It's a pretty cool new venue, but it doesn't compare to the Knitting Factory. The stage at Cargo is A LOT smaller and so is the venture as a whole. The restrooms are clean though and they have nice seating at the back. I don't like how when you're waiting in line for a show, you're on the sidewalk and in everyone's way, the Ally Way at the Knitting Factory was a lot more convenient. read more

Cargo - Waiting in line for GETTER in the rain - Music Venues Near Me - Reno, Nevada

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Had my first experience at Cargo last Friday when my wife, son and I saw St. Paul & the Broken Bones play, and I have to say I was impressed. First off, we arrived about 20 min prior to the show but the line moved quickly and we had already purchased our tickets and had them in hand so we were inside in just a few minutes. The show was sold out or nearly so, so I got into line for the bar while my wife and son staked out a good spot about midway into the crowd on the right. The wait for the bar was the only negative- it wasn't from lack of service though. It to me 35 minutes to make my way up to the bar but at least the sound is good and I was able to listen to the opening act Sean Rowe, who did a great job. Most people patiently waited in line but there are always some who scam in on the end of the bar. My advice to Cargo is to have maybe another bartender and to ignore those people who try to slip in from the sides, but once I got up to the bar I saw how quickly and efficiently they were back there- I think there were 3 bartenders and a barback. The woman that served me was especially impressive- don't know her name but she was wearing a vintage hat- she had no wasted movements and was friendly. Best of all, the bar prices are reasonable- 2 cocktails for $11 and they were mixed perfectly. They had a smaller bar with just beer on the opposite wall but they were out of any decent beer by about 10pm- they just had Coors Light by then. The sound was great! I am a DJ by trade and the balance was right on- tricky when you think that there are 6 musicians with completely differing sound profiles up there for SP&tBB. The bass was a bit light but I think that is more about the player than the mix. Volume was pretty spot on. I had a bit of fuzziness after the show but no ringing. If we had arrived earlier and had been in front where the arrays would not have been so powerful we could have relied more on the monitors and saved a few inner ear hairs but the overall experience was great. I think the people seated in the back may have had the best audio experience but I'd rather be as close as possible to Paul Janeway, who is a showman extraordinaire. I think I have a new favorite music venue. Thanks Cargo! read more

I've been here for a few shows and always have a good time. The sound is a million times better than The Knitting Factory was, even if the space is smaller. Drinks are served quickly and accurately. Smoking section outside is too small. read more

Please see review about the Airborne Toxic Event show at the Whitney Peak on 10-16-2015. Venue problems, security problems, and more. read more

Cargo - The Airborne Toxic Event on 10-16-2015 - Music Venues Near Me - Reno, Nevada

Love this venue. So close to the stage and I always feel safe. The lines to the bathrooms and bar are not very long and tickets are affordable. I like the fact my water and beers weren't open, no chance of the dreaded "roofie", keep the rock coming Cargo! read more

Great place to see a small show! Really enjoyed this venue. No issues at all! The crowd was great. It was partial seating which I liked. The drinks were good too. Great prices! read more

Cargo - Music Venues Near Me - Reno, Nevada

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Great show tonight with Ballyhoo and Common Kings... Unfortunately should of been reversed, common should of opened for Ballyhoo!!! Those boys kick ass! read more

Cargo has a great sound system, yet the shows seem to often be overly crowded. Still a great place to rock out.

The place isn't as big as I expected but the names they pull in are unbeatable for the entry fee the drinks are over priced but that is to be expected lights are cool. I always have a good time :) read more

Has the potential to be a great venue but the management and casino are too greety. If they can't make a killing on each show they will cancel the show at a moment's notice. read more

Have been to Cargo many times but when one of the bartenders accuses you of stealing tip money that came from your own wallet while switching from cash to credit payment, and then telling you to "fill your water bottle with toilet water" that's a new low. Over priced drinks and awful service is not my kind of place. No thanks. read more

As an audiophile, I am in love with Cargo. They probably have one of the best sound systems west of the Mississipp' for their venue type. If you work in music, you can appreciate the thoughtfulness and absolute dopeness of the setup, and way that the music is evenly heard throughout the space. It's like angels ascending into the sky...la la la la la la laaaaa. read more

Despite my experience the first time with Cargo, I've been to the venue several times after that. I'm impressed with the talent that they are bringing to Reno- a lot of indie bands that I'd have to travel to see in places like Vegas or San Francisco. Civil Twilight... The Airborne Toxic Event... Lake Street Dive. Keep up the good work, Cargo! read more

Had a great time on a Tuesday Night when we attended a Paul Thorn concert. We purchased VIP SEATED tickets, which I absolutely loved. We had stayed away from the standing room only shows, I'm just too old to stand up for two hours! No problem getting drinks at the bar. Paul Thorn was excellent and hung out with the audience afterwards, taking photos and signing shirts. Will definitely go back for a seated show. read more

Awesome new venue! Space is nice, sound is good (but not great), and the staff was surprisingly friendly. We saw Galactic here with Ivan Neville and Karl Denson, and it wasn't too crowded either, which often happens at other venues...the Knitting Factory, for instance, always oversells their tickets and you can't even move in the place. Not so here, there was plenty of room to dance. I'll be returning for the Old Crow Medicine Show, which is a different kind of show, and I'll update my review then...maybe it needs that 5th star? read more

The place is TINY I'm guessing it can comfortably fit 300-400 people, I guess it's a good place for some private shows and private parties, not really a venue I would frequent much, just don't see how they can compete with all the much bigger venues like Reno Event Center or Convention Center. read more

I saw the premiere of Tight Loose here a few weeks ago and it seemed like a nice venue. Great beer selection and cool looking bar.

Just saw Old Crow Medicine Show here the other night! man what a good show! they killed it. Cargo was a small venue but the crowd was awesome! Best concert I've been to in awhile. read more

Very fun and friendly staff for such a small hole in the wall concert hall. Down fall was the bathroom had no toilet paper in any of the stalls and no paper towels read more

Caught a great show here last night, first time I've been here. Didn't wait long in line for doors to open, and security was very nice and helpful. The venue has a cool atmosphere and is very well set up. It was nice and cool all evening from good air conditioning which is always a plus. Bar seemed cool, it's set away from the stage and large with two bartenders working all night. Sound was really great for a smaller venue, I was pleasantly surprised. Overall I'm very happy with this place and will definitely be coming back for more shows in the future. read more

We had our first visit to Cargo for the James McMurtry show last week and were sorely disappointed! First, you should know your audience demographic whe you set up a show like this. Most of the audience were in the over 40 crowd and do not enjoy standing up for 3+ hours! We were lucky enough to grab seats in the back but the quality of the sound was so bad that we left after about 4 songs! I will not be returning to Cargo nor will I recommend it to my friends. read more

I almost feel bad doing this cause the club has great sound and lights... But, they pulled me aside and searched me..for no reason. Of course I had nothing on me. As I am a professional. But it ruined my night after spending plenty of money at their bar... No excuse... Spend your time elsewhere. read more

This venue seemed awesome when I first got there and I'd love to give it 4 star, but I can't based on my only experience there. The show was SO crowded, I have to assume it was oversold. I've been to hundreds of concerts at small venues in my life and this was one of the worst in regards to capacity. My husband got us two drinks when we first got there and left his card open to make it easier and faster for the bar. It quickly became so crowded it was hard to move at all. It was so uncomfortable. He eventually had to go back to get his card before we left to get his card and another drink and it literally took 20mins to get it. There is only one bar and the bartenders were very slow, making it even worse. As far as having a cool venue in reno with good live music- cargo is great and the sound was great too. I hesitate going back as it's not fun to be packed in as tight as we were. I have a feeling people that worked there put friends on guest list and if a Fire Marshall came, someone would be in trouble. Otherwise, venue is nice. read more

I had the pleasure of playing cargo last week for a benefit concert. Very impressed with the layout, the lighting system was state of the art as well as the sound system. It was nice to have a sound guy and a monitor guy, especially ones who knew what they were doing. You can tell everyone working on the crew belonged there. The room is comfortable but has the size for bigger shows without feeling like a cavern if it's not at capacity like other venues. Staff was friendly and the drinks were priced reasonably. For a new venue, they are taking all the right steps to be the go to place for bigger acts in town while still respecting the local scene. Looking forward to seeing and hopefully playing more shows there. read more

In total disbelief with this place. No one had told us that there were no backpacks allowed inside the venue so the security told us "not our problem" and we had to leave our bags outside on the ground and in the end IT GOT STOLEN!!!!! Show some professionalism. So disappointed. read more

So we went to see Trampled by Turtles this weekend. It was our first time going to Cargo and had no expectations. First of all, the entrance process was a nightmare and took forever. The girl selling tickets was nice, but SUPER slow. Security guys were nice, but slowed down the entrance process too. Once inside, we decided to head to the bar - silly idea. Line was 12 deep, with 3 bartenders trying to serve 300 people, They ran out of everything, except Coors light. The beers the bar back did bring out were warm. It took about 45 minutes to get 2 beers. As a concert place, this venue is horrible - Knit is much better - I don't care what anyone else says. We finally left the place and had drinks at the Heritage bar. At least, they had cold beer. Cargo needs to do some work in terms of hiring staff, ordering enough booze for a show, and reorganize the layout. As it stands, it is really lame. read more

I'm LIVID! Worked as a volunteer for the Off Beat venue on 11/7/2015 in Cargo and asked the bartender for a GLASS OF WATER. Bartender, Caroline refused even though she had just given friend a glass. This was NOT bottled water, it was a glass. Way to go! This hotel has been promoted as a family-friendly resort yet it is encouraging drunk driving? Are you so money hungry that a VOLUNTEER can't get water? Unbelievable! You've lost my family's business. read more

Cargo books great up and coming talent. I really enjoyed Houndmouth's performance. The sound people did a good job, the stage was well lit, and the acoustics were surprisingly good. The floors were cement; there were old pieces of gum stuck to the floor and beer stains here and there. There were a few uncomfortable backless aluminum stools, so you can stand on hard cement or sit and be uncomfortable. They have a bar that serves beer, beer, and more beer. There is nothing warm to drink, which doesn't sound like a big deal until you walk half a block from their parking garage in sub zero wind chill factor and only have a choice of ice cold beer or ice cold water. "Lumberjacks" hang out here; they stand at the back and talk at levels loud enough to compete with their loud plaids. If you are big into the underground warehouse/industrial casual/urban logger thing, this is your place. The rest of us just wish there were comfortable chairs, a more diverse bar, and a pinch less Paul Bunyan. read more

We saw Ziggy Marley last night. Excellent Concert, the band was sooo good. Now let me get to my point...the Cargo Bar, Its a big problem when you CANNOT SIT DOWN for 4 hours. No chairs or tables available. I wore high heels-which I regretted the minute I walked in because there is no re-entry once you are in. I had left a comfy pair of shoes in the car but could not get them, so we were stuck standing for 4 hours on a very sticky floor! Our feet stuck to the floor in our 4 inch platform shoes..today my feet are wrecked. If I ever go there again I will wear sneakers read more

Saw Jr. Brown at the Cargo. All in all it was a great show. The Cargo is a nice size small venue and the place was packed. We were lucky enough to get in line fairly early and sat third row center. Well, we thought we were lucky. One would think that in a venue this size there would be no bad seats. But it turns out that the vocals were not clear where we were sitting. Either it was the FOH engineer's doing (or not doing), or more probably, what appeared to be an awesome sound system was actually flawed. I suspect that the huge hanging side line arrays were situated such that the HF and MF dispersion angles missed the center front of the audience, leaving a dead spot. The result was that the vocals were not clear because we were missing key frequencies. So, our good seats turned out to be not so good. This problem can easily be fixed by installing a center array or even with a couple speakers sitting on the stage like monitors, but but pointing back to the audience to fill in the dead spot. Hopefully, they will get their act together, but the sound system flaw won't prevent me from coming to back to see an artist I like. read more