This is a fun place that we stumbled across while we were in Nashville. It's the war Memorial Auditorium. It's got some cool statues in earth things check out. read more

See all

The War Memorial Auditorium is located downtown Nashville next to the Tennessee State Capital. Our hotel was next door so we popped over for a quick tour. I learned that the building was built in 1925 and is a 2000 seat performance hall. In 2017 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Grand Ole Opry was performed here from 1939 to 1943 before it moved to the Ryman Auditorium. read more

See all

I've been to most of the popular music venues in Nashville now so it's hard not to compare one to another and see how they stand up to each other. The War Memorial Auditorium is a perfectly fine place to come and see a show, but just not my favorite due to some reasons I'll list below. Although it is an indoor concert venue you enter through a security check outside and then into the courtyard with the 'Victory' statue. The location and the exterior is the most unique thing about the auditorium. The inside, however, does not wow. My friend and I saw the Haim concert here, and that was awesome to see them! Pros: -They have multiple concession stands and bar areas for snacks/drinks -We had a good experience with the staff, from the security people to the bartenders -Because the auditorium isn't very big and the seating is in the shape of a 'U' it is easy to see the acts no matter where you sit Cons: -The bathrooms are in a basement so if you have seats on the upper level you have to go back down two sets of stairs -Although historic, it really needs some updates like little lights on the stairs so that you don't trip and fall! -As with any concert venues there are lines, lines and more lines for everything Overall, if good acts come here I'll go back. It's a decent venue with good seating and acoustics. read more

War Memorial Auditorium - Haim!! - Music Venues Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

As a new Nashville resident, I was lucky enough to attend my first event at War Memorial Auditorium just last week! I attended a living taping of NPR's Ask Me Another. It was hilarious, intelligent, and absolutely a joy to view live (I listen to it most weekends on the radio)! Several Nashville celebrity guests, including Martina McBride and Connie Britton, participated in the taping, which was really cool! War Memorial is a great venue for events and concerts - such a gorgeous building. The interior isn't quite as fancy as you might expect from the outside, but it's a big venue that is flexible for different types of events. (When I attend Ask Me Another, they utilized chairs on the floor of the auditorium, but for concerts, they can remove the chair and make it standing room only). It could use a little renovation/updating, though. They sell water, wine, and beer, which you can take to your seat. The only bathrooms are upstairs - we went upstairs to our seats and then had to walk all the way down (oops). Only con? The seats upstairs are pretty close together and the elevation could be better. I'm a short girl, and I had to swap seats with people to try to see over taller people in the row in front of me. And I hit my knee on the chair in front of me dozens of times (and I'm only 5 feet tall)! But such is the situation at almost every auditorium I've ever been in! Some great events and concerts are held at War Memorial Auditorium, so I'm sure I'll be back. read more

See all

Came here for the Louis York & The Shindellas concert and it was fabulous! The speakers are loud and clear. I don't believe there were any "bad" seats. The staff was very accommodating. Nathan and Jeremy helped me exchange my tickets and ensure I still had a great view. It wasn't until I visited the balcony that I realized they're all good. There isn't much leg room unfortunately, but that's due to the age of the building. read more

See all

I came here for the TFIOS event this past Thursday. I was media so I was able to snag a reserved seat in the balcony ... felt bad for the poor teens standing near the stage! I can't speak for the venue as a concert place, but for TFIOS it was fine. Easy to see the actors + writer (John Green! *fangirls out*) from where we were in the balcony. Good acoustics although I don't think it was meant to play movies/clips from movies. I'd like to explore this place more if ever back in Nashville. read more

War Memorial Auditorium - The Fault in our Stars event, 5/8/14 - Music Venues Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

See all

War Memorial Auditorium may very well be my favorite event venue in Nashville. How do you like them apples? I can make the above statement with the utmost confidence as I have utilized the WMA as a concertgoer (Dead Weather, Black Crowes, Band Of Horses, Iron & Wine, etc), event organizer (Nashville Fashion Week), and as an event attendee (Art Of Beer) and have always had a fabulous time. Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) manages and operates this venue so this multipurpose space can host anything from concerts and theater to hosting private events, banquets, and even fashion shows! Although the ceilings are extremely high, the acoustics are really great for this space. Seating is ample and accommodate around 1,600 dependent on the configuration of seats. The eye-catching U-shaped balcony is a feast for the eyes along with with beautiful columns that lead your eye to striking ceiling tiles. In addition, the exterior plaza is another great space to host a portion or all of your event too. My only iffy factor is that the parking situation is slightly annoying as scoring a metered space on 6th (between Charlotte Ave & Deaderick) can be less likely than winning the Powerball. You are likely going to have to pay for garage parking a few blocks away. However, don't let the parking situation deter you from this Nashville gem... WMA is totally worth it. read more

The War Memorial Auditorium is a majestic and beautiful historic building. After climbing many levels of long marble steps, you're greeted with enormous white columns and a huge courtyard. This is truly one of the most beautiful buildings in Nashville. The auditorium was built as an incredible memorial for the fallen soldiers who gave their lives for our country in World War I. For more information on this incredible building, you may find this link helpful : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Memorial_Auditorium ( The State Capital stands behind the Auditorium making it even more impressive. The lighting and the beauty of these two landmarks is absolutely breathtaking. ) Now for my review on the auditorium itself: We purchased VIP tickets for the Cowboy Jack Clement tribute benefiting musicians without health insurance. ( I've known Cowboy all my life, so this was one tribute I wouldn't have missed for anything. ) I could go on and on about the line up of incredible artists, how great the show was, and how much I enjoyed it, but this review is about the auditorium. Our seats were in the balcony ( 3rd floor) which gave us a great view of the stage but the elevator only goes to the main floor. If you have trouble walking up stairs, buy your tickets for the main floor. The interior of the auditorium is beautiful, even the ceiling is something to admire. The stage is more than ample for a very large band, choir or even orchestra. Unfortunately the sound wasn't great which is a shame because the atmosphere is amazing. The auditorium sells drinks which include sodas, beer, mixed drinks and water. ( no wine) On the third floor, the "bar" is basically a closet with a counter and one girl operating it as a "cash only" bar. ( a small beer - $8.00, large - $15.00 ) Now for the worst part....the ONLY restrooms in the building are in the BASEMENT. This may not be an issue for some people, but for me it was a real inconvenience. Every time I needed to make a trip to the ladies room, it involved going down 3 floors to the basement and 3 floors back to our seats. ( approximately 100 stairs each way.) Recent knee surgery made this a painful inconvenience. Another problem is the seating. I'm 5ft. 3in. and I had absolutely no leg room. My son and husband are over 6 ft. 3 in. and were so uncomfortable it caused us to stand in the stairway a few times. ( my purse was in my lap the entire time -no room on the floor by my seat.) I felt like I was sitting on an airplane. It was very cold and windy that night so we used valet parking. ( Parking is also an issue here.) If there's another event at the auditorium that I absolutely don't want to miss, I'd definitely get tickets on the main floor. read more

War Memorial Auditorium - Courtyard - Music Venues Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

War Memorial has an interesting mix of acts....I've seen popular 90's rock bands, one of Jack White's newest projects, and a variety of other bands. It's definitely unique! I really like GA because even if it is sold out, it's never too crowded. You can hang in the back and dance or mosh in the front (if it's happening). If you prefer to sit down, they have an entire balcony with seats. Sweet! My only complaint is that the drink line out front is always long and you are jostled around while waiting because it's pretty packed right there at the entrance. They typically have some beer stations in the venue that makes it a bit easier though. Overall, the shows I've seen here are always a good time! read more

3.5 I was torn between a 3 or 4 star for this venue. I went to my first show at the War Memorial Auditorium on a Sunday for the Conan & Friends tour. I LOVE Conan so I was on the website buying the tickets the minute the pre-sale started. We carefully picked our seats and thought we had the perfect spot. After paying for the tickets online, they were emailed to us and we just had to print them off. Finally the night came to go see my beloved Conan. We followed the directions on the WMA website and found the free parking they suggested. It's Capital Hill Center parking and is free after 6 pm. There were plenty of spots and it's only about a block down from the venue. The show started at 8 pm and we arrived around 7:30. The line was out the door and wrapped around a bit. However, the line went quickly and they had Conan Brand Reps walking around and handing out pins. Gotta love free stuff! When we got to the front, a security guard checked my purse and did the wand scan thingy. A lady then scanned our tickets and directed us to our seats. We wanted to use the restroom before the show started so we followed the signs to the basement. This was the first negative. There are only one set of bathrooms and they are in the basement. If you are seated in the balcony, it's kind of a long trip. There was a small bar down by the restrooms so we decided to grab our drinks here. They had a decent selection of beer and mixed drinks. I was able to get a tall boy IPA for $8. Not bad. We headed back upstairs to find our seats. Another negative I noticed. When you first walk in, the main bar is right to the left. There isn't a lot of room and when the line gets backed up, it's hard to move around. The front area gets crowded fast so you find yourself pushing your way through the crowd and lines. I wanted to check out some of the merchandise but didn't want to go through the sea of people again. Our seats were in the balcony and were easy to find. Up some stairs and to the left. We were on the left side of the stage in the middle row right in front of the stage (if that makes sense). We had the perfect angle to see the performers, or so we thought. The auditorium is older so the seats are old theater seats. They were comfortable enough and I think the stage is visible from all seats in the balcony. I did notice the floor seats were just padded chairs they put out for events. I understand why they need to do this but I know those seats were not cheap. I could see people being disappointed by this. We were lucky enough to have the row in front us stay empty. This gave us a very clear view of the front of the stage. The show started and everything was good. We could see Conan, the sound was good, and of course the show was hilarious. The big problem came when one of the comedians performed and his show was based off of a powerpoint. On the back wall of the stage, there was a big screen. At our angle, the big screen was completely blocked by the huge speakers they have hanging from the ceiling. Everyone around us craned their necks trying to see what was on the screen. Without any visuals, we couldn't understand his jokes and missed out on an entire set. I also felt bad for the comedian because no one in our section or the section across could laugh at his jokes. While our tickets were not the most expensive, they also weren't cheap. Next time I will choose a center seat in the balcony, even though that would put me farther away from the stage. If I didn't need to see the screen, the seats would have been perfect. While I listed some negatives, I rounded up to 4 stars because I know it's an old building (built in 1925) and I'm against tearing places like this down to build new shiny ones. The architecture is beautiful and you can feel the history of the auditorium. I liked the fact that this venue has seating because I get so annoyed with standing in GA crowds. While it's not my favorite venue in Nashville, I would go back for a performer I really liked. read more

The War Memorial Auditorium is a huge venue located near the State Capitol Building. It has a gorgeous plaza at the entrance, and huge Roman Style columns in the foyer. The State uses this room for various events and it can be rented out by the public if you wanted to have a huge wedding or something of the like here. The standing room capacity of the space is somewhere around 1,500 people. The facility is run and operated by TPAC, so they hold theater events here in addition to rock concerts, and other music events. I went to see the rock band 'Muse' here at the War Memorial Auditorium. They had a huge stage setup with backdrops, props, and build outs. The lighting was fantastic. I don't know how much of this the touring band brought with them to show, but the room accommodated all their theatrics and sound equipment. The sound in the room is great. I was really surprised at how good the room sounded because the ceilings are very, very high. The stage spans across an entire side of the enormous room. But with 1,500 people in the room, the sound gets proper buffering. This is a fun room to see a big band. I like the experience here much better than seeing a show at a stadium. read more

War Memorial Auditorium - War Memorial venue, from their website - Music Venues Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

I took off one star because I had to walk down a cave to find the restroom. Other than that, this place is nice for big events. The closest parking we found ($8 before 8 AM) was at Printers Valley, which I don't recommend because it reeked of urine smell and dark. There might be closer and cleaner parking around, but we were too lazy to drive around at 7 in the morning. 2013/#1 read more

See all

Came here for Sound Tribe concert and did it rock. The house was full but the line kept moving fast outside to get in, the only bad thing here was the bar which had such long lines that the wait was forever and they ran out of water bottles. Sound - was pretty good and balanced not as great as tpac or rymon but on part to them. Staff - was great and courteous but that all depends on the kind of concert and crowd you are expecting. Overall good place and parking will always be expensive around so might as well uber. read more

See all

War Memorial Auditorium is a Great venue to catch any performance and this facility also houses the Tennessee State Museum's Military Branch, it's FREE to tour read more

War Memorial Auditorium - Music Venues Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

A decent, but small venue. The small size likely makes some events nice because of the relative intimacy of the venue, but it also has a serious downside. That is that the floor seating consists of uncomfortable folding chairs, that over the course of a show of any length, will consistently remind you that you've been sitting in a folding chair for a while. I would absolutely see another show here, but I would certainly be more interested in seating on the second floor which is entirely built for this purpose. read more

This venue was neat, with its historical monument feels outside and clean and classic look inside. It's located in Nashville and there is free parking from 6pm-1am by the library which is right across the street from War Memorial Auditorium a quick minute or 2 walk. Check in was easy and quick, the security attendants were helpful and friendly from doing their security search to helping us find our seats. There were several pop up bars available downstairs, upstairs and one in the bathroom hallway. They have a concession both with snack and beverages available too. Our seats were clean and comfortable with a great view of the stage, with the U shaped seating and standing option by the stage there really wasn't a bad seat in this venue. The best part was their music selection during the line up change, man Nashville knows their music! We almost forget we were at The Used concert, those songs had people dancing and singing. The restrooms were located down in the basement area which was a walk from our balcony seats and 2 flights of stairs. But they were clean and well attended for a busy concert event. My only issue was walking into the building, it could have a bit more lighting and I was wet from the rain and was like a ice rink. I slid my way into the entrance. read more

See all

I drove 450 miles to see my favorite band last week and to say it was the best concert I've ever attended would be a huge understatement. I was a little worried that traveling that far to see any musical act would lead to extreme disappointment and regret but it was anything but a letdown. It was magical. War Memorial is in the heart of downtown and very easy to get to for anyone lodging in the downtown area. It was less than a mile walk for us. Upon walking up to it, we instantly noticed how beautiful the outside was and how huge it looked from the outside. There were signs pointing us to the will call area and I showed my ID and we were on our way. We skipped the opening bands because we had a lot of other Nashville spots we wanted to hit up first, but we arrived at 9 PM a few minutes before Brand New hit the stage. The auditorium was packed, but we snagged a few spots in front of the sound booth where there was a bit of a platform so it was raised a little bit off the ground. It was the perfect spot to be able to see everything, but the acoustics didn't sound the best in the beginning. People were singing louder than Jesse himself, so that was a little sad. It was fixed pretty quickly though and I was blown away at how incredible they sounded. They played for two full hours. My feet hurt by the end and I walked out without a voice, but it was worth it. The only cons (besides the sound in the beginning) I could comment on are the drink prices. I've gone to hundreds of shows before and I'd say the prices here were even worse than what I'm used to. The drink was made really stiff though and so we only got one, so I guess it was an even trade off. The bathrooms were downstairs and there were a lot of stalls, so surprisingly no wait for the ladies room! I don't know that I'd travel to Nashville for another show, unless it was one of my other favorite bands, but I'd highly recommend checking out a show here for anyone in the Nashville area. read more

Its a cool place to catch a concert because its kind of small and you can usually get good tickets if you are an early shopper. But it has a few drawbacks......You will most likely have to walk a good piece if you are there at concert time....come a few hours early and you may get lucky...with cheap/free street parking. TPACs web site has some good info on parking. If TPAC has something going on you can use their valet (right across the street) for a large fee.....(18 bucks!) and they tell you to come get your car just as soon as your show ends or you may be stranded. Some cheaper limited view seats are worth it....some are not. If you buy far left/right floor tickets your view will be blocked 80% due to poor placement of amp stacks on stage, but tickets will be 20-30 dollars cheaper. (this is not true for all shows but just ask to make sure) No food of any kind is sold or allowed to be brought in..... You cannot (if seen) bring in outside food or drink.(they will make you throw away your drink/food before entering if seen) Drinks are sold, but are expensive for the venue I think. Plain Water is 4 dollars a bottle......Drinks are even more. Be prepared ....they check bags and purses. Can be super cold in the winter and the seats on the floor are as uncomfortable as the Rymans (you WILL get numb ass after an hour) so be prepared. Long lines at all bathrooms is normal, so go during a song. The security/house staff is quite overbearing when it comes to phones/pics/videos. If they see your lit screen they will give you 8-10 seconds to focus and take a picture if you linger they will be on you like white on rice! They also bust balls over approaching the stage even if an artist is handing out picks/items to fans, and they will not tolerate dancing in the aisles.....imagine that!.....you must dance at your seat. It could be more fan friendly........but tickets are somewhat cheaper and its small....sooooo. read more

How is it that I'm a live music junkie, have lived in Nashville for almost a decade, and only been here once? Serious life fail on this one. My first concert here assured me that I will be back pretty regularly. Beautiful space, great staff, great sound...again how has this not happened before?! Be prepared for lines to get in and get beverages (oh wait, like all other concert venues) but the staff are really great and things move along quickly. It sort of reminds me of the Ryman but larger, and with a standing-room-general-admission area that can be a real blast given the right band (in my one experience it was awesome). Its right downtown so come early for the whole park-and-walk of downtown Nashville. Tickets are usually reasonably priced for this venue. I cannot wait to go again. read more

The worst venue I've ever experienced. The ticket map was completely wrong. The tix I picked were shown on the map as the front row of the top tier. Since it was a concert, everyone was standing as they should be able to. Unfortunately, that meant my 10 year old couldn't see. Bathrooms are a mile away. Very disappointing experience for what should have been a fun family evening. We basically had to listen, not actually watch. read more

Last night I went to the Robert Plant concert at this establishment. I think its the neatest place to hold a concert. The history in the War Memorial is outrageous, which makes the music experience far more interesting. If it rains/ snows.. be careful on the marble flooring!! Learned that the hard way:) read more

Probably one of my fave venues due to the layout. No matter where you stand/sit you have a really good view. Nothing to block the stage like at other places. Also, well ventilated. You may not think that's a big thing, but who wants to stand around sweating your butt off? I can stand right in the middle of the crowd and still be comfortable. You can easily get drinks right inside the room or at the stand just out in the hallway. Only problem is the bathroom is in the dungeon. No problems finding parking nearby. WIll definitely be back if they bring in more good shows. read more

The grounds are beautifully kept and is enjoyable for a leisurely stroll. Being married to a war veteran makes this place much more meaningful to me. The war museum annex of the TN State Museum, covering the many TN residents who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country, is located here in the basement. The entrance can be a little difficult to locate but so worth it. It is also free and covers all of the wars. History buffs will enjoy the photographs and the memorabilia on full display. I cannot wait to come back to enjoy a concert in the auditorium. read more

I only went to one concert at War Memorial and I was really disappointed. I hate parking downtown for one so I was a bit bitter from the start. There was no bar, just a couple overpriced beer carts. The sound got lost in the massively high ceilings. The whole place felt too fancy for a bunch of kids dancing to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. To go to the bathroom you have to go all the way out of the concert area into the lobby, down a flight of stairs, and around the corner. Smoking is outside and the courtyard that looked so appealing on the walk in is now just taunting you with it's lack of solid ceiling on a rainy night. I could see this place being great for a wedding or a private convention or something, but please, promoters, no more rock concerts. read more

War Memorial is a perfect canvas for any event. I had the pleasure of attending a wedding ceremony and reception at War and it was beautiful. The marble stairs and plaza area are not only beautiful but are ideal for photography! Who couldn't feel like a goddess among the stone pillars! The auditorium itself can be transformed into any space be it a wedding, concert, or just ballroom dancing! Wooden floors excellent lighting create the space. From a wedding perspective, it is conveniently located across the street from the Sheraton and downtown for post-wedding festivities! read more

WMA is my least favorite place in Nashville to see a concert. I've attended two concerts standing in the general admission section on the main level, and one concert (this week) seated in the balcony level. I had high hopes that my experience in the balcony would be better than standing below, but no such luck. To break it down... Standing on the main level gives you a really disappointing view of the stage. It's rather high up, and due to some venue technological issue, the artists cannot perform right up to the edge of the stage - they're a good 5-7 feet back. The balcony is pleasantly small, and each seat does feel pretty close to the performers. However, the volume and sound quality no matter where you are is terrible. At this week's concert, the volume was so loud it was almost unbearable. I'm 26 - I don't typically complain about the volume at a rock concert, but this was ridiculous, and I wasn't the only one complaining. Lots of audio feedback and popping too. Unacceptable in music city. Overall, I've given it three chances, and in the future I will be very, very selective about who I pay to see at WMA. After this week's event, I was definitely regretting the $100 I spent on two tickets. read more

We went to a concert here last night. It is a great venue for concerts. Good acoustics and plenty of room. Bathrooms are pretty far away and on a different floor but were extremely clean. The exterior is really amazing and beautiful. You would never know there was an auditorium inside. read more

War Memorial Auditorium - Outside of War Memorial - Music Venues Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Saw Haim and Lizzo here. This venue was wicked. Drink prices were outrageous. The bathrooms are on the bottom level so if you need to go while the concert is going on it may take a while. They served food but didn't purchase - just a nice perk. The concert was hands down top 5 best concerts I have ever been too and that's saying a lot. I sat front row at Fleetwood Mac and I was in the very back row in balcony for this one. Still top 5 of all time. read more

Took my son to see Seether on May 19, 2015. This was my third time seeing Seether & I've been to over a hundred concerts, though this was my first at the War Memorial. The sound quality & architecture of this building is AMAZING!!! No matter where you sit, you feel as though you have the best seat in the house. Much more intimate experience than a concert in a larger venue like Bridgestone. The staff was awesome and very courteous....will definitely be seeing more shows here!! read more

War Memorial Auditorium - Our seats... - Music Venues Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

See all

I just saw my first show here (Lucinda Williams), and the experience was really great. The staff answered questions kindly, and the theatre is really interesting from the outside. I was prepared for the acoustics to suck, but really, everything sounded awesome. My seat on the left side of the tier gave me a so-close-I-could-have-a-conversation-with-the-band view. It was a really intimate setting, and I couldn't have asked for more when seeing a band I love. Lucinda talked to the audience, and for the audience, it felt like it was a treat, a special private performance, which lent to a great energy. read more

War Memorial Auditorium is a fantastic music venue! I visited this venue to see the band, STS9 on Halloween of 2009. The set up was great; it was general admission with standing room on the floor and a U-shaped balcony above. There was not a bad seat in the house! Also, the inside was beautiful; striking ceiling tiles and columns lined the perimeter. As it is a smaller venue than some of the other local ones (Bridgestone Arena, Municipal, etc.) it made for a great intimate atmosphere! read more

I saw at a show at the War Memorial Auditorium and had a pretty good time. It is by no means one of the best venues in town, but it is not bad. It is two levels high and can fill up a huge crowd and prior to the show starting, the sound of everyone's voices reverberated throughout the entire room, it was quite strange and unlike anything I had heard before. Overall, the show was good and the acoustics at the War Memorial were pretty good, but it lacked a little in the atmosphere department. I could definitely see a grade school style play being held here! Unfortunately, they don't have any concession areas, thus there was no booze at the show! read more

I love the War Memorial Auditorium. I have seen several concerts here. It is beautiful on the inside and in the courtyard. It has two levels of seat: GA and seated. So you can watch a concert the way you want to watch it (on the floor standing up or seated in the balcony). There aren't any sort of concessions but there usually is a bar of some sort (expect Bridgestone Arena prices for beer). There isn't a formal parking lot so you'll have to find street parking or the nearest garage is the library (I believe). read more

Saw Seether here, and the venue was amazing! The atmosphere was breathtaking and the sound was wonderful! A totally great venue! Way worth it. read more

The Auditorium is a great venue. It can be difficult to find parking. Also, the food that is sold inside is very unhealthy

This has got to be the coolest place I've ever seen a show, and I've seen hundreds. Went to see Slayer here, because I wanted to see Slayer, but when we arrived, I got so much more. Suck a great old building, beautiful interior, I can't say enough good things about the look and feel of this place. The show was amazing (of course) and there wasn't a bad seat in the house. We had seats, just off the side of the stage, and thy were SO comfortable, considering most places with seats have hard, small seats, these were roomy and soft. I will be looking for any opportunity to go back to War Memorial Auditorium. another great thing is there's lots of free parking after 6, so that saves over most other venus in Nashville. I cannot wait to go back read more

I love my military history. Huge selection of war memorabilia. I really liked the "Band of Brothers" stuff.

War Memorial is where TPAC sends its less mainstream acts. The up and comers or those that maybe had their heyday last decade. What this means is you can see great bands and shows on the cheap in what amounts to a pretty good venue. Breaking Benjamin, Brand New, and the Flaming Lips are a few groups I've caught here. The venue reminds me of a very nice high school or community college auditorium. There is a large general admission standing room only floor surrounded by a wrap around balcony. The best seats in my opinion are the front balcony but really the size of the place means their are no bad seats. Acoustically it's small enough that a good rock band can really blow out your eardrums but a quieter performer can still put on a good show. It's not however perfect, The speakers are all to the front and on stage so you don't get the immersion of surround sound that larger venues with overheads and back of venue speakers have. And there can certainly be a rough concert in a gym sound to the place. Honestly if your band or theater act is playing here just go. It will be a good time. I'd recommend lyft to get here but there is parking downtown if you must drive. There is usually beer and alcohol served. A budlight will typically run you 8 dollars. The restroom situation is a bit of a hassle they are in the basement and a bit hard to access if your in the balcony, at least you will burn off a few calories from the beer getting to them. Overall though this place rocks. read more

War Memorial is the worst venue in the city. I've attended several concerts here, and every time its the same situation. If you want to get a drink, including water, be prepared to wait in a 45+ plus line while you miss the concert you paid to see. The bartenders are nice, however they aren't use to dealing with large crowds. You also can't start a tab, which slows down the process further. While at JRAD last night, we waited in line for over 30 minutes at the start of the second set, to be told when we got up to order our drinks, that they were out of all beer and mixers. If you're in the back of reserved seating you won't be able to see the stage. The only thing that would get me to go back to War Memorial would be Jerry Garcia himself coming back to life and playing a one night only show there. read more

I saw a show here this summer and I have to say it's overall one if the best venues iv'e been to. It's placed near the center of downtown Nashville, with a good amount of parking nearby. The walk to the venue was well lit, and it's an aesthetically pleasing venue from the outside, as well as the inside. The line to get in moved quickly. Bag checks were done fast and the line never stalled for more than a moment. The venue has two levels, the ground floor and the upper balcony. I swear you could be in any seat or standing anywhere here and have an amazing view. Originally my group was up front near the stage but we quickly moved to the very back of the bottom floor when it started to get too rowdy. When we moved to the back I was shocked as usually you can't see in the back of floor level in most venues, but we had an amazing view of the stage and avoided the rough-housing up front. Despite being at the very back we were still closer than being in the pit of an arena or an ampitheater. The sound was awesome in my opinion, and I really enjoyed the show and the venue and definitely will be returning, in fact iv'e already purchased tickets to another show there! I recommend the venue for any show, especially if a larger band is playing there. I feel like it was a much more intimate experience with the bands and the music than I would have gotten if I would have went to one of their larger shows. Definitely worth the price, as tickets are fairly cheap and between $27-$50 for all the shows iv'e looked at there. My only con is parking can get pricey, but other than that my experience was a great one. All in all I highly recommend checking this place out! read more