked for Haven Humane Society & he told me that the only humor in their house involved animal euthenasia jokes, NO I AM NOT MAKING THAT UP PEOPLE!) I told him I had forgotten that it was my friends Birthday and hightailed it outta there. And ended up here. Where there was no alcohol to ease my worldly pain. Ok, why don't you people serve alcohol here? What are the alcoholics supposed to do? I'm not saying I'm an alcoholic, and I'm not saying that I can't enjoy music without it....but on this particular occassion I couldn't (on account of the crazy animal hater date) The music (Kiki Smith) was good, very innovative. Not really a fan of the folding chairs, but I like the barn atmosphere. That's really the most accurate description. Like you're at a concert in a barn. Because you are. And they don't serve alcohol. So it's like you're at a concert with the amish. Yeah, it's like that. Sorry. I was in a bad mood. I support the local music scene, I swear. I support it more when they serve alcohol there though. read more

They do have a monopoly on a lot of great acts, but if the act you're hoping to see is playing anyplace else, go there instead. No alcohol. Uncomfortable seating. No space for dancing! They over-sell their shows. I've seen little old ladies forced to jockey for standing room in the back of the "theater." There's also a long line to get in before the show starts. Able-bodied audience members only, please! And - it's not a coffeehouse! When is it EVER open except for when people are performing? People go here for the great performers, but I don't understand the genuine affection a lot of people hold for this place. UPDATE: And now they're taking over the downtown Berkeley Capoeira studio, which was a thriving, all-day, all-ages community center. Like downtown Berkeley needs yet another place that targets white, boomer clientele. I'm disgusted with the City of Berkeley for letting the capoeira studio go. Well, the good news is that the Freight and Salvage will be allowing alcohol at their shows, but supposedly only at intermission. Fortunately there are bars all over the neighborhood. read more

The acoustics and comfort level are both so much better at the new location! I still have the same gripes about the staff, though. I find them to be pretentious and annoying. I feel that if you don't fit into a certain demographic (Berkeley folkie), they can be rude and look down upon you. But VAST improvement. Vast! read more

Food and beverages are AMAZING! Most of all, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for bringing Peter, Paul, (and Mary) to Berkeley and the East Bay! This 30 year old millenial PP&M diehard who's been a fan of The Trio for 25 years is eternally and forever greatful! read more

I recently attended a fundraising event here, and this venue is awesome! Good space for a classy and cool event, and their staff members are very professional. The foyer is a spacious, perfect for a pre-program reception. There is a bar on one side of the foyer, which normally has coffee and snacks but this time served wine and sangria. The main theater space is beautiful. The stage is breathtaking, there is plenty of seating, and the seats are comfortable. The AV booth is smack-dab in the middle of the whole room, which is a great comfort for event planners. AV and lighting were excellently executed, great job to the Freight & Salvage team. Seamless event. I would love to come back here for another event or just to hang out on a regular day! read more

I never go out on a date 'till I've read the idiot things my potential match-up has written on Yelp. 1 star, as my BF couldn't park in front on Friday.....the cat jumped up and spilled my pink martini......I never ate there but I heard they had bad vibes........not like the porridge my mother used to feed me. Perhaps I should have a blog of Yelp Idiots, but I'm sure Yelp (they pocketed $550million last year) would sue me (or perhaps buy the blog and sell to comedy central) Well as there was no where else to write this, I thought I could add it to one of my favorite places. The variety of music to be heard from excellent classical Ben Simon & the SF Chamber Orchestra redux once a month to bluegrass headliners in a wonderful spot. Do go there. Take Bart (on the corner). read more