I've been twice in the past few months for shows and it really is a great venue. There is a parking garage close by. They sell snacks & beer/wine in the lobby. The sound is great and seating comfortable. I see more shows in my future. read more

The overall experience was very good. Fair pricing, good sound. Most of the staff was friendly and accommodating. Although there was an issue with a male volunteer. He was aggressive and grabbed my wife's arm and rudely pushed her back and stopped her from re entering the concert until the song was over. He's very fortunate I wasn't made aware of the situation until we had already left. The good news she did tell another worker and he was removed. read more

Like an old high school auditorium this venue is great. Everyone has a good seat. Good acoustics. Full bar with snacks. Parking nearby. Handicapped accessible. read more

We have been coming hr for the past 2 years, probably 4-5 times per summer, and have thoroughly enjoyed the shows. The theatre has loads of history and that is nice, but I do wish they would put a little money into new seats. We like the balcony because people aren't on top of you, and many of the seats are torn up and really uncomfortable. The sound system is great, in fact maybe a bit too loud at times, but I have always had a good time. The bar is a nice feature and the staff seem pretty helpful. There is parking everywhere in Kent, so that's never an issue. I don't like that everyone stands outside the doors and smokes because it is extremely overpowering. We may have made a mistake this year and joined the "Friends of Kent Stage". So far I haven't seen any benefit, and although we are supposed to be invited to a special event, we haven't seen any signs of that yet either. read more

The Kent Stage - a man and a woman looking at pictures on the wall - Performing Arts Near Me - Kent, Ohio

The Kent Stage does not pretend to be anything other than a great place to see shows at a reasonable price. We went to 3 shows last year and thoroughly enjoyed our experiences. The venue is old, but for us that is the charm of the place. It is an easy venue to get in and out of with ample parking in the immediate area. The sound of all of the performances has been very good. We eat local before going to the show which makes a nice evening. We have tickets for 2 shows later this year and look forward to more fond memories. Love it for what it is! read more

Great little music venue. Mostly musicians who have been around for a while, classics if you will. Really good vibe.

I want to give a HUGE shout out....THANK YOU! We had a great time last night at the Foghat concert. The crowd was warm and fun and the workers were helpful. The promoter was having some issues, yet he took care of the fans and did everything he could to provide a pleasant experience. I hope all of your efforts will pay off in future events. We'll definitely be back! read more

Six years removed from KSU, I found myself drawn back in to East Main Street for their annual Folk Festival, but more specifically to see Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zero's. The first impression had me marveling the old lit-up marquee announcing that night's act. This building had the appearance of an old movie theater. The lobby, small and quaint. The bar was well stocked with a variety of brews. Tall Boy PBR's for the thrifty college student and an assortment of Great Lakes for the rest of us. Freshly popped popcorn, snack packs and fountain beverages were also available. The stage area is a decent size. It seats apx. 500+ if I had to guess with a small 2nd floor balcony. Fold down seats lined in vintage red velour fill the room. The stage and fabric lined walls reminded me of an auditorium in an older school. Acoustically, the space seemed perfectly adequate to handle the tunes that blast from the stage. All in all, this is a great place to see a show and being located right in the heart of E. Main, it's a great location and within walking distance from the locally favorite bars and shops. read more

The Kent Stage - the sign for the film festival - Performing Arts Near Me - Kent, Ohio

What a history this place has! When I found my row, I could feel the past in my seat. Constructed in 1927 as a movie theatre and revamped in 2002 as a live music venue, Kent Stage provides a quality sound and decent seating from every angle. I especially love the intimacy the theatre brings with it's smaller size, which was perfect for seeing our favorite band, Over the Rhine, play last night. Karin & Linford warmed us up from the cold outside, and wove their way in to our hearts, as they do. We saw them in concert just over a year ago in Seattle, but to see them in their home state was a real treat. They both raved about this particular venue from the stage, and I was inclined to believe them. The coffee & wine bar was a nice touch. read more

The Kent Stage is an under-appreciated concert venue. Some big names (and some not so big) appear here regularly. Most seating is general admission, staff is friendly and the crowd is eclectic. I think at times they could advertise a bit more and sell out. I've been to awesome concerts with only 70-100 patrons. Light snacks, beer, wine and cocktails are available. Chris read more

So, I used to live in Kent many aeons ago, and I remember what is now the Kent Stage as a tiny, quaint movie theater. My wife and I went to see a live broadcast of a podcast we like a lot, and were very surprised. The Kent stage is small, and a bit timeworn, but if you look on the walls coming in, they've got a load of history on them; bands as diverse as old blues standards, and as recent as 90's hit groups and a whole cornucopia of groups in-between. They also have a full-service bar, lots of restrooms and the seating is not so cramped that you'll feel uncomfortable. The sound system and lighting is good, and the place looks like it can host anything that you could think of. Ticket prices are not bad, (I think we paid 18$ for our seats,) and the owner and his staff were very welcoming. There is some street parking, and plenty of garages nearby in Kent's bustling downtown district to accommodate for safe, solid parking, as well as a gaggle of eateries around to sate your appetite. All in all, if you want to try a new "stage" in your life, go with an old favorite, The Kent Stage:) read more

It was absolutely awful! We will never go back to this place as will the performers we went to see.

I've been to The Kent Stage about 8 times and have a few more trips planned. The venue is in a great location and as other reviewers have mentioned, has a lot of history. The lighting and sound system have been fantastic every time I've visited. I appreciated the "no talking" policy announced at the beginning of Judy Collins' set. The last thing I want to hear is a conversation during the concert. Be quiet and listen! A "no ice in the drinks" policy would help too, since there was a lot of cup-shaking and ice rattling during her more quiet songs. The owner is always present before and after shows, and he seems like a no-nonsense kind of guy. Perhaps not the most approachable, but he sure keeps his staff and audience in-check! Looking forward to the upcoming concerts I have tickets for! read more

I lived in Kent for a time. I was one of those that went to college there and then took 15 years to escape. When you visit Kent you can spot the ones that weren't able to break out. This theater is awesome for shows. Not a bad seat in the house. Much better sound than a lot of theaters of similar size. The owner manages to book some top flight older acts. Bonus; they serve beer. read more

Me and my Husband went to The Kent Stage for the first time this weekend to see Robert Cray, he was amazing. Very intimate venue. We sat in row E seats 9 and 10. Great view from our seats, see pictures. Sound was amazing. Walking distance from our hotel. It was a great evening. They have a full service bar. Very nostalgic and you get that old theater feel, which we appreciate. Will for sure be back. read more

The Kent Stage - a man playing a guitar on stage - Performing Arts Near Me - Kent, Ohio

See all

This is a cool eclectic place to heat some great local and national live music in a university town that's teeming with great nightlife. read more

The Kent Stage - Stage for performances - Performing Arts Near Me - Kent, Ohio

The Kent Stage is what you would picture as a typical underground music venue. I visited for the Rocky Horror Picture Show showing for Halloween. I've seen this movie a ton of times at different venues throughout​ Cleveland, but it's been a few years​ since I saw it last. Almost everyone dressed up because it was Kent Halloween, which I thought was super fun! The staff was really interactive with the crowd, and they sold props for the show at the bar. The venue itself was pretty grungy and kind of small, but the show was great and brought me back to high school memories. read more

While its always nice to support non-profit venues, the Kent Stage is a bit of a relic that has become a venue more in service for it's donors than for what could be the vast majority of it's business, students. As a current Kent State student, the vast majority of acts booked at the stage are targeted for a much older audience, and very seldom will a more popular act come through. This is exactly the opposite of how you would expect a venue in a college town to operate. Kent may have an identity as a folk oriented town, with it's successful folk festival, but it struggles to attract new and younger people to it's music scene, and the Kent Stage plays a BIG part in that. The venue itself is your standard theater, red plush seating, old classical moldings, and as you walk in, autographed pictures of dusty folk stars line every inch of the walls to remind you that it used to be great. Which is the key word. USED to be great. the snack selection is pretty good, but its fairly pricy, and a sub par beer selection compared to most concert venues up in cleveland. theres also the problem (though not specific to the venue) that Kent has only one parking lot to use. While I understand the financial difficulties of being a non-profit, theres no excuse for squandring the fact that there is a college of 15,000 students who seldom get to see acts they like (aside from 3 or 4 concerts at the sports arena with varying quality) simply because the only venue the size enough to attract bands that draw a lot of people. And when they do, its often the only quote-unquote college-friendly act on the whole year's schedule. I really want to like the Kent Stage, but for the past year and a half, the only act I will see/have seen will be the Punch Brothers in October. There are more acts that have gone through the House of Blues that I'd want to see, which says a lot because I hate the House of Blues. If the Kent Stage wants to be anything more than a self perpetuating series of performances meant for the sole purpose of upholding an image and appeasing donors, it desperately needs to change. read more

They offer some of the most talented musicians and legends in the country. The acoustics are fantastic. That said, I gave only 3 stars because I have had a problem with some of the male staff members on two different occasions. They are non-friendly, unwelcoming, and if you talk to them they act like they don't want to be bothered. I pointed out a broken chair and he didn't care, acted like it was no big deal. I told him I hope the theater has good insurance. I mean someone could get hurt. It's a 100+ year old building. I guess customer service isn't important to them as long as they keep filling up all the seats. read more

Attended last night's Michael Stanley acoustic show in my favorite venue. As always easy into, friendly staff and reasonable (for a captive audience) beer prices ($6). I love the low fees charged on the tickets. And the seats are fine - wide enough to comfortably fit my bigger than most behind. read more

Best theatre in all of Kent, I go 1 or 2 times a year for Rocky Horror Picture Show put on my Kent State's School Of Rocky. Great bar, great staff, great people. read more

The sound here is the absolute worst. I bought tickets for four people and we left in the middle of the third song because it was so loud that we couldn't hear anything other than bass. This was my second time at the venue and I won't be returning. read more

Todd Rudgren Having seen Todd several times in past years, I couldn't wait to see him. I was shocked and disappointed to see him with a DJ with an Apple computer, no band and 2 solid gold dancers. The first hour and a half was electronic/disco with a light show that would have been great if we were at a Rave and they passed out Ectasy or LSD to the attendee's. I saw numerous people walking out. I stayed in hopes that he would actually preform some of his hits. He played guitar on only 3 songs the entire night. Worst concert I have ever been too. read more

They get such great musicians! I've seen The Cowboy Junkies, John Gorka, & Michelle Shocked here.* It also plays host to Kent State Folk Festival events. In 2010, they'll have Solace, & Livingston Taylor, and Mark O'Connor's Hot Swing, and Richie Havens (among lots of others). Sigh... It's a nice, small venue, so you can actually see the performers, and it's inside an old movie theatre, which is pretty neat. You can get beer (good beer, no less) and snacks to have while you watch. Whatever you see there, it's a safe bet you'll have a good time. And a much better time, in fact, than folks who see the same acts for more money at less personal venues. I like the Kent Stage a lot. * Just so you know, Michelle Shocked has a beautiful voice, but the patter? Is a little annoying. Maybe she was just put off by the scarily conservative Midwest, I dunno... Love her voice, though! read more

I attended a sold-out Zappa Plays Zappa concert at the Kent Stage in October '13. This was my first visit ever to this venue and first time visiting Kent in several decades. I had a great time. There's not a bad seat in the house and there's even a little bit of room to stand or sit in the back. The sight lines and acoustics were great. The ushers are laid-back and helpful. The lobby and concession counter/bar had a good variety of munchies, beer, and wine, all at reasonable prices. The restrooms were a bit undersized for the crowd, but what venue doesn't have lines during intermission? The Main Street setting made it easy to choose places for dinner and drinks before the show. It was a lot of fun to revisit Kent and experience a great show in such a nice historic downtown event space on a crisp autumn evening. read more

Went to The Stage last night for Blues Traveler and I must say, for an old school theater, the sound was incredible and the crew did a great job at getting these musicians set up. The downfall of this place is definitely the interior (seats falling apart, restrooms falling apart, general must in the air) - HOWEVER - last night's show was a fundraiser for The Stage to get some much needed renovations. If that takes place, I think this place could be really nice. So I'm gonna give them the benefit of the doubt with the four stars... and wait until I can turn it into more. Show us what you got, Stage! read more

There are lots of things that could be improved here but the most important thing is the music and it is great. The sound system is excellent and the soundman seems to be very co-operative. I have seen four or five concerts here in the past two years and have zero complaints, something I cannot say about any other venue including the large fancy showplaces in the Pittsburgh area. Sure the seats should be replaced but in a year or two they will be as uncomfortable as the ones we are sitting on now. I'd rather save the money and see more shows. read more

Awesome intimate concert venue. Shows tend to be more of the folk music type. It's great to have such a close seat pretty much throughout the venue. read more

Warning don't EVER attend a concert here if you want to enjoy it. Their "OLD/ancient" employee "David Laird" tells EVERYONE to sit down regardless of how much you've paid for your concert ticket. He upset so many JW fans and made the concert miserable. I was in the 4th row along with many others told to sit down by him. Drove over 2 hrs to see John Waite, but will NEVER be back to see another concert held at this dump. Rude VERY OLD GRUMPY employee. Three women's bathroom stalls for a packed house. It's a dump, but worst of all is "David Laird" who thinks he's "somebody" because he's a security guy. I asked for his name because he ruined the show for all sitting around me. Several people were complaining about his rudeness after the concert. NEVER been to a concert where you can't stand except for the last song. . Thought fans should be warned. Don't bother, see your favorite artists at another venue. You cannot stand, or dance!! Venue for those 80yrs and above ONLY like their employees!! So many complaints of those sitting around me. If I were an artist, I'd NEVER play there. Seriously it was horrible, waste of money and horrible time had by all because of weird security issues with the odd security guy on an ego trip. I will NEVER attend another concert @ this venue. Zombie crowd only. Nobody around us could even enjoy the show because of big headed "important security guy" Laird. NEVER experienced such a horrible concert experience in all my life. And I'm in my 40's, belly danced with Prince's ex wife, been to tons of concerts. It was a total waste of my day, time and money. Worst concert experience in my life. You've been warned. Old crowd that can't move/stand and over welcome ONLY. SMH #firedavidlair #horribletime #cantbelievewepaidforthis #zombieconcertgoersonly #worstconcertexperienceofmylife read more

What a wonderful show that Bacon Bros put on, that was marred by the lack of security. After a few songs, a lady came from the back up to the front to dance and Security came and told her to return to her seat. Then Kevin said, "You can dance." He didn't say for everyone who paid $40 to come from the back and stand in front of everyone who paid $75. It got so bad that a Gentleman, with crutches, and his wife left not even half way through the show because they couldn't see anything from their front row seats. I've never been to a show where people are allowed to move up toward the stage from the back. Security usually checks a ticket to make sure you belong up there and tell you to return to your seat if you don't. Most concerts you dance at your seat. When people in the front row complained to Security, they got, "Talk to Kevin Bacon". I will not be returning to this Venue. read more

It's old and a bit dumpy, but the atmosphere and size are perfect for the type of shows they attract, and those shows tend to be an eclectic mix of really good stuff. Acoustics have always been good when I've seen shows there, and there's not really a bad seat. Bonus points for a solid bar with reasonable prices. read more

We went to see The Fixx at the Kent Stage. The tickets we bought were in the fourth row on the right hand of the stage. The sound system was SO LOUD for the opening act that I complained to one of the workers about it. He told me there was nothing he could do about it. And that they sell earplugs for people like me who don't like the loudness of a concert...ridiculous! We ended up going to the back of the theater to listen to The Fixx, never seeing them up close! If The Fixx hadn't put on such a great show the evening would have been a total disappointment. read more

This is the second show I have been to and will be the last show I ever come too. Funny how the band is requesting things on their Facebook page and this venue is stating that the band is not allowing certain things. No it is called venue management. If it is the band then one of their managers need to come on out and tell the crowd. I did observe that rules only pertain to certain people and others can get away with everything; even with security witnessing it. Also it is nice to sell more tickets than what you have room for so that people are on top of one. The people next to me are irritated to the max. I hope they do a review as well. read more

Avoid this place! Dirty, musty, dusty! Seats must have come from a yard sale, some were nothing more than card table folding chairs!. There are old theatres that are NICE, such as the Akron Civic, The Canton Palace, The Lorain Palace, and Playhouse Square...and then there are decrepit, old DUMPS...of which the Kent Stage is one. We walked out of one concert before it started...and threw our tickets for another concert at that venue in the trash when we got home. The place should be honestly inspected...and then condemned for demolition!!! read more

We attended the Toad the Wet Sprocket concert last night. We were seated in the 3rd row. We were talking during a non-hit song (just to each other not loudly). The guy in front of us complained to the bouncer and we were asked to leave. They would not listen to our side at all. I'm not sure why the guy in front of us was so annoyed other than he was a d*ck. We paid good money to sit in those seats and were treated with such disrespect. We are both in our 40s. Not necessary Kent Stage! We will not be back and we are frequent concert goers. Shame on you. read more

Excellent concert venue. I have now been there for two shows and both times the environment and sound were fantastic. I live 5 to 10 minutes away so I am also thrilled I don't always have to drive to Cleveland for a concert. The line for beer was long but otherwise it is a great place. read more

Headlining Kent, Ohio's music scene is The Kent Stage. The nonprofit owned and operated entertainment venue hosts a variety of events to serve the eclectic nature of the Kent community. University students, Kent residents and people from afar come to enjoy the iconic theater. I have been enlightened by the spoken word of Henry Rollins, moved by the rhythm of numerous bands and bedazzled by a film on the big screen. The venue also offers a great selection of spirits and refreshments for guests attending events. The staff is dedicated to providing you with a fulfilling experience. 2012 marks the 10th Anniversary of The Kent Stage under the operation of the Western Reserve Folk Arts Association. A membership program is available for patrons to enjoy a variety of exclusive benefits while supporting The Kent Stage. Donations are vital to sustain, maintain and expand the magnificence of this cultural institution for future generations to enjoy. The upcoming year will be filled with endless harmonious opportunities. I personally recommend attending and supporting The Kent Stage. See you there!!! read more

One of our favorite venues for a concert. Small, not a bad seat in the house. Gets a little cramped in the lobby, but that's because of the bar -- which is also a plus! From tribute bands to old time acts like Eric Burdon and the Animals, they bring in a lot of varied talent. But "The WOODCHOPPERS BALL" is by far our favorite event annually around Christmas. Good stuff! read more

I would like to first say this place is the best stage I've ever been to. I loved everything about it. I saw the Dark Side of the Moon show and it was awesome. I had a lot of fun and I loved how everything went. They seem to really put a lot of work into the place. Even though it's not Broadway it works in a different more special way. I'm going to go back without a doubt. read more