The Andrew J Brady Music Center — Attraction in Cincinnati

I just went to see Falling In Reverse and Wage War on 1/15/22 (Who Dey!) and I have a few thoughts on my time there. I had purchased seats in the 1st balcony, so I cannot speak to general admission.

I expected better from a brand new music venue. To specify, I'm only talking about the indoor venue (the outdoor one is great except for the porta-potty bathroom situation).

The Good: The artists were awesome and performed well. The indoor space is cool and fairly spacious. Feels like one of the nicest venues in Cincinnati. Bathrooms and concessions are easy to get to from the balconies and general admission. Easy to get in and out of the venue. Security was on top of keeping crowd surfers safe and didn't stop anyone from doing so (awesome that they allow that).

The Not-So-Good: The seats in the balcony area were comfortable but very narrow. I'm 6', 165 lbs (not a very wide person) yet I was still bumping shoulders with my girlfriend on one side and someone else on the other. Leg room was a couple inches more than economy seating on an airplane; not bad, not great, fine for a couple-hour concert where you're standing 1/2 the time anyway.

The merchandise area is setup as one long string of tables (for all the performing bands to share) behind the general admission area on the first floor. There is no dedicated line and it ends up just weaving its way through wherever people feel like standing. Just feels a little clunky, even if it is effective.

The Bad: The biggest disappointment was the sound: volume and quality. Volume: Maybe I'm just getting old (28) and turning into a Karen, but this was the loudest concert I've ever been to, and not in a good way. I measured 120dB consistent with 125dB peaks up in the balcony and I'm sure the floor/GA was worse. It was so loud my ears were hurting; easily past pain threshold. Even now, 3 days later, I'm having moments of ringing in my ears multiple times throughout the day.

Quality: The volume was turned up so loud, the speakers were distorting (especially in the bass) and it was tough to make out individual instruments. It was like a wall of sound. Sound quality at Bogart's is better and that's a much smaller, much older venue. FWIW, the mix seemed solid. Guitars were at a similar level as drums and vocals. It was just that everything was congested together due to how hard the speakers were being driven.

Picture is a screenshot from a snapchat I...

AWFUL & UNSAFE EXPERIENCE! I attended my first show at this venue 3/5/23 and I've never felt so unsafe or disrespected at a show the way that I was by fans and security. I was in the general admission floor area, and after the first act, many people left the area, creating gaps, so my friend and I (both women) walked up closer to the front. A group of men began threatening and saying that we couldn't stand there because it was their area and that they paid good money for their VIP tickets. When we did not move (because this was general admission and we were in fact permitted to stand there), they began yelling, "If you don't move, I'm going to move you!" My friend called for security because we were afraid. So the men told security that my friend pushed them to get to the front. My friend is a tiny and peaceful woman - she did not push anyone, would never push anyone, and consumed no alcohol whatsoever, so that was not a factor for us. In front of security, these men and their wives/girlfriends threatened to "knock" us out, "throw us on the ground and stomp us", snatched my friend's water bottle out of her hand and crushed it in her face. Security did nothing but immediately take the word of the men who were saying my friend pushed to get ahead. I asked security if i was mistaken and that this was not general admission, and he paused & replied that it is general admission, but "the man said" my friend pushed. I advised that she did not push, and that there was open space to move forward at that time. ONE Security worker had enough morals to speak up and tell the men harassing us that he saw us doing nothing wrong and that they were harassing us. The other Security workers did nothing, while my friend and I were being peaceful and threatened by a group completely surrounding us at this point. Then, a Security person climbed on the rail, shined light on us and screamed for us to get to the very back. The group of people harassing us applauded as my friend and I were forced to the back. It was quite evident that it was simply easier for Security to humiliate and condone the harassment of two completely innocent women, than to address an unruly group of men threatening the women. I emailed the venue on 3/6/23 with details and names of Security, & received no reply. I'll never return...

Such a great space with amazing sound. I truly love the way shows look and sound in this room. That being said the general admission experience at this venue is easily the worst of any venue I have ever been to, and I’ve been to a bunch…Sold out shows are an absolute madhouse with far too many people shoved into a medium sized area. First floor Drink/Merch/bathroom lines all meet at the same location with seemingly no direction and if you’re just trying to get through it is incredibly difficult (no matter what you’re trying to do it is difficult). You make me scan my ticket to get in and out as if it isn’t commonplace to have one person buy multiple tickets. What happens if we separate once inside the venue? What if there’s an emergency and I need to get to my wife? It’s just plain dumb. Have better security outside to prevent people from jumping the barrier don’t stop me while I’m going outside for some fresh air (much needed in an oversold crowded space). On top of this when I came for a not sold out, all seated show seats on the floor were packed so close together my knees were pushing into the seat in front of me. We actually bought balcony seats while we were in the venue just to get off the floor because it was that bad, just remove a row or 2 you didn’t even sell out the show. They said you could bring around half a gallon of water recently and then made me take the caps off and told me a man who literally gives out free bottled water at the rail during his shows requested you do that, more like you hope I knock one of these waters over so I have to buy one or better yet a beer. Speaking of beer, drink lines are pretty alright, crazy how ya figure something out when it affects the bottom line cause my first show here drink lines were miserable and the show wasn’t sold out. Overall I’ve been to 8 shows at this venue and if it was operated better I would’ve probably been to 15 or more in that time. It’s the best looking best sounding venue in the city. Most non ga ticketing options offer a pretty fantastic view even on the upper level but wow the ga experience could literally...