The Rapids Theatre

I saw an absolutely amazing concert here - Mother Mother, Blondfire and Awolnation for $25ish.

Ambiance - An anchor business in an otherwise bleak area, this relatively unassuming building has a gorgeous interior boasting high ceilings with traditionally painted plaster decals and a large, free standing bar. Raised side platforms on the main floor (yay for short people like me who would like to be in the "pit" but can't see over anyone, I got right up next to the front rail and had a PERFECT view of the stage and was close enough to make eye contact with the band members ) and a decently large balcony with seating and standing room (VIP only for our show) all provided great views and the open layout allowed ample standing room througout the place. Large enough to accomodate a decent sized crowd (1500ish) but still intimate.

Service/Parking - Professional staff got us in quickly - they had one person checking ID's, another giving wrist bands (or X's for underaged patrons) and several lines once inside for security and ticket taking. I thought they moved the crowd very quickly (we got there maybe five minutes before the door opened, getting in the back of a line stretching around the building, and were inside in under 20 minutes. I did read later on FB several people missed Mother Mother's entire set because the line stretched to massive proportions the closer it got to show time and the staff couldn't keep up - get there before the doors open! There really just isn't the space for more employee lines, even if they hired more people, so I can't fault them for not having more people working - the theatre wasn't set up with the modern day need to ID and search 70% of the patrons in mind.  From what I saw, bartenders were quick bartenders but as drinks and water were a little pricey I didn't sample (that is typical of ANY concert venue with few exceptions though). I came to see bands, not drink, and a pack of gum alleviated dry mouth for free. We found parking in the lot out back, but it was definitely approaching capacity - again, get here early or risk searching for parking elsewhere.

Sound - I thought the acoustics were great. I'm assuming the groups have their own "sound" guys and the bass was a bit too intense at several times where it overpowered everything else. All in all though well mixed - vocals were clear, every instrument was noticeable in the tapestry of sound.

A great, mid-sized venue with excellent sound and reasonably priced tickets!

This place is like the little theater that could!

While it's not located in the most vibrant neighborhood (today), it's a real gem and a becon of hope and possibility amidst countless currently unloved heritage buildings!

I attended the Main Street Symposium that The Rapids Theater graciously hosted and was awestruck by the character and energy of the place itself. I showed up just as the presentations were getting underway so unfortunately didn't have the chance yet to take everything in but I absolutely cannot wait to attend as many shows and events as possible at this local venue!

Support Niagara Falls today and in 2020 when the city is alive with culture and vitality you can say, "I remember when..."! Be a part of the progress and support local business!

I saw a show here on Saturday and while the Theater is indeed beautiful and the sound/acoustics great, I was disappointed with the bar as the only drinks on tap are Labatts and Bud Light. Furthermore, they don't let you buy tap water in a cup and instead make you cough up $4 for a bottle of water. I'm not even sure the legality of denying people tap water in a very crowded venue (what if I didn't have any cash on me?), but whenever venues do that I leave with a very bad taste in my mouth. I'm happy to get a cup of water and leave a tip for the bartender, but to be forced to pay for bottles is just plain evil.

Anyway, back to the show: the music, stage set up and staff involved in the show were all professional and courteous. During one of the rowdier parts of the show, a security personnel gave one of the performers a piggy back ride, which is always fun to see staff get into the fun of the show and not just look mean the whole time. I'll gladly be back here, but they would do well to make this place a touch more elegant. The bar wouldn't be so bad if it had some more options and more staff working it during a show.