This is a great venue to watch a band, I just wish it were located somewhere else besides Pontiac. Â That, or some decent bars and restaurants would open up adjacent to the Crofoot. Â We didn't have many options to eat and grab some drinks before a show so we actually went to Ferndale first then drove up Woodward for the concert. Â Anyway, back to the Crofoot. Â The venue is beautiful and has great acoustics. Â I look forward to watching another show here again.
Review Source:Hard to review a venue when you've got extra stars in your eyes over the band you saw there...
Loved going to the Crofoot for a show. It's a great space. Very intimate, without feeling claustrophobic. They bring in some amazing musicians. AMAZING. Again, I am distracted by the memory of Stephin Merritt and The Magnetic Fields. It was a stellar show. I'm left with nothing but happy eyes for everything the Crofoot team touches.
Check them out online, their website is excellent.
And if you're in the neighborhood, look for the big blue sign on a quirky corner of downtown Pontiac. It's worth a visit.
The seats were uncomfortable and they didn't pay the band. My friend played a show there and after they were done, the venue informed her that the door wasn't enough to cover a previously undisclosed base fee. The only people there were the ones who came for the show, and she had to pay her band out of pocket.
Terrible.
I agree with Jackie B. from Waterford. Â It's nice to have a music venue like the Crofoot (and Clutch Cargos) in closer proximity to my homebase (less than 30 minutes away, yay!). Â The gas ($$$) and extra travel time to head into Detroit proper to see an artist or band definitely makes me think twice. Â I happen to be one of the hopeful ones who thinks that when Detroit finally bounces back in 5-10 years quite possibly, Pontiac will finally be able to experience some of the positive overflow from the city itself and the surrounding suburbs. Â I am an optimist.
I had the pleasure of paying a visit to the Crofoot for the very first time at a recent Yelp Elite event (more commentary at:  <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/rock-out-with-your-yelp-out-elite-event-pontiac#hrid:erl_b9h2EWZT6I1Beoi3aQ">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a> ).  I think it's helpful that, for the most part, on the Events section of the Crofoot website ( <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecrofoot.com%2Fevents%2F&s=5b62f02eb4d467206d6c28d2ea54274e48ed5d52fa47fe73c535356281471f30" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.thecrofoot.co…</a> ), the establishment posts a sample music clip or link to the artists' website.  This allows you to see if the music strikes your fancy if you've never heard a particular artist before.  I, for one, am always looking to expose myself to new talent.  I think having easy access to be able to listen to music samples and get band info in that way makes it possible to create new fans for the band and customers for the venue.  Hats off to the Crofoot!
We visited on Saturday to see Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings.
Was a fantastic show, but Sharon please don't get as many people on stage next time.
I wanted to see you and the band, not the locals all trying to dance and smooch up on you.
To the drummer, cool acknowledgment/head nod.
The warm up act were brilliant too.
Big thumbs up for venue, location (20 minutes from Troy), plenty of bar space, split level.
Three not so goods:
1) No music in the bar before hand,
2) Why do we have to leave the bar to queue up outside when we already have our wrist bands.
3) Why can we not exit through the bar doors when we leave.
Overall, no real call for complaint, some things just need a little polishing.
A definite regular place for myself and girlfriend.
Well done Crofoot, keep it up.
Edited for spelling corrections.
By far my favorite and friendliest music venue. Whether it's Crofoot or Pike Room or the intimate Vernors, this is the place for a great show with good drink/beer prices and awesome sound. I've seen probably near bands here and never had a band experience.
I also usually find a free nearby parking space and give props to Crofoot for being a big supporter of Pontiac.
I've made it out here from Midtown Detroit a couple of times and always had a good experience... until last time. First the good: sound here is much better than at most mid-sized venues, and the place is architecturally interesting and clean, if lacking some character/charm.
Now for the reason for one star: we wanted to go see Wolf Parade the day before Thanksgiving and tickets were listed at $18 on the website. Having been burned twice by nasty Livenation venues, my buddy was worried that we would get punked at the door with significantly higher prices (eg, $10 higher for LCD Soundsystem at Fillmore). I said that the Crofoot was a decent place and no way would such antics go on. He was unswayed by my assertion and called three times and was assured that prices were indeed $18 at the door.
By now I'm sure you know how this story turns out. At the door tickets were $25/ea - the $18 web price was 'online only super early secret discount' or somesuch nonsense - despite nothing on the Crofoot website indicating as much and Pat's phone conversations to the contrary.
We had driven out there so we paid their price and saw a solid show. However, that was our last time at the Crofoot. Poor form guys.
-edit 1/11/11-
Dan from the Crofoot contacted me to apologize for this situation and offer complimentary tickets to an upcoming show of my choice. I accepted his explanation that this must have been a series of mistakes and is not standard operating procedure for the venue. As such, I've changed my one star to four and will give them another go in the future.
The Crofoot has become one of the best venues within spitting distance of Detroit in terms of good bands at reasonable prices. I have heartfelt appreciation for whoever does the booking.
The bars in the Crofoot, which are well spaced and offer great service, have a good selection of beers, and the bathrooms are so much nicer than most venues.
My gripes are minor, and have to do with the limitations of the space in the ballroom. There are relatively few good spots to see the stage, so a moderate crowd means a less-than-ideal view. The ballroom has that great balcony, but show--goers tend to crowd the edge of the upper level and only a few people upstairs can get a good view of the stage. Giant speakers also block some of the balcony space.
That said, the Pike Room offers an upstairs show space at the same location and under the same management. It's much cozier, has the same good bar service, and is so small that you can see the stage from every point in the room. I cherish the impossible wish that all of my favorite national acts will get just popular enough to come to Pontiac, but stay small enough that they merit the Pike Room instead of the Crofoot.
For an alien like me, this place seemed to be lost in the middle of nowhere. We rented a car from East Lansing with a friend and took the road by night to see the Trance group Above & Beyond. When in Pontiac we couldn't imagine a night club could stand there but we eventually found the city center.
The second surprise was the size of the place. Of course, we knew it was suppose to be a ballroom but still, it's not that big a place, especially for a Trance performance.
But in the end, it was probably one of the best concert I've been to. The crows was quite small (I'd say, around 300/400 folks) but made of passionate folks whose enthusiasm never declined during the show. It was a really, really great atmosphere. Plus, it was really easy to move around and to access the bar. The only negative side of that night was the lack of lights. But fortunately that point is not a necessity for a good night IMHO.
It took me a while to get there even though I do live in Oakland County, but the Crofoot was well worth the trip. I went there to see a group of my friends perform. The performance was in the Pike Room of the Crofoot, which is located on the upper level. Only cost me $5 to get into the performance which was a welcome change from going to venues in Detroit where I'm charged $10+. My friends were last on the performance line up so I had the opportunity to sit at the bar for a bit while I waited. The barstaff was friendly and service came with a smile. The layout is pretty nice too, with bar stools and cafe tables set back from the stage area. It was a well ventilated place and even though it was warm outside it felt pretty cool indoors. I enjoyed my time there, the performance was great, the people working their were nice. An easy 4 stars.
Review Source:I wish i could review the reviews here and give 1 star to all the snobs dissing Pontiac. The location of the Crofoot is ideal for me. Detroit venues area  far trek since I hail from northern Oakland County. I am happy we have this gem of a venue up our way. The town itself has seen better times, but so has most of Michigan- we are a rust belt state with the highest unemployment rate in the country after all... I find this location prime at least for suburban concert goers. Downtown Pontiac is near to all the main arteries in Oakland County. Woodward, Telegraph, M-59, I-75, Dixie Hwy- all are not far from the crofoot.
The ballroom itself is not too small yet gives an intimate feeling. The building has been beautifully restored. I remember some concert-goers next to me hailing from Vancouver said they would love to actually move into the Crofoot Ballroom it was that visually pleasing and stylish to them. There are tables and chairs to sit at and last time i was there, a couch. The sound is great. Since it's not a ticketmaster/livenation venue the tickets are actually affordable. The acts are way deverse.
I wish all my favorite bands weren't bound by their livenation contracts because i would love to experience them playing at the crofoot ballroom. My favorite venue in the whole metro area.
True to the star rating, I am a fan. A big one. I've never seen a bad show here, mostly because I've seen my friends' band Atavan here about a dozen times(shameless plug! <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FMyspace.com%2FAtavan&s=bcfc5b3af654da463f11da1943ad015e621239d9c0855d99a4ed17aef003e3ef" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://Myspace.com/Atavan</a>) and about half a dozen other shows. The beer is cold and cheap, the scenery(inside, not outside) is great. There have been negative reviews about the location, however, I think if anything this place is putting Pontiac on the map in a very positive way. They also have the Eagle Theater right next door, which is a great place as well. Pontiac as a whole has been host to some of the most memorable concerts that I have been to in my pre-adult life, as well as my current(mid twenties!) life, so I can't really rag on this town too much. Overall, if you see your favorite band playing the Crofoot, pike room, or eagle theater, you should march your keister right to the ticket counter and buy a ticket, because I almost( I mean, it is Pontiac) guarantee you will have a blasty-blast of a good time. Cheers!
Review Source:I liked the look of the crofoot, I don't really care that it's in Pontiac, when you're favorite band comes to town you just go...but the acoustics and the sound quality in this place blow  - in my opinion.  I would rather go to a Knights of Columbus Hall and risk my ears with crappy speakers than see another band here again.
Review Source:My show-going prime is long over. Â I still like to get out to hear live music whenever I can, but I find that this is only when a band I absolutely can't miss rolls into town. Â Or in the case with THE BREEDERS Crofoot show, into this corner of the state of Michigan. Â
I used to go to Pontiac a lot in the 7th House/Industry days, but haven't made it out there much for a show this decade. Â I heard about the new venues, but haven't had much of a chance to get down there. Â I was geeked to finally check this new place out. Â Unfortunately, I missed the memo that the Detroit Dream Cruise was taking place on Woodward Ave that same night. Â Oy! After a really horribly hectic drive downtown, we found the venue, found a really close and free (!) parking spot, and went inside. Â My first thought was "Dang, this place is purdy for a rock club!" Â My second thought was "On to the bar!" Â Even though we got there about 10 minutes before the main act went on, the place was only about half full (the upstairs was closed, but looked like a cool place to sit and watch a chill show) and there was no line at the bar. Â The bartender noticed I was a bit frazzled and made me an extra strong drink after I explained the Dream Cruise freaked me out, bless her heart. Â The other bartender dude was equally awesome. Â These are the nicest (not to mention foxiest) rock venue bartenders I've encountered in a long time. Â Unfortunately, the beer was overpriced. $3 for a PBR? Really?
The sound was ace and the show was amazing. Â Even Kim & Kelley Deal couldn't help but comment on how shockingly nice the Crofoot Ballroom was. Â Gosh, even the men's restroom was very big and clean. A clean john is one rock venue faux paux that I am willing to accept!
I'm glad to see Pontiac having a rock venue resurrection. Â I don't really have any other reason to go to Pontiac (aside from Erebus, of course!), but this makes me thrilled that there are new places to go see shows. Â And it seems like the booker really knows what s/he's doing, because I'm consistently impressed at the line-ups this place has been getting. Â I really need to make an effort to get out there more often, because it's worth it. Â I'm only kickin' myself in the arse for missing Neko Case there last month!
OH, did I mention the show was $17?!?!??! I can't remember the last time I paid such a low price for a show at a venue like this. Â And Crofoot doesn't go through Ticketmaster, so if you do will-call online, you're not paying a ridiculous amount in service fees. With Ticketweb will call, I paid a total of $22 for my ticket.
Thank you, Crofoot, for making me feel like it was 1995 again! Can't wait to see a show at the Pike Room!
Yup. Â Minus one star for being in Pontiac. Â If real estate is about location, location and location, the Crofoot sucks, sucks and sucks. Â But let's move on.
Easy to get a drink? Â Check. Nicest small club in SE Michigan? Â You betcha. Cool urinals that you don't flush? Â Awesome (I am a fan of innovative urinal technologies.) They also have what must be a first class booking agent, as my kind of bands seem to be constantly playing here. Â Maybe that should be two stars off for making me schlep here constantly...
While I'm bitching, the sound has gotten better in the last year and a half, but they're still working out kinks. Â Its gone from really super suspect to a few mild problems. Â And seriously, stop making people wait in line outside the venue. Â It just happened to be raining the last two times I was here, and it is painfully obvious that they keep people queued outside longer than necessary just so it appears something cool is going on inside. Â This is a d-bag move and it needs to stop.
But hey, still four stars. Â I'm sure I'll be dragging my ass up here for many years to come, forcing myself to drink far less Oberon than I would clearly like to imbibe.
I know people bitch about this venue being in the distant land of Pontiac, but there's a lot to love about it. First of all the booking: between the Pike Room and the Crofoot ballroom proper, it's like an indie-music lover's dream come true. With a mix of national and local acts and all different kinds of music, not a week goes by where there's not at least two shows there I'd love to go to. Second thing is sound. It amazes me how many Detroit venues get away with having really shitty or inconsistent sound. Do kids these days just not have standards? I've been to some shows and thought, "Wow, I could've stayed home and just turned their record up until it's distorted and dropped the bass out and had the same effect. PLUS then I wouldn't go home reeking of smoke." I have yet to experience this at the Crofoot - especially in the ballroom. Third, and from my OCD perspective possibly most important: the bathrooms are SO clean and well lit. Like a hotel lobby. That speaks volumes to me considering some of the health hazards that pass as public restrooms at other Detroit area venues. Another thing I like is, even though smoking is allowed, it's at least decently ventilated (though additional ventilation in the Pike room couldn't hurt) so I don't leave feeling like I've got lung cancer. There are also patio options for smokers which helps as well. My only real complaint is the drink prices - thankfully I don't drink much at all, but I've had a few simple mixed drinks that cost WAY more than they should considering how weak they were. But really, that's fine with me as long as they keep the bathrooms clean and the mix sounding fantastic.
Review Source:I came here the other night for the Jagermeister Music Tour to see Pennywise. Â This was my first trip to The Crofoot, and I think the place is awesome for hangin' out and checkin' out bands. Â What I liked immediately is that I didn't have to wait long to get in.
The doors opened at 7:00p.m. and I was in shortly after.
In addition to my short wait, I also did not have to endure being frisked and searched. I was glad that I didn't have to deal with waiting in the female line where I'm told to open my bag, take everything out of my pockets so I can be felt up! Â The bartender's are polite and do not ignore you...big plus right there! Â I liked the atmosphere it was very open and the decor is trendy! Â The only drawback is that it is small. Â But to me a small place has the advantage of allowing the band to be more interactive with the crowd. Â The layout of the bar resembles Clutch Cargos with a wide center space, a bar along the left side, and a cat walk with access to an upstairs patio. Â
Anyhow so I usually stand towards the back of the main floor during live shows but this place was so laid back that my boyfriend and I found a table with comfy chairs on the catwalk...we are usually never that lucky.
The beers are average price... my New Castle was $4. Â
Also, if you get hungry they bbq italian sausages, hot dogs and corn on the cob...it's kinda random but helpful if your drunk and starving. Â
My boyfriend and I ended up getting a couple italian sausages with chips halfway through the show. Â Another distinction I noticed was that the main floor and catwalk remained cool and airy. Â I am usually fighting for air at live shows but this place has plenty of doors and they kept most of them wide open. Â
Speaking of a lot of doors there are about four glass exit doors along the left side...so If something went down you can easily escape without being trampled. Â You are also allowed to bring point n shoot cameras...so I didn't have to sneak mine in. Â
One setback was that the sound quality was not great and it was even a lil' scratchy. Â As for the performances Pennywise was awesome and the band was rockin' out playing mostly shout out song requests from everyone...again thanks to that great advantage of a small place. Â I have seen Pennywise many times and this was my favorite show by far and it had a lot to do with seeing them perform at an intimate place like The Crofoot! Â The show was awesome, and I'll definitely look forward to going to any future live shows here! Â My boyfriend and I left happy with no ringing in our ears!
This was a pretty good venue. The drinks were weak and overpriced, but the bartenders were good, attentive and friendly. The acoustics weren't the best, most of the sound dropped off as you step up to go to the bathrooms.
But it was a surprising gem, considering the state of the town...
Pontiac is a total ghost town. I'm not sure why you would park in a garage or pay to park in a lot, there is plenty of free parking on the streets -- if you are feeling up for the "risk".
This new venue is amazing, regardless of its less than amazing location. The Pike Room, The Eagle Theater and the Crofoot Ballroom all combine to bring you the best music you could imagine. The Pike Room is a personal new favorite venue. Their bathrooms, at least the female bathrooms, have special flushers so you can be ecologically friendly as you flush. The owners allegedly salvaged the wood that they could from the old building and used it in the renovation. Now if only they could do something like this for the abandoned buildings in Detroit.
Review Source:As I was walking towards The Crofoot, I had a sudden moment of terror that I was about to subject myself to a crowd of drunken teenagers trying to get people to buy them beer. Â At one such concert I attended a few years ago, the highlight of the evening was watching as people repeatedly slipped in a pool of vomit thoughfully lefy by some 15 year-old girl. Â Thankfully, the scene was nothing like that.
I think this place must have recently opened; the decor appeeared too new and shiny to have withstood many drunken, smoking concertgoers. Â It can be a bit hard to find, as there is no sign installed in front, on Saginaw. Â Rather, there is a banner hanging over the Pike street entrance. Â Maybe they just haven't gotten a sign yet.
Parking was easy; only $3 to park in the giant structure just a few blocks away.
This is one of the nicest venues I've ever been to, which probably has something to do with it not being very old (?). Â It appeared to be part of a sort of complex, with a separate bar and a coffee shop that linked up to the music venue. Â I believe the stage area also functions as a dance club of sorts; after the show they definitely started rocking some Montel Jordan. Â South Central does it like nobody does! Â Eep.
The best part, aside from the intimate setting and rather well-known acts (Pinback and MC Chris, The Polyphonic Spree), is the upstairs. Â In addition to the floor area, there is a wrap-around "balcony" upstairs, with great views of the stage, as well as tables and bar stools. Â We got there halfway through the first act, and easily got a table upstairs. Â Yeah, I'm getting old and standing next to some sweaty teenage boy who heard that moshing makes you cool just does not hold the appeal it once did. Â Not only do they have bars both upstairs and downstairs, they also have bathrooms on both levels. Â CLEAN bathrooms. Â I was shocked.
The only thing that kind of sucked was that they allow smoking, so you'll definitely smell like an ash tray afterwards.
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