May be Seattle's Best Venue! The showbox is historic, its intimate, it has stunning interior and makes you feel like you are at one of the secret shows in the days long past. If one of your favorite bands comes here, you will have an amazing, close and personal experience! The drinks are good, fairly reasonably priced. It is an STG location, so the service is good and consistent! The Showbox is one of those Seattle venues where the atmosphere is almost as memorable as the show itself. The historic architecture gives the space a distinctive character, while the interior combines old-school concert-hall charm with a gritty, intimate rock-and-roll aesthetic. The exposed brick, high ceilings, dark finishes, and vintage details create a setting that feels authentic rather than overly polished. What really makes The Showbox special, though, is its size. It is large enough to accommodate a great crowd but small enough that you never feel disconnected from the performance. There is an intimacy to the room that makes even a larger touring act feel like they are playing a much more personal show. The sound quality is another major highlight. The relatively compact layout means the music feels immediate and powerful without losing the clarity of the instruments or vocals. You can actually hear and experience the performance rather than simply watching it from a distance. Whether you're standing near the stage or farther back in the venue, the acoustics help create a consistently immersive experience. Overall, The Showbox is a fantastic place to see live music. The unique architecture and decor give it plenty of personality, while the smaller footprint, strong acoustics, and close proximity to the stage create the kind of concert experience that larger arenas simply can't replicate. It feels like a true Seattle institution--and exactly what a great live music venue should be. read more

This remains a great place to see a concert. Staff is great and very friendly. I needed a phone charge during a show and the set me up. Interior seems a little dated, but that's ok. read more

The Showbox - Stage - Music Venues Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Came here again for the Drain concert and I loved it!!!! For the first time ever, staff served water bottles after the show? How accommodating and thoughtful! Pitcher goes crazy and I love the platforms of different levels because you can catch a breath at your own convenience. Staff works hard to ensure that everyone is safe from the line outside to the front of the stage. Extremely impressed by my experiences here...perhaps my favorite live entertainment venue ever! read more

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Joined a friend to see Berlioz and it was both of our first times going to Showbox. I'm not sure how or if they rearrange this venue for shows, but the layout was really nice! There's a good amount of seating in the platform area and a large open floor in the middle. A lot of people also stand/dance on the same platform as there's a lot of leeway for you to move between areas. I never really do coat check because I'm paranoid about not having my things on me, but the one here is easy and reliable. The only real issue was the photo booth which only worked for the first half hour or so. I'm assuming it ran out of film or something because at some point, it just kept taking people's money without taking any photos, which was brought up to the staff. This isn't necessarily on Showbox since the photo booth is provided by a vendor, but I would've appreciated an "out of order" sign. If this happens to you, you can visit the vendor's website and call for a refund! read more

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Wow! What a fun place to see a show. The sound quality was amazing! I read other reviews about this place and the comments about the sound quality were correct. Thanks to chat with some new friends at the bar connected to the Showbox I got in and got a seat. The seats are coveted because there are not many of them. It's a standing room only venue for the most part. The whole room is circular and the ceiling is domed. Which means great sound! The bathroom was never a long wait. The bar popping! Good times. I look forward to coming to this venue again. SYOY! read more

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Door guy wouldn't let us in with a valid UK ID and said we needed a passport. Had to take a $30 uber back home, and another $30 uber back and missed most of the show. I'll never return to this venue read more

I would like to leave feedback regarding an incident that occurred today, September 24, 2025, at the entrance of your venue. The behavior of one of the staff members - a woman with red hair wearing a cap - was absolutely unacceptable. When a person holding a phone approached her to ask for directions on where to get tickets, she suddenly jumped up from her seat and started yelling and pushing me. This was shocking and completely inappropriate. I genuinely hope she is treated the same way by others when she needs help one day. Her behavior was erratic, aggressive, and completely lacking in professionalism. Fortunately, I did receive help from another employee. Unfortunately, I don't know his name, but he had long dark hair. I'm very grateful to him for calmly explaining how the ticket line works. I had never been to this venue before and wasn't familiar with the process. As a result, my emotions are very mixed right now, and my mood before the concert has been seriously affected. read more

We've been to a number of concerts at Showbox and generally enjoy the venue. Some pointers that will improve your experience: - They inspect all bags outside the front door. If you have a big bag, laptop, or other larger items, they force you to check them. Not outrageous, just be prepared for it. - Come early. If you're coming with general admission tickets, finding a spot to sit is next to impossible. You'll likely be standing (and maybe dancing!). That said, if you're reasonably early, you might find a spot where you can lean against railings or a wall. Of course, if you dig being right up at the stage, you need to come very early for that. - You can also get a VIP entry pass, which will allow you to jump the line for entry. - I don't think I've ever been to a concert at the Showbox where the audio was not really loud, sometimes ear-splitting. Bring ear plugs just in case. - We once had Emerald Club tickets. Now that's the real deal! They'll meet you at the door and walk you to your reserved table. The tables in the Emerald Club all have a good view of the stage, and you will be waited on for your drinks. (If you can hear the waiter, of course.) - Parking downtown can be expensive, and street parking can be a bit of a scramble. I usually catch the light rail to the Showbox. It's only a few blocks from the Westlake Station. Overall, a nice venue that we come back to time and again. read more

The Showbox - The view of the stage from closer up in the GA area, some what stage right. - Music Venues Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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When I had to make this review, I had to make it. I used to take my daughter to the showbox all the time her boyfriend was in some band and she was in love with Metro. Haven't talked to my daughter in years, but I remember the fun that we had, going to the showbox with her and Giovanni I will always remember that I would recommend this showbox. We had wonderful musical memories there. Great drinks and a wonderful time. The showbox has wonderful employees. Great security, a good parking area and a great place to visit in Seattle thank you showbox for giving me wonderful memories. read more

We paid for a meet-n-greet tonight for Johnnyswim and their staff BLOCKED US from it after multiple pleads by us and showing of our tickets. We finally got a manager of sorts and she apologized profusely, tried to just give us candy and drinks, but thats not what I want or what I paid for, all I asked for was to meet the band for just a minute. Even after we paid for so much more, that's still all I asked for! In the end, THEY DID NOTHING! I've been seeing this band for 11 years and this was my one chance to meet them and the Showbox blocked me! I am so hurt. read more

Excellent venue, great sound. Bar was a separate section from the dance floor at an all ages show. Bartenders provided easy and fast service. No food on site that I know of. read more

First and foremost, the security guy named Tanner is one of the most helpful, down to earth and genuine people I've encountered, especially in something like this. My buddy I guess is not much of a physical specimen because he fainted in the middle of the openers set at the D4VD concert. Not sure what happened, but Tanner was the first to respond, and he was INCREDIBLY helpful in providing water, making sure he was safe and in stable condition, and in giving information on what could have occurred. He even got us back into a great seating area after because we lost our spot due to this incident. The Showbox is also such an awesome venue! Being packed in with everyone in close quarters brings up the energy and makes the experience of the shows so much more exciting and energy packed. It's really such a cool venue, and the security team, and all staff have always been amazing! Especially my boy Tanner! Give that man a raise! read more

I was at an event on Monday 10/20 and was assaulted by security guards for talking during the show. I have bruises on my arm. It was ridiculous. Someone complained I talked and I was approached at the bar and one security guard grabbed my arm so tight I have his fingerprints. They didn't talk to us or let us tell our side of the story. This was for talking. What has this world come to. This is not okay. read more

First off, we got to the venue an hour early so that we could get merch for the first world tour of the K-pop group called StayC. Unbeknownst to us, there was a fast pass. We got out tickets on presale and we did not see a presale for fast pass. So even though there is already a VIP, there is a huge number of people jumping ahead of you in line because of the extra sale of fast pass, which is basically a classist money grub move. So we got there an hour early, VIP line got in early, and then all the fast pass people jumped in front of our spot. It took an additional 30 minutes to get inside. The line did not move for twenty minutes straight after the doors opened. So to summarize, we got there at 5:30, the doors opened at 6:30 and we weren't in until 7 pm. The show started at 8:00, so we waited another hour on top of the hour and a half to get in, for merch inside. Then they cut us off because the show started. Okay, fine. We got in line for merch again 30 minutes before the show ended. A total of three hours waited! We were not the only ones! A huge crowd of people squished into the merch area and it was borderline unsafe due to heat and human compression. At the end of the show they sold like 5 hoodies and then told us to kick rocks. Why they even sold the few hoodies that they did? I don't know. There was a large amount of boxes full of merch that was visibly unsold. Never in my history of show going have I ever not been able to get my merch. The showbox is classist, only allowing VIP and fast pass ticket holders to get merch, and then not even attempting to sell all the items they had. Buying merch, especially from a K-pop group such as StayC is not easy online, due to them being international, all the way from Korea. The showbox only sold items to those who were giving them more money for VIP or fast pass. Totally classist, and mismanaged, treating regular patrons like garbage. Will avoid this venue at all costs if possible. Beware of this place being an absolute mess. read more

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We went for a concert that was packed. One of us had a panic attack. Multiple staff were immediately helpful. They found us a place away from people where we could be out of the way of people but still enjoy the show, and they came to check on us -- even while there were thousands of people in the venue. We will never forget the care that Gary and his crew gave us. We might have had to miss the show, but Showbox staff saved it for us. read more

It is just glorious happenstance that I happened to be back in Seattle on my birthday to see my favorite band at one of the best venues that I've been to anywhere in the country. The layout of the venue is a half-circle sort of shape which really makes for good views no matter where you are. The bar area is slightly elevated from the GA floor. The sound quality is great. If you are handicapped or require ADA assistance/seating, there may be special tickets available for sale on the website. However, if those are unavailable then fill out the query on their site and someone should email you back fairly quickly. Your name will go onto a list at the box office and someone will escort you to a roped off area, which is also wheelchair accessible. Shoutout to [of course I asked with the intention of giving a name drop here but having a total brain fart] for seemingly being ready for me at the box office and being really friendly and helpful in bringing me to my seat. read more

The Showbox - ADA seating view. - Music Venues Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Great venue for a concert. Made it intimate and fun. Would have loved a few more benches or stools but who needs them when you're dancing. Layout by bathroom made it hard to not get lined up while balancing on the stairs. Female bartender managed a dual pay station bar with insane speed!! read more

The Showbox - Jessie Murph - Music Venues Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I've seen some fun shows here and don't have anything negative to say about the venue or the staff. I was a little taken aback when I realized 2 vodka shots were $38 before tip? My fault for not looking at the prices before ordering, especially since music venues tend to charge a little more for food and drinks. Still, felt like that was a little much. I'll plan not to buy any drinks at the venue next time I attend a show. Just a warning to people ballin on a budget like me lol. read more

Never going again to The Showbox. I was kicked out for having food poisoning and treated unfairly for doing the right thing before I was even able to explain my circumstances they stated I was not able to re-enter there facility. I wasn't even able to watch the show I payed for. Security treated me with upmost disrespect as well as the manager Lezel. read more

I get it, it's a music venue..but if you need ADA accommodations, beware..the employees are incredibly lacking on professionalism and appropriate ADA accommodations.. I was told to walk around the long way to use the restroom when I watched multiple other people go the shorter way without issue. When I asked a basic question regarding what could have been differently done on my part, the question was evaded and the employee was incredibly rude. I simply was trying to understand what I could have done differently on my part specifically to not be a problem, and I never really received an answer...it's interesting to expect those sitting in the ADA area to walk further for the bathroom because it needed to be validated I was allowed there when I clearly was utilizing a cane... read more

Decent venue for a mid-sized show. I can't speak to the staff quality as I didn't interact with them, but have heard some negative experiences. Overall it's a decent venue worth going to if you are already a fan of the performing artist. read more

Disabled seating is just bar stools and chairs. not the best for certain disabled people.

Usually like the the showbox but Security is over the top, I mean I get it but... the guy rifled through my bag so much. At the show I attended recently they forced me to pay $5 to check my small/ medium sized bag. I came from work so I had my tote bag with a soft back joirnal, medication, a pencil pouch and a few small miscellaneous things. It was a tote bag. Felt very unfair that they force you to PAY to check a bag. And suggested a 25% tip on the payment screen. Just tired of all the dang fees everywhere. Don't event try to buy a drink they're like $30 read more

My friend, a huge Matt Nathanson fan, paid this venue almost $300 for VIP seating so we would not have to stand for the show. With that price the table was supposed to get waitstaff service for food and drinks. The reality was the VIP tables were along the back of the venue. Our table was next to a bar so constant talking and visiting while the show was going on. Even people talking so loud on their phone you could hear every word of their conversation. We had to ask people several times to be quite. We still were so far back that it was NOT A VIP EXPERIENCE AT ALL. Clearly, the management has not idea how to set up their venue for VIP seating. General admission tickets were closer to the stage on bar seats then all of the VIP tables. They could have easily blocked one whole side for VIP tables and made the experience much better OR blocked the front seat section for the VIP priced locations making the view better. Obviously this venue's team for event planning ABSOLUTLY SUCKS AND CAN'T DO A DECENT JOB. On top of that, no waitstaff showed up to our table for an hour. The first stop was to make an excuse for their technical difficulties. We had to send someone to the front desk 3 times to get someone to finally come to the table. They automatically charge 20% to the VIP guests for this service, so you can't even give them what they deserve for totally crap service. The bartender was a snob and didn't appreciate a drink coming back because it was CRAP. They charged $20 for drink that was so sub-standard and tasted like any idiot off the street could make. They didn't even have everything to serve anything but basic cocktails...what a joke this place is. They only care about the money and not making it worth the price they charge for those who want to pay extra. My friend, who sees both his PDX and Seattle concerts every year, said she will never purchase tickets to that location again. She REALLY hopes Matt does not go there ever again. He is very vocal about people talking during his concerts, but clear in the back where the VIP's were seated there is no way he could have heard the racket they were making during his time on stage. PLEASE PLEASE STAY AWAY UNLESS YOU ENJOY HIGH PRICES AND CRAP SERVICE. read more

The service here is amazing. Special shout out to the Manager Liesel and to Tanner with Security. There was another person with Security who helped us in a small crisis but I didn't catch his name! Just a really dope crew of people trying to make sure everyone has a good time. Appreciate you guys! read more

I love this venue but it is not yet open again. They're announcing lots of shows and selling tickets, but unfortunately you have to buy those tickets online. I tried going today to buy tickets from the box office with fewer fees, but found this sign on the door that says their in-person box offices are closed. Can't wait til everything reopens again! Get vaccinated everybody!! read more

The Showbox - Box office closed - Music Venues Near Me - Seattle, Washington

While waiting a line a worker reached into my pocket without my permission and poured out my water bottle claiming it was alcohol, he was embarssing and rude and had no right to search my pockets while i was waiting in line. read more

Only buy ADA seats, on market. if disabled, truly not accessible building, using the bathroom in wheelchair you can't close door to stall and they really try to help but it falls short with what they are willing to do. read more

A great venue, offering a good-sized dance floor, large bar with seating, tall ceilings and fun shows! One can see the stage pretty much from anywhere in the raised bar. Upon entering, the space smelled of glorious grilled kebab! Alas, I didn't go in search of it, but it waited through to the viewing area/dance floor throughout the show. Friendly staff checked us in, helped us with the purchase of tour merchandise (Orkestra Mendoza and Devotchka), as well as smiling faces checking our IDs and allowing us to walk through the bar in search of water. Support the theater! It's older, but offers a great, memorable space for everybody! Help save them from becoming another apartment building. Go to shows! Donate! read more

The Showbox - Music Venues Near Me - Seattle, Washington

So let's be clear... THERE ARE (2) SHOWBOX LOCATIONS...One in Sodo and this one on 1st ave close to Pike Place Market... Def confused every one I knew going to this show! The venue is really nice inside, with seating in the upper area and standing in the lower area. Nicely lit wit a large stage that you can see from anywhere in the building! The only thing I didn't like was the sound! I could hear the words only sometimes and the other times I was just moving to the beat unsure what they were saying haha! This could be the performers setup though and since this is my first time at this location, I have no way to tell the difference! Enjoyed myself ! read more

The Showbox - Inside venue...hard to see details after lights go out - Music Venues Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I attended concert at Showbox Sodo on 7/05/2024. When I heard gun shot I began to run & so was everyone else. I was pushed to the ground. My knee is brused & all scratched. My wrist are in so much pain. There was already another women on the ground whom I wish I could've helped, but there was shooting every where. read more

The Showbox - Music Venues Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Watched Tones and I and she sounded great, drinks were expensive ofcourse and the restrooms were gross like usual but the music and quality was perfect tones sounded amazing! I wanna come here again and soon! read more

The toughest part of this venue is parking access. Downtown does have street parking but it can be scarce depending on the time and day that you go. There are scattered parking lots and garages around the area but the outdoor lots can be pretty sketchy (i know from personal experience) so leave nothing remotely valuable in your car. Venue itself is large enough to not feel jam packed unless your centered up to stage. The staff is efficient and friendly. I've been coming here for many years and recently went to see Andy Grammer with my 7 year old daughter and we had a blast! If you could afford it, try to get a table as there is no seating, so standing for a few hours can be rather exhausting. And the bathrooms are closer to the stage so snaking thru the crowd to get there can be a challenge for some. Other than that, great venue, small enough to feel intimate but large enough to not feel like sardines. read more

Classic. Large. Alcohol plenty. This is the place. I really enjoyed the Showbox. It had a nice vibe about it. Even though it was standing room only, there were places to sit down in the bar area. The place is a Seattle historic icon. It has nice lighting as well. The staff that I dealt with was incredible as well and super nice! This was a nice charm added to the vibe. I found that they had great acoustics as well as I could hear everything clearly! We went and saw Mayday Parade and the concert was nothing less than perfection. The Showbox hosts a lot of cool artists and events. The bar area was nice as well with very convenient access to the bar and the bar tenders all made great drinks! I highly recommend this cool and historic venue! read more

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I really love this place and the artists that come through. The staff is amazing as well. But today I had a really horrible experience where I was told by someone to "get the (expletive) outta here chnk" because I was recording one of Mogwai's songs. He told me to stop recording and to never record while I was there. His girlfriend even pushed me out of the way as well despite me standing there first. His rationale was that I was ruining the experience for everyone behind me by recording. I told him that I didn't appreciate that at which point he started getting angry at me and his girlfriend told me to shut up and not argue with them. I ended up moving closer to the stage and the irony with all this is that I turned around and his girlfriend was recording and taking photos of the show as well (as was a good number of people). So rules for thee and not for me (especially when you're a second class citizen I presume). I love this place but hard for me to go back when the patrons here can be so trashy. Thankfully none of Showbox's staff I spoke with after agreed with the a-hole but the damage had been done. I think if you are racist, bossy and entitled then yes - this place is perfect for you. However, if you are just looking to enjoy yourself (especially as a minority) then definitely beware of having a similar sort of experience. Never again. read more

Haven't been to the Showbox in over 20 years. Opted for the QuickPass entry and Emerald seats. Best way to get in without waiting in a pretty long line, and the table service for the show was great. Sound was amazing, and the particular crowd for our show was so polite- was able to walk from far side of room to the bathrooms without the "salmon swimming upstream" feeling. Bathrooms were clean, even though my commode was totally cockeyed. If you had OCD, pretty sure you would choose another stall. Merch lines located in good spots to not clog ingress/egress. And the bartenders were able to keep up! Will be looking for more shows to see there. read more

This is becoming one of my favorite concert venues in Seattle! I like it better than SoDo due to layout and location, but Showbox is a small and intimate spot where you don't really have trouble getting drinks, going to the bathroom, or getting a good view of the performers. There are plenty of chairs and tables on the upper bar level which makes it comfortable if you don't want to stand all night. They also host a variety of musicians which is great because it keeps the lineup diverse and interesting. read more

The Showbox - Snakehips! - Music Venues Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Had a great time! The venue is a staple in Seattle! Looking forward to going more! They had a good variety of drinks as well!

This is one of the smaller concert venues in Seattle. The sound is great and the distance from the stage makes it ideal to observe your favorite artists. read more

Great show and fun venue. Mostly one floor with a section roped off for 21+. Security was good. Bathrooms were fine. Get there early to line up and claim the spot you want. Wait until mid show to get merchandise. Clear bag policy. Good drinks with normal concert pricing. We brought our teen. We could get drinks and bring them out to the all ages area so we were still with him. read more