Big Night Live — Local services in Boston

I’m not one to typically post reviews, let alone a one star review, but this was the worst experience I’ve personally had at a concert venue in my life. As someone who has previous worked in the industry periodically (even right at TD Garden), that’s quite a statement.

Tonight I was berated by the red-haired manager when leaving and retrieving my coat. We left the show an hour after doors opened because my partner and I didn’t expect the show to begin at 12:30, where no other artists were included or mentioned. I had been to a show at this venue in the past and the headliner started at the advertised time. This was not the case for this show, and we were fine with just cutting our losses and going home.

Unfortunately when we visited coat check I had lost my ticket - which apparently set the manager off. I completely understand that it can be frustrating managing people attending a show, but I found the response to be entirely over the top. I was treated poorly and lectured in a demeaning way when trying to just pick up my coat and go home.

When prompted by the staff, I described my coat in detail. The manager kept complaining that they’d never be able to find it - but when she was sitting through coats I pointed it out.

After I pointed it out, they kept asking for me to give further information. I was asked multiple times, for example, “what’s in the pockets” and answered “I don’t think anything is in the pockets (which was the case). I was then told (in a demeaning tone) that they were not responsible for lost or stolen items, in which the manager pointed at the sign. I was also continuously told how it would be unfair for them to give someone else’s jacket away. She also said I should have to stay until everyone else has exited the venue to prove that the cost is mine. The manager would not stop lecturing me and also wouldn’t tell me if I was getting my coat back. I finally asked if I was getting it back or not, but she still would not just let this go. Mind you I was not belligerent, I was not rude, and I spoke in a friendly tone during the entire exchange.

It was to the point where the other staff members were visibly uncomfortable and trying to assure me that I was going to get my coat back. I kept pressing - and finally, she gave me my coat. I let her know after getting MY personal belonging back that this was the worst concert experience of my life. I was then told to “never come back” to the venue by said manager.

My partner and I had even spent 5-10 minutes with this SAME manager less than an hour before when coming in because she needed to verify a medication that my veteran fiance takes for his anxiety. He needed this on hand to manage crowds and enjoy the show - but she forced him to keep his medication in his coat pocket (checked) and made him promise not to drink. We were both, again, polite and kind during this exchange and complied. We understand that prescribed medication can be odd to have at a show.

To have this manager 1) talk to us at length during the beginning of the show and then 2) berate us when leaving LESS THAN one hour later was unacceptable. I’ve never had a staff member anywhere treat me so horrendously. I left feeling like I was accused of stealing my own coat, which was appalling.

To say I’m disgusted and disappointed is an understatement. Not only did it feel like I was perceived as “stealing” my own coat - my fiancé was made to feel completely uncomfortable having PRESCRIBED medication on hand. He’s never had an issue with this at other venues - nor has he been forced to have a paramedic review his meds. (Which again, we were fully understanding of and compliant for.)

The rest of the staff was lovely - but I sincerely hope this manager learns how to treat people in the future. She also got what she wished - I will never return to this venue again, despite knowing a lot of my favorite artists will be making an appearance. I’m not foolish enough to think that this matters to the venue, but I sincerely hope that others don’t have experiences like this...

Hands down the most dangerous venue in Boston that should be avoided at all costs.

Went to see Hiatus Kaiyote last night at this venue and it was the first time I’ve ever been, so my expectations were pretty high for a “high end” newer venue in the city.

First red flag was that the line pre-show was wrapped around various side streets near the main drag without line supervision. The line was then split to an “upper” and “lower” line and the person letting people in upstairs was a manager for the restaurant attached to it who quite said “they weren’t expecting so many people so they asked me to check the door!”

From there, the flood gates opened and the minuscule floor was immediately jam packed without any rhyme or reason. To the point where all the exits around the stage were completely blocked by people attempting to get some degree of wiggle room. Mind you, the “box seats” in the venue were almost entirely empty and had more than enough spare space for an overflow of folks.

When the opening act was on stage, not only was the floor completely inaccessible, but every single ramp around the obtusely vacant box seats were packed with people to the point where it was almost impossible to move without actively shoving someone. For perspective, a friend and I moved from the soundboard to the far right ramp of the venue. It took us at least two songs from the opening act to even get from the right side of the venue to an exit due to people physically being unable to move.

There was also an incredible lack of staffing! Nobody was there making sure that exits were clear or that stairs were clear. The only place that had staffing were the box seats because APPARENTLY the sovereign nature of the box seats being encroached on by people struggling to stand was more important that basic venue security. It was physically unbearable and we vacated before the main act hit the stage. Safety exits were almost barricaded by the sheer volume of people, and the lack of ability to move even slightly made it a claustrophobic experience that would be catastrophic if the crowd even slightly tried to shift.

I have been going to shows in Boston for almost 20 years now, and this was the first time I genuinely felt that I was potentially in danger. As others have said, this gave me Station Nightclub vibes throughout the night and the venue is unfortunately a place where something truly terrible could happen if the standards and practices aren’t changed. I truly hope nothing happens of this magnitude, but after my experience viewing the venue last night, I will be avoiding it strictly out of fear for the foreseeable future.

This place is meant to be a club through and through. This is NOT a venue for live music, and it certainly isn’t a venue for even the slightest of overselling. Until something is done to deal with the absolute nightmarish setup of this “premium” venue, stay far away.

Seeing an act you like in another state is hands down the better option if the alternative is going to...

This venue is awful in just about every way imaginable. All my friends have hated it for a while yet for some stupid reason I would always try to defend it, but not anymore.

Last night during a show I felt a little sick due to a combination of food I had ate and a drink that didn't agree with me. So I calmly walked into the bathroom and threw up a little bit in one of the stalls. When I exited the stall I was greeted by security and escorted out of the venue without so much as a chance to plead my case. Sure, I’m well aware that someone throwing up could certainly mean they have ingested too much alcohol and were becoming a liability. But if the security took even 2 minutes to just pull me aside to have a quick conversation with me, they would have realized that I was actually very much coherent, not planning on buying another drink anyway, and not at all a problem for them or the other patrons that evening. The way in which I was kicked out made it seem as if I went running and shoving people throughout the crowd while simultaneously throwing up on the floor and other patrons, which couldn’t be any further from the reality of the matter. Also, no one likes having those annoying employees inside the bathrooms, and it’s clear now that they’re just in there to be narcs (narcs that snitch on people for having upset stomachs I guess?) so just let that be known if you're going to this venue. You’re honestly better off throwing up on the floor and just running away before security sees that it was you if you happen to feel sick (pro tip!).

Just like so many other reviews I have read, the words “power trip” could not be more appropriate when describing the staff at this venue. If I had actually broken a rule or made anyone uncomfortable, I would have accepted my fate with grace. But the staff was presumptuous, extremely rude, and unwilling to talk to me civilly in order to gather information about whether I should have actually been allowed to stay or not. Then, to add insult to injury the bouncers at the door heckled me all night while I had to wait outside for the show to end two hours later because my friends were still inside.

And that’s not even mentioning the absolute garbage layout of this venue. Giant beams blocking your sight-lines around the room and around 6-8 giant vip tables that are never even filled because its a concert venue and not an actual club and no one wants to pay for that cheap scam of an upsell. Oh and as mentioned in other reviews, the drinks are criminally expensive.

This is by FAR the worst music venue in all of Massachusetts. If I could give this venue less than one star, I would. Avoid this place like the plague and hopefully it'll eventually get new management to take over or these artists should just book gigs at more well-run venues...