WOW!!! People watching galore!!! I thought there was good watchin' at Pine Knob... This place is in a very seedy neighborhood...but I never felt unsafe, just lots of strip clubs and stuff - lol!!! Back to the venue.....There are about 3 tables on the main floor area and then several in the back. If you want to be close to the stage, standing room only... I had no complaints about the sound - it was all good... Bartenders were great - able to make anything and at a fairly decent price.. The bathroom was a bit questionable, but I didn't get a disease or anything... ;) I'd see another show here if the price was right...
Review Source:This place is amazing! It's a lot of your favorite bands at a very intimate level. I always have a blast here. The crowd the atmosphere it's so much fun. There is one thing it is very loud there. The floor is vibrating right underneath your feet. So if you don't like realllly loud music Id suggest go somewhere else. Personally I totally enjoy it!
Review Source:I have been up to The Machine Shop about 6 times in the last 4 years. I am SO GLAD they got rid of those germ-infested couches and chairs! Â
It's a great venue to see your favorite B-list band. Â The crowd is livily, and drinks aren't too bad, though it's still a rip off for a bar on Strip Club row. Â There are a few fights and parking can be hell, but worth it when they have someone you really want to see.
The Machine Shop Concert Lounge is one of the few good remaining reasons to make the trip to Flint. Â If you're into rock shows, that is. Â I was beyond excited to see one of my newer favorite bands passing through town (Psychostick) a few weeks ago and the admission for 21+ was ONLY $5!!! Â Unbelievable. Â And that's that 3 other bands played along with them that night. Â
I initially checked out their website and was surprised to see fairly recognizable names in the rock, metal, etc. world set to play at TMS as other reviewers had indicated.  Depending on the band, tickets can run from $5 up to $30 or so.  Although, I couldn't see readily paying $30 to see a band at a place like the Machine Shop unless there was some amazing artist I liked making a once in a lifetime appearance.  But kudos to TMS for their band booking variety.  I like that Flint is a little bit closer to us than Detroit which makes it nice for me to be able to catch more shows now that I know a place like the Machine Shop exists.  We tried to hit the Torch Bar <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/torch-bar-and-grill-flint">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a> in the area before the show, but could not experience that part of the trip because there was nowhere to sit.  Ended up at Wize Guys Pizza again <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/wize-guys-pizza-flint">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a> .
The venue is medium-sized, has high ceilings and offers the opportunity for good views of the stage from many vantage points around the club.  The guy who served us at the bar was amiable enough and seemed more friendly than the aging blond female bartender on duty.  The drink prices were pretty okay.  Drafts in 12 oz. plastic cups were $4 and we had 2 $4 shots which were Meh.  We stuck with the drafts after the shots.  They had no more than 4 or 5 selections on tap, 2 of which were Woodchuck (pretty funny and unusual to me for a rock club, don't personally like it, but the SO does) and Guinness (I stuck with that).  They also had those mega tall cans of Budweiser products  (I think I saw someone with a Coors too) that usually sell for $8 minimum at sports arenas these days and the Royal Oak Theatre.  The were $6 (or so) at the Machine Shop.  Not bad.
The sound was pretty good for the first few bands, but kinda went to crap when Psychostick came on. Â I can usually find the music in the noise and screaming/shouting, but it was just more noise. Â I didn't even stay for Psychostick's full set because of that. Â When the sound was good, it sucked me in as a fan for the very entertaining Detroit band Downtown Brown (more loud, funky humorcore). Â
The crowd at TMS for this show was surprisingly not as young as I'd expected. Â Definitely lots of tattoos, biker/metal gear, piercings, etc. Â There was actually a small crowd of very vanilla looking guys that looked to be from the suburbs. Â My man is more of a Collective Soul/Jason Mraz guy who was hot to buy the Sade's last CD when it came out last year (just to give you an idea), so I am glad it was not a rowdy scene. Â Otherwise it would be hard to drag him with me to see such entertainment in the future had we encountered as much there. Â Oh, and you definitely come to here for the music, because the cute, young chicks en masse (tattooed eye candy or otherwise) don't exist here.
The layout of the place consists of open space by the front of the stage and a surprising amount of high top tables in the middle to sit and watch the band and a little open space between the high tops and the sound engineer area. Â Then behind that I believe are more high tops and space for merch tables. Â The overall atmosphere at the Machine Shop was cool, calm and collected. Â So much so that I was starting to become a little disappointed in the Flint, MI crowd. Â At least when the bands were playing. Â I wanted to see a good mosh pit develop. Â The crowd got it together for Psychostick, thank goodness. Â I was up by the stage at that point and got shoved a few times which made me giddy. Â :-) Â I would have to say it was a decent sized moshpit that was full of energy, but also had to be the friendliest one I have ever seen (considering I've seen individuals use chains to hit others in moshpits in NYC back in the day). Â Here at TMS people were duly thrown about, but if you fell someone readily picked you right back up and those in the throes were generally polite to people they fell into that were just standing there watching the show.
The bathrooms at TMS are cool to semi-scary (why is it that females have the capacity to clog a toilet like no other?). Â Lots of band stickers, mini-posters for umpcoming shows (even on the mirrors) and writing everywhere (bring your sharpie). Â There is one toilet in a 'closet' with no light above that was tricky to use. Â I'm a weirdo that happens to like bathrooms with character (high or low end). Â This one fit the bill for the place it was in.
The Machine Shop is definitely worth checking out if you're a fan of the rock/metal genre. Oh, cash only at the bar/ATM on site.
I love the Machine Shop. Â Besides Harpos, its the only Metal and Hard Rock venue in the Detroit area. Â It gets an extra star for having a private free parking lot, unlike Harpos...Plus you get the same caliber band here as Harpos but at a venue that's easily a third the size. Â You really can't pick a bad spot to watch a band in the bar. Â Its a really up-close, intimate feel.
Every time I go to the Machine Shop the bands seem to have fun. Â They often even hang out with the crowd after their set. Â Some examples of band's I've seen here are Evans Blue, Smile Empty Soul, Saliva, Trust Company, and more. Â They have national headliners playing here several times a week.
The decor is awesome, it really looks like and probably once was a machine shop. Â They have an awesome logo and offer lot of clothing and memorabilia. Â Their clothing is catered to the heavy metal body type, which is nice for me haha. Â It's the typical metal scene, either really long or shaved hair cuts, black t-shirts, jeans, bobbing heads, and plenty devil horns (or sign of the horns). Â Beer prices were typical concert venue prices and were nothing special if I remember correctly. Â The staff were pretty friendly as well.
One thing I like about metal crowds is that they aren't afraid to move around. Â I've gone to several shows at the Crofoot/Magic Stick and let's just say the indie hipsters really put the "gazing" into shoegazing. Â But moshing is prevalent at the Machine Shop and I find it fun to do once in a while.
Like most things in Michigan, I would go to the Machine Shop more often if it wasn't over an hour away. Â Still, it is a really fun night out.
---Note: get there early because the Machine Shop's parking lot can fill up on busier nights and you'll have to park further down the street and walk which can be a bit scary at night. Â But I've never had a problem, safety-wise.
The Machine Shop is one of the best run venues in the country. The staff is very helpful and informed. The venue doesn't waste time catering to terrible local bands. The stage is a good size and the sound / lights are top shelf. This venue has style - photos, posters, artwork and more tastefully adorn the walls. The Machine Shop has made a positive name for themselves locally and nationally.
Review Source:Small venue, decent drink prices, always has Banana101.5 radio station doing broadcasts here, advertises like crazy all over town, hosts big name (national) acts with preference for the rock/alternative/metal genres, LOUD, mixed crowd (but mostly the younger 18-30ish). Â They often have "low dough" shows, where you can get tickets to GOOD national acts for $5... others are in the $18 range. Â fairly reasonable I'd say. Â I have seen better venues so I was going to rate it a 3, but unlike other venues they do bring in the best acts, so that earns them an extra brownie point for a total of 4 stars. Â head banging devil horns optional.
Review Source:
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
