Newport Music Hall — Attraction in Columbus

Just came from a rico nasty concert that was predominantly black men and women in attendance. They took our umbrellas at the door due to the rain. Didn't preface that it would be subject to others taking our items after the show due to them not having enough security to watch our stuff and make sure people were taking their own items. My umbrella was stolen. As i tried to talk to one of the security members they were like oops sorry its nothing we can do you were told when you dropped it off that they are not held responsible for our items, which they didn't inform us at all. They also didn't even come around to give us alcohol wrist bands. Then one of the white female security guard tried to give me an old umbrella of someone else’s that was laying around and i declined. At the minimum if you are not watching our things then don’t take it from us to begin with unless you will pay for it. As i’m being respectful to them also, I had no alcohol to drink at all during my time there. I talked with another white female security guard and she was like they are short staffed and don't have anyone to watch our items. And that there was nothing she could do and was like sorry but in a she didn't care way. And i told her no she wasn't and then she got an attitude and started escalating the situation. As i’m leaving she made a comment about its only a 10$ umbrella who cares like what you want to fight about it. And I'm like first of all I'm very calm and respectful, not arguing with you. Second of all, no one is going to fight over an umbrella. then she made another snarky comment and i went off on her because who are you talking to. Then i also witnessed the other white security guard escalate a situation with two black man and a black woman who were not even yelling or trying to fight her at all they were waiting for an uber and i guess she didn't like one of them giving her a slight attitude and started calling for back up as if she was getting into a fight which didn't happen at all. She was the only one escalating the situation. Both of the white female security people were making things worse for no reason. Im not sure if it is because of some implicit bias they have towards black people in general but what i witnessed tonight by the staff was completely unprofessional and unacceptable. Also, don't assume that just because someone looks young that they are and also don't assume that just because I'm looking for my stolen property even if it was 10$ that I'm not financially wealthy. If you cant handle being a security guard and keep your temper under control then don't be one. The men that worked there seemed to have their heads on straight and the women did not. Very disappointed in what i saw tonight. Do better and have better training and also accountability rules if you are taking...

This would be a 4-star review if it weren't for one particular employee: the security woman with long black wavy hair and glasses. This was my first visit to the Newport, and my first interaction there was with her. She was needlessly rude to EVERYONE in line. I understand that security has to maintain a stern appearance, but her tone when talking to anyone was downright nasty if not borderline hostile. She practically spat at me to take my stuff out of the basket because I apparently didn't do it quickly enough. It was just entirely unnecessary and starts the venue out on a really bad footing with customers. I hope this was a fluke and she was just in a bad mood, but even still - if that kind of behavior from staff is tolerated by the venue I am in no rush to return.

Beyond that experience, there are some very good aspects of this venue. It's a small, intimate setting where you can see bands that might not otherwise be able to come to town and fill the bigger arenas. Prices were also very reasonable... tickets are affordable and drinks were far better priced than I expected (soda for $2, liquor $5-$9, beer starting at $5.50). They also have a Mikey's Late Night Slice booth that was selling their (very generously sized) slices for $6. On the other hand though, it's in an area where parking is hard to find and well, Columbus isn't known for having world-class public transportation. So unless you live right nearby, Uber/Lyft might be your best bet for getting there. The woman's bathroom contained a whopping five stalls, one of which you couldn't open the door to without it hitting the toilet. (Maybe you'll be skinny enough to fit in there, but I'm not!) The next one I tried didn't have a lock on it and was next to a wall with a massive boarded-up hole in it. There were advertisements for Root-sponsored free Wi-fi posted everywhere, but when trying to connect between acts I kept getting a "Web Page Blocked"/"invalid license" error and couldn't get online even after giving Root my email and agreeing to receive texts from them. They had bleacher-like seating available on the second level which was nice, but they are just short enough that it gets really uncomfortable before long. I'm pretty short myself, and my legs were incredibly cramped by the end of the show. So honestly I'd recommend standing instead.

Overall, the show was amazing but the venue was a little disappointing. I wanted to like it given the shows they host, but it really wasn't a great experience. A little TLC would get them a long way, but at the same time the prices are pretty hard to beat. So make of that...

Good venue. Good drinks. Good sound quality and production. HOWEVER I came from out of state (Indiana) to visit this venue. There is no official website for the venue that I could find so I had no way to know rules or regulations. I was going alone and had to park in a garage so I brought my pepper spray so as to feel safe walking around a city I am not familiar with. Upon entering the venue they told me no weapons or pepper spray so I revealed I had pepper spray. The woman who searched me said she had to confiscate it BUT I COULD GET IT BEFORE I LEFT. After the show ended, and I bought some merchandise. I asked some employees who I could retrieve my confiscated items from, and they informed me they could not return anything because they had no idea whose it actually was. Needless to say I was livid. The walk to my car is short, but as a small, young female I was so mad that they took my only form of protection and would not return it. I informed them what the previous employee told me, but they just repeated that they couldn't return it. I told them it was on their hands if I got mugged, and they said it wasn't their fault. I had a great time at the venue and with the performance staff, but needless to say was less than satisfied with some of the employees and practices. Employees need to either make clear their confiscation practices or there needs to be a website making it clear. Severely disappointed with how employees treated me. The least they could do was offer a way for me to walk safely...