Nice venue. A bit cramped in the seating, but even on the sides it is a good view. Love that you can get double shots for the mixed drinks! Friendly staff. read more

By far the best small venue in the city for a sit-down show. After catching artists like Regina Spektor, M. Ward and Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins here, I've come to the conclusion that it is far better for shows that are best listened to in total silence, the audience relishing every nuance of every note. If you want to stand, dance, scream along, etc., Town Hall is not the ticket. For that, here's hoping your artist is booked at Irving or Bowery instead. I've only had seats on the floor, so I have no experience with the sight-lines or acoustics up in the balcony. But from my experience with the floor, every ticket is a good ticket in this venue. The vantage points are great, and the sound is absolutely perfect for the lo-fi and acoustic acts I've seen there. The sublime Regina Spektor solo on Town Hall's grand piano was one of the top 10 live music experiences I've ever had. However, the must-remain-seated atmosphere can be a little too subdued for the foot-stomping, hee-haw hollering that an alt-country darling like Jenny Lewis inspires. This venue falls short of a perfect 5-star rating from me for the sole reason that it's a pain in the tuchas to take photos here. There's no photo pit, so even if you have a photo/press pass, the only way to get a shot is to crouch in the aisle, annoying the heck out of the folks on either side. Worse yet, the house management are like the gestapo about photography. Even for artists who couldn't care less about fans snapping photos, and even if you don't use a flash! Try covering a show at Town Hall for a live music blog without a photo/press pass, and you're in for a very negative experience. read more

I love Town Hall venue; but as of the past 3 months; seeing 3 different performers there have been some issues. Betty Lavette was not miked right; first of all she doesn't need to be miked; she has such a powerful voice. Steve Martin sound was 'off' - 6/28/13 Wayne Shorter 80th birthday tribute gig was so uncomfortably HOT!!!! read more

Town Hall - Esperanza Spalding - Town Hall Near Me - New York, New York

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I really don't want to dis a beautiful theater and performance space, with seats and a more mature clientele than most venues, but when you charge $5 for a bottle of water, I'm not going to be happy. And when, throughout the entire show, your "bouncers" keep disrupting the mood by shining flashlights on random people in the audience for their alleged photo-taking transgressions, I'm going to be more than annoyed. Chill out, Town Hall! And for the rest of us, note that there's a water fountain in the basement. read more

Town Hall is an old (circa 1920), intimate (2300 seat capacity) theater in midtown, just a few blocks away from the hustle and bustle of Times Square. It looks old school, it feels old school, and it's run old school. Is that moth balls I smell? It kind of feels like you're entering an old, rickety movie theater from the 70s, or a very nice (but dated) school playhouse performance space. With all that said, there is a rich history here, and you can feel it once you step inside. I have been to a few shows here; a couple concerts and a couple comedy acts. I had a great time at each of them. It really feels intimate. The orchestra section is not very deep, I think it only holds about 800 people. Upstairs, there is a loge area, which is basically the lower balcony, and slanting up steeply beyond that is the balcony section. In general, the room is wider than it is deep, so if your seats are central, you are going to have a pretty good view no matter what. Also, the place has nice acoustics and is perfect for performances with acoustic instruments, singing, or the like. It's a classy and sophisticated venue, and the mood and etiquette of the patrons generally reflects this. Unfortunately, you can't drink in the performance space. There is a pop-up style bar in the lobby, which is not a big space, so on a crowded night with a lot of thirsty people, it can be kind of a shit show. The bathrooms are downstairs, down a weird corner stairwell, so aren't the most convenient. However, with a little patience, it's all manageable. Overall, I regard Town Hall as a special place for special events. It's not a spot where you're going to get mangled and rage with your friends. It's more a date night kind of option, to see something you might not normally see, in a really intimate space. Definitely worth a visit if you've never been. read more

I've been here too many times to count over the years. Quite possibly my favorite venue to see a concert in NYC. Better acoustics than Radio City and a cooler history (founded/built in 1921 by the League for Political Education as a meeting spot to educate people on the relevant social & political issues of the day). In my experience, there's not a bad seat in the house. In the past, I have sat on the main floor, loge and balcony. Most recently I saw Billy Bragg here. I was seated in the middle section in the last row of the balcony on the aisle. I had a perfect view of the stage and the sound was amazing. If you get a chance to go here to see a musician or speaker, do so! read more

I remember going to my first show here distinctly because within walking one block or so out of the subway station a huge thunder storm hit. Of course I didn't have an umbrella and by the time I got to the box office i was dripping wet. When I sat down I must have been in the highest, right most corner of the balcony. Nothing like being drenched and sitting in the worst seat in the house I thought. However as Norah Jones took the stage, played a few chords, and started to sing that all fell behind me. While not ornate as some of the theatres Ive been in, acoustically it ranks up there with the best of them. read more

Great place to see a show. Wonderful acoustics, great view no matter where you sit. CONS TO NOTE: If you are tall or fat, you will most likely be uncomfortable. I noticed a very tall man sitting in the row in front of me who was extremely uncomfortable the entire time. There wasn't enough room for his legs to fit comfortably. read more

Oh boy. Where do I start? The bad sound system? Check. The rude bartenders, specifically the one with the platinum hair? Check. The complete clusterf**k that is the lobby prior to a show? Check. They have two tiny bars for this entire venue and it is not appropriate to the number of seats in the theatre. Bartenders are overwhelmed and customers are miserable. Extra negative bonus points for the bars closing way before the concert ended and double extra negative points to the incredibly bitchy platinum blonde (or grey) bartender who declared that he was denying service to the rest of the line because a few people complained that he took 20 minutes with two drunken women when there was a line of 20 or more behind these jerks. I don't think God could play in this venue and get me to buy another ticket. It is a completely disorganized mess and I will NEVER return. I hope the platinum bartender gets kicked to the curb for customer rudeness, but I'm sure that's too much to ask. read more

This is a great venue with great sound. Not a bad seat in the house. There are some drawbacks, however. As with any place that has theater seating and active drink concession stands in the lobbies, people will be shuffling across the rows of seating to get out to the bathrooms on a pretty regular basis. This is a little disruptive. Security can be a little overzealous if the show has a ban on shooting video, leading people out of the theater to inspect footage shot on their cell phones and forcing them to delete it. Your experience here is likely to be determined by who you come to see. If it's an act that attracts a more rowdy rock and roll kind of crowd this place is a little too civilized to be a good fit. People will balk over the no-drinks-in-the-theater policy. And the visible presence of security watching concert goers like hawks is a little tiresome. It'd be a great place for a jazz performance or any concert that attracts a more reserved crowd. read more

Ryan H, really said it when he said, "not a bad seat in the house." There really isn't! I was in the very last row of the main room (it seemed more like a room, than the ground level of the theater- in a good way) when I saw Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins. The acoustics in this place were so amazing. I love live music, but it's rare that the vocals sound that much better than on the cd, it was really incredible. Most people were really polite and remained seated throughout the concert until the last song when Jenny insisted everyone stand. The two girls in front of me were singing loudly and dancing which was a little annoying, but at the same time it was nice to see that they were having a good time. I definitely look forward to seeing shows here in the future. You can focus on the music so much better when you're not worrying about people vomiting on your shoes or pushing and shoving so much that you end up with black and blue marks all over your body. read more

This place has a weird feel to it. I'm not always psyched to go to this venue but all my favorites play here. Turns out, it's not always as awful as I remembered it. I love how varied the events are here. Harper Magazine's "How To Impeach President Bush" self-masturbate-a-thon was here back in the heyday. I guess it's the formal vibe I get from this place that rubs me the wrong way. It's nice to sit down once in a while though. When The Magnetic Fields went on tour again they played here--- an amazing concert, but I don't think the venue really helped create a good atmosphere. read more

Nice small venue with excellent acoustics, in the heart of the theater district. Good for concerts, plays or lectures. Tonight it's First Aid Kit in concert. Check them out read more

Town Hall - Town Hall Near Me - New York, New York

I went here for the first time yesterday to see Michael Nesmith (who was freaking UHHHHMAYZING), and I really liked this venue. First the negative, since there really only were two: Cons: Don't dare take video or photos with flash. As soon as the security sees that you're holding your phone/camera a bit too long, they'll shine that bright ass flashlight in your face and bark at you. So many times last night did I have the light glaring at me (for other people) and I couldn't even see the stage. Also, supposedly you can't have any drinks inside the theater itself. I guess you have to drink at the concession area, which sucks if you're in the middle of watching a show and you get thirsty. Oh, and the venue is in the middle of Times Square. 'nuff said. Pros: Very intimate and small. I have never gotten out of a concert that fast. several entrances/exits, so no waiting or pushing. I just strolled on out when it was done. Really, really good acoustics. Probably the best I've heard from all the venues I've been to. Inside is very clean. And it's in Times Square, which SUCKS but is also great when you're coming from the Port Authority like me. The show ended at 9:45pm and I caught the 10:05pm bus. Sweet! I've read comments about the seats being too small and close, but I didn't have an issue. I have knee problems and have to stretch my leg out, so I was concerned. But no problems at all. Seats were comfy and roomy. I'm not sure if it was the show I went to or all shows at Town Hall, but everyone sits for the show. The only time we stood up was when Mike came out, the encore, and the end. Which was great for me because I'm always stuck behind the tallest person when standing. With everyone sitting, I think we all had perfect views of the stage. To wrap things up, this is a really great place. Get past the location and security, you're in for a great show. read more

Even tho this is one of the nicest smaller concert halls in the city, and an iconic place. People who run this are not running it greatly. It's outdated and in need of deep cleaning. Not to mention a better organization of everything from bathroom to ticket lines and doors. I recently went to a concert at Town Hall, and was looking forward to it. And musically was an amazing experience. The unfortunate thing was just that getting in and getting out part, also no really standing outside area for a large number of people especially on a cold day, and a shame there is no real backstage, for us performers as well. read more

We were excited to see Seu Jorge sing his 'Life Aquatic' Bowie tribute at Town Hall; unfortunately the concert was practically ruined by bad venue management. The ushers let audience members wander in and out at any time, so that there was noise, light from the doors and people standing up in front for almost the whole concert. Have some respect for the performers - wait until the end of a song! As well as the poor crowd management, the stage is quite low and the orchestra seating isn't sufficiently stepped, with the result that almost everyone's view is blocked by the person in front. All in all, a lousy venue. read more

If I were rating strictly based on the sound, it would have six stars. The sound is gorgeous. We were in front section of the balcony for the first night of Antony & the Johnsons and the view was lovely. But they should have a note on their website that says "if you are over six feet tall you may be in hell for the whole night". At 6' 4", i was a very unhappy camper. I couldn't put my feet down at all, because my knees crashed into the seats in front of us. As much as I liked the place, I don't think I could go to another show there. read more

If I were to choose a venue for a celebratory retrospective of my life's music, I would choose Town Hall. Sadly, I only play the recorder, so this is unlikely.* But Susan S. and Ryan H. are right-- this place has fantastic acoustics. The padded theater-style seating and balcony give Town Hall a classic feel: as if it could easily host an opera and a rock show in the same week. I saw Great Big Sea here, and as usual, they did not disappoint. But playing at Town Hall, they really seemed to come alive. The place creates an energy that turns a good show into a great one. Trivia tidbit: the concert in the movie A Mighty Wind was filmed here... yet another reason to love it. * This is not true. I don't even play the recorder. It's sad, really. read more

My first kpop concert is amazing! I thought the view would be bad but it's actually decent and nice! DAY6 performed so great and we had a lot of fun from all the activities. @seokjinpiper read more

Town Hall - Somewhere in the balcony area~ - Town Hall Near Me - New York, New York

Perfect size, great location. They don't get the major acts but they do get some of the classics. No bad seats in the building. 1/2 block from time square. We just saw Jennifer Nettles Christmas show and it was awesome. We saw McGuinn, Hillman and Marty Stewart perform the Sweetheart of the Rodeo album plus much more. Bryant Park a block away. read more

YAY - Great Acoustics MEH - Seated Venue I think if I stay in the city I'll grow to LOVE this place when I'm an old fart, but for now I prefer venues where you can get up and be rowdy during a show. Probably better to see artists here whose focus tends to err on the side of intense artistry, rather than rely on the feel-good experience of a show. read more

I've seen some of my favorite artists at this surprisingly intimate theater. I've sat in all areas, and I have to admit that even though Loge Seating is best, the views from the balcony nosebleeds are not terrible. You can see the stage from everywhere. This past weekend we went to see a Prairie Home Companion and the ticket said 5:45pm. When we arrived, the line was down the block, and there were two doors open, both with security and a ticket taker. It wasn't until we were a couple of people away from the front when we overheard them say to "Un-zip all coats, take off all bags, open all bags". It was snowing and pretty cold, so maybe it would have sped up the line if they had someone walking up and down the line letting everyone know what they should do before getting to the front. Bathrooms are unisex and on the second floor. There are 4-5 individual bathrooms and the line tends to back up to the top of the stairs, which could cause a lil traffic jam. The seats are VERY close together. I'm only 5'3" and I had trouble with leg room, so be aware. Also, if you're already seated and someone goes to sit in the seat in front of you, move your knees or they'll get hit pretty hard by the back of their chair (learned the hard way). I got a coffee across the street, and the let me carry it in, so we didn't buy any drinks, but I have in the past, and of course they're expensive, but it's also kind of nice that they allow drinks at a seated venue while not a lot of other places do. Great subway access and right next to Bryant Park! read more

If you're planning to attend a show at Town Hall, please pack an extra pair of legs. I saw Joey Coco Diaz there on Friday December 6, 2019 and now on the 9th of December in the same year, I've finally regained all the feeling back in my lower extremities. The upper balcony was so tight and cramped that I almost kicked the person sitting in front of me in the soul. If you're a fan of leaning on the person next to you so as to avoid injuring your psoas, by all means, by a seat in the upper balcony of this clearly dated theater. Feel free, if you're a gnome, to buy up the seats and have a family reunion at Town Hall because that is the only way you'll be comfortable enough to enjoy anything happening on stage here. I'd give it negative stars if I could. I'd rather have sat in a beach chair on an empty deck than those sorry excuse for chairs. Don't @ me. read more

Came here to see Lea Salonga. Overall the view from Balcony Row D was good. No obstructions of the full stage and the acoustics were crystal clear up top, but that could also be how powerful her voice is. The balcony seats are a little cramped. I'm not a tall person (5'7") and sitting perfectly postured in the chair, my knees were hitting the seat in front. The biggest gripe of the venue was that is was blazing hot in the balcony. Granted the show was sold out, but c'mon. Don't know if it was as hot in the orchestra, but multiple people were fanning themselves with their programs throughout the show and I think some people even left early because of it. read more

This venue is just spectacular. It is arranged like a town hall, a lower seated level that reminds me of a school auditorium with way better seats, and it has a balcony level in stadium seating fashion. I saw 2 shows in a row here (Regina Spektor) - and I thought that my seats would be sub par. Absolutely not, both seats (Orchestra Level + Balcony) were amazing. This venue seems like it is big on seating charts, but it is very cozy. I loved it. If anyone has the opportunity to see a concert at this venue! Do it! read more

I absolutely LOVE this venue! It's the perfect place for an intimate concert. I saw a solo unplugged tour at my most recent visit and couldn't have been happier! Our seats were in the upper tier, row A. There was not a moment that I couldn't hear the performance. The acoustics were phenomenal. The audience had their moments of extra noise, but I was able to take perfect voice recordings (such a rebel). The leg room would have been an issue I'm sure, but we happened to be in the front row and were able to stretch out. The bartender seemed completely overwhelmed and I think they'd make tons more if they had a second bar somewhere else in the theater, but overall it's almost perfect! read more

I saw Ben Gibbard here recently and was seriously impressed. The theater is beautiful & the sound is really incredible. I'm used to seeing Ben with a full band & the need to dance so I wasn't sure how this would be. This show was totally accoustic & this place just made me feel like I was sitting in his living room at a little jam session, even though its really big & we were sitting relatively far away. I loved the experience & will definitely not hesitate to go to any show here again! read more

Seating is great here. I bought tickets for 1st row loge and was pleasantly surprised how close to the stage we were. And the seats are crazy comfy! Ample bathroom locations and an easy entry process. There's a bar downstairs and upstairs with typical prices. My wife said the single vodka drink tasted like just soda though. Overall a great place to see a comedy show! read more

I love this theater! I went here a few weeks ago to see Garrison Keillor et al do a live broadcast of "A Prairie Home Companion" and it was just the right setting. No seat was a bad seat, it was small enough to see the stage and the performers. (Though this elderly couple to my left insisted that their seats were broken. They weren't, they were just old and springy. Oh well!) The experience of APHC itself is probably part of the reason why I liked this place so much. But it really is just a wonderful, historical building and I look forward to coming here again. read more

Clean, quiet, and a very convenient location. You don't even realize you're so close to Times Square. You don't see the sign lights or hear the noise. The stage is easily seen even from the back rows. I didn't feel like I was so high up or far back. I felt very comfortable. The seats were comfortable, there was enough leg room, and I didn't feel cramped. I could even let people pass by in the row without feeling like the two of us couldn't fit on the same tiny area of footing. I felt as comfortable as I would have in the front row. There was something really intimate about this theater, even if it's not a small venue. Tickets were affordable too (although that might depend on the event). And as an aside, this place would have been amazing as a movie theater! I could only imagine how fun it would be to dress up for a world premiere. The ushers and other staff were very friendly and courteous. I also appreciated that they took their outside conversation out of the seating area. I don't mind if they don't care about the performance the venue presenting - I don't expect them to love every show I love - but I appreciated the courtesy of taking their conversation elsewhere. The only thing I didn't like wasn't a huge dealbreaker. When my guest of honor came out on stage, the man everyone paid to see, everyone was taking pictures of him of course. Only about thirty seconds later, an usher came out to the center aisle and started telling people to turn off their phones. The flash wasn't even going on! I saw him approaching me and turned off my phone immediately - I didn't want to be told off for any reason, let alone taking a picture without flash. I mean, it's 2017. Let us take some pictures for our own memories. You don't have to scold us for having fun. I would understand ten, even five minutes later, okay, stop taking pictures. But less than a minute? Moving on, concession was of course expensive as it is in any venue but since I was expecting it I wasn't bothered by it. Check-in (bag search, ticket scanning) was extremely fast and courteous. I appreciated that, too. Bathrooms are typical; a few stalls, seemingly clean floors, clean sinks. One faucet had a little non-intrusive drip. Otherwise, no smells or sticky floors. There was also a nice full-length mirror. Overall, I had a really good time! read more

Aside from the awful location in Times Square, Town Hall is a pretty solid venue. The place is pretty small, so even if you are sitting in the balcony, toward the back, you still have a pretty decent seat. Obviously if you can swing the center area, you'll be in better shape. The few issues with this place include the location of the main level bar, which one crowded, makes it hard to squeeze by to make it upstairs to the balcony OR to the orchestra section. As all theaters in TSq, the prices are going to be outrageous. Why do people complain about this? Do they think that because it's a cool venue the rum and coke will only be $3.50? Get over it. The bathroom situation is pretty bad, as they aren't large and not plentiful. If you avoid getting drunk at the theater and then avoid needing the restroom, you'll be good to go. read more

I have come here many times and have seen some wonderful artists, most recently Anoushka Shankar. The venue is big and beautiful, near Times Square and many nice restaurants. My only complaint is that there is no ladies' room on the orchestra level. read more

When Rufus Wainwright took the stage alone during his annual Christmas show and asked his band to turn off the microphones, I held my breath. But then when he started singing and allowed his voice to carry around the room, it was even better without the speakers. The acoustics in the hall are phenomenal. Singers should take note and try this method at Town Hall. read more

Town Hall - The lobby is fairly large for events. - Town Hall Near Me - New York, New York

Love that this is a historical landmark but otherwise its an ok building. I've seen much better historical theatres. My complaint is the seats. I'm not a heavy person nor tall but was still very uncomfortable. Most of the staff were nice and friendly. Up until the camera "police" showed up. If venue or artist doesnt allow video maybe they should have sufficient notices downstairs in the lobby letting attendees know. And dont stand in the way while you're looking for these "offenders". I paid good money to see a show not you! Also its ridiculous that i have to spend extra money to buy a souvenir mug for my beer. I have no intentions coming back to this venue! read more

with my bf listening to my favorite bands playing. The weepies ! Bravo you made it fighting off breasts cancer !!! read more

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I came here to see Mogwai's Atomic show. The show itself was in a word: weird. You can call t avant garde or experimental, I'm just using the word most people would associate with it. But I'm not reviewing the show here so let's push that aside. The venue here is essentially an old school concert hall. I would say an apt description would be a poor man's Carnegie Hall. The seat were smallish and would make any average size American male a little uncomfortable. It's assigned seating and there is the orchestra and mezzanine. Nothing you haven't seen before, I'm guessing. There is a full bar on the floor level but I didn't get any drinks so I can't comment on quality or prices. The restrooms were fairly small as well. Nothing really stood out here. Would come again if I really wanted to see the artist but it wouldn't be my first choice for a venue. read more

This is a great theater - it is small and there isn't a bad seat in the house. Getting in and out is a feat, so try to go do your business before or after the show. There is a bar right near the theater doors and the sort of cruddy wine is 9 dollars if I recall correctly. I wish they had told us the show was starting and we couldn't bring drinks into the theater so we could have been spared the mad dash to chug. read more

Think long and hard before attending anything here. The security is right than Fort Knox. You'll be standing on the sidewalk waiting forever! It's absurd how detailed they are. I get it. We all want to be safe, but this is lunacy. Wanding, and checking bags, and coat pockets. It's just silly. read more

I'm biased regarding any venue where I see my all time favorite (Ben Folds) perform. Ben's opening act, Kate Miller-Heidke was absolutely sensational! I hadn't heard of her until that day and she blew our minds. The acoustics in the theater were incredible. We even went to her show the next afternoon at the Living Room. But that's another story/review. 3.5 stars for the venue. While the theater is beautiful, and the acoustics are pretty sick, it definitely has some cons. The negatives, regarding the venue itself: The legroom really is non-existant. I'm barely 5'7" (and relatively little), and was extremely uncomfortable...with my knees digging into the seat in front of me and my back knotting up from the strange positioning of the chair. Also, the ushers were very rude - they didn't wait until ANY songs were over before seating latecomers, therefore blocking the view of the stage for dozens of people for half a song or more at a time. This happened throughout the entire show. Security seemed pretty adamant about regulating the no flash photography rule, which is fine with me (I prefer not having random bursts of light in my face). BUT, to be fair, there was no announcement to warn the audience of this rule. So, all of the time the guards spent walking in front of us and flashing their flashlights toward people to make them stop using cameras, probably could have been prevented, at least marginally. The cramped seats are likely there forever, and I can deal with that...but the staff can/should be changed or taught proper manners so we can better enjoy our amazing shows. read more

a gem amid the Times Square chaos. I've been here twice, and while i don't think the venue holds a candle to BAM's Gilman Opera House or the Beacon, it's still a refuge from an otherwise godforsaken place. the sound is lovely. the events are great quality, like the event i attended for Another Day, Another Time, a thoroughly star-studded folkie affair featuring everyone from Jack White to Joan Baez to Patti Smith. ticketing can be ghastly, and I don't think that's ticketmaster's fault, so watch that. read more