Shows are always great - they have good artist come through. Buy tickets early for the best price. Drinks are always expensive and the venue itself gets extremely hot every time (bring a fan). read more

The Vanguard - Concert - Music Venues Near Me - Orlando, Florida

I came here to see my favorite rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. Only member missing was Bizzy, but I had a great time nonetheless and will never forget this concert. Such a dope experience! read more

Large venue for DJ shows. Security staff was all kind and diligent. I wish the restrooms were larger and the speakers a bit louder on the sides of the space. Drinks are over-priced, but what do you expect. They have a good variety. read more

This review is for Lot 54, which is the parking lot they converted to a mini festival ground with an outdoor stage, a VIP section, several bars, a Chinese food truck, and some pleasant surprises including running water albeit at port a potties (at least in VIP) and staff walking around picking up trash keeping the place tidy. Parking is available on the street or at a nearby garage for $10. There were enforcers actively ticketing cars, so I'd advise against taking any risks. The VIP ticket perks were a speedy entrance, some fun sponsor swag and photo booth, designated viewing area left of the stage, and our own bars, but the lines were shorter in GA at times. There were three lines with two bartenders at each counter except for one with only a single bartender making the wait even longer, so check the staff count before you get in line. The most annoying part of the evening was the blinding lights. The light techs need to take the spot light off the crowd left of stage during the show. We can handle a few flashes here and there, but they'd beam the brightest blinding white light at the crowd for entire songs. I couldn't see, but hopefully no lasers were used that would do permanent damage to our eyes. I've been to countless EDM shows and this was the first time I've experienced lighting like that. Overall, a nice vibe from the crowd and nice to be outdoors. I also appreciate they have to shut down at 11 PM and the kids can go to the after party indoors till 3 AM. read more

The Vanguard - Lot 54 (outdoor stage) - Music Venues Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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The staff will hustle you out of unmarked couches in the back which they apparently are trying to rent for $400. Terrible views for the non-VIPs. Also they have a public parking sign up but then are charging. Oh and last time I was there a guy pissed on my feet. read more

Attended a highly anticipated EDM event to watch Rabbit in the Moon and The Crystal Method. The Venue was small and personal and there was no bad location to stand and enjoy the music. The bars were very efficient and the security did a phenomenal job at guiding the lines to enter. If you get the opportunity to go to a concert or event, at the vanguard, you won't be disappointed. read more

The Vanguard - Music Venues Near Me - Orlando, Florida

I have been a regular at this venue for the past 4 years and will always say my experience here is a 50/50. The vanguard hosts lots of shows from bands to edm shows. I am deeply into the music world and am used to coming to the Vanguard 1-3 times a month depending on what shows they have going on. The venue itself runs smoothly, the security moves quickly and the bartenders are fast service but you never know what kind of experience you'll get when here. Often times they sell out tickets and because of the size of the venue the place gets packed like a can of sardines. The bathroom has 4-5 stalls but it isn't always clean or kept up with. The vip area is cute because you are on the second level looking down on the stage but all the tables and areas to camp out at for the night are very far from the view of the stage that you have to watch the show on the tvs that are scattered around the place broadcasting the show. If you have an artist you want to see here, I'd say go. It safe for one, just remember to get there early if you want a good spot because once it fills up, no one lets you through. The drinks are affordable and the acoustics are pretty nice. read more

I've been coming to the vanguard since before it was the vanguard. I go alot because they always have the best Dj's come out and do shows- it's also an insomniac club . I always have had a great time. Never had an issue with the bartenders or security. We went last night for Sullivan king and it was epic ! Amazing lasers, and displays . Good sound system. The venue itself can get extremely packed . Then it gets really hot. I know what to expect when I go, so I'm used to it. There is a top level, with vip areas. The vip sections aren't really worth it in my opinion bc they are off to the side away from everything with a poor view . Unless you get the vip sections with the couch. My high noons were about $14 without a tip- so typical club prices IMO. This is my favorite club in Orlando. It's off to the side kinda near a sketchy area, but the cops do a great job patrolling once an event ends read more

The ambience is good in this place and their shows are good with good sounds. Drinks are over priced much like any venue two drinks about $40. The real thing that makes this place pieces of crap though is during a race where people are over heating and needing to leave on ambulances they still refuse to give you a cup of water and charge $5 for a bottle. So fuck your health and your designated drivers. read more

If somebody's been to countless musical venues across the world I really wasn't sure what to expect when going to The Vanguard. First off the show we saw was absolutely fantastic and the acoustics in the room were good. The major downside was how crowded it was and even at the back of the room we were packed in like sardines. It was very very hot inside the venue and it felt like despite the circumstances it was much hotter than an indoor venue should be regardless of where it is. read more

I've been to the Vanguard about 10 times in the last 2 years and its been for a variety of shows (EDM, Reggaeton/Reggae, clubbing, etc) and every time i go, its such an amazing time. The staff is absolutely lovely and sweet. The drinks were very tasty and delicious. Overall, a 15/10 experience! I recently saw the Sullivan King show and it was absolutely breathtaking! I met so many sweet people and made some friends and head-banged the night away. Thank you to The Vanguard for such an amazing experience read more

The Vanguard - End of the Sullivan King Show on the Outside of the Vanguard - Music Venues Near Me - Orlando, Florida

No food ordered. Felt safe and good parking. Tip os park off the street- it's free. Cheap drinks and fast service. Place will get packed at around 11pm. Really packed especially if there is a good guest. read more

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I've been going to The Vanguard since it was The Club at Firestone and while it has its issues it is a much better run venue with its association with Insomniac. Acoustically it's great and as long as you have VIP you will have an OK amount of space, drink service and bathroom access. Downstairs is a sweaty mess free for all so try to get VIP if possible. Tons of parking all around but safer and quicker to park in their lot even if it costs a little more. Don't expect friendly service - it's a club - but you will generally have a great time and hear some great music! read more

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I've never experienced anything so unsafe and mishandled at a club. My friend and I were physically grabbed, shoved, and screamed at by a woman who claimed we were standing in "her section" when we were only trying to talk to a couple of girls we met earlier. After we told her multiple times not to touch us, I threw my drink in defense and walked away. She then sent two men after us--one of whom grabbed my friend from behind and swung her around--before security stepped in. My purse was yanked off my shoulder during the chaos, and security had to bring it back to me. What made it worse? Staff (I am assuming the same blonde woman who has been mentioned in several of these reviews) blamed us for the situation because I threw my drink in defense. A bartender I asked for help to call security did nothing--and later falsely claimed we were too intoxicated to be served, even though we only ordered one drink and I didn't even drink mine. We were the ones physically assaulted and removed, while the aggressive group that instigated everything stayed behind partying. It honestly felt like they were protected because they were regulars or had money. If you care about your safety, I'd think twice before going here. Women deserve better than to be manhandled, dismissed, and blamed for standing up for themselves. read more

Nights at the Club are always a good time and when you find one that's mellow like this you so know it's totally what's good! So coming here was kinda trip in a way as I used to go to a club called Vanguard in Hollywood all the time then it became Academy which is still one of my favorites I've ever been to so coming here was cool for me because it kinda reminded me of those days. The sound here was awesome and it was cool inside like it didn't get hot even with all the other humans dancing and having fun it still didn't get hot like you could go outside and feel the difference from the inside which was awesome because no one likes it when it gets too hot inside the club! Parking was easy as I found a place on the street about a block away so that was awesome as free parking in the city is as good as gold! It was unusual for me coming to a club where they don't enforce dress code as that's what I'm used to with most of the EDM clubs back home but either way it was still a good time and I'll prolly keep it the way it's been for me for years. Overall awesome club cool lights it's cool and has good sound so I'm sure I'll make it back here again at some point. read more

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Met the manager - Luis great guy complimented the quality of service and etiquette of the employees Good enforcement of rules and ambiance is eloquent Dance floor is in the center of the building with restrooms immediately to the left upon entering. Multiple bars No food this is a club. Drinks are moderately priced 16$ for a tequila sunrise w tip of 1$ read more

The Vanguard was nice and easy to get into. We had to pass security checkpoints but they're a pretty nice about getting us into the club. The outside of the club doesn't really stand out very clean and modern looking fits right into the downtown decor. Walking into the club it seems a little confined until you go out to the main area. You'll find very large Open spaces two very large bars downstairs and another one upstairs plus a VIP bar. It's very cool I was divided in the upper and lower floors. This location used to be called Firestone back in the day. It's gone through a few owners since then and a few remodels. This location easily has one of the most expensive light shows in towel that I've seen in a very long time. The laser beams and the amount of lights that they have are really awesome and the lighting guys did a really great great job I control them to the show that night. The lighting guys told me that they're actually control them live to the mix but the DJs are doing that night. Such a seamless and flawless light show between sets. All around was a very impressive setup. I'm not sure what the alcohol prices are like here but I'm willing to bet they're pretty damn expensive because the bottle of water was $5. The audio system sounds really great. You only hear distortion when you're upstairs close to one of the stacks of speakers. At that point I still am not hearing the app clipping it's just a bit loud there upstairs center stage was visually and audibly the best place to be downstairs center stage has a much larger dance floor as well as much more bass comes through. If you're downstairs facing the stage and you hang out for the left side by the bathrooms you get a lot more of the subwoofers. It sounds a lot more like a car stereo with the amount of Base you can get from the system. They did a great job the night I was there keeping it clean. Almost every time I turned around there was an employee with a dustpan and a broom. The bathrooms seemed a little beat up but I'm sure that happens pretty quick at a venue like this. Many more shows coming to this location keep an eye on their calendar and sign up for the mail list. read more

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Have been here to see Deadmau5 and Sasha. It's a decent venue but gets incredibly busy with limited room to dance unless you stand in the back, which means not being able to see very well when you are short like me. They have great light sets and standing in the back gives a different viewpoint for the laser lights. There is an upstairs with some VIP tables and couches and well as a VIP standing area. They also have two outside patios to get some fresh air. Bigger shows like Deadmau5 meant not being able to get a drink or go to the bathroom without people pushing into your spot. Would be nice if the occupancy was lower so people had some room. read more

The Vanguard - Music Venues Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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I paid for a VIP standing tier ticket. As the show began, a show I drove three total hours to attend, and for a favorite group I've waited over 12 years to see play live, I was accosted by no less than three security guards and a blonde woman I can only assume was some sort of manager. They demanded that I remain behind a railing. I did nothing wrong. My friend, who was right next to me, heard the people in the seated VIP section in front of us complain, trying to demand a seated section closer to the railing. The manager, and her security guards, acted aggressively towards me, unnecessarily and repeatedly, effectively ruining my night. I warn anyone against attending a show here. The employees clearly care nothing for the attendees, and only for advocating for those willing to spend $350 for a VIP seated ticket. read more

Was excited to see one of my favorite bands and purchased VIP tickets for the event. But everything was disorganized from the beginning. VIP check-in didn't start until nearly an hour after the instructions with the tickets said they would. No one seemed sure what was happening or what the delay was. We finally get inside and people are scrambling inside to set up. They released us to hang out and they're still using power tools to put up the barricade. They told some of us to wait upstairs, but never told us when we could come back down. We wandered down on our own when it seemed like they might be done and waited for the opener. Well turns out they didn't get a soundcheck in all the chaos and their songs were all bass (the group was even asking the house for adjustments during their set to try to improve things). We were pulled into the "VIP viewing area" for the main event, but it was maybe 2 feet closer than I already was with my early entry, and they unceremoniously booted us after three songs to the very back of the venue. There was no communication, and ask the security seemed to have no idea what was going on. I was blown off by several of them when I asked about what was happening. I paid a lot of extra money to get to actually see the band, but from the back of the house, I couldn't see anything. I spoke to a manager, but he didn't seem to get it. Completely unsatisfying conversation. He kept saying it wouldn't be fair to other customers if the VIPs were put back up front, except that's literally why we paid 4x the price of GA. He was clearly not getting it and offered no real resolution. I'm left to fight with the VIP company for any hope of recompense, which considering how early I had to buy the tickets to get them at all is probably going to be a bust. Hopefully this review serves as a warning to others: if there's a band you want to see and they're playing here.... I hope you have the means to follow them to a different stop on their tour. I will personally not be back. read more

Went to this place for Wooli last year and was completely oversold and sold out and was completely miserable. Crankdat was coming into town with alley cvt on March 10th. I left a review for Wooli and they promised me the next show I go to I could get it upgraded to V.I.P all I had to do was email them. I buy the tickets and a month out from the concert I contacted them through email asking about the upgrade. Never heard anything back from them, I emailed them again the day before the show. I still got nothing, I tried to call the number they have listed never rang. I dm them on instagram and they still haven't even read it. They do not care about their patrons and give out false promises that they can't seem to back up. The only good part was it was sold out but there was not nearly as many people as Wooli so it wasn't as miserable. read more

The Vanguard - Crankdat - Music Venues Near Me - Orlando, Florida

I've been to A LOT of shows here being a big EDM fan. It's probably one of my favorite venues as far as sound quality and space. However the drinks are an absolute rip off. For example a White Claw is $13! I can get a whole pack for that price. Therefore I drink before I go. I feel they also oversell tickets and crowd the space to the point people are stepping on your shoes and spilling drinks everywhere. This place has the potential to become a five star rated venue if they would get the drink prices and the crowd in order. read more

I attended a show at The Vanguard last night that was rescheduled from another venue at the last minute. I'm not going to lie, initially I was pretty disappointed because I love the other venue but obviously still wanted to go to the show. The Vanguard, formerly known as Firestone refers to itself as "Downtown Orlando's newest entertainment destination" and is located smack dab in the middle of downtown on Orange. Pros: -Production elements are on point. They have a very high quality lighting and audio system, and even an LED wall on stage for the bands logos which was awesome. - I like the idea of having a second floor but didn't have a chance to get up there and see it for myself. Cons: - Parking. The venue has a lot but only takes cash and I didn't actually see it so I'm not sure how large it is. If you're cashless like me then you're stuck venturing downtown to find a garage or street parking which can be a pain. - Bathrooms were a bit beat and gross but I guess that's to be expected. - Overhang from second floor viewing area makes it difficult to see from the back half of the floor. I really enjoyed the concert and AV set up. Next time I'll check out the second floor as soon as I get there to see if the view is better. Looking forward to future shows here! read more

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Depending on how long you've lived in Orlando, you may remember this venue by several other names. You might have great memories here. You probably saw some great shows. But the venue currently known as The Vanguard with a bonus outdoor venue known as Lot 54 is, I guarantee, better than anything you've experienced before - not only in this spot but also across all of Central Florida. (I'm looking at you, Jannus Live....) As someone who's been dancing longer than most people who frequent The Vanguard, let me tell you why this event space is SO amazing after seeing some 15+ shows here post-COVID: SOUND: This venue is owned and operated by Insomniac, and they take their sound quality seriously. The bass is obviously amazing, as it must be given the quality of the acts they book here, but so are the mids and highs. I bring earplugs but only a few acts have required I wear them. Infinitely better than Jannus Live - though it's hard to compare indoor vs. outdoor, it just IS. STAFF: From the moment you get in line all the way to bottle or bar service and back to security, the folks here are amazing and NICE. You know the positive PLUR vibes you get at EDC? Well the staff at The Vanguard shows up with those vibes every weekend. I've seen these folks working insane crowds and hustling super hard to get us all in as fast as they can because they know we don't want to miss the music - all with a smile and positive energy. If you get VIP - even standing space - the staff becomes your best friend for the night and the upstairs area is the VIP sections is a place you'll never leave. SPACE: I absolutely love the amount of space available at The Vanguard, though I do understand why people can feel cramped in the front once the main act goes on. Yes, it gets crowded on the rail, but you can always retreat to outdoor patios (in VIP or main entrance) for some fresh air and the space by the bars is usually easy to navigate. Bathrooms move pretty quickly and even folks lining the stairs to get a good view have plenty of space for folks to pass by. SAFETY: We're in Orlando and times are weird. The Vanguard has thorough security at the door and in VIP to make sure everyone is where they're supposed to be. Additionally, they installed air filters post-COVID that not only keep the club smelling fresh (seriously, it's wild that my hair doesn't stink when I leave this place after hours of dancing), but also purify air quality. I went to this venue so many times after COVID policies changed and I've never once gotten sick here. Not even the Wook Flu from EDC after parties. And finally, LOT 54!!! I loved this back lot venue space and truly, this is where Insomniac shines. Super strong festival vibes from this space - the stage, the sound, the nitrous, the lasers, the flames, the glam bus, the VIP section with ear plugs and mints!! I absolutely loved seeing John Summit here and can't wait to see who's next! Thank you, Vanguard + Lot 54 + Insomniac + all the amazing staff who make events come to life here. Having a resident EDC-like venue in the heart of my city is amazing and gives me excuse after excuse to fly friends in from all over the country! read more

Love the events held at vanguard. There is a huge variety in djs / performers. This is an open space, with two floors. However there is a blonde lady who works there and she is rude as can be. HORRIBLE customer service and she runs the upstairs area for the sections. She has no idea how to speak to people and it changed my entire opinion on this place. Makes you not want to spend money there when you have employees who talk to people like. Especially as a woman it sucked to be spoke to the way she spoke to us. read more

My boyfriend and I love vanguard the have great shows if you like edm. I have seen artists such as charlotte de witte, Sullivan king, Zeds dead, Wooli, Alok, and more. The venue is 18+ which is great because most places downtown Orlando are not. The have awesome Lasers and a great stage. read more

The Vanguard - Lasers!! - Music Venues Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Booked 2 VIP Tier 2 Tickets for an Above & Beyond Concert. We arrived early and were easily able to park right outside the club for $20 cash. The check in process was a breeze and we climbed some stairs to the VIP standing area. There was a separate VIP Lounge that was reserved only for Table Service guests. Since this was our first time at this venue, I approached one of the waitresses to learn more. She was sweet and quite helpful. The rest of the staff I spoke with was also respectful. The opening set by Nick Whitney was a good mix of Tribal/Groovy/Haunting House. The background images were and lighting created a wonderful vibe. Next on was Naz. Hers was uplifting/progressive. Above & Beyond came on at 11:30 pm. While their set started out slow, they picked up by the 3/4th track. The background and lighting again was unbelievable. The music quality was excellent - You could feel the base in the floor. The crowd was incredible - you could tell they were true Trance fans! The reason for my 4 star review is the lack of seating for a VIP Tier 2 guest. It might be nice to have some options on this. I will definitely be returning for other events. read more

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Went there last Saturday for Mortens concert with VIP. Was charged $16 for a corona canned beer and $16 for a Heiniken canned beer. Talk about price gauging. Went downstairs and their prices were $2 cheaper. Please do better with your beverage pricing. When people feel ripped off its not a good feeling. Please do better. Concert was good. read more

The Vanguard - Receipt - Music Venues Near Me - Orlando, Florida

I love seeing shows here, but your ass rape beer pricing makes that difficult. $11 for a 16oz beer!!! I get that ANYWHERE downtown for $4 or $6. GTFOH. I will be VERY selective on the shows I see here. Which SUX cuz it's a great place to see a show. Just feel screwed every time I go. read more

Friendly staff but the fact we waited 4 hrs to see Pauly D was ridiculous. We couldn't even leave the place to get food/drinks elsewhere. Then we paid for VIP and no drinks, a shitty section, no seats, shitty views. We also tried to contact the club via FB, IG & no response as to dress code, what VIP included...just not pleased. Venue was cool though. Refund please! read more

I went to the vanguard last night and had the best experience!! special shout out to the general manager Julian! He really took time and helped me and my friends out. I will be coming back as soon as possible and as often as possible, If i could give 10 stars i would. read more

I'm giving them five stars because I have never felt more safe and backed up by the staff here than any other venue I have visited. The way the security quickly handled a situation eased my heightened anxiety from a predator that was circling me. THANK YOU SO MUCH!! The guy that they threw out previously assaulted me at Gilt Nightclub. I couldn't even find someone at Gilt to report the situation to when it happened and I made a large scene by screaming at the predator, to which no one responded. That was not the case at the Vanguard. I recognized the predator and he kept circling the area I was in, moving closer each time. I went to find security and when I was being approached by two security staff, the predator walked from behind me and brushed my shoulder. I immediately pointed and said, "That's him!" and one security guy grabbed him to throw him out. I explained the situation to the other security guy and he assured me that the predator was being thrown out and they'd keep an eye on me in case anyone else was bothering me. Not long after, the manager wanted to speak with me and I told him about the situation too. He also assured me that they cared about my safety and that the predator was gone. The last time I visited, there was a guy who was trying to harass my girlfriends and the security handled it before anything bad happened. I am very grateful for their attentiveness to make us safe in their club. I have also seen some incredible shows at this venue and it is by far my favorite spot to see DJs in Orlando. read more

We bought a VIP table for Dom Dolla and I didn't feel very important. This place is a joke! For the amount of shows they are pulling, it's beyond me how poorly ran this place is and how unaccommodating the venue is to patrons. I found out it's owned by Insomniac...so that makes some sense as they are known for their unnecessary aggression and lack of customer service. When we showed up, two separate people were falling out in line from drugs or heat exhaustion...and nothing was being done to address the situation. The lack of safety put a bad taste in my mouth. The staff is either confused or blatantly wanted us on a wild goose chase for the VIP entrance. Every staff member outside directed us all around the building for 45 min as to where the VIP entrance was located. We finally get in for our table of 4, and It only comes with 3 seats. When we asked she said "yeah it's really weird...but that's how we sell them." Then why not say it's a table for 3? It's not weird, it's false advertisement! Our "very important person" table was shoved in the corner. And our $400 liter bottle of Tito's came with no ice. Our "VIP view" of the stage was from a TV and to top It off the sound of the music was horrible. We waited until 1:05am for Dom to get on and only played for 55 min. When the opener played for close to 2 hours. I can look past somethings, but when I go to a music event and the sound is poor, and employees are arrogant...what's the point? I will never return. I don't care what artist they pull to headline and have them play less than an hour, I'll catch them at a different venue or on my speaker at home compared to that sound. read more

Best staff, best service and an awesome venue. Sound system and lighting is excellent. read more

Saw a concert here after it was switched pretty last minute. I was lucky and got one of the last spots in the only parking nearby the venue. The way the inside is built makes it very difficult to see the stage. There's poles in the way that support the top floor, which you can't see anything from if you're not pushed against the railing. The audio was probably one of the worst places I've heard a concert at, and I've been to smaller venues all around orlando. The mic was giving feedback the whole show, not to the fault of the band because I've seen them play 6+ times and these issues were never a thing. Also all the sound comes from the front of the stage, there is no surround sound. So if you're in the back good luck seeing around the poles and actually hearing what they are playing. It was so rough even the main singer told the audience sorry they switched to this venue. Sorry DGD, you deserve better. read more

The Vanguard - Pole in the middle of my view, and trust me I tried to move but too small a venue to try and push people out of the way. - Music Venues Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Great changes to the venue but they don't care for anything but money. They will stuff the place to the brim where people are stepping on eachother and spilling drinks on peoples backs. There's no such thing as a capacity limit and it ruins the entire experience there. Don't mention the horrible AC that can't handle crowds of 500 people. Hope it changes ownership or something read more

I love this place what I didn't like is that the smoke they threw before doesn't come out anymore and it was very refreshing so it's boring no matter who comes to this place they should fix that and pay more attention to what doesn't work and fix it in the middle because you lose the desire to go places so they don't pay attention to what the lace need always !!!!!!! read more

Been going here for the past 3 years and at this point they oversell their tickets. No one likes walking into a venue and it's so packed that the crowd is all the way back pretty much to the bars which makes the venue insanely hot, there's no room to actually enjoy dancing/the concert because you can't even move since your shoulder to shoulder, getting drinks is annoying plus the drinks are overpriced as if it we were at a festival. On top of that people have been drugged way too many times so really watch out for your friends here, way too many times my group had to push someone out of the venue for touching one of the girls, and security is usually cool here, never had a problem with them. At this point it's probably better to save your money hit up a festival you never been too or go visit one of the legendary out of state venues like red rocks,the mirage, Aragon ball room, or the armory read more

TOO MANY PEOPLE ADMITTED, EXTREMELY HOT, NO SPACEI went here for the first time to see one of my favorite DJs and the only reason why I'm not giving it a one star is when people fell the DJs stopped and made sure they were good. Not a good venue, won't be going to again. Not worth it, just wait for another festival to see your DJs. read more

Was expecting a great venue but was given disrespectful employees. Overall bad experience