Grog Shop

This place would probably garner more stars if I could better tolerate the standing, the too-loud soundsystem, and the questionable bathrooms. That is to say, if I wasn't old. The Grog Shop does its job well. It's an intimate venue and you can just about touch the performers. Also of note, they have an excellent beer selection and a quality pinball machine.

This is one of my favorite Cleveland venues.  The bands are usually great and the tickets are always cheap.  Sometimes I wish the stage were a little higher.  There are no elevated areas and the stage is quite low.  If you're not up front, you're probably going to miss a lot of the show.  However, the low stage combined with the small venue makes for an intimate experience.  I guess that's the trade-off.  There's something special about being able to stand almost next to a performer while they release energy into the crowd.  Just make sure you're aware of your surroundings.  Intimate is great, but it comes with its cons.  This place can get packed if the show is sold out.  If it's a high energy band, be prepared to deal with concert goers who want get wild and toss beer.  I don't usually see this happen with the softer bands.  At any rate, this is NOT a venue for people who just want to sit back and watch a performance.  This is dive venue built for a dive experience, which is often very fun if you want to be an engaged member of the crowd.  There's not enough places like this anymore.  

They take credit cards, but note that buying a concert ticket with a card will result in a dollar service charge.  

I think the sound quality is hit or miss for me depending on the type of music.  I've heard amazing sound and I've heard some shitty sound.  At this point in my life, I'm wearing ear plugs to save what little hearing I have left, so it doesn't really matter to me.

I've found the booze cheap for a concert venue.  Some dive bars are cheaper, but those joints don't have bands.  Even well booze isn't overpriced given this is a venue and not a bar that happens to have bands.  

My only big gripe is the how the shows usually go very late.  I don't really like getting home at 2 am when I have to be up for work in four hours.  If the shows started on time, and there was better stage management for changing bands, this wouldn't happen.  But at least it's not like Peabody's where the shows go late because they booked six local high school-aged bands to open for the two main acts.  Those shows are like marathons.... the marathon experience never happens to me at the Grog Shop.  

I really like that this venue has been getting more harder rocking/metal acts as of recent.  It's not a metal venue at all, but being able to see the likes of Jeff Loomis, High on Fire, Goatwhore, Municipal Waste, Hank III, and many others at this kind of venue is amazing.  

Ultimately, this place gets five stars from me because the ticket cost is low and it provides an intimate space to enjoy a performance, and it allows for a high energy crowd experience.

Great place to have a concert.  Small and cool.  Saw Cory Chisel and he was off the chains.