Atlanta Music Scene

By qwerty

October 14, 2008 11:43 AM | Link to this

Visitors may have noticed things like the rod iron fence…

Um, Sonia, did you mean “wrought iron” fence? You’re better than that. This is the kind of mistake I’d expect from Rodney Ho.

By TOM

October 14, 2008 1:45 PM | Link to this

The Barnes-Mablehouse Ampitheater in Mableton is an absolutely AWESOME place to go to a concert. Reserved seats for most shows are around $45 & lawn seats are a bargin at $20. There are NO bad seats in the place, even sitting in the last row of the reserved seating aera you feel like you are so close that you can reach out & touch the stage. You can even bring in a cooler filled with your favorie adult beverages. We went to five concerts there this past summer & look forward to next season. Cobb county does a GREAT job running the venue & bringing in some of our favorite acts. Do yourself a favor & check out some shows there next summer.

By TOM

October 14, 2008 1:45 PM | Link to this

The Barnes-Mablehouse Ampitheater in Mableton is an absolutely AWESOME place to go to a concert. Reserved seats for most shows are around $45 & lawn seats are a bargin at $20. There are NO bad seats in the place, even sitting in the last row of the reserved seating aera you feel like you are so close that you can reach out & touch the stage. You can even bring in a cooler filled with your favorie adult beverages. We went to five concerts there this past summer & look forward to next season. Cobb county does a GREAT job running the venue & bringing in some of our favorite acts. Do yourself a favor & check out some shows there next summer.

By JJack

October 14, 2008 1:49 PM | Link to this

Lakewood is a dump. Traffic is impossible and the food/beverage is lousy. Other than that, it’s nearly 35 miles from where I live.

I like Chastain, but it gets REALLY hot there, with no real breeze able to get in and cool you off. Don’t get me started on the “convenient” parking and traffic…

Verizon is my pick. Well designed, Food/beverage is pretty good, and traffic is non-existent. Probably the most well engineered facility in Atlanta. Still hasn’t developed a “personality”, but that will come.

By Josh

October 14, 2008 1:49 PM | Link to this

I’ve been to concerts at every venue in Atlanta (Chastain, Verizon, Lakewood, and even Piedmont Park), but the best venues I’ve ever been too were The Gorge in George, WA, and Alpine Valley in East Troy, WI. Those are two trips I’ll remember the rest of my life!

By mayretter local

October 14, 2008 1:53 PM | Link to this

ummm, i’d like to know how this “ranking” was calculated, # of tickets unsold to each show there? how do # of tickets sold or unsold prove the best venue for an outdoor concert? and starting it off with “Industry standard” really makes me wonder about the ranks…

ABB at Chastain - two great nights, packed to gils with fanatics, no tables for the wine & cheese talkers to get in the way of the people who want to sit close and pay attention. the only prob is the sound limits.

WSP @ Lakewood, another packed crowd of people havin’ a good time, few problems, although there will be the over indulgences, but hey, it’s a rock concert. and it’ll be plenty loud. maybe conlon can get a somewhat local flavored festival going there for this spring. i miss MusicMidtown, but always wished there was more emphasis on the great bands from ATL, ATH, and all over GA.

have yet to make it to the new one up north, but hope to have a good time one day. i’ve heard the parking is not as good as people would hope.

ps- rod iron - harhar

By Uwee

October 14, 2008 2:19 PM | Link to this

Each of the venues has its assets and drawbacks. Lakewood’s and Chastain’s are pretty well known. As for Verison, I was impressed with the facility, but I don’t think it works well for rock concerts. The overtly corporate vibe (not that it doesn’t exist at the other locales, but nonetheless), the no smoking in the lawn section (at a rock concert, really?), and the fact it’s not close to anything except the burbs. Again, it’s a great facility, but they should probably continue to court the symphony and pop crowds, more like a Chastain North kinda feel.

By JS

October 14, 2008 2:36 PM | Link to this

Verizon rocks. The amp works well for outdoor rock concerts…you just need to see a band that rocks…duh! Phil Lesh and the Black Crowes certainly rocked my face off. No smoking on the lawn? Obviously you were not smoking something that was good…ie. cigarettes. If you smoked something worth smoking, that might help.

By JS

October 14, 2008 2:43 PM | Link to this

Sorry but dude’s post is p** me off. Not close to anything but the burbs? What exactly are you looking for? I have everything I need in a two mile radius of my house which is right next to Verizon. A mall, hundreds of eateries, bars, ice skating rink, shopping out the a$$, parks, an amplitheater, plenty of places to work. Dude, you need to go find a real burb because Alpharetta ain’t one.

By Jan

October 14, 2008 5:19 PM | Link to this

I agree totally with Tom…Barnes - Mablehouse Amphitheatre is the best and one thing Tom didn’t mention is that the entire stage and reserved seating is covered. That’s a great thing when you purchase tix far in advance and then the day of the event, there’s a chance for rain. It’s all around the best one to me. Jan - Douglasville

By Janice

October 14, 2008 7:51 PM | Link to this

Verizon Wireless is absolutely the best amphitheater! The seating, parking, food, covering, is first rate. It was the best setting for the John Mayer concert. Wonderful experience!

By Jeff

October 15, 2008 12:31 AM | Link to this

I agree with JS - i have no idea what Uwee is talking about. Not close to anything but the burbs? Dude, where do most of the people who GO to concerts live? In the suburbs? I live on the north side and for YEARS it was a nightmare to go to Lakewood to see a show - traffic is awful, it’s a bad part of town, parking is rediculous and it can take upwards of an hour to get back to the north part of town (Cobb, North Fulton, Cherokee). I went to Verizon this summer for the first time to see Rush and it was AMAZING! Took 5 MINUTES to get out of the parking lot and on to our highway home! Probably 7 minutes to get to Ga. 400 if you’re heading that direction. I have no idea what Uwee means when he says the “corporate feel” (cmon dude, someone has to pay to build the thing! you think Greenpeace has that kind of dough?)… but i thought it was great! Easy access, open, airy, and parking/driving were awesome. I definitely want to check out the place in Mableton, too, and doesn’t Peachtree City have its own ampitheater as well? Never been to Chastain, but I don’t think I’ve missed that much… I’ve heard it gets hot and stuffy in the spring and summer. So my vote, in Greater Atlanta, is for Verizon! I hope more rock shows come THERE and stay AWAY from Lakewood!

By John

October 15, 2008 12:46 AM | Link to this

I’ve been to shows at Lakewood, Chastain, and Verizon. Verizon is the best as far as the facility goes but the remote parking is a freaking disaster. I don’t know who in their right mind would build a brand new amphitheatre without all of the parking on site. Before a concert this summer, there was a huge line of people waiting in pouring rain for the buses at the remote lot. It was terrible. Many people ran for the cabs that were swarming the remote parking lot and happily paid the $20 fare for the three minute ride to the amphiteatre. Anyway, other than the remote parking, Verizon is a great place to see a concert in Atlanta. New, clean, good food and drinks, no noise limits like at Chastain, and easy in and out.

By John

October 15, 2008 12:48 AM | Link to this

I’ve been to shows at Lakewood, Chastain, and Verizon. Verizon is the best as far as the facility goes but the remote parking is a freaking disaster. I don’t know who in their right mind would build a brand new amphitheatre without all of the parking on site. Before a concert this summer, there was a huge line of people waiting in pouring rain for the buses at the remote lot. It was terrible. Many people ran for the cabs that were swarming the remote parking lot and happily paid the $20 fare for the three minute ride to the amphitheatre. Anyway, other than the remote parking, Verizon is a great place to see a concert in Atlanta. New, clean, good food and drinks, no noise limits like at Chastain, and easy in and out.

By Splinter

October 15, 2008 4:47 AM | Link to this

Agree that the Mable House amphitheater is outstanding - have seen two shows there, Art Garfunkel and Three Mo’ Tenors, both excellent. Probably not that easy to get to from certain parts of town, but I think it’s a fantastic venue and missed not making it out there this sesason. Very easy in/out, first-class design including full-scale stage & production setup, friendly staff, cheap food, clean grounds w/ historic buildings on site, etc. Definitely worth a visit.

By walter

October 15, 2008 5:56 AM | Link to this

I’ve been to the last two Brad Paisley concerts at Lakewood. Noticed it was cleaner this year than last year.

I always heard about how terrible traffic is down there, but honestly, both years we drove right into the parking lot and were back on I-85 heading north less than 15 minutes after getting to our car. And we stay for all the encores.

It’s a long drive from Gwinnett and I’ll only go to something I really want to see, but I have to say, traffic was the least of the issues. Food quality is terrible, but the venue itself is better than I expected.

By bigred

October 15, 2008 6:48 AM | Link to this

I been to all of the Atlanta Amphithestres except for the Mablehouse but so far,Verizon is my favorite.Chastain has gotten ridiculous with people that just show up to be seen and talk over the whole concert like they just have it on the stereo in the background.Lakewood is a dump and don’t be caught there alone after dark.Might be your last!

By PR

October 15, 2008 7:13 AM | Link to this

Visitors may have noticed things like the rod iron fence or lights in some of the trees in the food and merchandising areas.

Wrought iron fence

By hazer

October 15, 2008 8:11 AM | Link to this

Hey PR: if you’re goal was simply to re-post the very first message on this entire thread, you’ve wildly succeeded. Thanks for the scoop! Echo…echo…echo…echo…echo…

By Mark

October 15, 2008 8:42 AM | Link to this

Very surprised at the other comments I’ve been reading here. Verizon is clearly too corporate and is not a good venue for a rock show. Lakewood absolutely destroys any other amphitheatre I’ve been to in the southeast, including Verizon Wireless in Charlotte, Ford in Tampa, Cruzan in West Palm, and The Wharf in Orange Beach. The sound is absolutely phenominal with the way it echoes off the walls, etc. The design is great and overall it is an excellent venue. I think Verizon is better suited for things like the Symphony Orchestra and “older” bands like they’ve been getting. Classic rock acts should stay at Lakewood because there’s no other venue that can accomodate a rock show like it can. Sure, it’s in the hood, but it’s my favorite venue by far. You can’t compare the sound at Lakewood to any other venue. Tampa especially - be glad you don’t have to go to Ford.

Chastain is decent. Parking is an absolute mess, and I don’t really prefer that venue. Sure it’s fine, but I think Lakewood is the “icon” for the general rock crowd-kind of amphitheatre in the city. I don’t understand what people are saying when they say the sound sucks, etc - the sound clearly blows away any other sound in this city in my opinion. Parking is excellent - it’s right on the south side of the city, very convenient - you can take MARTA to it, etc. Verizon has a beautiful design, but it’s just not THE place to play for the big rock shows that Lakewood is getting. Nothing beats a show at Lakewood in my opinion.