I've been to St David's hall a couple of times now, mainly for comedians like Ross Noble and Sean Lock. As a venue, it plays hosts to a huge variety of acts and entertainment. In the coming week alone you can see acts as varied as Stan Stennett (?), Brian Conley, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Roy Chubby Brown. It's not the most aesthetically interesting or pleasing venue in Cardiff, being beaten hands down by the Millenium Centre in the Bay, but it nevertheless remains the favoured venue for most acts, probably due to it's slightly larger seating capacity of 2000 (as opposed to 1897 in the Millenium Centre). It still hosts the annual Welsh Proms aswell. My own experiences have all gone pretty smooth, with very little queuing and helpful, professional staff. I suppose it's good that there's nothing of note I can really say here, as the things that would tend to stick in your mind about something as general as a concert hall would in all likelihood have been bad experiences anyway. It's a top venue though and it's important to Cardiff as a city to have somewhere encouraging the arts and being constantly active in doing so. read more

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I have always found St David's Hall to be a little bit of a strange venue. That's not to say it's not good. Just odd. I think that's because it was, when built, quite a modern design, and that design was not universal enough to quite stand the test of time. What remains is an odd mixture of wood, green carpets and wide areas which make sense when they're full of people, but which are just tired when not. That being said, the selection of music, comedy, ballet and theatre in this venue is great. The theatre itself is vast, but seems much more intimate because of their carefully tiered seating. Seats encompass the stage, and there is a massive organ on display. Unfortunately, I've always found this venue to a little dampening to sound. Or the speakers aren't loud enough, or something. A good venue though. read more

St David's Hall - Music Venues Near Me - Cardiff, CRF

Located right in the heart of Cardiff in the pedestrianised Hayes area of the city centre, St David's Hall is the 2,000-seat National Concert Hall and Conference Centre of Wales, well known for its excellent acoustics. With lots of orchestral concerts, children's shows and other entertainment, it's a venue most Cardiff residents will have been to at some point. When it was built, the architects had quit a challenge on their hands because they wer tasked with designing a building that would squeeze a 2,000 seat concert hall into what was essentially a very tight space - and fit it into an already partially built shopping centre. It took five years to complete, and sits over the St David's Centre shopping mall, and while it may not be the most beautiful creation it does offer a great space with fantastic acoustics. It has a busy calendar of live music (jazz, pop, rock, folk, etc), theatre productions, free exhibitions, music and drama workshops, and conferences. It's also home to the annual Welsh Proms, the Orchestral Concert Series (featuring world class orchestras), and the famous BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition, amongst other major events. It's also open to the public just to go in and use the lounge bars and restaurant, during the day or evening. read more

St David's Hall - Music Venues Near Me - Cardiff, CRF

Now to be honest, St David's Hall never looked like an oil painting from the outside and I think they knew this. So that's why a couple of blueprint designs later they come up with a new jazzy design on the front that makes it more appealing and more importantly lets you know what the actual place is. St David's Hall has been around for a long time now and has had some exceptional shows. Its main shows are cultural music and it's one of the main places where the BBC National Orchestra of Wales plays. However, there is something for everybody as it has shown children's shows in the past and even contemporary comedy gigs from top comedians like Ross Noble. They have had mystical shows from the well-known Derren Brown, which is always a delightful and intriguing show to watch. It's a beautiful auditorium that has a 2,000-seat capacity. At the interval you can purchase drinks at the full bar they provide. They even offer for you to reserve your drinks in the interval to beat the queue. St David's Hall is a classic and wonderful venue which I am sure will be around for many years to come producing excellent shows. read more

St David's Hall - Music Venues Near Me - Cardiff, CRF

St David's Hall is an edifice of key importance to cultural welfare of the city of Cardiff. Impressive though it is, it's not all grandure and swank, but instead plays a vital role in providing a seemly environment in which important performances are brought to life. Without it, Cardiff would be much the poorer, with so few venues offering the public live music performances. Akin in stature to Colston Hall and St Georges Hall in Bristol the stage here is regularly graced with people of international import. This includes iconic pop starts and symphony orchestras. The Millenium Stadium is all very well, befitting the Streophonics and boy bands, but St David's possesses a cultural currency that would not stoop to feign do barter with the likes of Simon and Louis, preserving admirably in a time of cultural decadence! read more

Whilst I have not been a regular concert goer at the hall for orchestral concerts for I think I know a good venue when I see one. The seats behind the orchestra are a good way of seeing a conductor at work and having the sound of the orchestra undiluted they are also the least expensive seats in the hall these seats are not available when a choir is performing. And as they are basically designed for choral use there are no arm rests and the seats are close together if you are tall then book a seat at the end of a row to allow room for your legs. The other inexpensive seats are 'up in the gods' they are excellent for sound but some people have complained of fear of heights due to the angle of the seats to the platform. It seems about 45 degrees but it doesn't bother me as I don't suffer vertigo. You are faced with the choice inexpensive seats which means that you can attend many more concerts for the same money or seats in comfort and fewer concerts. I tend to opt for the cheaper seats and get to as many concerts as possible. read more

It's ugly ugly ugly - from the outside but we all now beauty on the inside is what counts and if that's the case then St David's Hall is a supermodel wearing a fat suit - well a supermodel from the 80's anyway. It's a bit like Dr Who's tardis - when you go in there is plenty of space and several spaces including the main concert hall which is pretty much busy all year round and its very central. If you're a fan of live events then you'd be missing out if you didn't register with their website for free email updates. read more

The one and only time I have visited St David's Hall was for the Ed Byrnes tour last year. Thank God I was with someone who had been there before as I think I'd still be lost in there now. Geography, as my lovely will tell you, is not my strong point. That and climbing 15 flights of stairs to get to the nosebleed seats... The layout is wonderfully modern with an air of class about it. The actual theatre is fantastic and despite being in the 'nose bleed' seats the view was great. Seats were comfortable and spaced enough for a man of length not to get cramped up. The staff like in most theatres are friendly and helpful. Bar staff as well were incredibly quick (I think it must be a theatre thing, I wish they'd work in normal bars too.) All in all, the venue really leant itself well to the overall experience of the gig. read more

Yes the building and décor are a little dated, but as Jamie mentioned, there's just something about St Davids hall, which means it retains a sense of class. The venue is ideally located right in the city centre, and it's months and months next too the building site for St Davids 2, have finally paid off, as there are now parking places in abundance right on its doorstep. The events which are shown here are generally either comedians on tour, classical concerts, and at Christmas a Russian or Eastern European ballet company generally perform one of the classic ballets such as Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, or the incredibly seasonal Nut cracker, which I would highly recommend even if ballet's not really your thing (you never know you might enjoy it, and the atmosphere's magical). St David's hall very rarely has any pop or rock acts, it's Catherine Jenkins not Kasabian. I'll be honest the crowd who come here are awfully middle class, but given the acts this place attracts that's not too surprising. A great venue, and a real Cardiff institution. read more

A luxurious theatre hall; very often orchestras perform with astonishing talent, there can be musicals, operas, choir performances and many, many more shows performed here, I'm sure... A defiant must for the want of some brilliant flair of some of the best entertainment in town! This is a very high and tall building, with hundreds of seats to fill a great number of floor levels. It works during all seasons and has a fair few Christmas related shows in December each year. One famous one is Saint David's Praise, one hundred percent ideal for those who are religious and who love to sing the Christian Christmas songs to add a lovely, festive touch of winter warmth into their hearts. I have even had the chance to sing in a Christian choir group that I had been rehearsing with and even sang a tiny bit of a song on my own, as each of a few girls did. It was great! But very nerve racking, and hot. I recommend it to all adults from ages 16 - 80+. read more

Until the Millennium Centre was built, Saint David's Hall was the premier performance space in Cardiff centre and, even now, commands a prestige that the other spaces cannot. Placed in the Hayes, next to the newly built St. David's 2 Centre, the building dominates the area with its gigantic twin screens and speaker system playing whatever performance is currently going on. The hall has an extensive and varied program, catering for opera buffs, musicians and music aficionados, art exhibitions, stand-up comedians, dramatics and anything else of the artistic bent you can conceive. Every item on the program I've ever seen there has been of incredible quality and, happily, the hall has managed to remain thoroughly unpretentious, billing The Nutcracker alongside The Blues Brothers touring show with equal fanfare. Not only that, the hall is a great resource for the city, housing exhibitions and displays from local causes, such as local teenagers community magazine "The Sprout", which held a gathering in several of the rooms this summer. All in all, one of the roses of the city. read more

St David's Hall is arguably one of the best music venues in the city, offering a wide selection of entertainment to suit all ages and tastes. I came here for the first time in June, when I sat in the front row to watch Elvis Costello, thanks to a fortuitous bid on an ever-fickle Ebay auction. It doesn't possess the sheen or grandiosity of the Wales Millennium Centre, but the multi-level St David's Hall has charms of its own, like a laid-back vibe and a fine selection of food. At one point, Mr Costello even perched on the edge of the stage, legs swinging, and it felt like we were in someone's front room instead of a musical theatre. For such a packed gig, there was a distinct intimate feeling, reinforced by the lack of stoic security in the forefront. The food offering here isn't too shabby, either, and the selection is more varied than you'd get at competing venues. With tasty delights beyond every stairway, St David's Hall has two bars on Level 3 and 5, the Celebrity Restaurant and Gallery on Level 1 and the newly refurbished Art Café Celf. Sweets, soft drinks and ice cream are available on Level 2 during a variety of concerts and events. read more

Saint David's Hall reminds me of Christmas in Cardiff. I think this is because we used to go there at Christmas, but I can't be sure. It tends to be where comedians will do their Cardiff stop on their UK tours, and it offers every other form of stage-based entertainment you can think of. It's home to classical music, ballet, plays, opera, concerts and gigs, speeches etc. etc. etc. The main draw of Saint David's Hall is the intimacy of it. The stage is relatively low and the seating seems to surround it. It really feels like a traditional theatre experience when you're up in a side of the higher tier looking down at the stage. I think these seats may even be a cheaper option and I'd say I prefer them to enjoy whatever it is I'm watching. I saw Jethro Tull here not so long ago. Ian Anderson had no hair left, but he still did that thing with his leg when he played the flute. Wicked gig! read more

While nowhere near as big as the Millennium Stadium and not as renowned as the CIA, the St David's Hall is a great venue to watch live entertainment in Cardiff. Somewhat overlooked by many city-goers, St David's Hall has had many headline acts pass through its doors over the years, from rock legend, Robert Plant, to foul-mouthed funny man, Roy 'Chubby' Brown. Situated within walking distance of the brand new St David's 2 renovation, St David's Hall is in a prime location for Cardiff regulars should they want to drop in and check out what upcoming acts the venue has on its books. With a variety of comedians, musicians and entertainers constantly lined up to perform, St David's Hall is an arena well worth checking up on. read more

St David's hall is an amazing venue to have in such a small city. It may not be the most beautiful, and it is rather confusing, but we are so lucky. I've experience of the hall both as a performer, a stage hand and as an audience member. I must say that as a performer I always wondered at the multiple balcony element instead of the usual circles. Until I sat in the audience - pretty much every seat has a good view. It is a good size - not as small as a Victorian theatre, but then not as huge and impersonal as some of these big arenas or stadiums. I do have one main issue with the place though. I always get lost. Always. There are many floors, and with the multiple tiers and mezzanines you may go in one door and on one floor and come out somewhere completely different. The art exhibition inside is really lovely, but it means almost extra walls so you can't even orient yourself! Last time I was in the auditorium was packed. Totally full. If it had rafters the audience would have been up to them. So when it came to leaving there was a definite sheep effect. It was so busy you couldn't really see over people. Anyway, I gave in and followed the crowd - and ended up in the bowels of the building near a boiler room. It was a chance to meet the performers I suppose, as we wandered past dressing rooms in a long line. They have all sorts going on there and as a venue it is great. Just take your sat nav! read more

It's all very well when the Stereophonics play the Millennium Stadium and the X Factor invades the CIA, but St David's is where the heart and soul of music and comedy really lives. Sometimes it is difficult for venues to attract the best comedians as London seems to snap them up and hold on to them for long periods. How impressive then, to see St David's hosting the likes of Mark Watson, Ross Noble and Reginald D Hunter, to name just a few. The range of events in St David's is varied; kids shows, ageing rock bands, classical orchestras. Ticket prices vary between shows but expect to pay £20 + for a good comedian on tour. St David's offers little in terms of looks - it is a modern and uninspiring building - but has someone in charge with a good brain and a good team. They're attracting some good events and long may it continue. read more

St David's Hall is your slightly smaller, cuter venue when compared to the CIA. You will find acts performing here if they aren't confident enough that they will fill the CIA and this provides for a nicer, more intimate show experience. It is a little old fashioned as venues go, but is is quaint. Some call it an eyesore, but it's about the shows that it puts on that count. Besides the point there are no other venues around, St David's Hall will pull in some big names. I have seen WIll Young here once and had a great time, no matter where you could be seated, you were in for a great experience, far superior than that of a huge arena. They put on many comedy and music acts here, just grab a what's on guide to see what St David's Hall has in store for you this month. read more

Ironically I am an insider of St David's Hall since I work there part-time, I have been there for more than a year so I have some insight of the whole venue. The place has events all over the week, mostly classical music and loads of tribute bands. It is also very visited by comedians as well. The building comprises of 6 floors. The good things about the venue is that it is ideally located into town, has got good facilities and a good staff as well. It has that feeling of an old home, all carpeted with good seating areas. It also has a restaurant there along with an art gallery, full with Welsh artwork, a Coffee shop and two Bars. The big bad part of it is that it is old! It opened in 1983 and hasn't seen any upgrade to the building so far. The only upgrade being made is the façade, because of Cardiff's redevelopment as a major European town it is also affecting the older places, which in a way it is very good. The Auditorium could be better, but as I said it is old. About prices, as I work in the bar I can tell you that it is a bit expensive when you compare with the other bars in town, but well one may understand that it is the main why the Hall makes any money. Just for you to compare a pint of Carling is around £2.80. A tip, if you want Coke buy a bottle, it is the same price as a glass (you get more) and you can take it inside the auditorium. Oh! And do make interval orders, you wouldn't imagine how busy it gets during half-time. read more

Excellent theatre, unusual layout of seating but works very well, the stage is surrounded by seating but not always in use, came here twice already and what a great place this theatre is located, being that the very heart of the city, opposite this well established theatre is a very new shopping complex with top brand stores. Cardiff is a beautiful city and the Welsh are a nice culture too. The theatre holds many performances without the year and very affordable, the local town folk must love this place. read more

I really agree with the post by Tommowinnie - the ascoustics in St Davids Hall certainly leave a lot to be desired. When built it was supposed to have 'perfect' acoustics - I've been greatly disappointed with the acoustics. Kyanos - old? - built in 1983! LOL Take a good look around Cardiff - it's one of the newer buildings. Shame about the acoustics though as I'm loathe to see performers there because of the dreadful acoustics. When you start wondering if you are going deaf because you can't hear a thing there is something wrong! read more

I love this theatre and it is so unbelievably central so within easy distance to bars and clubs..wonderful!! Probably my favourite venue to see a show. Last year we went and saw the latest Cirque du Soleil's creation: Varekai and were blown away! The venue itself is beautiful to behold, and walking in and up the stairs alone is an experience. It just feels so decadent, like a real treat. The seats are comfy and I think visibility must be amazing. We paid for good seats at the 2nd level lodges, but from what I could see the circular seating arrangement offers amazing viewpoints with no flaws to everyone! This coming January (2009) Quidam is coming to town and I'm definitely planning to go again. I can't wait to see the inside again! Oh, I have heard that there are guided tours on occasion. There are open orchestra sessions which are free to attend, but those are during the day and more appropriate for Imperial College students from around the corner. read more

I love St David's Hall! I love live events and I love St David's Hall for the variety and the calibre of the acts that perform at the venue. I have seen so many shows here ever since I was a child from orchestras to choirs to comedians to singers to ballets and (my favourite) Strictly Come Dancing dancers. I follow St David's Hall on Twitter and they are very good for Tweeting about upcoming events and from when you'll be able to book and I've been lucky in virtually always having good seats with an excellent view of the stage (one exception being watching Anton and Erin a few years ago from the very top but I booked very late binoculars would have been useful!). Personally I've always found the acoustics to be good but maybe that's because of where I've been sat. I usually park in John Lewis' car park (£2 to park all evening) and it's close to St David's Hall. The staff in St David's Hall are lovely and the facilities are really good. I know the Hall looks old now but it's clean and I've had so many wonderful evenings there it will probably always be my favourite venue. Even though it looks a tad dated, it still attracts brilliant performers and I've never had a bad experience there. As with many places, the ladies' toilets get quite busy during the intervals so if you're mobile, run down to the ones by the cloakroom because they're usually practically empty. read more

Get ready to giggle. There is no better venue in Cardiff for pulling in the biggest names on the comedy circuit and the funniest new faces to hit the scene. If you have a friend who can give you the names of some class acts, they will probably tell you to see John Bishop, Mark Watson, Dara O'Briain and Lenny Henry. Or, if they want to save themselves the effort of name-dropping, they will point you towards the St David's Hall guide. Indeed, a list of what's on at this venue is a who's who of the funny guys and girls. But if you don't feel the need for extra comedy in your life, check out their folk listings. Although still not the most fashionable of genres, the British folk scene is currently pumping out some absolutely fantastic acts, and luckily for us those lovely people at St David's Hall have their fingers firmly on the pulse. For those willing to dabble in the dark world of folk, the Seth Lakeman gig on October 28th will be the perfect way to break the scene. URBAN CHALLENGE: Sit on the front row for the comedy gigs read more

Lets get one thing straight from the outset I hate The St Davids Hall with an absolute passion. Years ago we were promised a venue to house the best music and performance the world has to offer. Instead we ended up with this eyesore. Not only is it ugly and disjointed in the auditorium it's got as much atmosphere as the Moon. So the only reason I go into this building is to see occasional wonderful and quirky performances on the different Levels. It's become a home for jazz, folk and the alt .music scene. This autumn there's a series of performances under the banner of Roots Unearthed. I'm going to see Chris Wood and Andy Cutting in a week or so and Lughnasa in November. Level 3 is a great venue for intimate performances and the knowledgeable audience are very appreciative of the performers. There's a bar too so you can have a drink while you watch the performance. The bar closes during the actual set though to keep the noise down but opens again during the interval. The cost of the tickets is reasonable too at about £12 if you buy them before the performance and £13 on the door. Rachel Unthank and Martin Simpson have also appeared there. read more

I've only ever seen comedians perform at St David's Hall and, while the seating layout and the stage are great, the sound quality leaves a lot to be desired. If you're sat at the sides and not directly in front of the stage, the delivery can sound muffled and often you find yourself laughing along with the bits of the crowd that have actually heard the joke even though you have no idea what's been said. Also, there's one main central staircase leading up to all levels, so it can take a while for the hord to leave and you can get pretty squished on the way out. There is a lot of art on display to take your mind off it and you can buy some of the stuff, if you've got the dough. It is a fab place though that brings a lot of diverse performers to the capital, which can never be a bad thing. It's also right in the city centre so you can easily pop for drinks before and after the performance. Tickets seem to sell out quickly, so inevitably i always end up with seats at the side. Aaaaargh. read more

St David's hall is well known for its opera, orchestral music and ballet that it puts on. It also hosts some really good comedy nights as well. I have seen several comedians here either in the bar area or in the actual concert hall, the bar area was intimate and fun for a stand up night. St David's has great sound quality and is never disappointing. read more

Found in the center of cardiff, St. David's hall offers a wide range of performances. From comedy, opera, ballet and even the occasional concert the venue has it all. Ticket prices are generally a fair price and the venue has an excellent disabled facility. Parking can be hard to find due to the location of the venue. read more

I used to live in Cardiff years ago and saw a few great acts here including Tina Turner, Millie Jackson, the Searchers and Jerry Lee Lewis. Essentially it's Cardiff's municipal all-purpose concert hall, their equivalent to the Colston Hall in Bristol where I live now, albeit a modern building not a Victorian one. Revisiting the establishment recently for a Legends of Welsh Wrestling (!) show I was able to renew my acquaintance with it. The ticket sales desks at ground level are not particularly well arranged but once you have your ticket you are soon into the upper reaches via what seems like a veritable maze of escalators. The general layout and design of the place is rather a jumble of seemingly randomly connected levels. Once inside the hall the postmodernist feel is repeated as the seats are strewn into a scattering of sections forming a sort of three-dimensional crazy paving. The overall feel of the fixtures and fittings is G-plan furniture, or do I mean IKEA? Anyone expecting Hulk Hogan or the like would have been disappointed by the wrestling superstars on show on my visit I only knew one of them (James Mason) and he wasn't Welsh! The crowd was more befitting of the local scout hut, numbers-wise, but all in all I must say I had a very enjoyable time and heartily approve of halls like this still putting on wrestling shows even though nobody must make a penny out of it. Seating all round the ring, including the choir area, makes for a really good venue for wrestling, and I had a great view from a box seat almost overhanging the action. read more

The best part about St David's hall is the proximity it is to the centre of Cardiff. This makes it ideal to go for a couple of stiff ones before or after you see your show at the Hall. They offer a great deal of variaty when it comes to what's on show, with everything from Musicals to Comedians having taken place at the Hall. The staff are evry friendly. read more

We have always enjoyed visits to St david's Hall, except last night. The performance was great, but those awful seats! We were in the front row of Tier 7 and the leg room was worse than the worst budget airline we had ever been on. I am of average height, yet I couln't sit with my legs straight in front of me due to lack of room. There is a thick wooden ledge across each tier, restricting leg room severely. At the interval we moved into a row further back where we could relax! read more