Wow. This venue was so unique and interesting. I love it here!
I drove down to Atlanta to see a band that (surprisingly) wasn't coming to Nashville (it's rare!) and I am so pleased they came to the Variety Playhouse! It's located in a very eclectic neighborhood with a lot of interesting shopping, food, and bars. My BF and I stopped next door to get a coffee before the show too. How convenient!
Inside they serve popcorn, snacks, and a full bar. The venue has a good amount of theater seating along with some standing room in the very front. However, they are required to keep the aisles clear so you can only stand within the yellow lines, but I'm cool with that! The security guards were freakin awesome; they let me put my poster on the side of the stage so I didn't have to hold onto it for the whole show AND stood guard so that no one took it. Score!
I love the upstairs area too with a beer/wine bar and the bathrooms and extra seating. The Variety Playhouse does it right, and I'll have to come back for another show sometime (but not too often; can't make the Ryman jealous)!
Went to see Abbey Road (Beatles cover band out of Athens) - Â the venue folks were very friendly and nice. This venue has seats plus an area in front of the stage if you want to stand to watch the band. Clean and updated bathrooms upstairs. The concessions area served snacks, beer and cocktails at fairly reasonable prices. We enjoyed the show and the venue.
Review Source:This was my first time at Variety Playhouse, and it was a great experience. Â Parking was really easy, and convenient in the lot right behind the venue. Â It was a general admission show and we got there about 30 minutes early and got nice seats. Â The front few rows and side rows were plastic chairs the middle section was good old concert hall style chairs. Â We went to see Guster who is touring with 2 string players at this time. Â They put on a fantastic show!
The only irritating  thing was some of the other concert-goers were not very thoughtful of the people around them, walking up and down the isles trying to move closer to the front...ummm get there earlier like the rest of us did.  However the bouncers took care of this issues helping people find seats and ushering folks out of the isles and out of the view of those sitting down.
Will return here for sure when another artist we want to see comes around!
Wonderfully classic playhouse and decent music venue. I was worried that everyone would be sitting the whole time but actually the small space in front of the stage was enough to hold the youngins who like to stand and dance. Yes, I still consider myself to be youngin with that crowd. The side seating with tables makes for a classy touch. Acoustics were great! I'm a sucker for old venues.
Review Source:Definitely one of my favorite venues. Â I've seen some of my favorites here (Rachael Yamagata, Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson), so I've got lots of good memories. Â It's one of those places that's not too big and not too small. Â Just intimate enough that you feel connected to the artist even though there are tons of other people around. Â
They always seem to have great shows scheduled  - which makes me sad that I don't come here more often.
I wanted to love it. Â I really really did, but alas I did not. Conceptually, its all there. Â I grew up with the Ga Theater basically in my backyard so the nostalgia of an old movie theater morphed into a killer concert space appeals to me. Variety wasn't horrible by any stretch of the imagination, but I think it could be better.
My main complaint is that there are too many seats and there isn't enough dancing space. Â The best part of any concert is being part of the crowd, dancing around, and bumping into tons of fun people. Â Fine- have the seats upstairs and a few in the back but the amount here is excessive in my opinion. Â Perhaps for an acoustic show or something mellow the seats would be great, but in general I just want to dance. Even when I tried to make my way down the aisle to get to the small dance space, security kept saying it was full and that I had to stand further back. Â I'm probably just bitter.
Security in general seemed really tight here. Â Crowd surfers are scorned by the men with tiny flashlights and angry faces while the aisles are kept totally clear during the show forcing people to pick a spot and stick to it. Â Its a smaller venue and I have a hard time believing things get that out of control here. Maybe there were some incidences that lead to these precautions, but regardless of the reason these buds need to calm down a bit.
The staff is otherwise really friendly. Everyone was super nice and efficient. The bar is cash only but there is an ATM inside. Â Drinks are affordable and they have some more unique options available. Also the venue is totally non-smoking which is good by my standards but a bummer for others. They have some great acts roll through the playhouse and the overall sound quality was top notch. Â Variety has positives and negatives for me. Â Middle of the road space. I'd take it or leave it.
Be warned - there is no playing at the Playhouse.
I love the concept of a movie theatre turned concert hall, but the space was confining and not conducive to dancing and rocking out. I went here for the first time the other night to see Matt & Kim. I have seen them live before, so I was excited to dance my heart out and soak up the energy of their crazy performance.
First disappointment of the evening: the concessions stand/bar was cash only. Luckily I had some on me, but it's rather inconvenient.
My friend and I arrived after the opening act, hoping that we could squeeze our way up toward the front for the main part of the show. But we didn't even stand a chance. When we tried to slip into the open pit of people in front of the stage, a security guard stopped us and told us to turn around and find somewhere to stand among the rows of general admission seats. I found it frustrating to navigate through these movie theatre rows to find a free standing spot. I much prefer a completely open general admission space for a concert. It's always awkward when people have to shuffle past you down the row in the middle of a song to take a potty break or grab a beer.
The Playhouse security team was a bit too intense for my liking. While I think that it is important to have security on alert for crowd control and to prevent fights and injuries, I felt that this squad was more strict than they needed to be. There were a few innocent little hipsters crowd surfing to the infectious rhythms of Matt & Kim, encouraged by Kim herself, but security was having none of it.
I would go back to the Playhouse if I was super psyched to see the artist, but I'm not in a rush to get back there for a show any time soon. Not my favorite ATL venue. Buckhead Theatre is a better indoor space for a concert.
Attended the Pink Floyd Experience and was very impressed with the intimacy of the venue. Reminds me of a high school auditorium with a standing room area for those of us who want to lean against the stage.
Seating is comparable to the movie theater and are somewhat dingy and in disrepair. The bar is cash only and parking is dicey. Upstairs IS like a maze! Going to the bathroom was an adventure in itself. $4 PBRs and domestic / $4.5 imports.
Little 5 Points was the main attraction of my one-day-sop in Atlanta, we started our day by walking around the area, did some shopping, got accosted by a few clipboard people, and came back that evening to see Amanda Fucking Palmer with the Grand Theft Orchestra. Â I was a little worried by the reviews talking of doom and gloom in regards to the parking, security, sound, and general everything about the playhouse but I have no complaints. Â
Maybe it was that I came here to see an artist who explicitly asks her audience to "be nice" to whoever is working, nice or otherwise. Â Maybe it was just a nice change of pace for the dudes working there to see some weird chick spending equal amounts of time on stage as in the crowd... or on top of the crowd. Â Maybe they're just misunderstood and just doing their job because the variety playhouse is in Atlanta and not some country bumpkin backwoods area where everyone knows everybody.
Whatever it was that ticked off some of the previous reviewers... I'd say that as a visitor who has spent times in the grungiest of venues, this place is as clean as it can be, the people working here are nice, the bartenders trusted me and didn't card me after my first trip, and the only trouble we had was at the end of the show when my brother pulled me back into the venue so I could meet AP. Â
The coming calendar is almost good enough to bring me back sooner than later.
I'm not too familiar with the Little 5 Points area, so I didn't know about this theater until very recently. Â A group of ten of us went to Variety Playhouse to see the "Elvis Royale featuring Kingsized & Dames Aflame" show on a Saturday evening. Â The show was to begin at 8:30 pm, but doors opened at 7:30 pm.
I highly recommend you carpool if you're going with a group. Â Apparently there is paid parking available, but my friends who drove had to circle around the area for a while before they found free street parking.
* THEATER *
We arrived a little after 8 pm and thought we wouldn't be able to find seats. Â However, we were still able to get good seats in the 4th row! Â Since the area directly in front of the stage is a standing section, it turns out that it doesn't really matter if you have seats on the first floor. Â You will end up standing if you want to see anything that's happening on-stage, especially if you're short (like me). Â The seats themselves aren't comfortable but they're not bad, and there are cup holders at the ends of each arm rest.
The theater itself was a decent size - not very big but not too small. Â I have to admit, however, that I thought it looked kind of run down. Â I guess that somehow adds to the venue's charm. Â Considering how old the place looks, I was impressed with the audio quality.
* SHOW *
Big Mike Geier has a great voice and really knew how to entertain the crowd. Â His Kingsized orchestra and three backing vocalists were really good, too. Â However, as much as I wanted to enjoy the show, I never really got into it. Â I thought I knew a lot of Elvis' songs, but the show proved me wrong. Â It was almost three hours long (with an intermission!), and I only knew maybe three or four of the songs performed. Â
There was an Elvis-costume contest after intermission, which was corny but amusing. Â The ladies in the Dames Aflame burlesque troop were good dancers, but one of them had distractingly huge biceps for a woman. Â (Yes, I'm easily distracted.) Â Later, a drag queen joined the performance. Â Lil' E, literally a little person dressed as Elvis, was awesome. Â He threw Mardi Gras beads out to the audience at one point. Â As a whole, I thought the show was "OK" but not really worth the $30+ the ticket cost online ($26 at the ticket office).
Overall, Variety Playhouse gets 3 stars for being a good-sized venue with nice sound quality. Â If it wasn't for the difficult (street parking) and annoying (having to pay in general) parking situation, I would have given an additional star. Â I'm sure I'll return in the future if there's a show that I REALLY want to see there, but it probably won't be for quite a while.
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Variety Playhouse is my number one place to see my favorite artists when they roll into town. Â This place manages to be the perfect size--just intimate enough that you feel a little like you're in on a secret, but big enough that there's plenty of space for everyone. Â
I've been to a number of different shows here and the venue works for singer-songwriters, jazz, and folk-punk alike. Â For the quieter shows and comedy acts, expect plastic patio chairs to line the front and sides. Â For the more raucous acts, the seating will be more scarce to leave some room for dancing in front of the stage. Â Don't forget to bring cash for the bar--they have great prices and a surprising selection. Â Skip the food and hit one of the nearby restaurants before or after the show. Â You won't be disappointed. Â
I'm always looking forward to my next visit to Variety!
Cool spot to see a show. I like that there is seating in the middle and the sides, but still an open spot in front of the band in the middle. Â In my younger days, I would definitely be up there, probably being that guy, jumping around and trying to start a pit. Â I've gotten ornery in my old age and try to avoid all human contact, so I prefer to stand back where the seats are, effectively putting a force field around me so I can enjoy a show in peace. Â Getting old is lame.
Good beer selection, bottles and on tap, but cash only. Â Parking is pricy in Little Five, but you can park in a neighborhood and walk 5-10 minutes if you don't want to pay.
Whenever Dark Star Orchestra comes to Atlanta to perform, 9 times out of ten it is at Variety Playhouse. Parking is always dicey. You either pay to park close to the venue or you park far away (for free) and hoof it.
The last show I saw there (Dark Star on Feb 25), I walk up to the front area and a young guy right away approaches me and asks me if I have an extra ticket. I tell him no I only have one. He offers me $100.00 for it and I think that, if it were not for the fact that I am meeting friends there for the show that night, I might be tempted to sell him the ticket.
I am impressed that the kid wants to see the show badly enough to offer me that kind of scratch for my one ticket; the band is good but not $100 a ticket good. The tickets for the show were $27 but the show is sold out. Dark Star Orchestra, by-the-way, is perhaps the best Grateful Dead cover band ever.
I tell the kid that I think I can get him in; Â if we try and fail then no harm no foul. I tell the guy at the door he is "my son from out of town."
I am in my forties and the kid is in his 20s so it is plausible I might have a son that age [my real son is 9 by-the-way]).
I also tell the door guy that  I have a ticket but "my son" does not; however, I work for a company that has an active business relationship with Variety playhouse (an alcoholic beverage distributor). Perhaps they can cut us a deal.
The manager is summoned over and he tells me he will allow "my son" to purchase entry into the venue for the going ticket price of $27. Not a bad deal since "my son" was willing to pay much more than that ($100) for the ticket.
I tell the kid to buy me a couple drinks for my doing him a solid; everybody wins. (They sell lots of good micro-brews here). The kid is very happy to be able to now join his friends already inside the venue; he tells me, " this is what I love about America."
I've been to Variety for many-a-shows, and I am lucky enough to currently have a friend living in the bass-lofts across the street, so needless to say, I've been skipping out on paying for parking in L5P.
It's not that it's difficult, but when there are 300 people on Euclid Ave trying to find parking, things get a little sticky.
Variety Playhouse has a nice setup. Limited seating through the center of the venue, standing and raised platforms on the sides, balcony seating, and of course, standing room up front.
Favorite shows I've seen at Variety? Iron and Wine, Bon Iver, and Ani DiFranco. Truly incredible venue for these lyrical geniuses.
You can't help the influence of the surrounding areas when you head to L5P. I personally love walking down skid row, chatting with skid-lettes, and getting a coffee next door at Java Lords in the meantime. Java Lords, this little alley-way type coffee shop nestled between 7 Stages Theatre and Variety Playhouse  serves alcohol. Check please.
...Having worked at 7 Stages during my year stint with a local theatre, I can say that I've mopped that stage floor many times. Mmm, yummy Little Five Points dust-bunnies, my favorite!
Overall, Variety pleases me.
The is easily one of my favorite venues in Atlanta.
I am short, so the ability to actually SEE the band is important to me. The stage here is high enough that you can typically see the person performing even if you are the size of David the Gnome.
PBR tall boys are $4. This makes it cheap and easy to have a beer in your hand for the whole show if you need something to sip on, if you like PBR or maybe if you are just a lush.
There is a balcony for some shows but they close it off when the bands are bring smaller crowds.
Variety Playhouse is my one of my favorite music venues in Atlanta. I have enjoyed close to 100 shows there from blue grass to burlesque. There are a few things that keep me coming back.
- Location. Right in the heart of Little Five Points. Close to restaurants for dinner beforehand and bars for drinks after.
- Price. Variety is one of the only venues in town where you can by tickets on their site. I hate it when you go to a site and they send you to LiveNation because that means you're about to pay $15 for service charges. Note...you have to sign up in order to do this, BUT it's free.
- Drinks/food are also affordable.
- Balcony. Great place to find a seat and you get a full view of the stage. Sound up there is also great.
- Clean bathrooms. This is always important to me.
- Friendly staff, which you don't typically see.
- Outside section where you can actually hear who's on stage, which is nice.
Parking. There's a big lot behind Variety, a well as a lot of street parking. You shouldn't have a problem with finding a spot.
Check them out. I know you'll love seeing a show there just as much as I do.
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.variety-playhouse.com%2F&s=ee015ccb8d18701f57ebd866451cbc10e7b5429d614b32d56b566feceda5ceb8" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.variety-playh…</a>
Went to see PleasePlease Rock Me do Sgt Peppers and Dark Side of the Moon albums in entirety, and it was a stellar performance. Best twelve bucks I've ever spent, and what a way to start 2011!
So cheers to VP for providing a cool funky venue for bands like this. And by funky, I mean, there is a layer of funk covering the whole of the interior. The bathrooms remind me of junior high, and the layout of the second floor is maze-like. Kindof makes you feel wasted even if you aren't yet, so hey.
I like that you can mull about and get different views and experiences, from the dance space in the front to the eagle eye balcony.
Nice people work here-Laurence at the front is a super cool guy.
Cheers~
You don't really get to pick the venue other than to decide not to go to the show if it is scheduled at a fucked up place (Chastain). Â But when a show we want to see comes to the Variety, it doesn't really get any better in Atlanta.
The Variety is large enough to attract acts with a national following yet, Â the experience remains intimate. Â And they book great shows! Â You can usually approach the stage. A large area is in front of the stage for dancing, moshing, or sometimes they fill it with portable chairs. Mezzanine areas on each side of the room are sometimes set up with chairs and even occasionally tables. Â .And the sound is always great. Â As others have noted, the sloping grade of the floor makes it possible to have a good view from wherever you stand (unless you are really short). Â We like the first step on either side of the stage. Â Left over art deco touches gives a nice sense of history in this building which dates to the 40s. Â
I was surprised with the comments regarding concessions staff being rude.  On the contrary, we have always found them to be , not only polite, but quite knowledgeable and informative regarding the Atlanta music scene (of course, we weren't  trying to pass a fake ID).
Draft and bottle beer as well as wine are available at the concession stands on both floors. Â The restrooms are clean if not easily available. Â The prices are quite reasonable (this shit costs money these days).
We really enjoy the Variety's location. Â With shopping and everything from intimate dining to bar food in the area, the Variety is a great destination.
To quote The Simpsons, this place "is like a yard dog that tries to come into the house; it thinks it's better than it is."
If you want to drink here you will spend the whole night waiting in line, so I recommend you do some extensive pregaming beforehand.
They continue to have under 21 shows, but the precautions they take to ensure no underage drinking really dampen the experience for those over 21. Â Longest drink lines ever, and the staff treat everyone pretty rudely, as if they suspect you are trying to pull a fast one on them.
Additionally, you have to get here early for bigger shows because they take forever admitting and patting down people, otherwise you'll wait outside in a long line and probably miss part of the show; as has happened to me many times.
I'm on the shorter side and often leave concerts disgruntled by white hipsters with gelled afros that block my view in conjunction with the backs of tall people's heads. Luckily, the Variety Playhouse considered the vertically challenged when fashioning the standing area into a downward slope, offering even the back row a decent stage view. Plus, the plethora of auditorium seating gives show-goers a chance to rest their feet. I'll stand and thrash for Camera Obscura and bob meaningfully to Blonde Redhead, but mosh during a Dinosaur Jr. reprise? Not so much.
All within a non-smoking atmosphere! Thank you, V.P., for taking short people's and non-smokers' comfort and health into consideration.
I just wish V.P. provided a free or cheap parking option. I recently paid 7 bucks to park in the lot behind the building, surprised that the staff wore no identification and didn't hand me a receipt to place in my dash.
"How can I be sure I won't get booted, then? How do you know where everybody parked?"
"Memorization," a parking employee/bum fanned his fingers.
"Oh really? You have all the cars memorized? Where's my car, then?" A cleaner, more competent employee stepped in and nastily asked, "You want your money back? You want your money back?!?!" No, I explained, I just want to know how I can leave my car in this lot and not have to worry about getting a ticket from PARKAtlanta or a boot.
"That's just how we do business," he snapped, walking away to overcharge another vehicle left helpless by the city's sketchy parking system.
"That's because you're RUDE!" I stomped toward him. Yeah, I thought of that myself.
But really, I've caught some great shows at the Variety.
This is a review for the venue. The performance I saw here was amazing, but I feel that Variety Playhouse has a lot to improve upon.
They don't enforce seat assignment so it's first come first serve, we ended up sitting right by the exit door even though we arrived 15 minutes before the show. This annoys me, and I wish that they would enforce seating assignments instead.
The sound was very nice and even at the back, the effects were highly enjoyable.
There were a few things that bothered me to no end while I was watching the performance:
1. Some of the audience would applause DURING the performance. I feel that Variety Playhouse should enforce the courtesy of holding off all applause until the end of a song/segment. It's extremely annoying because when people applause and holler while the artist is still performing, it's disruptive of the entire performance. I couldn't hear what came next clearly because of the noise.
2. There were loud obnoxious chatters right behind us, loud laughter, and a crazy girl who was dancing like a mad person. I wouldn't have minded if she just danced very discretely, but she was shaking the floor and would make Native American hollering noises during the performance. There was staff standing right next to all the obnoxiousness, yet they did nothing to silence the noise.
Variety Playhouse needs to step it up with enforcing rules so that everyone can enjoy the show in the best environment possible. Bar was cash only.
A few more things to love about Variety:
-Non-smoking. All the time.
-Well-priced, lesser known, high gravity beer options.
-Super friendly staff, not your typical jaded venue folk.
All this means I am all the more happy to have Variety in my front yard. I'll be making a point to return to my youth and just show up for random shows here and see what happens. Let me know if you're down.
as far as venues go..this to me is one of the better ones. Iv been too maaaany different lil concert venues..and this one is great..
awsome ventilation. i mean..i got a solid draft of A/C the ENTIRE show.
Great sound..i saw Thrice and Oh Brother and manchester Orchestra last night..sounded AWSOME.
there is theatre seating..or you can stand in the front..or sit in the balcony. pretty awsome.
PBR!!!! :D
HOT TIPS:
1. TAKE CASH FOR DRINKS
2. ALSO PPL DONT GET SUCKERD INTO PAYING FOR PARKING. if your facing the playhouse..to the right is an obvious parking lot..DONT PARK THERE THEY CHARGE $10. go thru the alley on the LEFT..theres a lot in the back..ITS FREE.
3. go..smile..enjoi.
I saw Butch Walker and Ponderossa here on Thursday night, and thought this was a perfect venue for the bands! Â I like the Variety because it has a lot of character- I haven't been to many venues with the same vibe. Â The Variety is an old movie theater, and to be honest I don't think it has been cleaned since it was a movie theater. Â The grunge and smoke is all part of the experience here.
The only issue I really see is if your one of the people who doesn't show up early enough to stand close to the stage it might be pretty hard to see if you get stuck in the back. Â There are some seats- depends on the act whether you want these seats or not. Â Either way, in general-- Variety Playhouse has a good crowd of people, GREAT acts and an interesting demeanor. Â There is also a bar on the second story that is never as popular as the one downstairs. Â If your drinking or in need of some refreshments the hike up the stairs might save you a few minutes in line. Â They also serve PBR in a can- anywhere that serves PBR is A-OK in my book.
I definitely enjoy seeing shows here and have seen some pretty memorable ones here (Mogwai, Imogen Heap, Iron & Wine). Pros: no Ticketmaster, reasonably priced shows, reasonably priced concessions, good view from floor/seats/balcony, lots of seating, decent sound, no smoking, pretty good bands. Â Cons: not enough standing room, lack of atmosphere. Â Good place to see a band though the floor set up is a bit weird. Â
4
I went to see Butch Walker here last night and it's just his kind of venue.
We sat up in the balcony as neither my dad nor I are the type to get up close and personal with the entertainment. Even up there, we didn't feel like it was a bad seat. We could see everything just fine and the music was plenty loud. The seats got a litle uncomfortable to sit in after about an hour and my butt was a bit sore by the time we left. Didn't try the concessions, so I can't speak to those. It was also a little dirty looking, but that might simply be because of the age of the venue.
I'd definitely go to a show here again. With all the restaurants within walking distance, it's a great way to make an evening of it with dinner and a show.
I love seeing shows here. Â Though the balcony smells like pee and I question how well it gets cleaned - I still love it. Â Lol.
The concert prices are always reasonable. Â I've seen Imogen Heap, Feist, She & Him, and a ton others here. Â It's pretty much our go-to venue.
And like a few other said, don't forget your cash for your Pabst Blue Ribbon (in a bottle - they're tryin to class it up). Â And if you missed dinner their pizza and popcorn are tasty!
What an awesome venue! Â Whether you choose to stand down front, sit in the theater style seating or in the balcony, you are "up close and personal". Â Excellent acoustics and intimate setting makes this theater one of the best. Â The concessions has a fair selection of beer, wine and snacks, including granola bars :-), reasonably priced. Â
There is a big parking lot behind the building that offers free parking. Â Did I say free? Â Wow, that's unheard of. Â Next door is a cool coffee and pastry shop if you want some java after the show or better yet, walk down to one of the L5P bars and continue the party! Â
The Variety Playhouse is definitely a 5 star venue.
Anyone ever take microbiology? Â I'm not referencing gross bacteria but rather, when you have to count colonies, sometimes there are just too many to count (TMTC). Â I realized the other night when I was at Variety for Gnarles Barkley that the number of shows I have seen at Variety is TMTC.
Variety is a great place to see a show. Â It is a good sized venue but not so big that it feels impersonal. Â You can always get up good and close (sometimes you have to elbow your way up there) but because there are no seats in front of the stage, you are always guaranteed front row access if you want it bad enough. Â They have a balcony in case you want to escape the craziness on the floor. Â They have a decent amount of bathrooms so you never feel like you are waiting too long. Â Variety also does not allow smoking inside but they do have a smoking patio which is really nice if you don't want to smell like a dirty ashtray at the end of the evening (I go next door after the show for that). Â Also, the sound is usually really good and it's small enough so you can see what's going on on-stage no matter where you sit/stand.
The only complaint that I have heard (but doesn't really affect me since I'm not a liquor drinker) is that they do not serve liquor. Â They have beer and wine which serves me fine. Â They also have snacks (popcorn and pizza) in case you are starving. Â The staff is friendly and (knock on wood) I have never seen an altercation break out (I'm sure it's happened but the crowd tends to be pretty chill).
The one final thing that I love about Variety is that you can by-pass Ticket-F$$$er and buy your tickets directly from Variety. Â I think they only have a $2 or so surcharge.
I've seen some of my favorites @ Variety. Â They are booking better and better shows. Â For awhile they seemed to be headed in the icky jam band direction, but they are back on course! Â They had Mike Ness last week, Devotchka last night, X will be there with the Detroit Cobras on May 29th, I mean come on!
The venue has plenty of seating, 2 bars (beer and wine only), clean bathrooms, great views from the seats, floor, or balcony. Â The sound guy kicks ass (more bands need to shut up and listen to the man! he knows what he knows.). Â Go, go, go and grab a drink @ the Euclid Avenue Yacht Club before you do!
Jonathan Richman (with no Modern Lovers)...5 stars.
Sparce Atlanta Crowd...1 star.
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We tend to forget our roots. Â We will fill Variety Playhouse for a bunch of wannabe bullshit "pop punk" bands with their MTV style and 'on empty' substance and ignore the originator. Â
However, better for those of us that remember to be up close and personal with a legend in this smallish sweatbox with poor sound quality, than to fight the masses for a band who will be forgotten tomorrow. Â
Small venue, good beer, great headliners, but too hot, with muddled acoustics that confuses and uninspires with even the best of bands. Â Cool idea and location, but overrated for sound quality.
I met Ryan when we agreed to attend a Clap Your Hands Say Yeah show here. Oh, those times when the better half was just a dear friend!
So, of course, The Variety Playhouse holds dear memories for me. But beside this, and the fact that people actually LOVE this venue, I have to say I like it. Â There is comfort for everyone: if you want to dance in the orchestra-front stage area, you're welcome to bump into your neighbor's tush. Â If you want to sit and sip beer, there you go! Â You also have the side tables with plastic chairs. Â If you want the classic theater experience, just sit on the squeaky, metallic central chairs.
I've attended many shows here, and never been disappointed. If you hang out for a little while in the lobby after the shows, you might be lucky and meet your favorite artists...that's how I met Elvis Perkins, who I'm sure at this point doesn't have a clue of who I am, but he was pretty impressed at the fact he has a Venezuelan fan (LOL!)
One star falls off for smell...yes, it's me, aroma snob. It smells terribly bad. Sorry peeps, but I'm selective when it comes to this particular element regarding ambiance. This said, make sure you attend a show there. You'll love it!
I've had so many memorable concert experiences here. Â Dar Williams, Josh Ritter, Shawn Mullins, Broken Social Scene, The Cardigans, The National, etc., etc. Â I first went to this club in high school and it hasn't changed a whole lot since.
A gem of a venue, and a lovely size for a rock show. Â Not overwhelmingly large, and not so small that you feel claustrophobic.
For quieter, more intimate shows, the open floor space in front of the seats is filled with circular tables and chairs where you can sit pretty close to the stage and stare lovingly up at the performer(s). Â In more rocking, packed-house situations, the chairs up front are nowhere to be scene and the crowd is pretty raucous and sardine-like up front, squeezing in to dance and get as close as possible to the lip of the stage. Â There are seats starting 20 feet or so (don't count on my math here--I'm terrible at estimating distances), but when the show's rockin', no one actually sits, so don't count on having a relaxing time in a seat where you can see. Â (If you claim a seat hoping to sit and watch the show, you'll be sorely disappointed when everyone around you jumps up and blocks your view.)
There are riser-like standing-room-only areas on the left and right sides of the theatre where one can watch the show comfortably while leaning against the wall or against one of the bars that separates your riser's section from the next highest or lowest. Â There's an upper balcony, but I've never stood up there. Â Getting to the front is just so easy if you're there at a pretty timely hour. Â
A tip about tickets:  avoid those nasty Ticketmaster fees by booking through the Variety Playhouse directly.  There you'll have to pay their pesky ticket processing fee, which is usually just $2 a ticket instead of the ridiculous charges Ticketmaster purchases incur.  Plus you're helping the local business itself instead of the huge conglomerate!  Go to <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fvarietyplayhouse.com&s=4834a2757e40a245ff5aff8b9f080230e31208a353d3d6cf613ea3c468908ebc" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://varietyplayhouse.…</a> for more information.  You have to sign up for the ticketing club to be able to order online, but they don't send any junk mail (truly) and it's really worth the discount if you even go just once.
Eh. I go either way about this place. Overall, it's probably better than most other local venues. Half of the room is filled with fixed seating, so you can relax while watching the openers, and the headliners like me if you are lazy and don't feel like feeling your feet go to sleep beneath you.
They also have an overhead balcony where you can go and look down from above though I've never been up there for very long. Feels a bit too cramped.
Their bathrooms are pretty nasty. It's a club. In the lobby they have a little concession area that's a bit more overpriced than I'd like, but at least you have the option for a snack unlike several other places.
There's a smoking area outside where all the douchey smokers can go puff, instead of making your clothes smell like a campfire when you leave. Dudes still try to smoke their weed hidden in the crowd though. I never understood that. Some people need their faces smudged.
One of Atlanta's best venues - I've seen artists from Arcade Fire to Built to Spill to Dr. John to the Flatlanders. Â I've gone here with my parents, gone with my little brother, gone with big groups and on dates. Â They have amazing international acts and shitty local bands. Â
There is seating and standing. Â Balcony. Â Smoking "porch" (read: alley). Â Small with energy. Â PBR and Sweetwater. Â Love this place.
If the snacks don't cut it, go get a mondo burrito afterwards from El Myr next door.
Certainly one of the best venues to see music in Atlanta. Â From up-coming to major acts, I've seen Agent Orange, Fugees, The Roots, Elliott Smith, G love, Men at Work, Camper Van and countless others. Â A must visit music venue. Â The front area is for standing/dancing and the back area, including the second balcony, offers seats.
This, Star Bar and The Point (rip) were by far one of the reason what kept L5P vibrant.
Great place to get baked and listen to music. Â I saw Donna the Buffalo here---they were NUTS! Â In a very good way!
Bar is cash only but they do have a fake-looking ATM if you need funds Â
I was elated that they serve "sissy beer" (cider)--YES!!!!!!!!!!! Â Nibbles also available to tame those late night munchies
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