I was there for a two band show. It is a really unpretentious and interesting location. It is literally underground in a basement of a warehouse. It is a a no thrills venue. It is walls, concrete, a bar and stage. There are few tables and some table tops. It is dark. It is an intimate location to listen to a band. You can be as up close as you want as it is standing room. Which means just fight off other people to get as close to the stage as you want. The bar has the essentials, but expect no fancy drinks or anything, But, they had a good selection of beers on tap and in cans. It seemed that PBR was the beer of choice for most people. Other than seeing a performance there is nothing about the location that is outstanding. read more

I had never heard of this venue until a friend invited me to see hardwork movement perform there on Friday. Super divey, yet cool space. The bouncer could have been nicer seeing as it isn't a nightclub but overall great experience. 8plus craft beers on draft, ample space to find the perfect spot to view the stage and an eclectic crowd made for a fun. Igor out with friends. Tons of photo ops on black light painted walls make for a instagrammers dream. I'd definitely come back to see more shows as it's an intimate venue where you can get right up to the stage and feel apart of the show. read more

Good venue, ok sound, clean bathrooms, good bartenders = I like this place! Fun place to play on tour. Easy to load in and out of via elevator. Staff was very helpful. I loved taking a pic in the electric chair! Hopefully I get to come back here next time we hit Philly! Thanks Underground Arts! read more

Last night I attended Brat Productions' double feature at Underground Arts. It was kick-off night of the Philly Fringe Festival, a first for me. We saw Popsicle's Departure, 1989 and Eternal Glamnation (both were awesome, by the way). But since this review is about Underground Arts, I'll try to stay focused. I'd only passed by the place in my car before, usually after a stop at the nearby Trestle Inn. I knew next to nothing about the venue, and I arrived a few minutes before showtime wondering if there would be a bar. There was, and (even better!) I actually had some cash in my wallet (the bar is cash-only). I was surprised to discover that all beers, including bottles and a small-yet-tight list of drafts, were only five bucks. Mixed drinks were six. Even more surprising? There was also a small food menu -and the stuff I saw people eating looked decent. People milled around the bar which is actually in the main stage area before the first show, which took place in a smaller, more intimate studio. The second show was back in the more casual main room. I liked that the audience was encouraged to grab drinks during the show and that it wouldn't disrupt the actors. It turned out, parts of the show actually took place at the bar. To top it all off, the bathrooms were clean. I look forward to my next visit, and I'm going to make an effort to add more alternative live arts programs to my life! read more

I went here to see one of my favorite bands, Reigning Sound. Before Reigning Sound started to play, I went to the bathroom and was followed by a large man who worked for the venue. He began yelling at me something about bringing beer into the venue or something. He continued yelling at me while I was in the bathroom and after I left followed me and grabbed me continuously. I continually told him that I had no idea what he was talking about but he went and grabbed one of my friends as well. After this he kept insisting that I was trying to bring beer into the venue and that I needed to leave. Although I don't doubt this persons brilliant investigative skills, he was dead wrong. After reassuring him that the only beer I consumed was purchased from their bar, he got more aggressive. He eventually grabbed me rather violently, and despite my insisting to take his hands off of me told me that I was "trespassing" and had to leave. Not wanting to deal with his disgusting hands all over me I went upstairs and outside. I called the police with the intention of filing harassment charges and hopefully at least getting my money back for the show I didn't get to see. While waiting for the police the 'manager' (jeff?) came outside to talk to us. He was essentially a handlebar mustache delivery system. Despite admitting that he "knew nothing" about what happened, he kept asking "are you sure you want to get the police involved?" He kept insisting that they 'had cameras' which I urged him to look at. Who knows whether these cameras actually exist or not, I hope they do. He was another completely useless and incompetent individual. I also heard the group of bouncers putting together their story about how I "resisted" and they had no other choice, that we would be sorry for "calling the cops on ourselves," etc. The police never came, no surprise; they are the most incompetent people in the city, perhaps the staff at Underground Arts as a close second. A real shame; I went to a show as a paying customer, excited to see one of my favorite bands and got treated like this. I hope something changes. read more

Came here recently for a show and had a great time! Definitely a more casual venue but for the band i was seeing it totally meshed well together. I like the lights all around the bar! The drinks are fairly priced; need to spend more than 10 to use a card. The only downside i would say is that the bathrooms are a litttle bit dirty but other than that i would definitely come back here for another show. There's a parking lot right across the street that's convenient, i think it might be 15 for the night? read more

I've been here a few times and it's definitely a great addition to the list of venues in Philadelphia. Pros: -Centrally located and there seems to be street parking around if you are driving. - Lots of bike racks -Easy to get a cab -Cool basement vibe -Vending machines for ear plugs. This is genius and the height of convenience for old lame-os like me -Several side bars in addition to the main bar, making it easy to get a drink -They serve food AND it's strictly vegetarian! I have not yet partaken, but this past weekend, the smell of fried food had me drooling -Plentiful, large and not gross bathrooms -They stay open past and have performances that last after midnight Cons: -The large support pillars throughout the venue, which block the view of a significant percentage of the standing room. I know this is unavoidable, but it seemed like there wasn't really a great place to stand. -Low stage, I am 5'4" (short, I know) but really I had a hard time seeing even the performer's head. -TALKY PEOPLE. Like a previous reviewer, I went to a Cat Power show, and the people around me were ALL talking SO LOUDLY and so much that I felt like I was having an anxiety attack. If you don't want to listen, don't pay $35 to get into a show and just go stand around another bar. Luckily I was able to move up to the front halfway through the show. -No seating (again, since I am lame, a show that lasts from 8:30-12:30 can have my feet feeling tired) read more

We came to the Dance Yourself Scream party last weekend and had a great time! The drink and cover prices were affordable, and I really liked the lounge area. But I especially liked it because I thought the music wasn't that great.. was looking forward to some indie dance music, but most of it was... not... that. read more

Perfectly fine venue but the sound tonight was seriously awful. Everything was so insanely loud that the snare, acoustic guitar, and vocals were distorting. I've never been so deaf leaving a show. Was the sound guy not in the same room as everyone else? read more

This awesome spot immediately made a comfortable dent in my list of favorite concert venues in Philadelphia. I got called up here for a last-minute performance by the great Kalob Griffin Band, as part of a night of music arranged by a new favorite of mine, TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb. This cavernous, cement and concrete basement turns into a phenomenal performance space with the simple addition of a few colored lights, a smattering of chairs and a cash-only bar. I saw three of the five bands that played that night and only paid $7 to get in. It was a huge space, with plenty of room to move, which I hope I'm not jeopardizing with this review. Its downsides are its weak selection of beer and its strange, empty neighborhood, so close to Center City and yet so far away. But after all my complaints in the past about cramped, claustrophobic venues, this place is a most welcome change of pace. read more

The reason there are any stars accompanying this review is because I saw one of my favorite bands here, and they were fantastic, so I am grateful that Underground Arts hosted them. For reference, some of my favorite venues are Union Transfer, Johnny Brenda's, Kung Fu Necktie, and Boot & Saddle. From what my fiance told me, the venue had changed since June of last year when he was there for a different show. The bar had an over-priced, quite normal offering of beer. No where to sit, or even place your beer. I was at least happy to see one of the larger bathrooms in the venue business, but you basically have to walk down the interior-equivalent of a back-alley to get there. The bouncer out front of the venue is very in-the-role. They do search your bag if you're a lady, and pat you down if you're a guy, much unlike my favorite venues. This is irritating to me, because I like to bring a bottle of water with me everywhere I go. At this place you'll have to buy a $3.00 16.9oz bottle of Deer Park, instead of courteously being served tap water. If you don't mind all of these things, then you also won't mind waiting and waiting for the bands to come on. The show was supposed to start at 8:30, but didn't start until 9:30, and didn't end until 12:45am. It seems you can see the stage well no matter where you are standing (unless behind one of those pillars), and this is coming from a short girl, so that's good. I will return only if one my absolute favorite bands are playing here. I'm hopeful that a couple things change for the better. read more

It's a cool space, but the inferiority of the bartenders kind of ruined it for me. I asked what mixers they had and was met with a blank stare. I guess they're really only adept at pouring beers and popping cans open. Oh wait nope, two beers from the same brewery on tap equals mass confusion. Meh. Sound was okay and the stage layout is pretty cool. I saw music and reading events here for the 215 Festival where I was subjected to the fans of the West Philadelphia Orchestra, aka the rudest audience ever. Granted, this isn't the venues fault, but it still left a terrible body odor/patchouli taste in my mouth. read more

We came here on a cold February evening to see indie rapper P.O.S. We hadn't been here before and weren't sure what to expect, other than what friends had said - I had asked about how it was in reference to Union Transfer - they said it had lower ceilings, not a lot of seats, the bar is integrated/not separate and there's a lot of space close to the stage. All pretty much true! The show we went to was billed as doors at 8, show at 9. There were, for our show, 3 opening acts, and P.O.S. didn't come on until almost 11pm, so just be forewarned, though I am sure that was his tour schedule, not necessarily the Underground Arts scheduling. The bar had a good amount of options - we grabbed draft cider. Not indie venue cheap, though not super pricey, drinks clocked in at $7 a piece. We were able to get a spot close to the stage, since we got there so early, and it was cool that some of the artists actually came down from the stage into the crowd during their sets. The intimacy and close quarters of the venue allowed for that kind of artist/fan interaction. The sound was epic - especially where we were up front. The lights and smoke added to the overall effect of the show, and I thought the staff were friendly and helpful for the most part. Great perk, at 12:30am on a Friday, the location was swarming with available Uber/Lyft cars, so we were able to snag a car home from the 12th and Callowhill location with no problem. Despite the standing for four hours between arriving and the show ending (that probably just means we are old), we had a great time at Underground Arts and will be back! read more

I went here for an "acoustic" show featuring Grouplove. This was my first time at the venue and I have to say I was impressed. I can't imagine you can fit more than a couple hundred people in this dimly lit basement (because that is exactly what it is). The venue was extremely intimate and the acoustics are actually really impressive. I do have to say, venues like The Troc, E-Factory and Union Transfer have me spoiled by allowing me to sit down before and between sets. Prepare to stand for a long time during the duration of your show. They do have a bar (which I didn't partake) and a dry bar (water, soda, snacks). Easy parking across the street makes the whole process extremely easy. Will call was inside the building so we didn't even have tickets upon entering the building. Overall, I wouldn't be disappointed if my favorite band chose this venue for their next show. read more

We saw Devil You Know, Devil Driver and Hatebreed ... The amplifiers were way too loud for such a small venue. The bands were great but the bass was so loud everything was muffled. If the venue had a fan running it would have been news to me. They had a few fans hanging from the ceiling but they were too cheap to run them. All and all the staff were cool. The price to see the show was inexpensive but again that's all you really could do is see the show because of how small the venue was and let us not forget the pillars in the way. All and all great bands Disappointing venue , My advice - run the fans - don't make us sweat to death in the next best thing to an oven. read more

Underground Arts is my new favorite music venue in the city. I've now been there 2x (Vacationer/ Robert Delong, followed by ?uestlove + DJ Phish), and have been blown away both times. IT's the basement of an apartment/commercial building on 12th and Callowhill, which makes the Trestle Inn a great pre-game spot... which starts things off on the very right foot. You get carded, and go down the steps, and they have people checking you in like at a yelp event. It's old school, personal, and i love it. The line backs up... but it isn't even the point. Finally, you turn the corner and see the venue which has big high cielings, yet feels like a crappy beer-soaked basement in Brooklyn. There are two (2!!!) bars serving drinks at VERY reasonable prices. The first time I went, there were Sly Fox cans for $3. The second time, Heinekin was free- all you can drink. I don't remember what time it ended... but I assure you I didn't need another beer when they asked for $10 in exchange for one. I walked away. Hangover control. My first time there, they really embraced the theme of the beach party that was synergistic with the invite. There were lei's being handed out, and flowers. Employees were wearing hawaiian shirts, and coconuts... little details like that really help make a show unique, and memorable. The tickets are cheap, the venue feels cool, the bathrooms aren't scary, the sound is amazing, the bands they bring in are bands I want to see, and its great to be able to check out live music that I want to see without feeling gouged. Rather than looking at artists I want to see, and then going where they're playing, I've begun looking at Underground Arts list to see who is going THERE that I want to see. I hope so badly that this place remains just as it is right now. read more

Came here for a comedy show the whole way from North Carolina a few days ago. I was having a great time until I went to use the bathroom and an employee harassed me for using a bathroom labeled "they" and told me it was the wrong bathroom. It was the only bathroom door labeled and was titled as a gender neutral bathroom so I was completely taken back that the employee harassed and berated me until I left. It was completely unprofessional and bigoted. If a transgender or gender neutral person were to use that bathroom feeling like it was a safe space, then were treated like this it could be incredibly dehumanizing. There were no labels on any doors other than "they" on the bathroom I entered. Coming from N.C. to PA I definitely would've expected this back home, not at an artsy venue in Philadelphia. Will definitely be sharing my story with others who consider attending a show here. read more

The drinks are terrible and incredibly overpriced. A beer on tap was $9 and so was a crappy cocktail. They don't even have a full bar and charge these prices. I ordered 2 drinks with double shots and it was $32. The alcohol was watered down. Over $100 for 2 people to park ($12), enter for a band that sucked ($30), and drink 3 drinks each($66). Save your money and go eat some fine dining at that price. read more

I've ventured to Underground Arts two times now to see one concert with The Helio Sequence and the other with Hooray For Earth. This venue is a bit off the beaten path in Spring Garden, but the trek is certainly worth it. Walk down the flight of stairs and a spacious yet intimate venue lays before you. Both the Black Box and the main concert area have great sound and sight lines. Throw in bars with friendly bartenders and a killer craft beer list and you have yourself an epic entertainment hub. read more

Underground Arts - Keepin' our eyes ahead with The Helio Sequence. - Performing Arts Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Saw a show here. Cover was reasonable, $15, for three sets. Parking in lot across the street is $10. The two bartenders were friendly and utilized a convenient check system that allows customers to easily keep tabs open all night and with the option to automatically tip on a scanned card, you never have to worry about accidentally leaving your card behind, or having to wait in long lines for the sole purpose of closing out. Menu items included two vegetable rolls for $5, or three spicy chicken soft tacos for $6. Most beers are $6, and a coke is a very reasonable $2 (though heavy on the ice, just like anywhere else). The acoustics are somewhat mushed due to being underground in an echo chamber, and some sightlines are skewed by the building's large foundation pillars. Plastic chairs are uncomfortable to sit in for more than 20 minutes. However, this venue is altogether a neat and clean new space and I was satisfied on all counts, really. The management does do an exceptional job with the concept. The venue security was five or six deep which surprised me because the clientele on the particular night I went was middle aged and mature, not a lot of 20-somethings. I suppose their presence is having a positive effect in that they are making sure this club stays safe and doesn't develop a reputation. read more

This place is small but offers a big variety of performances. I have been here twice and had a great seat both times, good mozzarella sticks. read more

I like the overall basement feel of Underground Arts. I came here this fall to see P-Funk. There is a lot of room, and a side area with chairs and a second bar (this might only be open if the show sells out. It was pretty easy to get a drink, and drinks were fairly reasonably priced. The sound was okay, and you had a pretty good view as long and you didn't stick yourself behind one of those large columns. read more

Chill vibe, industrial-style layout, decent sound system, unique beer selection. Went here for the Trippy Turtle show last night in the main room and got way more drunk than anticipated (thanks to the $4 Narragansett pounders). I enjoyed the performances and was able to get right up to the stage pretty much during the whole show, though the pillars were a little oddly placed and hard to see around. Bathrooms were pretty big, as clean as they could be, and had an attendant. The other room in the back with another bar looked cool and all neon-lit with some topless chick roaming around. Wanted to check it out, but it was a different event and required another cover. I can imagine people try to skip covers and say they're doing one show when they're really doing the other, but this place is crawling with dudes scoping out wristbands and hand stamps, so be forewarned. The wait for the main bar towards the end of the night took a little longer than it should've. But with only 2 bartenders in what seems to be a very crudely put together makeshift bar, I waited patiently. Like I said, $4 pounders are always a plus and there was a nice variety of different craft brews (don't bother getting a regular sized Miller Lite for the same price). The city-wide special was $7, which is way more expensive as opposed to other places that offer it for $4 or $5. Not a 3-star establishment cause the vibe is just too cool to pass up on, but took off a star for the drinks not being that cheap and for the lack of seating. read more

Really dug this newer venue. Came here one night to check it out and enjoyed some straight up house music. Had a great time. Perfect place to people watch...all kinds come out to this place and it's glorious. Bar was cool with trendy lights and whatnot. I saw that they even offer bar food which is a plus in case you're stahhving. I'm now on their e-mail list serve so I can check out any upcoming shows that catch my interest. Would definitely go back. It's soooo underground. read more

I came by the other week to catch Earthless, the show was killer and the venue was what it should be. UA is located in a cement floor basement of a building. It's pretty dark, the sound is decent and there's plenty of room to move about. The bands typically have merch tables in the back and there's a second bar behind the music venue if you need a break from the music and want to talk over a drink. The crowd is usually pretty chill as well. My only complaint is the huge pillars that can obstruct the view, but hey this place place is what it is, and they get great bands to play here as well. The staff are also very cool. I've seen tortoise, Burn, Earthless and American Nightmare here and every show was outstanding. Looking forward to seeing the mighty Fu Manchu in May !!! I soo regret not coming to see High on fire when they played here....lets hope they come back again!! read more

Very cool venue! Saw HR from Bad Brains there a couple weeks ago. Could use a better beer selection though. read more

Underground Arts - HR playing with I Yahn I Arkestra! - Performing Arts Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Fine okay place but sound system is too bass heavy and they bother to maintain a huge beer list chalkboard o the wall behind the bar but purposely don't list their prices of drafts, cans or bottles to get you to spend more money, or have to ask what stuff costs? What? Also their drafts are 14 oz not 16, and their prices are twice what you'd normally pay at any bar ie if a kenzinger is normally $3 and a pbr is $2, a kenzinnger here is $6 and a tiny 12 oz can of pbr is $4 which is fine but argh bollocks at least tell ppl what they're paying. Easy way for drunk ppl to run up their tabs. Unfair and shiesty. read more

i've seen two shows here now, and I really can't get behind this place when Philadelphia has so many better music venues. There is a natural echo chamber going on and it sort of boggles my mind that no one involved with the design opted to just put some soundproofing up to try and alleviate the problem. When a band is performing, the whole thing sounds muddled. Friends who have seen live shows here all tell me the same thing, whether it's muddy vocals or a lead guitar they can barely make out in the mix. The space itself, too, is awkward with the stage slightly off center and a huge pillar resting in the middle of the room. It really pains me to see great live bands like Hold Steady opting for Underground Arts when Union Transfer is a stone's throw away. Hell, even PhilaMOCA is a better space than this. I suppose I'm in the minority, but I really hope UA does some more work with this space. Right now it just feels unfinished. read more

Came here for the first time on 12/1 to see Negative Approach and Leftover Crack. This was my first time coming to this venue and probably my last. Not only did I not realize this was an all ages show, but I didn't see any signs telling me I couldn't take my beer into the main room. The girl checking ID's was on a power trip. Like I said, with this being my first time at this venue, not seeing any signs, and not realizing this was an all ages show, I started to walk out with my beer towards the main room and felt someone aggressively grab my arm and pull me back into the room and yelled " can't take your drink! " There's definitely a better way to get your point across without putting your hands on someone. Needless to say that was the last $8 PBR I bought. Anytime I'd catch eyes with this girl she was giving me dirty looks. For some reason this miserable tw*t had a problem with me the whole night. What's also confusing is you were able to bring drinks onto the floor once the last band played. I would rather pay extra for a botlbus and head two hours to New York to see a band play instead of seeing them at this venue. read more

Listen. If it wasn't for $14 bottom-shelf doubles, sketchy sound, and even sketchier layout, I'd like the place. But facts are facts - there are better smaller venues in Philly. read more

Pretty neat basement venue in Philly. The room is loud and the sight lines can be iffy if the room is crowded, but overall it seems to be a good vibe. Street parking can be tough in the area but there appears to be a well lit lot across the street. read more

It's a neat venue. Except the beers are in 12 ounce cups, so even the drafts are smaller than any other venue I've been to. Since it's smaller (and in a basement) than anywhere else, it's a bit louder when you're in the front (well, more like seven people from the front), but I don't think this affected my experience at all. All concerts are loud. I didn't have a bad or great experience. It was somewhere in the middle. It was just a concert. Nothing bad happened. Nothing great happened. Nothing happened to make me think Underground Arts is a bad place to see a show, but nothing happened to make me think it's better than anywhere else I've been. read more

We completely missed the Clean Bandit performance because my drunk ass wouldn't leave the previous bar on my birthday! However, we still had so much fun at this place - the bartender asked us if we wanted pancakes as we were about ready to leave...and it was a done deal. We were randomly served pancakes, and as we were drinking our CityWide special..a random burlesque show came on haahahaha. We saw feathers, glitter, tassels, banana hammocks...you name it. This was a great surprise for my birthday. I love coming to this spot for shows - they have good performances roll through here pretty often. Check it out when you have a chance! read more

Always a fun time at this venue. We have seen multiple bands and last night went to the art show with pancakes. We love the atmosphere of this place. You see a variety of people and everyone is welcoming. Seeing a show here is great because you will be extremely close to the artist regardless of where you are in the crowd. read more

Such a fun venue. I've been to three different events here; a private party, a book premiere and concert, and Drunken Piano. All three were unique and really fun. The venue seems really versatile and spacious, and the staff is really friendly and professional. Downsides would be that it doesn't seem to be handicap accessible and the bar doesn't always seem super well stocked. Also, I wish they'd bring back Foundation. read more

Not a bad venue at all. Been here a couple times for different performances. Pretty spacious. They have two separate areas with different bars and a nice sized stage on the main side. The décor and everything is pretty cool. They have like a fake electric chair that's crazy but somehow the top part got taken off. Uh yea, this the type of place you grab a tall PBR and just enjoy whatever the entertainment is for the night. Finding parking in the area can be a little tricky but not too crazy. read more

Loved my first time at this venue last night! With cheap tickets, plus great beers on tap for Beer Week, on top of a great crowd, this is an awesome place to go for live music. read more

I love the intimacy of this venue. Saw Banks here on Saturday night. The sound here is good- not eardrum shattering like at some concert venues. However, be warned that the stage is not always visible from the back of the audience. Makes it feel like you're watching a show in someone's basement (not always a bad thing!) read more

Was here for Gene Ween plays Billy Joel the other night. This venue is such a hole, but that's what gives it a good vibe! Descend two flights of stairs to the box office. The venue space features two bars, a small stage, and a large floor for the audience. Despite the creepy basement vibe and lack of fire exits I felt right at home here! It has a similar vibe to Johnny Brenda's, or the Dolphin. They had a ton of shows advertised - I'll be sure to check them out! read more

Cool newer venue on the Philly music/arts scene. Saw Fishbone here back in June. Nice size place but I wasn't a big fan of the acoustics as the sound wasn't that great. They have a bar with limited alcohol and few craft beers on tap at decent prices. I would see another band here and hope the sound was better. read more