This was my first show at The Sylvee. I had heard a lot about it, but I finally got to see what it was all about. And OH, I was not disappointed! I got to see the Static-X/Sevendust/Dope show, and fortunate to enjoy it from one of the few suites (far from the mosh pit!) that line the perimeter of the viewing area. The location: If you love downtown, this is a great location. If you fear downtown Madison, well, sorry. The good news is you can find decent (or free) parking nearby without getting lost in the mess of one way streets and chaos. The better news is that there's no shortage of places for your "pregame" efforts, whether you are looking for dinner or just a cocktail. The venue: The Sylvee is clean and tidy. You can tell it was built for the best concert-going experience. Plenty of room to move about, good bathroom situation, and numerous places to find a beverage. Up by the suites? Even better, with a special bar and bathroom situation just for them. And the bars have a great selection of craft/local beers. Overall the technology in the venue is great. The sound is excellent, and the lighting is on point. I know a lot has to do with the act that is in town, but Sylvee seems to have what they need to put on a good show. Now, you won't find Aerosmith or KISS coming by to do a show here, but you can find some pretty sizable acts performing here. If you find a show in town that really trips your trigger - and it's at The Sylvee... book it! You won't be sorry. read more

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My first time at The Sylvee and definitely not my last. Such a cool, modern, spacious, event space. I got to see Maren Morris and it was incredible! The layout is great. You walk in and you have a huge bar area on the left to grab a drink, then you can walk down a few steps and it's a huge area right in front of the stage. We got standing only tickets so that's where we stood. It was awesome because you could get so close to the stage. They do have a second floor with an additional bar and paid seating that looked really nice. The sound was great, everything was clean, air conditioned, the bar staff were efficient, and the prices weren't insane. There were a lot of people there but you still had your own standing space, it wasn't a packed sardines situation at all. Even leaving was easy, it wasn't a stampede. Overall an awesome somewhat more intimate experience for a concert. They do have a parking garage for $15. We went to dinner on Willy Street before and had street parking there so we didn't need to move our car. Only a few block walk, super convenient! I can't wait to see another concert at The Sylvee! read more

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Awesome night at the Sylvee such a great venue for bands. We have been here a few times the sound quality is great & the lighting was outstanding! All the staff is really nice and helpful and everyone there is happy! read more

Only one show under our belt (Dropkick Murphys). Our first experience was a good one. The venue is conveniently situated just off Washington St. Traffic-wise it was an ease to get in/out. We were able to get in without difficulty and at the time of our show they were still checking Covid vaccinations before entry. Masks were also a "requirement" but I saw maybe a dozen people actually wearing one once inside. It was an ease to get to the bathroom and an ease to get a drink from the bar. The acoustics in the building are good and sight line to the stage is pretty good throughout. All and all a fun venue to catch a band and Dropkick Murphys put on a fun show. read more

My partner and I drove from Nashville to see this show. The venue started letting people in at 6:30 and there was already a line wrapped around the block tha being said they moved quickly and we were in the venue by 7. The downstairs u shape made it easy to get around before the show started and the staff was incredibly helpful. Twice during the show it was stopped for medical concerns (yes it's that easy) and the teams on-site got everyone taken care of. Drink prices were on average for a venue The staff was taking cases of water to the front and passing them out. The restrooms were well stocked and maintained throughout the performance. We made our way closer to the exit towards the end of the show so leaving the venue was effortless. We had parked behind hotel indigo in the short walk and traffic leaving was minimal. read more

The Sylvee - The exterior - Performing Arts Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Great place for live music. Not a bad spot for viewing in the place as there are several tiers and wheelchair access.

Saw Wilco and had general admission tickets with my son. We were able to walk right up to a central spot in the balcony... it was perfect! I live in the Milwaukee area but this place is worth the drive. Great venue and relaxed atmosphere. read more

The Sylvee is an outstanding music venue with so many amazing artists. Being from Milwaukee I only wish we had a place like this more locally. It is a newer building with multiple levels of standing room and handicap areas as well. They have a huge bar and built in merch area that makes those extras just a little more convenient. Definitely worth the drive to see shows here. read more

Have seen several shows here since moving to Dane County in 2020. The most recent show was for the band "Joe Russo's Almost Dead". I have seen shows all over the country and this is one of my favorite venues. It is new and nice. The acoustics are outstanding. Indoor parking next door was only $8 and is super close walk. The balcony seats are large and comfortable. The floor level is general admission but plenty large for the tickets sold. Amazing that a venue this nice is in Madison. read more

The place is very cool.... IF you aren't afraid of heights and have seats in the front rows of the upper balconies. I posted these pictures as reference. Tonight was our 2nd concert here (Sylvan Esso and Still Woozy), both times we sat in the front row of the upper balcony. The venue is flawless in its ticket/beverage process and the restrooms are approachable and very decent. Honestly, the biggest issue is the imagined horror of accidental fall from the upper balcony. Getting to a middle seat seems nearly impossible unless you arrive early and don't plan to get up during the entire show. read more

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The Sylvee is one of my favorite venues that Madison has to offer. I have seen maybe 10-15 concerts at the Sylvee. Each concert has really quality acoustics, sound, and crowds. Security is quick and the touch free tickets, during Covid are really nice to get texted to you so that you don't have to worry about having a paper ticket. Parking can get busy at times but, there are solid amount of street spots or garages in the area. The Sylvee brings fantastic acts from all around the country/world that attract huge audiences! It is 95% standing room only--with a few reserved seats upstairs. The beer/drink prices are fairly reasonable for a venue--usually about 8-12$, depending on the drink you are getting. The lines can get long but, the bartenders are always super nice and quick! I can't really think about any negatives with the Sylvee! read more

Horrible, they don't have enough parking for sold out shows. We missed an hour of the concert because there was no available street parking and the parking garage was full. read more

Have been here for concerts a few times - most recently I was there for day #2 of The Head and The Heart. Really enjoy how the venue is laid out - it's easy to get close to the stage, but the view from the back is also excellent. Lots of stalls in the women's bathrooms, so you don't have to wait in line for too long! The beer selection was great and the bartender offered suggestions, even though it was loud and there was a little bit of a line - I really appreciated the help. Madison is lucky to have this venue! I only wish this venue was in Milwaukee! read more

Great Venue. Not a bad view of the stage anywhere. Beer isn't outrageously expensive and the lines for them are reasonable. The bathrooms were spotless and clean. Usually music venue bathrooms for #2 are an absolute no-go and result in lasting mental trauma resolving to use them, but not The Sylvee. I am stoked to have a middle size venue for the bands that don't qualify as "dad rock" or corporate rock. Wisconsin finally has a venue to rival the Riviera and the Aragon in Chicago. read more

Up until last night I was telling everyone I know that the Sylvee was the best indoor venue around. But last night you done sold way too many tickets. Could not move in there. Way too hot. People were passing out. Yeah drugs/alchohol. But it was hard to breathe. And it took security twice as long to help them. If you just sold fewer tickets, maybe people could dance. read more

Okay so I'm pretty impressed by the cleanliness of the facility. The place is very nice, small but not to small. My husband and I had central balcony seating and it was literally the best view. The drinks were okay, the bar tender made my drink tooo tooo strong! read more

The Sylvee - Central seating row B - Performing Arts Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Having only seen a couple shows at this venue, my experience is limited. But I've seen countless performances in my lifetime and in more venues across the country than I could ever recall. This place is by far better than most. Only old performance theaters designed for acoustics, old Paramount styled places surely are the best, because even from the rear-most upper seats, you aren't so far away that you can still enjoy a reasonable sense of intimacy not remotely attainable in large halls and arenas. Scale is key. This place has width as well as (I believe) even a mezzanine level (? I can't say for certain) which can offer decent sight lines. The acoustics are top notch, regardless of what I've been told by some I've spoken to. A good engineer can properly tune the show to this room, whereas doing so in other places they may never get a true balance. If a show at this place sounded bad, it's more than likely to be the fault of the bands greenhorn hired dude. Madison WI was painfully lacking in world scale stages to attract big acts. The Coliseum is sorta like all venues in that scale. Old and lame. Madison's state street area has some very cool old places as well as a world class venue, but the Sylvee has amenities that really shine for the concert goers and very likely for the talent as well. Getting a beer, while still being able to hear and view the performance is one that I especially was pleased with. read more

All I care about are acoustics and bathrooms. The bathrooms are fine The acoustics are amazing. As though the designers for the place put some thought into it. Floor, wings, balcony-there isn't a bad sound spot in the place. Thank you so much. A go to place for music fans in Madison or beyond. I'd see any show here. read more

When we got to the venue the line was wrapped around the block. Waited for nearly an hour in the cold just to get inside and missed the first band entirely. If my band was on the bill I would be pretty upset that there were hundreds of people outside waiting to get in while I was playing. When we got close to the entrance we heard an employee saying it was all the concert goers faults for showing up at the same time and they weren't going to change the way they did things. I'm hoping that employee wasn't a decision maker for the venue lol. Once we got in the venue was pleasant. Pretty standard setup, nothing extraordinary. read more

After donating blood I came to the Sylvee to see a concert. We had GA tickets. I had been waiting to see Bastille for months. During the concert I became very light headed and felt like I was going to pass out. I really needed to sit down. I was brought out a chair so I could sit. This happened 3 times during the concert. The caring, compassionate staff were so accommodating and helpful. I was brought water, and their concern for my well being was very much appreciated. read more

Horrible Customer Service. Stolen Money. I was double charged on drinks - I brought it up to the bartender who said I wasn't. Two days later both charges are on my card. I reach out to the social team which wasn't able to do anything for me besides have me reach out to the generic info email. The info email responded and confirmed The Sylvee double charged me but that they couldn't do anything. They took my money and wont refund me. They claim they tried but it didn't work. I was then sent to someone else who was also not able to rectify the situtation. They just told me to call my card company. It wasn't my card company that stole money - it was the Sylvee. Days later and 4 different employees I am still out the money they double charged me. They admit guilt but are not doing anything to recifty the situation. read more

It is an amazing venue for our city our size. Great staff. Great beer and liquor selection. Acoustics that are top notch. Stellar sight lines and I never feel that packed in (even during sold-out shows). I would tell anyone to hit up a show there. You won't be disappointed. read more

I'm claustrophobic. Saw DSO Saturday. My First show at the Sylvee. I was very impressed. Easy parking, easy walk, quick entry, friendly staff, non-stressful atmosphere, clean bathrooms, FLAT floor so my back didn't kill me standing four hours. And stood towards the back without some rude jerk dancing 6 inches in front of my face. 24ounce tap beer for ten bucks which is not bad at all. Bar was twenty feet behind me. Sound was pretty good but I'm old school vacuum tube Marshall stacks so the "improved" glossy sound of modern technology doesn't do it for me but I was still happy enough with the sound. So this picky guy with music (but not much else in life) was very happy and would go again. read more

This was my first trip to the Sylvee. It definitely won't be my last. We attended the Avett brothers concert on November 16th. This venue is unique to the many concerts that I attend. The acoustics are outstanding. The staff very courteous. The drinks reasonably priced. The view from our seats fantastic. Parking nearby quite affordable ($4.80). The rest rooms very clean. Well worth the money spent and the 1 hour drive fro. Milwaukee. read more

I had hoped that The Sylvee would be the best thing to happen to Madison's music scene since Frank Productions first came to the city, but sadly that just isn't the case. Its a real shame considering they had the opportunity to make something truly special with this venue and instead, they made something that focuses on making as much money as possible instead of becoming an icon for the city of Madison. Very bland and boring venue, especially considering its significance for FPC Live. Everything is plain, the balcony features a chain link fence for a railing, the only attractive design feature are the large windows in the 2nd floor balcony looking towards the capitol. The actual layout of the place is good though. Its a very small space with a huge stage, and you feel very close to the action no matter where you are. The balcony is nicely set up, the first 2 rows are Ticketmaster Platinum seats, which means they can be very expensive, but offer really great views if you are okay with paying the price. The GA areas are raised high enough above those seats that you won't have your view blocked by these expensive seats, which is nice. However, there are no places to sit for GA people which is a huge disappointment. They could at least offer stools to sit on in the balcony area. The sound is okay, not great but not terrible. For a venue designed with no thought to character, you'd think they'd at least get sound quality nailed down. Drink selection could be better. The worst part about this place is the way they sell tickets. GA tickets are based on a tiered pricing format. The first X amount of tickets are priced at the lowest point (typically around $40) but as more tickets are sold, the price slowly goes up to a max that can be twice the start price. And since the VIP seating is done via Ticketmaster Platinum Seats, prices for those VIP seats can be $200+ just for the privilege of having the only seats in the building. read more

The Sylvee - a crowd of people at a concert - Performing Arts Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Great venue!!! My husband and I drove from Chicago to see Young the Giant and it was an awesome concert! There aren't any bad spots because the venue is a good size - it felt like a party but it wasn't so huge that you felt disconnected/far away from the performance. We showed up ten mins late and still got great spots standing towards the front. They also had pretty good drink selections and for great prices - or at least they seemed cheap compared to the hella expensive drink prices in Chicago. We didn't order anything tho cause we already had a great pre-game buzz (woo!). My only complaint would be coat check - it was super slow at the end of the night but I later found out there was also a coat check upstairs so maybe that's on me. read more

This is a fantastic venue looks and size wise. Its big enough and they don't oversell so you can actually get to the restroom or get drinks and back without having to fight a million people. Its clean and looks amazing. I came here for the Death Cab show. The sound wasn't the greatest and we were right by the soundboard where its supposedly supposed to sound the best and it was mediocre at best. The sound engineer didn't appear to be adjusting much so I don't know if it was his fault it sounded off or not. The opening band definitely sounded loud and terrible but even Death Cab didn't sound all that great. The drinks are extremely overpriced. I think it was $8 for a Coors light. Definitely pregame at one of the many bars within walking distance if you come here. I probably will continue to frequent this venue as its one of the better, larger ones I have been to and hopefully they can fix the sound issues. Its probably worth seeing a show here at least once to see the new building and hopefully they fix the sound issues by then. read more

Stopped by the new Sylvee the other night for a jammin show. The place is beautiful in my opinion. Others are commenting on how "plain" it is. If they started hanging sh%^ on the walls, etc. it will take away from the acoustics which this venue was specifically made for. The industrial look is in now anyway. Place is a perfect size. I witnessed a larger man almost fall over the guards rails on the 2nd floor :-/ The music quality was A+ during our performance. Drinks, overpriced as expected. 4 stars for ya! :) read more

From someone who always has to drive 1-2 hours for. Concert, it is amazing to have a great, easy access venue close to home! The parking garage is right next door, once you enter, you are RIGHT by the floor and stage! Easy access bar and bathrooms for days! Pricing is completely reasonable depending on your artist. I can't wait to attend more shows here! read more

This spot has been a great addition to the Madison. The lights and sound are some of the best in area . They offer a nice selection of beers and the staff was helpful with recommendations. There was a bit of a line for drinks but that's to be expected. They bartenders were efficient and the line moved relatively quickly. The venue is spacious and I didn't feel crammed at all like in other venues. read more

NYE 2018-2019 Great Gatsby Event Review: How do we collect our photos from the 2nd floor photographer? Is there a link to obtain? How be an absolute disappointment if they were not available. 2. Some additional feedback: -Space is beautiful and stage lighting is impactful and fun -Additional couches or cocktail tables would have been appreciated. Think a comedy club setup for that type of show. -MORE Flap dancers and performances. A LOT of downtime between bands and music. A top 40 DJ between bands would have helped with the dead air and awkward dance floor with no music. -Guests were just getting very drunk and falling down before midnight. (And we are a 28 year old couple-- all the older couples were sloppy before midnight). A firetruck, ambulance, and two squad cars showed up outside before midnight and really put a damper on the party-goer vibe. Yikes. -Coatcheck line was miss- managed and a time drain. The line created a barrier between the bar (and that line) and the main stage. Disappointing beginning experience to the night. -Appetizers were a 3/10. Cheese squares, fruit melon, and UNPEELED shrimp cocktail. At least peel the massive pile of shrimp before you have guests. I know how these types of events go with food, but can a girl get a meatball around here at least?? Even at $40 a head, I could have made PB&Js for everyone. Suggestion- buy 1/2 as much shrimp and peel it for the same cost... -Bartenders non-consistent yet outfits were on point. -Bar: A $12 nice bourbon old-fashioned is appropriate for a nice night out price-wise.. but when most bartenders pour a bourbon and sour that does not a $12 cocktail make... again, disappointing. read more

With VIP tickets to the amazing Lana Del Ray concert last night, the Sylvester forced us to wait outside an hour after the doors were supposed open! It was so cold, I ended up with frostbite! Still in a lot of pain People were leaving trying to find somewhere to get warm, and were told they couldn't get let back in line with their group. Not to mention security had to come in as people were throwing up, and passing out. (Someone next to me, threw up on me) Disgusting I will never go back there! read more

I was excited to see Shinedown at the Sylvee on 5/21/19. Huge Electro-Voice PA, great venue, well staffed, good stage set up and the crowd was ready. MC from local radio station comes out and pumps up the crowd. Then the singer and guitarist come out 1/2 hour late and play "Sittin on the Dock of the Bay" on acoustic guitar to open. I thought "Cool way to build the show". Then they play another acoustic with the crowd singing along. Then the singer announces that it will be an ALL acoustic show since their drummer has a back injury and can't perform. Look, I feel for the drummer and his pain. But, the right thing to do would have been to either reschedule the show or announce this before hand and offer refunds due to the drastic change of show. I paid to see the band and unfortunately witnessed an acoustic duo with lots of chit-chat between songs. The Sylvee should do the right thing and process refunds for those that requested. I was not alone walking out after 3 songs. 5/31/19 Updated review. The Sylvee contacted Ticketmaster and called me to tell me they processed my requested refund. Thank you Sylvee for supporting those that support you. My 1 star changed to 5 stars! read more

It's unfortunate, this venue books really good artists. The sound quality is just terrible. I've been to many concerts here but don't think I will ever return. They just need to do something with the sound, it's very difficult to hear a single word. Instrumental wise it's okay but lyrically it's awful. read more

I kind of like the design of the place in looks and being built for concerts. BUT... for a brand new built-for-concerts venue, it has too many negatives that make it worse than other places. 1. I agree with others, the sound there is not great... not clear enough. 2. It is WAYYY too heavily General Admission in layout. Not enough seating options for those who want to see the show rather than battle to obtain or hold a position and have to stand for hours. Major negative. 3. Related to #2, what limited seating they do have is 2/3 not good. The seating that faces the stage is fine. The side seating is NOT and not cheap. So you pay a premium to receive obstructed views. The second row is not high enough to see over the row in front of you and you are looking sideways with 1/3 of the stage view blocked by heads. The second level should have been higher to see cleanly and easily over the first. Even the first row doesn't get a great view due to the balcony/railing construction also blocking views. During designing, did they not actually sit in a similar layout of side seats and check how poor the view of the stage would be? For the second row to be good, you'd have to raise it at least 2 feet. 4. If you want seated views... your only truly good option is the balcony front on view and accepting the high prices those few tickets bring in, if you are even lucky enough to obtain one of them, there are so few. All of that that makes The Sylvee quite disappointing for a new venue that could have done a better job in addressing all of this in the design since it was designed and built from scratch. read more

Enjoyed seeing Highly Suspect and Slothrust at The Sylvee on Friday night. Knew nothing of the venue and parking situation beforehand but we were pleasantly surprised. It was easy to get to and the parking ramp next door made parking easy (and only about a 15 minute wait to get out at the end of the night). The venue was neat-- easy to see and hear from anywhere. Loved being able to stand on the sides. Bathrooms were clean. Drinks were expensive, but it's what you get at a show like this, but there were lots of choices. We would definitely go back to another concert here! read more

I was really excited to check out this new venue, and wow, what a disappointment. It seems like the venue was built solely with profit in mind, with no consideration given to audience, or sound. Slap up walls, paint em black, and poured concrete and chain link fencing. Even the singer of the band nailed it with his comment that it was like playing at mad max's thunderdome. Aside from the fact that it's a soulless, character free cube of a building, the sound was appalling. We had balcony seats ,and the speakers are basically right in front of your face, which they were using to try and push the sound to the entire venue. So, in an attempt to find SOMEWHERE that the show sounded good, we moved around. To the balcony, the back bar, the floor, same bad mix everywhere... The audio quality overall was terrible, absolutely terrible, and far too loud. (How do you mix deathcab for cutie louder than a metal band?) All kick/snare, no keyboards, or bass guitar, and they couldn't even put a compressor on the vocal mic, which kept clipping (horrible). Anyone who thought that this show sounded good must have been taking advantage of the fact that they sell 32 oz beers, which I guess is one way to make a crowd disregard being shoved in a concrete room like cattle and being assaulted by overdriven midrange. As for my credentials, I have done audio production and live sound since the 80s. I really wanted to jump behind the board to see if the sound was salvageable. Maybe its a bad engineer, maybe its a lack of quality speakers, maybe its the fact that its a concrete room, Im guessing its a combination of all the aforementioned. For a total of $85 per ticket, this was an abysmal failure. FWIW, I just saw the National at the Orpheum, and they were fantastic, the sound was great, and the atmosphere is top notch. In fact, recent shows at the Majestic, and the Barrymore and at multiple venues in Chicago, and Milwaukee have all been excellent, and I have not had a single negative comment about them. I won't be returning to the Sylvee, not that it matters much, as it appears they are selling out shows consistently. Oh, yeah, and screw Ticketmaster. read more

Ok venue. Had high hopes. Sound was terrible. Saw Death Cab for Cutie. Couldn't make out lyrics. Will not come again until they figure this out. Orpheum and Majestic-way better sound. I heard that a production company is hired out for sound- they need to look at this. I felt bad for Death Cab. The vocals were tinny and couldn't be deciphered akin to the 80s/90s concert I saw last year at the Alliant Energy Center (which was horrible- not as bad but close). I really wanted to write a good review but they have some work to do. read more

Paid a huge amount for actual seats. The seats themselves were the most uncomfortable I've ever been in a concert/theater setting. No joke, they were smaller than budget economy plane seats. I will not be back. Do not pay for seats if you are bigger than petite size. read more

I had a greattttt experience. 2 nights in a row seeing The Avett Brothers. It was two very chilly November days outside waiting to get in but the staff went above and beyond. Mike (security guy) set everything up and provided great answers to questions. On the second day he came out and bought all of us cupcakes and donuts in the morning!! It was amazing. We were on the rail in GA for both shows and Tom (security) gave us water and provided entertainment before the shoW. I will definitely see a concert here again. read more