3.5 stars.
I dislike large venues when it comes to shows, but Kesselhaus (KH) did a decent job appeasing most of my gripes.
1. Large venues = not-so-good acoustics. In this case, KH is like the others. While the sound wasn't horrible, it was hard to hear everything (e.g. couldn't hear the singer well) and sometimes overwhelming with the bass.
2. Large = sterile-looking. On the contrary, KH is visually appealing. A former functional boiler house, many of its apparatuses remained. The additions of metallic chandeliers and colorful neon lights make the venue eye-catching.
3. Packed house in a large venue = full-blown short-person disadvantage (i.e. one sways his/her head back and forth between the crevices of two taller people to catch a glimpse of the performers). We went to a sold-out show, so it was packed. But KH impressed me. On one side of the venue, there was an elevated part with stairs. We were lucky enough to find a place to stand on the stairs, and I no longer had the short-person disadvantage. There is also a balcony (perhaps for guest lists), but it is situated far back from the stage.
4. Large = pricey. That holds for KH. read more