Just Announced Commentary - 2011 Edition

[K8teebug]

I still have never ventured to the R&R Hotel, not a good experience?  I think I've read it gets crowded and its hard to get to.  Anything else?

It just gets so damn hot in the main room during crowded shows. Plus their sound sucks like 90% of the time. That room is just miserable. They do have an awesome upstairs which has free dance parties (usually during cool band's performances haha) They do seem to book lots of cool acts and keep prices fairly low. I go where the music I like is, so I end up there a lot it seems.

My opinion:
1.  it isnt hard to get to, if you drive.  I have yet to had a bad experience parking or getting there.
2.  Ive seen a variety of acts there over the years, and most have sounded excellent.
3.  It gets hot at EVERY crowded venue.  Ive been miserable at a crowded 930 club in the summer, so i dont know why RNRH would get hate for that. 
4.  Prices for shows are usually reasonable.
5.  They book pretty great bands, usually. 

Some people stay away because the bookers might screw over locals.  I do not have insider knowledge, just going off of what others say.

What I do not like:
1. If the show is sold out...  Yes it can be hard to move around, and a bit much for claustrophobic types.
2.  (also if the show is sold out) sight lines can suck.  The venue is shaped like a long rectangle.  It would be nice if it was a bit wider.  This is also amplified by the fact that the stage is kind of low. 

Anyways, my opinion is it is a good venue to see bands of a certain size.  Would I rather go somewhere else?  Yes.  Usually I would prefer similar sized bands to play Black Cat (and would hands down pick to see them at the Ottobar).  But I have fun there, and have seen some amazing shows there.   

i've certainly been to a few really hot shows at the 930 and the BC, but EVERY RnR show that i've been to has been a sweat-box.  sightlines are horrible for 80% of the crowd.  while easy to get to if driving, i generally prefer not to drive to shows... H street ain't great for public transpo.  the sound is too loud and distorted, at least every time i've been there - which admittedly hasn't been in a few years.  went to 4 or 5 shows, which i thought was more than a fair chance to prove themselves, and i disliked every one of my experiences... so i haven't been back.  i haven't heard anything that makes me think they've improved, so i'm in no hurry to go back.

I went there for Cibo Matto and it was the worst concert experience in terms of venue/crowd ever.  You could not see anything.  The bathrooms are at the front near the stage, and it was so oversold you couldn't move at all.  I will never go back there for anything.  And I've missed alot of great shows because of it (METZ, will miss Savages), but I don't care.  It's just not worth it at all for me to go there.

[K8teebug]

oopps...this is my comment

I went there for Cibo Matto and it was the worst concert experience in terms of venue/crowd ever.  You could not see anything.  The bathrooms are at the front near the stage, and it was so oversold you couldn't move at all.  I will never go back there for anything.  And I've missed alot of great shows because of it (METZ, will miss Savages), but I don't care.  It's just not worth it at all for me to go there.

[StoneTheCrow]

The Metz show was nowhere near sold out, btw.  I made the same decision regarding Savages.

[showlistdc]

The bathrooms are at the front near the stage

at R&R Hotel?  Usually they tell you to use the bathrooms upstairs.  If there's a dance night going on at the same time, sometimes it's hard to push through people to get there, but the bathrooms upstairs are bigger and more accessible than the ones by the stage.  They usually won't even let you use the bathrooms up front between bands, because it's right in the hallway where bands are loading in/out, and you'll be in the way.  So the ones upstairs are always the better bet.

[hutch]

The bathrooms are at the front near the stage

at R&R Hotel?  Usually they tell you to use the bathrooms upstairs.  If there's a dance night going on at the same time, sometimes it's hard to push through people to get there, but the bathrooms upstairs are bigger and more accessible than the ones by the stage.  They usually won't even let you use the bathrooms up front between bands, because it's right in the hallway where bands are loading in/out, and you'll be in the way.  So the ones upstairs are always the better bet.

yeah the only bathrooms I saw were upstairs....probably the bartender directed me that way but I can't recall.....

the place is an abomination. I realize some people are always going to think its "rock and roll" to be a dive with lousy acoustics and inexistent sight lines but I prefer to say no with my wallet and hope they are forced to improve or are driven out of business... plenty of nice venues around town.. why not support the venues that are doing things the right way?

this is all before the stuff about how they stiff bands....

[mekmad]

The bathrooms are at the front near the stage

at R&R Hotel?  Usually they tell you to use the bathrooms upstairs.  If there's a dance night going on at the same time, sometimes it's hard to push through people to get there, but the bathrooms upstairs are bigger and more accessible than the ones by the stage.  They usually won't even let you use the bathrooms up front between bands, because it's right in the hallway where bands are loading in/out, and you'll be in the way.  So the ones upstairs are always the better bet.

yeah the only bathrooms I saw were upstairs....probably the bartender directed me that way but I can't recall.....

the place is an abomination. I realize some people are always going to think its "rock and roll" to be a dive with lousy acoustics and inexistent sight lines but I prefer to say no with my wallet and hope they are forced to improve or are driven out of business... plenty of nice venues around town.. why not support the venues that are doing things the right way?

this is all before the stuff about how they stiff bands....

You all have convinced me, I'm skipping the RnR Hotel.  Not really that sold on said band I was gonna check out, think I'll wait until the hit the big time and play 930.

[killsaly]

Az, in regards to the SVI/No Paris/Silo Halo/Ars Phoenix versus Mikal Cronin/Shannon and the Clams/Roomrunner conflict... Damn.  I am not sure which one I will end up at.  Both extremely solid bills.  I might just go to whichever one you are at. 

[azaghal1981]

Az, in regards to the SVI/No Paris/Silo Halo/Ars Phoenix versus Mikal Cronin/Shannon and the Clams/Roomrunner conflict... Damn.  I am not sure which one I will end up at.  Both extremely solid bills.  I might just go to whichever one you are at. 

I am leaning toward the latter as much as choosing one pains me.

[killsaly]

Just saw them tweet that.

If you want to do a mid week Baltimore trip, let me know and we can sort the ride out!

[Relaxer]

I've never been to Comet but am extremely interested in that Mikal Cronin show. Can you buy advanced tix from that place? And if so, where? I looked all over their website and came up with nothing.

[killsaly]

http://mikalcroninatcometpingpong.eventbrite.com/#
I am buying one. 85 left.

[hutch]

10/11 TMBG

oh god.. the mere view of those initials sets of an annoying bunch of songs about 123s and abcs in my head..it got so bad a few months back the songs were perpetually stuck in my head

[shemptiness]

10/11 TMBG

oh god.. the mere view of those initials sets of an annoying bunch of songs about 123s and abcs in my head..it got so bad a few months back the songs were perpetually stuck in my head

mop!

[sweetcell]

triangle man, triangle man...

[StoneTheCrow]

http://mikalcroninatcometpingpong.eventbrite.com/#
I am buying one. 85 left.

Thanks for this.  I thought I got told here that there were no advance sales for Comet.