This is a Santa Cruz institution and we had the pleasure to see The Expendables in their 25th year perform an amazing show! The good stuff - The Catalyst dedicates a LOT of time to it's music but I'll just address this show since I can't speak for other nights (obviously). Lighting and sound were spot on, the crowd was TIGHT but easy to navigate as pot smoke wafted along, contact highs be damned! You get stamped to get in the door, to show you're 21, and to enter the show. 3 stamps. I guess that's thorough (they scrub off easily the next day, all good). If you don't want to get your drink on at the spot, there's Asti and The Blue Lagoon (see other reviews for those venues) that offer good prices, stiff drinks and maybe a light banter with the locals which is always pleasant. For anyone who has spent any time in big clubs, there are things you just come to accept with a venue that is always pumping out stage shows - yes, it's a little scruffy, yes, the bathrooms aren't pristine (but the doors lock, toilets are clean, ample TP and soap... what more do you want??), yes, sometimes YOU aren't going to get all the arse-kissing niceties when ordering a drink because there's an ocean of folks behind you and the bartenders are just trying to get to everyone as efficiently as possible (so please stop ordering complicated drinks or pondering when called on when it's busy). Leave the hoity-toity expectations at the door and focus on why you're there - THE MUSIC . Now get on that calendar and find a show - there is SO much to choose from and a huge dance floor to get your groove on! read more

The Catalyst - View from the stairs as you enter the main floor. - Music Venues Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Not sure why the mid reviews. I saw Silent Planet and Invent/Animate here and had a great time! Cool spot right downtown, good selection of beers and it sounded great. Never had an issue getting a drink from the bartenders and the bathrooms were fairly clean. Especially for a metal show, some fans can be animals! If given the opportunity I'd definitely comeback here for a show and recommend you go if someone you want to see is playing here! read more

This is the HOTTEST place on earth!! Went and saw a concert last night and almost passed out!! There is ZERO ventilation!! It was like being in a human-sized petri dish filled with bizarre smells, sticky goop, mold, sweat, and hot breath. If there were a science fair for awful odors, this place would win first prize! I barely lasted an hour, it's a shame because the band was amazing. read more

Terrible bar tenders!!!! Totally rude! It took about 45 minutes to get a beer. Drink before you go the catalyst or waste your night standing in line for a drink. Additionally, the bathrooms are disgusting!!! The door locks on the stalls don't work & there is no soap. read more

One of the only places in Santa Cruz to see music I've seen Nickatina, Tech N9ne and steel pulse. Here they have a variety of performances.

Went to a show on Tuesday. This place books great people so I'm surprised with how rundown it still is. I used to come to this place a lot when I was younger and I guess I didn't mind how bad it was. It was a rap show so I expected there to be some people smoking, but it was almost unbearable with no ventilation in there. My friend and I almost left before the show even started. The women's bathroom alone was VILE. Broken stall doors, one stall was over flowing with who knows what before the show even started. I didn't want to touch anything in there. Every inch of that place is so unkept and uncleaned. Most of the security seems miserable. The bartender down in the 21+ section was friendly & made good drinks. Won't be back no matter who plays there though. read more

The Catalyst - Music Venues Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Went for the first time and 35$ per person? Seriously? And music wasn't good they play rave music and the white guy stamping ur hand was rude and not friendly i wouldn't recommend i was disappointed too better catalyst read more

Came here for a Strfkr concert. Show was amazing, staff was friendly. A bottle of water is only $2!! However, once the openers started playing, it got very very hot inside. I was in the second row, and I could see sweat dripping from the musicians within minutes of them starting their set. It was probably around 85 degrees inside or hotter for most of the night. There seems to be no airflow and no AC. Felt very unpleasant, especially when it's packed. read more

The Catalyst - Music Venues Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Amazing historic venue. Friendly staff, saw Berber's show 1/26. Recommend to catch any show here

First time visiting the catalyst, and it was for the Local Natives show. My girlfriend bought tickets for $29, which for any concert is a bargain nowadays. The check-in line went by speedy. You got a security check, then an ID check (if you plan on ordering adult beverages from the bar), then one last checkpoint where they check your stamps from the previous two checkpoints. The show was sold out, and it was definitely packed, but it never felt claustrophobic, and we had plenty of space to enjoy the concert. What's cool about the venue is how up close and personal you can be to performers. It's very intimate and a pretty cool experience. The lights were a nice touch, shout out to the lighting engineers. The sound though, not the best, serviceable but not on par with handful of other venues we've been to in the Bay Area. Overall, still a very cool spot to check out a music act and wouldn't hesitate go back to check out an artist I wanted to see. read more

I've been to the Catalyst several times over the past years (pre- and post-pandemic) for varied shows (mostly EDM LOL) and the experience is usually a mixed bag. Mostly positive though-- it's just a grubby lil well-loved local venue ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ - Cheap drinks, great options on tap - Plenty of room to dance and easy to navigate - Can get really stuffy and hot, with no A/C. I'd bring a fan especially if you're on the floor - Tickets are usually pretty reasonably priced regardless of performer - Staff have consistently been kind and helpful - Audio is... Ok! Could be better but not terrible. I think the room's acoustics are just not the best - Lighting is pretty basic but fun and quirky - Limited seating, even upstairs My latest visit was for a Chappell Roan night we spontaneously bought tickets for-- that night I was craving to just go out and dance. OMG so much fun. Your Muther & Tina Turntblad killed it. I was nervous the crowd would lean on the younger side but there was still a good amount of mid-late-20s folks :) read more

This place is so ADA unfriendly it unreal. They have no seats set aside for just ADA. They have a upstairs balcony on both sides that they could easily put some chairs and tops it off for ADA people. If you are in a wheel chair just don't come here. The bench down the side of the floor is a joke because if you can't stand up you are not seeing the bands on stage ! Also this place is Sooooo hot inside it's not even funny ! read more

The Catalyst is in the heart of downtown Santa Cruz and has the main room (800 capacity) and the Atrium (350 capacity) Some of music's iconic performers cut their teeth at the Catalyst. We have been there for several concerts and in general love the ambiance. It reminds me of a slightly cleaner, giant, CBGB with all its character. There are always cool and laid-back folks running things. You can see the stage at any place you find your general admission perch. They have various bars where you can pick up a drink and hang out with the fans. The downside is that there are virtually no places to sit. The main room has an upstairs where at one concert we stood for two -three hours in the summer heat. I was so hot I was dripping in sweat and there was a puddle on the ground. The arm stamp melted off in the first half hour! All that said, the place is steeped in rock and roll and other genres of music history and worth checking out. read more

This place makes every show I've been to so much better! Great vibes and a great venue! I just love it read more

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this place is the worst they have people working there who don't even know what they were doing they took my id and made the excuse up that it had weird smudges and very rude and disrespectful and disgusting behavior on the owners spot please avoid mind I've been into tons of concerts and bars and never have had this problem please please do not let them disrespect you like that read more

I have been to this venue a couple times over the years. I saw Ekali in 2019 and Niki in 2022. This is a very fun venue if you are interested in seeing performers up close and getting to know them personally. It really feels like they are right in front of you! The venue doesn't have much flashy lights, visuals, or any special effects... It is simply a stage at the end of the day. They lack a proper air conditioning system or some ventilating fans! It was insanely hot inside the venue and I was finding myself growing warmer and warmer as the concert went on. I felt bad because someone in the crowd fainted mid-show! There were also many people who were stepping out and looked lightheaded... they would have to squeeze through the crowd. Niki was really kind to ask management to give waters out to everyone in the crowd! You could definitely tell, as a performer, she was a bit shaken from the person passing out. Some Pros: + Water bottles at the bar were only $2 + You could get a good view from most parts of the venue since it is intimate and smaller than most + Audio was decent and I didn't hear any delay + It was very easy to purchase tickets via ETIX read more

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The guy at door was so incredibly rude!!! He wouldn't let my friend in when he had a ticket when we paid $30 each for Jordana for a concert. He told us "Get the fuck out" which was so rude and unprofessional. Never coming back! Do yourself a favor and do not come here. read more

I went here for Niki's concert for her first tour and bought VIP tickets from ETIX online. I was a bit concerned about VIP details but I received an email from the Catalyst a week before the concert regarding VIP info. My boyfriend and I waited very early for this concert, we were the first two in line and as the line grew larger and wrapped around the building, around 3 hours in an employee came by to put up a sign to separate VIP and GA lines. After we checked in past 5PM, we were instructed to go in and line up for the meet and greet, and head to the stage. We were at the barricade and got to see Niki perform up close and personal! The con of being barricade is that the stage is pretty high- which is great for those who are in the back but bad for front row attendee's necks! The venue is smaller and has poor ventilation- I didn't notice it at first as we were in front row but when we were exiting it started to get a bit overbearing and sweaty. During Niki's performance my friend flagged down event staff and wrote in big text on her phone asking for water. The staff was kind enough to bring us waters. Near the end of the show Niki had to ask security and her team to bring out waters for the crowd because someone passed out. The staff came by again and asked us to pass down the waters to everyone. This venue definitely needs an improvement with their ventilation system, especially if someone is passing out. Overall for the concert experience was amazing but would be better if The Catalyst updates their facilities. read more

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Not the best setup for GA standing I am familiar with small venues in SF like Regency Ballroom & The Warfield, but The Catalyst was sooo much smaller. PROs: - Catalyst Merch is nice (Santa Cruz aesthetic) - Staff are nice & handed out plenty of water CONs: - High stage - Lighting glares - No projector I was barricade & being that close was very exciting, but I realized the stage is too high for any good concert videos. I saw a lot of NIKI's beautiful chin, but I wish I saw more of her face at a slightly higher level. Also, the stage lights are hung above so the lights would create a glare in my filming. The worst part I'm most sadden about is the "No projector" CON. I'm actually not sure whether it exists, but every other venue NIKI went to had video visuals projected behind her except The Catalyst :( I was very excited to try a venue down in Santa Cruz as parking in SF is always annoying and pricey (The Warfield can be cheaper than others), and Santa Cruz parking was free/$5 (I parked in a lot in the next block for $5, but my friends found plenty of free street parking). I'm really disappointed in missing out on the full NIKI experience, so I probably won't revisit this venue. If you choose to go, it is best to be a few rows away from barricade or to go onto the balcony (Still close, better angle, & less glare). read more

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The artist performing last Saturday evening was great. Sammy Johnson's smooth vocals of island reggae and soul kept the audience engaged in the main room. But this place is more like a concert venue with somewhat of a club atmosphere, and has less charm than those smaller venues with live music entertainment. Still, the colors and sounds on stage were amazing, and all of the musicians showcased their talents throughout the night. The right side (the main floor roped down the middle) is open to under 21, downstairs and upstairs on the balcony as well. The left side is for 21 and over, downstairs and upstairs. The bars are on this side, and beverages cannot be taken outside of this area. The smaller bar in the main room is limited, and doesn't have a lot of options for cocktails and the like. The bigger bar in the back has more options available, but is also more crowded earlier in the night. Seating is very limited, a few seats upstairs, and a tiny bit of seating downstairs against the wall. Otherwise, be prepared to stand in the lively crowd or dance while squeezed between strangers. The Catalyst also has an atrium room with a different performer on the same night. And upstairs they have karaoke. The concert ended around 11pm, they kicked everyone out of the main concert room, but they could go upstairs to the karaoke area which closes later (though most people left the venue altogether), and there's a small bar upstairs as well. Apparently the karaoke is not as popular here, but I liked that part because it wasn't crowded and was more low-key. The place isn't perfect, but it's a decent concert venue to attend if one of your favorite bands is in town. read more

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Went to the Omar Apollo concert last night. It was sweltering hot and incredibly packed. By the time Omar came on stage, 4 people (that I know of) passed out and had to be taken away. Staff would only give water to people who had passed out, so me and my friend joked about faking passing out to get free water. However in a few minutes my friend actually felt like she was going to pass out, and we went to go get some water. $2 for a bottle of water and they had a minimum purchase of $10 for the credit card. When my friend started to pull out her coins (she had no cash) they said they don't take coins. You'd think with so many people passing out they'd be a bit more lenient in handing out water. We resorted to going to the bathroom and drinking sink water. Overall it was a fun concert but I wish less people had passed out :/ read more

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I went to see a show a couple of weeks back and they sold me a $40 ticket knowing that the headliner had cancelled. With trepidation I went back to another show there recently and because there is no AC it was extremely hot given the number of people allowed into the venue and so I went out to get air and upon re-entry a short guy named Jose said we could not return and that is after paying for a $47 ticket. I do not reccommend! read more

Saw STRFKR Saturday night and it was an amazing show but all I have to say is if you drink definitely pregame before going in because you will be waiting over 25 minutes at the bar to get a drink. We went to the side of the bar to ask for water and the bar tender said wait in line like everyone else. We needed water because it was probably over 80 degrees in the venue and we were over heating in the crowd. If you have a portable fan BRING IT WITH YOU! read more

I came here to see NIKI and she was amazing! It's a very intimate venue for the audience and artist to interact with one another. The venue itself is very small. It gets really warm since everyone wants to see the performer on stage. The ventilation is non existent there. I believe one person passed out, or was very dehydrated/hot. NIKI ended up having the workers pass around cold water to avoid more people from fainting. Highly recommend the venue to upgrade their ventilation system since it seems that there were previous incidents(reviews) with the audience passing out. A pro for this venue is that the stage is pretty high up, perfect for shorter people to see from the bottom floor. The stage is elevated enough where people from the back still has a good view! I would come back only if my favorite artists were headlining here. But voluntarily going here? No thank you.. read more

Unkept restrooms, no soap. The venue is overwhelmingly crowded & quickly feels like the hottest place on earth. If you head upstairs it's even worse. The facility has a major lack of ventilation. Couple that with the fact people are partaking in alcohol consumption etc. It seems like a perfect environment for individuals to get sick & pass out. I felt too concerned for mine & everyone's safety to even enjoy the show, we left. The venue is a wonderful location & I've enjoyed many shows there in the past however I do think some changes need to take place in order to provide a safe environment. read more

BOYS. NIGHT. OUT. BABY! NO WOMAN, ALLOWED. YOU SUCK! lol Man I wish there were more venues like this in the Bay Area specifically San Jose. Yeah we do HAVE art galleries, random/summer/park-fest's/ pop ups, cafe's (who doesn't ) and a trying to achieve "cult status" indie scene, but it just doesn't do it for me. NOT.SORRY.AT.ALL. Santa Cruz's Catalyst springs up talent and display some concert action. Sweet, this place kinda reminds me of Bottom of the Hill in SF, Ca. NO. SHAME. We need this venue to thrive and most people in California/in general have been here or at least heard of it. Go, make an excuse and keep it alive, all. Anyway I went with my brother and met with MY other brother and two friends for one hell- uv- a- show. Acts in particular order/rating: Tempting fate 0/0 terrible audio. He Is Legend 5/5 Amazing rock/ but probably has some specific rock handle/label for the scene. I dunno. it's rock to me. lol White Chapel 4/5 too abrasive for me. Metal? Amazing energy. Atreyu 5/4 not my jam, but amazing stage presence. None of this music is my jam was an excuse to see my bro's and some old friends over libations. Overall the show was a definite crowd pleaser and sensation w the audience that night. No regrets. Enso#3 + Good indie venue 5 Bar/great tenders 5 Low prices on alcohol 5 Mezzanine, hella DARK. NO thanks. - Aggressive crowd/ I got shoved by people a couple of times, no where near the mosh pit. It's a part of the scene. Plus I looked like some Bay area nerd in a hardcore scene. "Sellout", I get it. Lol. This too will pass. 0 Parking sucks. Luck out for a free spot/spot behind the venue. 2 "Special tea." I avoided clouds of smoke so I would not catch a contact high. 0 _I feel like a slushy snowball! read more

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Great place to attend concerts. Place does get a little stuffy but ambiance is great.

A great venue to see a few shows.

Came here last night to see my girl Snow Tha Product. We had meet and greets so getting into the venue was pretty easy. Security was awesome. No issues. The vibe was awesome, sound was great. Drinks were reasonably priced. I'd come here again. My only con is that the stage is legit so high. If you're standing in the front few rows, expect neck pain lol. read more

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I always come for the music, stay for the drinks. Short and simple. Landmark location in Santa Cruz for many different musical events and performing arts. Never a bad time. Bartender was nice. I've seen staff deal with a handful of undesirable situations here. That being said try being kind to the staff out there and be patient. read more

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6-19-22 THIRD EYE BLIND concert I must say, I've been to the catalyst many times over the years, but never thought i would've seen the day that one of my favorite bands from my childhood THIRD EYE BLIND would be performing in my hometown, tonight to kickoff their "Summer God" 2022 tour. It marks my 5th time seeing them live, what a great band. I met up with some old friends from high school and a few of my co-workers. When they played "Faster" the crowd went NUTS, it's easily one of my favorite Third eye blind songs. A few of my favorite songs from their set list on 6-19: Dust Storm Thanks A lot Anything Crystal Baller Faster (very thankful since they rarely play it live) Never Let You Go The Dying Blood Can't Get Away Graduate Box of Bones Jumper Encore: Semi-Charmed Life How's It Going to Be You have to see this band live, you really get your moneys worth. Thank you Santa Cruz Catalyst and Third Eye Blind I had a great time! read more

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I love music. I go to probably 100+ shows a year and I have lived in Santa Cruz for close to 30 years now and I SO wish the Catalyst management would do their jobs and elevate the vibe in their establishment because it DESPERATELY needs help. Where do I begin?? The bathrooms: Good lord. The soap dispensers, if they even have soap in them are laying on the counter on their side. Paper seems to be scarce ALWAYS. You'd be hard pressed to find TP or paper towels on any given night. FILTHY conditions even at the beginning of the night, guaranteed. DO BETTER! On any night at Moe's the bathrooms are cleaner than a Japanese subway, and always stocked. Come on - really- you can do this. Remodel them entirely. They nasty. The staff. The bartenders are generally cool, but getting a drink- yeah, plan to wait for over 30 mins and miss way too much of the set. The audience areas probably haven't been updated in 30+ years too- sticky floors, no ventilation whatsoever, and they corral the non-drinkers in the center and the 21+ crowd is shoved to the sides or upstairs in the tiny balcony. We are the adults. Corral the children, please?? Everyone smokes in there and there is no ventilation. People pass out from the heat regularly. I've seen it. SO LAME! SEO- I just looked up a show on Google to look at tickets and y'all need SEO help. The result for the Catalyst, buried between third party ticket scammers and I kid you not, results from AARP, Ebay and Expedia for the show were all above the actual Catalyst link, which sat at position ***53*** in the list. 53! PAY FOR YOUR OWN DAMN SEO! This results in so many people purchasing WAY above face value because the actual Catalyst results are buried. Your bouncers are mean. I don't go there unless its a show I really want to see. I'll drive to SF to see bands rather than in my hometown and go to the dirty Catalyst. OH, and you don't even own this Yelp page, so obviously nothing will be done, read or attended to. Way to represent music in our town. You are making PLENTY of $$$$$ to treat your customers right, but you don't. You had all of Covid to invest in updating your property like Moe's Alley did but you did NOTHING. What a damn shame. Step it up, bros. read more

The Catalyst is a pretty good spot for concerts. We've been there for 2 concerts now and the venue was set up great for the shows. The bars are easy to access for drinks. It is split between 21 and over and under 21, and security is good at keeping it controlled. There are side balcony's one both sides of the room where you could stand or stand on the stairs. We had VIP for both shows attended there, and they were good at checking people for wrist bands if they were supposed to be the Parking is available at lots around the block as well as street parking. Sound and lighting was good, which makes the show! read more

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Drove from SF around 8pm and was able to find street parking not far away. I came in to welcome new year with The California Honeydrops only for them to sing through the countdown, super lame. I do not understand why the venue organizers did not have a conversation with the band about a countdown and giving them a heads up to ring in the new year, it was a NYE event. There was also no confetti nor balooms , it felt just as any other show which it was not, it was a NYE show and it was advertised as such, maybe my expectations were too high. On other hand, the drinks were priced very reasonably and were stiff. CC accepted. read more

Catalyst venue puts on concerts of smaller to mid tier bands. Comparable to Ace of Spades in Sacramento. These places are usually dingy and unkempt but you usually do not care because you are there for a show and not some fine dining eatery. I wouldn't mind seeing a show here if it was a metal concert. Maybe one day I will get to. Anyways, here are some pics for my fellow Yelp peeps that may help them out. Cheers! read more

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Went to the Catalyst and they were not organized and didn't have signage for VIP guests versus regular guests! When the venue started getting filled up, it became claustrophobic and there was no ventilation!!! Sometimes they would open the back door leading to the back of the stage, but of course would end up closing the door. This made it difficult to breathe and even enjoy the concert! Almost felt like I was gonna pass out during the concert! The bathrooms were filthy and were not properly cleaned, nor did they have any soap! Luckily I had hand sanitizer on hand! They really need to focus on properly providing air conditioning in the building, and a more clean environment for their patrons! read more

Staff didn't let me in after I showed them the ticket I paid 35$ for and physically pushed me outside, telling me to wait outside for 20 minutes. Got let in after 5 minutes because I had a valid ticket and told security they were on a power trip to which they tried to kick me out again. 0/10 service they hire literal crackheads as security. Concert was fun though. read more

Very nice and very friendly. This place have a lot of room. Great place and great drinks.

I love this venue. I went to a crowded Devil Makes Three show with my wheelchair and had a blast. I talked with Jose before the show to make accommodations for me, my chair, and my companion. Ricky took care of us before, during, and after the show. I can't say enough good things about Ricky, what a rockstar. All of the staff were lovely, the crowd was great, the band was awesome, and the venue itself is super cool. Already looking forward to going back. Bug hugs to the Catalyst crew! read more

The Catalyst is a staple of Santa Cruz. I haven't been here in 20 years so it was like I had never been before. We had tickets to see Third Eye Blind. We got there when doors opened and got inside pretty quick. They have 2 bars- one of which is on the left side as you face the stage. That half of the floor is 21 and over. The other side isn't. They stamp you when you get there if you're over 21 (show valid ID) and you are free to roam. We don't drink - but plenty of people were. It DOES get VERY full in here. So if you're claustrophobic or get anxiety being in tight quarters with hundreds of strangers this may not be for you. There are two long benches one on either side of the main floor. Pro tip, grab a spot here so you can stand on the bench and see the show. I'm 5'5" so there is NO way I would have seen a thing had my husband not spotted this bench when we got there. Plenty of beer, cocktails, water, etc. I was surprised to see glass being used only because it seems so probable they could get broken during the show. All the staff was pleasant. Great intimate venue for shows! read more

The Catalyst - Stage before the show - Music Venues Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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