The Granada Theatre

This review is metal heads! I just went to see I Killed The Prom Queen, Chimaira, Motionless In White, Whitechapel & Asking Alexandria there & while I have nothing bad to say about the staff (all were very friendly) or the pricing I feel the facility is not a very good one for metal shows, the lower floor closets to the stage where all the moshing or just being closer to the stage is roughly 12 feet wide so that leaves very little space between those wanting to mosh & those wanting to be by the stage (the bands had to tell us to make an OVAL pit it was so narrow -_-). Also there are a set of stairs right behind that area, not very big stairs but enough to make moshing more of a danger than it should have been. Having been to many concerts I saw more people fall from those stairs than being pushed in the pit. I probably wont be going to another metal show here unless its a band I would kill to see. Just a warning to anyone who things they are gonna go & tear sh!t up. Also I wouldn't advise being to early as waiting will be outside with little to no shade or cover since they dont appear to let you wait inside & there is no real shade or cover out side & parking sucks, its all spaces seem to have parking meters withing the area unless you can snag a parking spot at a nearby business, I suggest the bank a block away.

My husband and I came here last week to see Trampled by Turtles. I had recently discovered this band and was happy to see that they were coming (close) to Kansas City. Lawrence is a short 40 minute drive from Overland Park.

The parking is not great - it's just street parking - but we lucked out this time and found a spot right in front. We came on the weekend a couple of years ago and had to park a few blocks away. No big deal.

Everyone was friendly - the door guy tried to make a joke about carding me. I'm OK with that. I have a daughter who is close to 21. My husband asked about the best place to see the band and they mentioned the balcony. That was perfect. We weren't in with the fray and got there early enought to lean against the railing. I'm also short, so I usually get stuck behind the tallest guy on the floor.

The drinks are small - but wells are only $2.50. Sound was great in the balcony. The venue (or at least this band) attracts all kinds of people - college students, obviously, since it's in Lawrence. But we also saw couples older than us, hipsters, yuppies, a couple of families each with a young child, middle-aged couples (like us), grunge (or maybe just dirty hipsters?) and a few crazies. Very eclectic.

Would I come back here to see a band? Absolutely.

I went to the Granada last night and feel the need to bump them up to four stars. The show was Pretty Things Peepshow, which was phenomenal, as the last time. Sound was good. Drink prices were right. Bar staff quick and friendly (and poured a strong one). Security wasn't as uh, invasive as at the Emilie Autumn show, but I have feeling that was because this crowd was better behaved.

One not so small thing that I suppose was an oversight: they waited until a half hour before the doors open to put the Pretty Things Peepshow on the marquee! As we pulled up, we saw some poor person on a ladder hurriedly putting up the letters. Meanwhile, there were shows for later in the month up there already.

That aside, the space all but begs for more quality acts like traveling burlesque shows! They have a decent backstage/dressing area, large elevated stage and ways to close off part of the audience area if there is less of a crowd, so that it feels more comfortable.

I'll go see a show here anytime!