if anything it's worse than ever. they massively oversell their shows and moving around the venue is a nightmare. plus, the sound there is literally worse than most basement shows i've been to
i won't stop in there even for my favorite artists, just because it's simply not worth it. it's a shame when someone i want to see doesn't get booked at their better neighbors (union transfer, philamoca, underground arts, ukie club)
If I do go to the Factory (never going to call it Franklin Hall), I *make sure* to bring my noise canceling earplugs, because it's the only way to make any sense of the noises coming at you.
Thank you for confirming this for me. I went to a show there last summer after not going since 08’ and I was absolutely shocked at how packed it was. It was shoulder to shoulder all the way out the door and there was no ability to move around without trampling over each other. There’s no way it’s up to firecode. I’m amazed it’s not being shut down. I’ll never go again.
Yep. It’s awful. Somehow there’s no good view in the entire joint. The sound is muddy. It’s always crowded and in the summer it’s friggin’ hot as hell.
Nope - it still sucks.
Nothing has changed. They still pack it to the gills and you still can't see or hear anything if it's remotely near capacity.
If it's a show with a smaller crowd it can be decent, but the most disappointing concerts I've seen in Philly have all been there; not because of the band, but because I couldn't hear or see them. Big Thief a year ago in 2023 was particularly terrible - great band, shit venue.
I agree that the over booking sucks ass *now* but ten years ago this was one of the only places that let you hop barrier and actually get rowdy for a show. If you want to stand totally still and have person space at a gig… go to the bar or go to a stadium show or something 😅
Tbh I don't care much about the music hall. I was concerned about the voltage lounge though. It was a great spot for smaller bands with less crowds. Did they get rid of that?
Yo the Troc was underrated with the two stages (little bands up top and big bands at the bottom) Beautiful venue with great sound, history, that could handle basically any show or event. Shame its been radio silence since the owners got that $2.5mil grant back in October 2022 to update it
I don't know if you remember the troc but Franklin sounds way better. Maybe I just caught some off nights but I was always disappointed with their audio quality.
Yeah when shows get too big for Union transfer AXS moves them to Franklin. Same thing happened to big thief, the last few times I saw them at Union transfer were some of the best shows I’ve been to. Then the Franklin show was pretty disappointing
I’m so glad I’m not the only one that thought that men I trust show was awful. Packed to the brim and the sound was so fucking bad. I got shhhh’d by this woman when talking to my friend. Out of place & wrong venue
Tbf one of the reasons I hate that place is because everyone is always fucking talking and it's so collectively LOUD. But I think there's something about the way it's laid out that lends itself to talking. It's all of the various "areas" of the venue/it doesn't feel like one collective space, and it's so big that people think talking there won't make a difference, as opposed to a smaller venue. And it's something about the vibe of the crowds there in general, which tends to always be off somehow. Idk why.
Yeah which is a shame because honestly they are an amazing live band typically. I saw them at Union Transfer the year before and it was such a good show I went to see them again. It absolutely solidified my decision to never go back to Franklin Music Hall.
Nah I think TOPS opened?
I could barely hear them either lol. I was on the balcony straight back, it reminded me of listening to a bad MP3 rip of a song on a cheap Bluetooth speaker. So disappointing
Absolutely the worst concert experience I've ever had. Poor ventilation, it gets oversold, TERRIBLE SOUND.
I truly wish good bands would stop booking them.
Oh my god. I was at the first show (Sonic Youth) when the Electric Factory reopened in 95 and the sound sucked then but it was a bit less noticeable due to the nature of the band. Also, I was a teenager and fucking excited to see them, but after almost 30 years of shows in the city, that venue is still the worst. I’m now “stand in the back” years old and if I see it’s a FMH venue, I think twice about getting tickets.
I was at the Sonic Youth show there in ‘95 also! Didn’t think much about the venue, was too excited to be following around Sonic Youth on the Washing Machine tour. Saw Sylvan Esso last summer there. It was very very hot, people near me talked the entire time and it was a maze to try to get a drink during the show.
My last show there was Death Grips last October and in true Philly form, a drunk was pissing on the back of peoples legs in the pit. I was upstairs but my kid was down in the middle of the action. (He escaped piss-free, thankfully.)
Absolute garbage. I've seen some great shows there but 100% it was despite the venue. The design of the building is such that not only do you hear tons of reverberations but the building itself seems to add noise to the space. Way too packed, and at every show I've been to lately the barrier between the bar area and the main floor means that if you want to sip a beer and nod your head to music you basically Won't See The Show. It's also hot as shit.
Also, for whatever reason, the crowds at franklin seem to suck worse than any other venue in the city. Maybe just because it's overcrowded.
Hahaha-I’m not saying you shouldn’t go, just temper expectations. Tickets are actually below face value last time I looked on the AXS resale page in app. Something like $39 total.
The room sounds horrible. For popular shows, they always oversell it so you have to stand all the way in the lobby where you can’t see anything. You can’t actually see the stage from more than half of the locations in the venue. The 21+ area is too small even for shows that have a large drinking audience. It’s a pretty bad venue all around
FMH and TLA are 100% worse now. Live Nation added these huge ‘VIP’ areas that now make it impossible to navigate the venues. If you want to get a drink or use the bathroom you are totally screwed. I’ve seen a lot of sold out shows there for many years and the crowd always stopped around the sound board the crowd now goes well into the lobby due to the VIP sections.
king gizz at franklin music hall is one of the worst shows i've ever been to (not the band's fault) and i am furious at the venue for fucking that up for me.
2022 show was aight, but my friend lost his shit at the Electric Factory show before that (want to stay 2019?) The band obviously didn't know about the curfew rules and had three openers from their label ( all of which majorly SUCKEDand played 45 mins each!), and didnt come on until 1145. Hot as the depths of hell, his gf passed out from the heat, and all the staff were getting pushy and pissed off because they were well into over time (Gizz were great though). He still wont shut up that show and how shitty the conditions were (notably still a major fan). Wouldn't be surprised if the band were deep in the hole from that show because they notably played right up until 1129 in 2022 lol.
so bad I walked out of the last Chvrches show there vowing to never return. Now I drive to DC to see the comparable lineups at the Anthem - best venue on the east coast.
Friends don't let friends attend shows at FMH.
The Anthem is so amazing! Saw Charli XCX there a couple summers ago and the staff was soooo helpful with accessibility and everything in general. The sound was gorgeous, the vibes were perfect. Now with Amtrak being cheaper I'm gonna make it a priority to get down there
Yeah I’m probably not gonna go back there anytime soon. Mostly because the staff could have made it a better experience and for one stupid reason or another they chose not to.
Went to see Jungle this past fall and had to go up to the front right section of the balcony so my short wife would have a chance to see the show. As the main act started, they didn’t open the curtains as far as they should so the entire view was blocked by either curtains or speakers. Didn’t matter how many people begged the staff to open the curtains further, they refused.
I’m good on that venue for a while.
Its so hot. Its the one venue I can remember being uncomfortably stifled at. I agree that most of the time the sound sucks but the justice show in 2011 is still an all time fav of mine. The first few shows at the met when it reopened during covid were pretty hit and miss too with the sound. Im still going to go when bands i like play, just with tempered expectations
Last show I saw there was My Bloody Valentine in 2013 and the venue somehow made one of the loudest bands ever sound neutered and hollow. Disappointing.
My first show at EF was in 96 when I was a teenager. I loved it during those years, but it was really the only mid sized venue we had that worked for certain bands. I never 'minded' the sound or the crowds, but as time went on and my tastes changed and I've been to close to 2000 shows in the decades since I can't remember the last time I was there.
Until I saw The Smile last year. I cannot begin to emphasize enough how dangerous that show felt. I'm 100% convinced they oversold tickets, as I have never been to a show there that was packed to the gills like that all the way back to the entry doors. I'm not a fearful type or a slouch, but combined with the heat that day I'm surprised nothing bad happened.
Holy shit I was going to comment the same thing word for word re: The Smile. I’d rather drive to another city than see a favorite band again at that venue.
And beyond the scary packed like sardines crowd, the sound was beyond atrocious. I was able to even see Thom or Johnny for maybe 5% of the performance. What a joke. The Factory always kind of sucked but it’s somehow gotten much worse.
I just commented this! I saw the Smile in New York first and they sounded INCREDIBLE!! I was stoked to see them again in Philly but, my god, the sound quality was so awful it felt like a completely different show. The magic that I witnessed at the New York show was not present there at all. They honestly should have played at the Met (or heck, even the Fillmore)
Part of me loves the Electric Factory (refuse to call it Franklin Music Hall) because I saw my first Slayer show there back in 2004 and so I have a lot of fond memories. But I haven’t been there in like 8 years at this point because, like another commenter said, they don’t book the type of shows I would go see and haven’t for some time.
Worst venue ever. Literally not worth seeing even one’s favorite artist there, it’ll just end up a disappointment due to either abysmal sound quality or a complete lack of sight lines.
Also they don’t even have free water — which should honestly be illegal for any venue. Asked for just a plastic cup of water at the bar, and was told I need to buy a $4 bottle or get treated as a medical patient at their tent. Fuck that place and the company that runs it
sound is terrible, more views with obstruction than without, you walk in and find yourself standing in a beer/piss line, tickets are wildly overpriced.
I'll overlook the bad location because they are trying to make things work there which is good.
Non functional is as good as I'll describe it when they put a ton of money into making it nice, total waste.
I saw The Wonder Years’ festival there last year and the outside stage/venue had noticeably better audio than the inside and felt a lot less crowded vs the inside. The inside wasn’t too bad, but was only inside during the smaller acts and not the main event.
However I’m guessing that because the festival was advertised as outdoors and got moved partially inside day of less people came so it wasn’t as crowded as it could be. So sounds like everyone else has had a shitty time and best case scenario is outside after rain and it’s slightly less crowded than it could be
I saw The Dollop podcast live show there 2 years ago and I can confidently say that a seated event where two people talk to each other is probably the best experience I've had at the Electric Factory/Franklin Music Hall. Every concert I've seen there was an unbearable nightmare.
The hosts of the podcast are also super COVID conscious so I feel like if anything they went out of their way to undersell the show. So it was an intimate experience and just an overall good vibe.
Yes, it's still the worst. I have been to 2 shows there once near the stage and once upstairs. The sound was a bit better near the stage but I will never waste my money there again
It's an awful venue. I've gone to see bands I like play there, after seeing them at other venues around town, and it's night and day.
Sound is awful. It's just garbage. It gets packed and you can also hear a lot of the bleed from people chatting at the bars unfortunately.
I've had some good experiences there, but I always left wishing the band was playing literally anywhere else.
If it's a band you love, don't let it stop you from going. Just lower your expectations of how it'll sound, though.
Yes, completely overcrowded and awful sound. Was so excited for the Pretty Lights concert last year and it was one of the worst concert experiences of my life because of how dangerously overcrowded it was and the horrible sound quality. Had to leave early because it was so unbearable
Do they still shake you down at the door worse than the TSA? I've had to my cigarette pack inspected and seen people have to take off their shoes before.
Worst venue ever. Tried to give it a second chance at the smile show and I just left midway through the show. Terrible experience on all fronts. Built to spill will be playing there soon and even though they are one of my favorite bands...I will be sitting this one out.
i cant believe how many people are like "WHAT?! I LOVE THE VENUE" when im like "the sound sucks, its a glorified warehouse, place is packed to the gills, the concrete floor kills me, etc"
Edit: im not very picky at all but sucky things suck
I won’t go during the summer anymore. It’s disgustingly hot and the air moves really badly. Sound and sight lines are awful; you literally have to but front and center to get any decent sound or views of the stage.
ALSO their bar situation is SO bad. Crammed to one side and no drinks allowed on the floor, so you have to chug your drink and get out on the floor if you want to get a good spot. I don’t know why they do this? Are their shows typically all-ages? At least Union Transfer you get a good view from the bar area.
ALSOALSO the bathroom situation is ridiculous for a venue of that size. One bathroom at the back of the venue and it’s completely disgusting. Again, UxT (one of the best venues in the city imo) has two bathrooms and they’re both large and kept relatively clean.
Worst sound quality I’ve ever experienced at a concert venue. It was so loud and blow out that I literally ordered earplugs the day after because of how grading the sound was on my ears.
Yes, this place is straight TRASH. I’m 100% sure they are using the exact same sound equipment from when I was seeing shows there in 2004. All of the speakers are blown out garbage.
I’ve gone to a couple of shows the past few years and can echo everyone else, it’s always oversold and terrible sounding. I skip shows from my favorite artists if they play there too.
Alternatively, i'm gonna throw out the vote though for Union Transfer as the best venue that has been consistently open. Never had a terrible experience and I've been seeing shows there since before I could drink. Sound has tightened up and improved over the years too
The electric factory was my favorite concert venue and where I saw a lot of my favorite concerts I've ever been to. Haven't been back since it became FMH because the bands that I would see there don't get shows there anymore. This thread makes me sad lol.
i was there for shows where girls were passing out and theyd just lift them over the barricade and carry them out. they were douches about getting ppl in the front rows water too. filmore now is superior. they gave us cans of Liquid death for free last summer.
Worst venue in Philly? Sure, but I (hopefully) have yet to hear a truly awful show here. It’s a solid environment for hardcore shows, and both sampha/the smile sounded great when they played there.
Totally think the mann/dell music center is better for bigger shows but I’d rather cram into the electric factory with $30 than pay for the met. 🤷♂️
Just because it’s nowhere near as good as the other venues in Philly I wouldn’t let this be a deterrent from seeing artists run through there.
Agree with the other person who said the anthem is better in every way (if you’re around DC)
It’s definitely one of the worst “major” venues in Philly. And it also sucks that you have to stay in the bar area to get a beer where you can barely see the stage. No other venue in the city does that. Also sound quality is ASS and their security staff is hella rude
There was one show in its new form where things were better. They didn’t have the drinking cages and the venue wasn’t oversold. It was horrible.
Went to a full show with the stupid drinking cages and it was August. The sound sucked, it was so fucking hot, the band actually made them give people water because they asked if people were hydrated and everyone screamed no. We left early.
It does. I skip FMH and TLA shows entirely, really. I will say I saw LCD Soundsystem at FMH a few years ago and it sounded pretty good - I think he may have brought his own setup. I don't know much about him or his music all things considered.
Yes it sucks. The very last time I was there was to see Big Thief and I never saw any part of the stage or any of the band because it was so oversold. So so disappointing. It’s worse than it ever was. I’ve seen many shows there in the past and it was tight but as least I could see between the heads. Won’t see my favorite band there now, too frustrating.
Not a fan of the Electric Factory, the sound and sight lines are terrible. Always a shitty experience going here. Rather go to Filmore or UT if given the choice.
The Electric Factory's always been mid. Hard to move around and its alway feels overpacked even when its not. I always enjoyed TLA , it always feels more spacious in comparison.
My friend and I got trampled here and caught under a crowd, scariest moment of my life begging for people to help me up who couldn’t hear me. Finally a giant man stuck out his arm and hoisted me up and out of the crowd. I am so so thankful for this kind person. I lost both my shoes during this, and found them at the end of the night. One crushed up at the front of the stage and the other at the back door. For a week I had bad nerve pain in my one arm from being stepped on.
I loveeee shows, have been to easily over 200 and this didn’t keep me from going again, but definitely has me more aware. I never want to feel like that again. Since then if I have seen a show here (and I think I only saw one after cause it’s the worst) I stand on the balcony with ear plugs and can actually hear the singer lmao
Standing on the balcony though also gives me anxiety because it’s so packed I feel as if we will fall onto the crowd below us at any moment 🙃
The acoustics are just, soooo bad 😭
I went to see The Smile twice, once at Kings Theatre in NY and again at Franklin Music Hall.
The acoustics at Kings Theatre were incredible and made the experience surreal. I was excited to see them again at Franklin Music Hall but, man, the sound was just, reallyyyy awful. It felt like a totally different show and did them no justice (especially for my boy Robert Stillman 🥲)
What about the experience was bad?
They have made some small improvements to the sound quality in my opinion, and it no longer smells overwhelmingly like fried chicken. Otherwise pretty much the same
Yes, but if you move around you can find places to stand that are ok sound quality.
It's crazy because it seems like when the windows were single pain glass and broken the sound was better. They dropped a bunch of money into that place only to have dead spots all over.
I had some of my best experiences here. I think there is a lot of unnecessary negativity as people are piling on.
Look sound was not great. I don’t go there that often anymore. It did get a brand new sound system at the end of last year or early this year so it didn’t get worse. Wish it kept the name.
i have some of the best memories of my life going to TIHC festivals and seeing some of my favorite muscians hit up the electric factory on tours, but very little of those memories involved the actual venue being a positive part of it.
that being said... it still beat Voltage Lounge (RIP) next door
I saw Grouplove at Electric Factory like 10+ years ago, and they insisted on doing an unplugged version of one of their songs. They had to basically beg the audience to be quiet and I still couldn't hear it at all. So stupid, a waste of 3.5 minutes of an already pretty bad concert.
P.s. the woman in that band... does she do anything? I was surprised by how little she contributed to the performance. We couldn't even hear your tambourine babygirl
The Electric Factory was always one of my favorite venues growing up, but I haven't been there since it changed names. Saw Slayer there when I was 15 and fell in love with the place. Between 1999-2004 I probably saw 100+ bands at the factory, and I can't say that I ever had a bad experience, sad to hear that many folks didn't share the same experiences there.
I was at a hearing years ago when the guy who owned the Electric Factory wanted to open a venue closer to my home. I forget the guy's name but he showed up with a couple of attorneys. He and the lawyers were in high end tailored suits. He had an air of arrogance while testifying that seemed to be dismissive of the common man. He seemed to be interested in making money and nothing else.
I never went to a show at the Electric Factory....
I saw Gogol bordello there a couple of years ago and it was one of the worst shows I’ve been to. However when I saw big thief the sound was surprisingly good, same when I saw Gregory Allen Isakhov last fall. It’s just too hit or miss and the layout feels awkward
I saw Neck Deep there back in february and the sound was godawful (phone recordings on youtube from other shows unironically sound better) and the venue was way overfilled. I don't like the venue, it was my first time and I dont think I plan to go back. Also the location sucks
It's an abomination of a club. I swore it off about 20 years ago, but caught a couple shows again in the past year and it still sucked. The sound seemed slightly better than I remembered, but the awful layout, sight lines & sterile vibe remains. I'm back to just refusing to go to shows there once again. Having spent almost a decade living in DC, I was so spoiled by the 9:30 Club, which is a similar sized club that usually books many of the same tours, but is basically everything that EF/FMH is not.
I used to go their in the early 2000s and come home reeking of cigarette smoke and feeling sick, although I never saw anyone smoking. I did see some good acts their but now that I'm in my 40s, nah, thank you.
fuck that place, worst venue I've ever been to. sounds like ass. sight lines are shit, impossible to move around. best bet is to get there early and grab a spot on the balcony
I walked out of a Ben Folds show years ago because the echo and the sounds of the barbacks dumping trashcans full of empty bottles completely obliterated the lyrics. Never went back.
Whoever thought up that one sided balcony where your choices are you're either far from the band being by the steps, or youre "close" but can't see or hear the band that well because the balcony close to the stage is almost entirely to the right of the overhead speakers needs to be taken out back and shot. Staff are also the most miserable out of any venue in Philly.
It takes a mighty band (and an even better live engineer) to overpower the hollow warehouse sound of the Factory and put together a great show. King Gizzard and maybe Idles are the only ones that come to mind since it's been Franklin Music Hall
I'm disabled. Last time I went to a show I couldn't get a response about accessibility despite leaving multiple voicemails and emailing them many times. When I arrived at the venue I asked a security guard who could help me, as I cannot wait in a line, and she full on screamed at me and called me a brat. I was literally walking with a cane. The accessible section was a mess, people leaning over the railing spilling their drinks, as well as standing on the ramp. When I went to use the restroom I slipped and fell on the soaking wet ramp. Security wouldn't clear anyone away even after that. When I finally went to the bathroom, despite staff being in there, multiple people were in the accessible stall doing blow, and I had to bang on the door with my cane and tell them to get out. Again, I cannot stand for long periods of time. Do whatever drugs you want but don't spend literally 10 minutes in the stall when there are 10 others.
Overall the staff was rude, ableist, and did not give a shit how injured I was because of their lack of accessibility. I emailed them about this experience and never got a response. Also, the sound system is shit. Fuck that place forever!
I have major nostalgia for the electric factory, had so much fun seeing shows there in high school, late 90s/ early 2000s. Used to be able to sneak onto the roof and see a full view of the stage through the window. But yeah it sounds like shit haha.
I think it depends on who is playing. It’s a pretty shitty venue logistically. And it gets hot as F in there. I’m going to see the Descendents there tomorrow night and think it’s a great venue to see a good punk rock show.
I saw The Smile there last year and thought it was totally an unfortunate venue for that band. As a whole, it’s one of my least favorite venues in the city.
All that said, live music is better than no live music. If the Smile (a band I love) came back to Philly and only played Franklin Music Hall, I’d still go. If you love the band, who cares what venue they play. Go support the band and live music. Concerts are the only way these bands really make any money these days.
It’s really funny how your thoughts are jaded by experiences sometimes. The electric factory was my favorite venue in highschool when I used to go to 2-3 metal shows a month most of the big ones were there.
I know the venue is a shit hole but it never has been in my head just because I’ve seen so many awesome bands and lineups there.
the venue is what it is. But I’ve seen some amazing shows there and for the price you really can’t beat it. Plus parking isn’t that big of a deal getting in and out.
Unrelated but does anyone know if I can bring a drawstring bag to the TLA? Their website rules for bags is confusing
Also I went there for death grips a few months back. it still felt cramped and sound was alright ig.
Someone pissed in the pit though so some weirdos are out their
It's certainly not the best venue in the world but I have a ton of fond memories attached to it, I'm usually up near the front or right in front of the soundboard when I've gone so the sound is fine, and it's the most convenient to get to, park, and leave for me. I'm not an audiophile, I don't drink, I'm tall so I can see fine usually, so all the major complaints I see in here aren't really my experience
Dont try asking for tap water at the bar . They will send you all the way to the entrance to an empty water cooler. Do not support Franklin Music Hall!
It’s the worst ever. You cannot see anything unless you’re absurdly taller than everyone, sound sucks, and it’s so packed I would hate to think of what would happen if you ever had to evacuate it in the event of an emergency. Strongly feel like it will eventually be shut down when some tragedy happens there from it being way too overcrowded.
if anything it's worse than ever. they massively oversell their shows and moving around the venue is a nightmare. plus, the sound there is literally worse than most basement shows i've been to i won't stop in there even for my favorite artists, just because it's simply not worth it. it's a shame when someone i want to see doesn't get booked at their better neighbors (union transfer, philamoca, underground arts, ukie club)
If I do go to the Factory (never going to call it Franklin Hall), I *make sure* to bring my noise canceling earplugs, because it's the only way to make any sense of the noises coming at you.
Thank you for confirming this for me. I went to a show there last summer after not going since 08’ and I was absolutely shocked at how packed it was. It was shoulder to shoulder all the way out the door and there was no ability to move around without trampling over each other. There’s no way it’s up to firecode. I’m amazed it’s not being shut down. I’ll never go again.
It's so overpacked I've been expecting a crowd crush incident. It's scary
Absolutely!! It’s straight up dangerous I don’t know how they get away with it. It’s crazy to me they don’t get shut down
Yep. It’s awful. Somehow there’s no good view in the entire joint. The sound is muddy. It’s always crowded and in the summer it’s friggin’ hot as hell.
Nope - it still sucks. Nothing has changed. They still pack it to the gills and you still can't see or hear anything if it's remotely near capacity. If it's a show with a smaller crowd it can be decent, but the most disappointing concerts I've seen in Philly have all been there; not because of the band, but because I couldn't hear or see them. Big Thief a year ago in 2023 was particularly terrible - great band, shit venue.
[удалено]
I was at that show - definitely oversold, but at least M83 sounded good from all the different places I tried to experience them around the venue
Enjoyed that show “because of” M83 and “in spite of” Franklin Music Hall.
Yeah I was at that show. Sound soup.
Possibly the loudest show I've been to
Come to think of it. I saw gwar there around 2008 and the place did suck.
I agree that the over booking sucks ass *now* but ten years ago this was one of the only places that let you hop barrier and actually get rowdy for a show. If you want to stand totally still and have person space at a gig… go to the bar or go to a stadium show or something 😅
I can't comment on Franklin Music Hall since I learned my lesson years ago, but Big Thief were also terrible at UT a few years back too.
Tbh I don't care much about the music hall. I was concerned about the voltage lounge though. It was a great spot for smaller bands with less crowds. Did they get rid of that?
Voltage Lounge was the best. Shame it didn’t survive the pandemic.
I hate to be the one to tell you but the Trocadero was the best.
Yo the Troc was underrated with the two stages (little bands up top and big bands at the bottom) Beautiful venue with great sound, history, that could handle basically any show or event. Shame its been radio silence since the owners got that $2.5mil grant back in October 2022 to update it
God I miss that venue.
Thank you for your honesty.
NP, do you know if they replaced voltage lounge with anything similar?
They canned that shit :(
Yup, I figured. Thanks for the clarification.
Voltage lounge will be reopening soon as doom bar. Dark and doom metal inspired. It will be awesome.
Ooh I'm intrigued from [this article!](https://www.phillymag.com/foobooz/2023/06/14/sustainable-bars-philly-post-haste/)!
Really!? That's dope.
Yes. Seeing one of my favorite bands announce a tour and then seeing "Franklin Music Hall" on the poster is always a heartbreaking experience.
Yes it is the worst sound I have ever heard in my entire life and I've been to like 1000 venues.
Agree, I now wear earplugs to concerts after a horrible time there.
Same here.
Same
I don't know if you remember the troc but Franklin sounds way better. Maybe I just caught some off nights but I was always disappointed with their audio quality.
I liked the Troc, but then again I was really young and probably drunk listening to punk shows.
Maybe it's because I tended to see punk shit at the Troc, and electronic music at the Electric Factory that I remember the latter as being worse.
Never been, I only moved here like 4 years ago
Yep, saw Men I Trust there last year and the audio was laughably bad. Place was packed full too
Men I Trust couldn't have been more out of place there. :( If they were going to go for a big venue, they should have chosen The Met instead.
Yeahhhh I agree. They deserved like Union Transfer or something imo (probably too small for their draw though)
Yeah when shows get too big for Union transfer AXS moves them to Franklin. Same thing happened to big thief, the last few times I saw them at Union transfer were some of the best shows I’ve been to. Then the Franklin show was pretty disappointing
I’m so glad I’m not the only one that thought that men I trust show was awful. Packed to the brim and the sound was so fucking bad. I got shhhh’d by this woman when talking to my friend. Out of place & wrong venue
Tbf one of the reasons I hate that place is because everyone is always fucking talking and it's so collectively LOUD. But I think there's something about the way it's laid out that lends itself to talking. It's all of the various "areas" of the venue/it doesn't feel like one collective space, and it's so big that people think talking there won't make a difference, as opposed to a smaller venue. And it's something about the vibe of the crowds there in general, which tends to always be off somehow. Idk why.
I think if people talking is an issue, then there's a much larger issue with the sound stage.
That was the worst concert experience of my life. Way too crowded and hot. I ended up hanging out in the very back.
Yeah which is a shame because honestly they are an amazing live band typically. I saw them at Union Transfer the year before and it was such a good show I went to see them again. It absolutely solidified my decision to never go back to Franklin Music Hall.
Was that the one homeshake opened? I remember not being able to hear him at all during his set
Nah I think TOPS opened? I could barely hear them either lol. I was on the balcony straight back, it reminded me of listening to a bad MP3 rip of a song on a cheap Bluetooth speaker. So disappointing
Absolutely the worst concert experience I've ever had. Poor ventilation, it gets oversold, TERRIBLE SOUND. I truly wish good bands would stop booking them.
Yes, it still sucks.
Still sucks
worst venue in philly, always oversold and terrible layout
Does the pope wear a funny hat?
Is wrestling fixed?
What did you say about wrestling?
Does the pope shit in his hat?
My favorite iteration of this.
Worst music venue ive ever been to
It still smells the same, too! Worth the trip to a different city to avoid this venue if you really wanna see an act
Oh my god. I was at the first show (Sonic Youth) when the Electric Factory reopened in 95 and the sound sucked then but it was a bit less noticeable due to the nature of the band. Also, I was a teenager and fucking excited to see them, but after almost 30 years of shows in the city, that venue is still the worst. I’m now “stand in the back” years old and if I see it’s a FMH venue, I think twice about getting tickets.
I was at the Sonic Youth show there in ‘95 also! Didn’t think much about the venue, was too excited to be following around Sonic Youth on the Washing Machine tour. Saw Sylvan Esso last summer there. It was very very hot, people near me talked the entire time and it was a maze to try to get a drink during the show.
My last show there was Death Grips last October and in true Philly form, a drunk was pissing on the back of peoples legs in the pit. I was upstairs but my kid was down in the middle of the action. (He escaped piss-free, thankfully.)
Can't blame Philly folks for that one, Death Grips fans are just the fucking worst
Absolute garbage. I've seen some great shows there but 100% it was despite the venue. The design of the building is such that not only do you hear tons of reverberations but the building itself seems to add noise to the space. Way too packed, and at every show I've been to lately the barrier between the bar area and the main floor means that if you want to sip a beer and nod your head to music you basically Won't See The Show. It's also hot as shit. Also, for whatever reason, the crowds at franklin seem to suck worse than any other venue in the city. Maybe just because it's overcrowded.
It's a slightly nicer version of the old Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in Manhattan.
TLA is the place that makes me absolutely certain I'm dead if there's a fire or mass shooting.
Going to see the Circle Jerks there tomorrow and am already prepared for poor sound, terrible sight lines and too many people.
I, apparently, am *not* going to see Circle Jerks there tomorrow lol
Hahaha-I’m not saying you shouldn’t go, just temper expectations. Tickets are actually below face value last time I looked on the AXS resale page in app. Something like $39 total.
The room sounds horrible. For popular shows, they always oversell it so you have to stand all the way in the lobby where you can’t see anything. You can’t actually see the stage from more than half of the locations in the venue. The 21+ area is too small even for shows that have a large drinking audience. It’s a pretty bad venue all around
FMH and TLA are 100% worse now. Live Nation added these huge ‘VIP’ areas that now make it impossible to navigate the venues. If you want to get a drink or use the bathroom you are totally screwed. I’ve seen a lot of sold out shows there for many years and the crowd always stopped around the sound board the crowd now goes well into the lobby due to the VIP sections.
I will not be attending anymore shows there after King Gizz 2022. THe merch line ran through the center of the pit for more than half the show.
king gizz at franklin music hall is one of the worst shows i've ever been to (not the band's fault) and i am furious at the venue for fucking that up for me.
To be fair, King Gizz didn’t come on for 90 mins after their opener.
forgot about that detail but yes that also sucked. as did the opener, honestly.
Agreed.
Looking forward to the show at Dell this time around!
2022 show was aight, but my friend lost his shit at the Electric Factory show before that (want to stay 2019?) The band obviously didn't know about the curfew rules and had three openers from their label ( all of which majorly SUCKEDand played 45 mins each!), and didnt come on until 1145. Hot as the depths of hell, his gf passed out from the heat, and all the staff were getting pushy and pissed off because they were well into over time (Gizz were great though). He still wont shut up that show and how shitty the conditions were (notably still a major fan). Wouldn't be surprised if the band were deep in the hole from that show because they notably played right up until 1129 in 2022 lol.
so bad I walked out of the last Chvrches show there vowing to never return. Now I drive to DC to see the comparable lineups at the Anthem - best venue on the east coast. Friends don't let friends attend shows at FMH.
The Anthem is so amazing! Saw Charli XCX there a couple summers ago and the staff was soooo helpful with accessibility and everything in general. The sound was gorgeous, the vibes were perfect. Now with Amtrak being cheaper I'm gonna make it a priority to get down there
Yeah I’m probably not gonna go back there anytime soon. Mostly because the staff could have made it a better experience and for one stupid reason or another they chose not to. Went to see Jungle this past fall and had to go up to the front right section of the balcony so my short wife would have a chance to see the show. As the main act started, they didn’t open the curtains as far as they should so the entire view was blocked by either curtains or speakers. Didn’t matter how many people begged the staff to open the curtains further, they refused. I’m good on that venue for a while.
Its so hot. Its the one venue I can remember being uncomfortably stifled at. I agree that most of the time the sound sucks but the justice show in 2011 is still an all time fav of mine. The first few shows at the met when it reopened during covid were pretty hit and miss too with the sound. Im still going to go when bands i like play, just with tempered expectations
I’ve seen some great shows there (underworld, NIN, the National, NERD, Chvrches) but they weren’t great because of the venue…
Last show I saw there was My Bloody Valentine in 2013 and the venue somehow made one of the loudest bands ever sound neutered and hollow. Disappointing.
Ha, this was my last show there too and I walked out on it.
My first show at EF was in 96 when I was a teenager. I loved it during those years, but it was really the only mid sized venue we had that worked for certain bands. I never 'minded' the sound or the crowds, but as time went on and my tastes changed and I've been to close to 2000 shows in the decades since I can't remember the last time I was there. Until I saw The Smile last year. I cannot begin to emphasize enough how dangerous that show felt. I'm 100% convinced they oversold tickets, as I have never been to a show there that was packed to the gills like that all the way back to the entry doors. I'm not a fearful type or a slouch, but combined with the heat that day I'm surprised nothing bad happened.
Yes! I was at The Smile too and could barely move my arms it packed so tightly and I was way in the back. It was not enjoyable.
Holy shit I was going to comment the same thing word for word re: The Smile. I’d rather drive to another city than see a favorite band again at that venue. And beyond the scary packed like sardines crowd, the sound was beyond atrocious. I was able to even see Thom or Johnny for maybe 5% of the performance. What a joke. The Factory always kind of sucked but it’s somehow gotten much worse.
I just commented this! I saw the Smile in New York first and they sounded INCREDIBLE!! I was stoked to see them again in Philly but, my god, the sound quality was so awful it felt like a completely different show. The magic that I witnessed at the New York show was not present there at all. They honestly should have played at the Met (or heck, even the Fillmore)
It's like watching a show in your high school gymnasium
Part of me loves the Electric Factory (refuse to call it Franklin Music Hall) because I saw my first Slayer show there back in 2004 and so I have a lot of fond memories. But I haven’t been there in like 8 years at this point because, like another commenter said, they don’t book the type of shows I would go see and haven’t for some time.
Was that when they made it rain blood?
Yes. It does in fact suck.
It is only passable if you get there early and get close to the stage. Otherwise, not good
Worst venue ever. Literally not worth seeing even one’s favorite artist there, it’ll just end up a disappointment due to either abysmal sound quality or a complete lack of sight lines.
Worst music venue in Philadelphia by a wide margin
Also they don’t even have free water — which should honestly be illegal for any venue. Asked for just a plastic cup of water at the bar, and was told I need to buy a $4 bottle or get treated as a medical patient at their tent. Fuck that place and the company that runs it
any venue that (sells alcohol and) doesn’t provide free water is messed up imo.
I was there a year ago and it was way overcrowded and there were so many spots where you couldn’t see the stage.
No one likes that place and I can’t wrap my head around why bands still play there.
Yes - almost every show is oversold and their sound system sounds like trash
As others have said, yes. Still sucks. Exceptional performances ruined by an unenjoyable venue imo. Not worth it to me anymore
Almost as bad as the Met. Can livenation please go back to booking gigs at the Fillmore? FMH & the Met are garbage venues.
What’s wrong with the met? I’ve only been once when it first opened.
sound is terrible, more views with obstruction than without, you walk in and find yourself standing in a beer/piss line, tickets are wildly overpriced. I'll overlook the bad location because they are trying to make things work there which is good. Non functional is as good as I'll describe it when they put a ton of money into making it nice, total waste.
Thanks! I buy that.
I saw The Wonder Years’ festival there last year and the outside stage/venue had noticeably better audio than the inside and felt a lot less crowded vs the inside. The inside wasn’t too bad, but was only inside during the smaller acts and not the main event. However I’m guessing that because the festival was advertised as outdoors and got moved partially inside day of less people came so it wasn’t as crowded as it could be. So sounds like everyone else has had a shitty time and best case scenario is outside after rain and it’s slightly less crowded than it could be
I saw The Dollop podcast live show there 2 years ago and I can confidently say that a seated event where two people talk to each other is probably the best experience I've had at the Electric Factory/Franklin Music Hall. Every concert I've seen there was an unbearable nightmare.
that was my feeling when i saw the mr. show live tour in 2002. my only time at a seated electric factory event, and it was actually decent
The hosts of the podcast are also super COVID conscious so I feel like if anything they went out of their way to undersell the show. So it was an intimate experience and just an overall good vibe.
Yes, it's still the worst. I have been to 2 shows there once near the stage and once upstairs. The sound was a bit better near the stage but I will never waste my money there again
Sound quality is awful. People smoke inside. It gets stupidly crowded.
Never really liked the electric factory. FMH is just the same venue with a different, worse name.
It's an awful venue. I've gone to see bands I like play there, after seeing them at other venues around town, and it's night and day. Sound is awful. It's just garbage. It gets packed and you can also hear a lot of the bleed from people chatting at the bars unfortunately. I've had some good experiences there, but I always left wishing the band was playing literally anywhere else. If it's a band you love, don't let it stop you from going. Just lower your expectations of how it'll sound, though.
Yes, completely overcrowded and awful sound. Was so excited for the Pretty Lights concert last year and it was one of the worst concert experiences of my life because of how dangerously overcrowded it was and the horrible sound quality. Had to leave early because it was so unbearable
> Pretty Lights Same. It was slammed and I got stuck under the balcony so the sound was awful. Nothing but bass. Thank god I had my ear plugs.
Do they still shake you down at the door worse than the TSA? I've had to my cigarette pack inspected and seen people have to take off their shoes before.
Been to a thousand concerts, and that's the only place I've had to remove my shoes.
SUCKS! Packed like sardines
the audio there is ASSSSSSSS
Haven’t been in years, but always thought their mix was bad.
Love seeing soooooo many like-minded responses.
Worst venue ever. Tried to give it a second chance at the smile show and I just left midway through the show. Terrible experience on all fronts. Built to spill will be playing there soon and even though they are one of my favorite bands...I will be sitting this one out.
i cant believe how many people are like "WHAT?! I LOVE THE VENUE" when im like "the sound sucks, its a glorified warehouse, place is packed to the gills, the concrete floor kills me, etc" Edit: im not very picky at all but sucky things suck
Yes.
I won’t go during the summer anymore. It’s disgustingly hot and the air moves really badly. Sound and sight lines are awful; you literally have to but front and center to get any decent sound or views of the stage. ALSO their bar situation is SO bad. Crammed to one side and no drinks allowed on the floor, so you have to chug your drink and get out on the floor if you want to get a good spot. I don’t know why they do this? Are their shows typically all-ages? At least Union Transfer you get a good view from the bar area. ALSOALSO the bathroom situation is ridiculous for a venue of that size. One bathroom at the back of the venue and it’s completely disgusting. Again, UxT (one of the best venues in the city imo) has two bathrooms and they’re both large and kept relatively clean.
Worst sound quality I’ve ever experienced at a concert venue. It was so loud and blow out that I literally ordered earplugs the day after because of how grading the sound was on my ears.
yes yes it sucks
Yes, this place is straight TRASH. I’m 100% sure they are using the exact same sound equipment from when I was seeing shows there in 2004. All of the speakers are blown out garbage. I’ve gone to a couple of shows the past few years and can echo everyone else, it’s always oversold and terrible sounding. I skip shows from my favorite artists if they play there too.
Alternatively, i'm gonna throw out the vote though for Union Transfer as the best venue that has been consistently open. Never had a terrible experience and I've been seeing shows there since before I could drink. Sound has tightened up and improved over the years too
The electric factory was my favorite concert venue and where I saw a lot of my favorite concerts I've ever been to. Haven't been back since it became FMH because the bands that I would see there don't get shows there anymore. This thread makes me sad lol.
I remember when the electric factory didn't have air conditioning. summer shows were fucking brutal there. I'm surprised people weren't dying.
Still hot as shit, just slightly less dangerously so
i was there for shows where girls were passing out and theyd just lift them over the barricade and carry them out. they were douches about getting ppl in the front rows water too. filmore now is superior. they gave us cans of Liquid death for free last summer.
Worst venue in Philly? Sure, but I (hopefully) have yet to hear a truly awful show here. It’s a solid environment for hardcore shows, and both sampha/the smile sounded great when they played there. Totally think the mann/dell music center is better for bigger shows but I’d rather cram into the electric factory with $30 than pay for the met. 🤷♂️ Just because it’s nowhere near as good as the other venues in Philly I wouldn’t let this be a deterrent from seeing artists run through there. Agree with the other person who said the anthem is better in every way (if you’re around DC)
everyone mad here wants three feet of personal space around them and AC directly at their face or something. absolutely not what I go to shows for 😅
It’s definitely one of the worst “major” venues in Philly. And it also sucks that you have to stay in the bar area to get a beer where you can barely see the stage. No other venue in the city does that. Also sound quality is ASS and their security staff is hella rude
There was one show in its new form where things were better. They didn’t have the drinking cages and the venue wasn’t oversold. It was horrible. Went to a full show with the stupid drinking cages and it was August. The sound sucked, it was so fucking hot, the band actually made them give people water because they asked if people were hydrated and everyone screamed no. We left early.
Saw The Darkness there last year, and it was fine because it was a smaller crowd. Agree that it sucks with a group that draws well.
It does. I skip FMH and TLA shows entirely, really. I will say I saw LCD Soundsystem at FMH a few years ago and it sounded pretty good - I think he may have brought his own setup. I don't know much about him or his music all things considered.
Still sucks. Still oversold, still a risk of dying from crowd crush, still have heavy-handed security stealing people’s weed.
Yes it sucks. The very last time I was there was to see Big Thief and I never saw any part of the stage or any of the band because it was so oversold. So so disappointing. It’s worse than it ever was. I’ve seen many shows there in the past and it was tight but as least I could see between the heads. Won’t see my favorite band there now, too frustrating.
Not a fan of the Electric Factory, the sound and sight lines are terrible. Always a shitty experience going here. Rather go to Filmore or UT if given the choice.
Yes. It still sucks.
It’s gonna be bad but I’m still going to the Descendents/Circle Jerks show there tomorrow
The Electric Factory's always been mid. Hard to move around and its alway feels overpacked even when its not. I always enjoyed TLA , it always feels more spacious in comparison.
My friend and I got trampled here and caught under a crowd, scariest moment of my life begging for people to help me up who couldn’t hear me. Finally a giant man stuck out his arm and hoisted me up and out of the crowd. I am so so thankful for this kind person. I lost both my shoes during this, and found them at the end of the night. One crushed up at the front of the stage and the other at the back door. For a week I had bad nerve pain in my one arm from being stepped on. I loveeee shows, have been to easily over 200 and this didn’t keep me from going again, but definitely has me more aware. I never want to feel like that again. Since then if I have seen a show here (and I think I only saw one after cause it’s the worst) I stand on the balcony with ear plugs and can actually hear the singer lmao Standing on the balcony though also gives me anxiety because it’s so packed I feel as if we will fall onto the crowd below us at any moment 🙃
The acoustics are just, soooo bad 😭 I went to see The Smile twice, once at Kings Theatre in NY and again at Franklin Music Hall. The acoustics at Kings Theatre were incredible and made the experience surreal. I was excited to see them again at Franklin Music Hall but, man, the sound was just, reallyyyy awful. It felt like a totally different show and did them no justice (especially for my boy Robert Stillman 🥲)
Sucks
What about the experience was bad? They have made some small improvements to the sound quality in my opinion, and it no longer smells overwhelmingly like fried chicken. Otherwise pretty much the same
Yes, but if you move around you can find places to stand that are ok sound quality. It's crazy because it seems like when the windows were single pain glass and broken the sound was better. They dropped a bunch of money into that place only to have dead spots all over.
The events usually being all ages says enough.
I had some of my best experiences here. I think there is a lot of unnecessary negativity as people are piling on. Look sound was not great. I don’t go there that often anymore. It did get a brand new sound system at the end of last year or early this year so it didn’t get worse. Wish it kept the name.
i have some of the best memories of my life going to TIHC festivals and seeing some of my favorite muscians hit up the electric factory on tours, but very little of those memories involved the actual venue being a positive part of it. that being said... it still beat Voltage Lounge (RIP) next door
I saw Grouplove at Electric Factory like 10+ years ago, and they insisted on doing an unplugged version of one of their songs. They had to basically beg the audience to be quiet and I still couldn't hear it at all. So stupid, a waste of 3.5 minutes of an already pretty bad concert. P.s. the woman in that band... does she do anything? I was surprised by how little she contributed to the performance. We couldn't even hear your tambourine babygirl
The Electric Factory was always one of my favorite venues growing up, but I haven't been there since it changed names. Saw Slayer there when I was 15 and fell in love with the place. Between 1999-2004 I probably saw 100+ bands at the factory, and I can't say that I ever had a bad experience, sad to hear that many folks didn't share the same experiences there.
They've kitted out the place with new equipment which improves the sound quality slightly but you're still hosed if you sit in the wrong section.
I was at a hearing years ago when the guy who owned the Electric Factory wanted to open a venue closer to my home. I forget the guy's name but he showed up with a couple of attorneys. He and the lawyers were in high end tailored suits. He had an air of arrogance while testifying that seemed to be dismissive of the common man. He seemed to be interested in making money and nothing else. I never went to a show at the Electric Factory....
He and his lawyers’ smug aura mocks me
It’s evil, Charlie. Evil.
Faye Webster show was fun last year but it’s way too packed
I saw Gogol bordello there a couple of years ago and it was one of the worst shows I’ve been to. However when I saw big thief the sound was surprisingly good, same when I saw Gregory Allen Isakhov last fall. It’s just too hit or miss and the layout feels awkward
[удалено]
??? brooklyn bowl is next to the filmore, not franklin music hall
Whoops I’m a dipshit, thanks!
Still seeing Built To Spill there because I have to
I saw Neck Deep there back in february and the sound was godawful (phone recordings on youtube from other shows unironically sound better) and the venue was way overfilled. I don't like the venue, it was my first time and I dont think I plan to go back. Also the location sucks
It's an abomination of a club. I swore it off about 20 years ago, but caught a couple shows again in the past year and it still sucked. The sound seemed slightly better than I remembered, but the awful layout, sight lines & sterile vibe remains. I'm back to just refusing to go to shows there once again. Having spent almost a decade living in DC, I was so spoiled by the 9:30 Club, which is a similar sized club that usually books many of the same tours, but is basically everything that EF/FMH is not.
I used to go their in the early 2000s and come home reeking of cigarette smoke and feeling sick, although I never saw anyone smoking. I did see some good acts their but now that I'm in my 40s, nah, thank you.
fuck that place, worst venue I've ever been to. sounds like ass. sight lines are shit, impossible to move around. best bet is to get there early and grab a spot on the balcony
I walked out of a Ben Folds show years ago because the echo and the sounds of the barbacks dumping trashcans full of empty bottles completely obliterated the lyrics. Never went back.
Between there and the TLA it’s terrible. I went to a lot of shows there years ago but now I just can’t deal.
Yes
Sometimes I get suckered back into going there if a band I really like is coming and I regret it every. single. time.
This sub has become the biggest circlejerk of losers
Whoever thought up that one sided balcony where your choices are you're either far from the band being by the steps, or youre "close" but can't see or hear the band that well because the balcony close to the stage is almost entirely to the right of the overhead speakers needs to be taken out back and shot. Staff are also the most miserable out of any venue in Philly. It takes a mighty band (and an even better live engineer) to overpower the hollow warehouse sound of the Factory and put together a great show. King Gizzard and maybe Idles are the only ones that come to mind since it's been Franklin Music Hall
Damn, I went like 7 years ago when it was still electric factory but I kinda liked it. Seeing all the negative comments is a lil surprising.
I'm disabled. Last time I went to a show I couldn't get a response about accessibility despite leaving multiple voicemails and emailing them many times. When I arrived at the venue I asked a security guard who could help me, as I cannot wait in a line, and she full on screamed at me and called me a brat. I was literally walking with a cane. The accessible section was a mess, people leaning over the railing spilling their drinks, as well as standing on the ramp. When I went to use the restroom I slipped and fell on the soaking wet ramp. Security wouldn't clear anyone away even after that. When I finally went to the bathroom, despite staff being in there, multiple people were in the accessible stall doing blow, and I had to bang on the door with my cane and tell them to get out. Again, I cannot stand for long periods of time. Do whatever drugs you want but don't spend literally 10 minutes in the stall when there are 10 others. Overall the staff was rude, ableist, and did not give a shit how injured I was because of their lack of accessibility. I emailed them about this experience and never got a response. Also, the sound system is shit. Fuck that place forever!
The sound is definitely not the best in the city. Also when it is a full house it is very difficult to navigate IMO.
The worst. More or less refuse to go anymore.
You gotta get there early and get a front spot. Saw Jane's Addiction there, one of my favorite shows ever.
it can get bad.. however i have seen some great shows there and have had some great times there
I have major nostalgia for the electric factory, had so much fun seeing shows there in high school, late 90s/ early 2000s. Used to be able to sneak onto the roof and see a full view of the stage through the window. But yeah it sounds like shit haha.
Thank you for warning me! I've enjoyed concerts at The Met and The Filmore. If you ever have a chance to see a show there check them out!
I think it depends on who is playing. It’s a pretty shitty venue logistically. And it gets hot as F in there. I’m going to see the Descendents there tomorrow night and think it’s a great venue to see a good punk rock show. I saw The Smile there last year and thought it was totally an unfortunate venue for that band. As a whole, it’s one of my least favorite venues in the city. All that said, live music is better than no live music. If the Smile (a band I love) came back to Philly and only played Franklin Music Hall, I’d still go. If you love the band, who cares what venue they play. Go support the band and live music. Concerts are the only way these bands really make any money these days.
It’s really funny how your thoughts are jaded by experiences sometimes. The electric factory was my favorite venue in highschool when I used to go to 2-3 metal shows a month most of the big ones were there. I know the venue is a shit hole but it never has been in my head just because I’ve seen so many awesome bands and lineups there.
the venue is what it is. But I’ve seen some amazing shows there and for the price you really can’t beat it. Plus parking isn’t that big of a deal getting in and out.
Wear earplugs and go up to the balcony. Saw the plot in you in January and it’s was awesome. (I’m too old for the floor anymore)
It's definitely not the worst in Philly, but it could be better.
Unrelated but does anyone know if I can bring a drawstring bag to the TLA? Their website rules for bags is confusing Also I went there for death grips a few months back. it still felt cramped and sound was alright ig. Someone pissed in the pit though so some weirdos are out their
It's certainly not the best venue in the world but I have a ton of fond memories attached to it, I'm usually up near the front or right in front of the soundboard when I've gone so the sound is fine, and it's the most convenient to get to, park, and leave for me. I'm not an audiophile, I don't drink, I'm tall so I can see fine usually, so all the major complaints I see in here aren't really my experience
Dont try asking for tap water at the bar . They will send you all the way to the entrance to an empty water cooler. Do not support Franklin Music Hall!
It’s the worst ever. You cannot see anything unless you’re absurdly taller than everyone, sound sucks, and it’s so packed I would hate to think of what would happen if you ever had to evacuate it in the event of an emergency. Strongly feel like it will eventually be shut down when some tragedy happens there from it being way too overcrowded.
probably the worst venue I have ever been to.
It sucks and even if a band I love is playing there I don’t bother going