Showbox SoDo

1700 1st Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98134, USA

Related:	chop suey seattle
Address:	1700 1st Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98134, USA
Phone:	+1 206-652-0444
Site:	showboxpresents.com
Rating:	3.9

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 6

Iris Blake

It is a small but decent venue. Pros: The venues size allows for more intimate concerts. For the most part, you will be able to see the stage unless you are short and stuck at the back. The sound system sounds great. It can get a little staticy but generally the headliners melodies and base lines can be heard distinctively. I generally feel safe as they take the time to check bags and use metal detectors. Ive never drank alcohol or ate food during an event but the bar side has decent bar food before events and 21 and over generally have a separate line that goes much quicker when getting in. The cons? The staff can be undeservingly snippy with you at times. You can tell they are stressed and sick of people being rude or not listening but they can go overboard with their taking it out on the next customer who comes along and has no idea why. I have been insulted when I just had a hard time hearing what was being said. Its like they forget loud music and the voices of a 100+ people are already saturating the room. Ive also heard them throw comments about what people were wearing around to fellow staffers in line which was completely inappropriate. Finally, the have failed in the past to inform ticket holders beforehand that no cameras were allowed at a particular v event. This happened after people had been standing in line for two hours, it wasnt on the website so its not like we didnt read, so it was either walk all the way back to our cars blocks away or pay the check fee. Nice easy money for them. Generally though, they put on good shows, get interesting acts in that arent necessarily main stream, and are for the most part a good venue and staff to deal with. I would recommend going to a show here.

John Frostad

I have seen two shows here and I have to say this is the worst venue I have every seen a concert at. If it werent for the fact that the second band I wanted to see was a must, I would not have gone. Dont think Ill be stupid enough to see a show here again regardless of the appeal the band has to me. 1. The stage is so low the front row is staring at the performers belly button. Even within 20 feet of the stage it is a struggle to see anything. I stand at 510" and I could barely keep track of anything on stage, my girlfriend couldnt see anything at all. You can stand ANYWHERE in the venue and you get a crap view. The back of the venue in the bar is about the clearest view if you can get one of the 20 places to stand between all the damn columns in the way. 2. The sound is AWFUL. The speakers are largely at floor level. We were a bit side stage and the bass was so strong, it was making me cough and my ears feel like they were going to bleed. Went to the bar to watch the show and it sounded like I was listening from outside on the street. Everywhere in between is garbage too. 3. The venue is right near all the stadiums. If there are games going on the night of the show, have a total blast trying to find a damn place to park. I pray this place is torn down when the new stadium goes in. At least then, if another great band comes to town, they will be forced to play somewhere else. I wont be back again. To see another great band in this crap venue would be just another huge disappointment.

A Private User

Most of these reviews are pretty accurate. 1. Only one ticket booth, for will call and everyone else. Too long. 2. Poor acoustics. 3. All ages shows mean drinking way off the best lines of sight. Cmon...there are actually dirty windows dividing the pit and stage from the upstairs drinking area. Break down those walls. 4. The two age sections turn into a maze during the show. You may not make it back to the other section with all the fencing to hike around. 5. Heres the kicker: My buddy was not allowed re-entry after going out for a smoke in the smoking section. Why? No stamp. The problem is they never gave out stamps unless you went into the 21+ section. For some reason they scanned his ticket-which they hadnt been doing all night-and told him it had already been used. Well no kidding. How did they think he got in in the first place? And what happens when an underage wants to go out for a smoke? They wont get stamped...so will they be let back inside? This place needs to refund the money for idiotic instances like this. Kicked out for not getting a stamp they were never giving? Lame. This place needs new management. They get big enough acts in here; make it a better place.

Mrs. Angelique

Venue was good, drinks were severed quickly. Got a little over crowded on the main floor once the show started, but thats to be expected. Merchandise was for sale on the floor.... might want to move that to a less crowded area. ONE bathroom.... only one! Sorry but I cant believe zoning codes doesnt required at LEAST 2. I spent more time in line trying to use the restroom than I did watching the show the 2 times I needed. They have you enter through the back and then force you to the front to show tickets... this made it extremely awkward to move around, and even visit the bathroom... you have to get stamped like youre leaving... confusing. Security was rude and abrasive. I didnt have any dealings with them, thank goodness. But I watched them carry a girl out who clearly had too much to drink. Thats fine its for her safety.... but to sit there and belittle her, make fun of her and laugh at her in her state... The woman security was having a ball talking about the poor girl. Unacceptable. Keep it professional!!!

Chad Wentland

Pros- surprisingly good sound. Clean and spacious. Relatively quick entry and friendly security. The manager who assisted us was friendly. As was the security who offered my wife is chair to assist. No concerns with their help. Negatives- One of our group had become disabled after we purchased tickets. 3 emails over a month and no response. The only # listed was a message saying to email. We were going to skip it but finally reached a person the day of the show. They said ADA was not sold out and it was no problem. When we got there (2.5hr drive) it was sold out. 8 accessible seats for a venue with 1500 capacity is pretty weak. The person running food booth had to keep leaving to get supplies so at half the show you couldnt get food. We got dripped on by mysterious pipes. Bartenders were not good at helping customers in any kind of order and seemed more concerned with balancing tills than serving even during the opener.

Jeremy Leishman

Big open space inside is great for general admission. Decent sound quality throughout the place. They do have a small area on the north side that has tables / chairs. They also have a small VIP section that is raised off the floor with small round tables and bar stools for better views, if you can afford the tickets. The bar is along the west wall between the two entrances but there are no chairs / stools / tables, standing room only. The stage is on the east side of the building, plenty big for the venue. The only negative for me was that the bathrooms are located in the north east side of the building next to the stage, which makes them almost un-accessible if there are more than a few hundred people at the show... they should have more bathroom options for the size of the venue.