... and hate about pretty much all the other "venues" in Portland.
I've got active boycotts going against several other popular clubs, for various reasons, so I find myself not going to many shows anymore. So it's a red letter day for me when I find out that a band I like is playing at the at the Aladdin. I saw Cinematic Orchestra last night, and was impressed once again. These are the things that make the Aladdin a treat:
1. Walking distance from my house. As a member of the non-driving, non-biking class, it's sooo nice not to have to rely on Tri-Met or a ride from a friend.
2. It's gorgeous inside. I was in the building right after its tenure as a porno theatre, and you could tell it had good bones, but the current owners have done a fabulous job of restoring it. Built in 1928, it's got that art deco-y orientalism that was so popular in theaters of the time (see the Bagdad).
3. Bands start on time. This is a pet peeve of mine when going to see a show at a bar. The bar just wants to keep you in their establishment buying their watered-down over-priced drinks as long as possible, so a 9:00 show will generally start around midnight. Hours will pass between the opener and the headliner, and you're stuck standing around their crummy establishment, trying to carry on a conversation over too-loud music waiting forever for the band you came to see take the stage. At the Aladdin, an 8:00 show starts at 8:00, damn it!
4. Seats. OK, this one's probably just a sign that I'm getting old, but it sure is nice to be able to sit during a show, and not just at some table near the bar where you can't see the stage and have to listen to a bunch of drunks yelling over the music that you came to hear. Theatre seats make you pay attention to the band. For instance, last night's opener was a singer-songwriter, one-man acoustic set. I can guarantee that had they played at a bar, most people would have been milling about, talking loudly throughout his set. And they would have missed out (he was great), and made everyone who actually wanted to hear it miserable. Seats force you to respect the artist on stage.
5. Big stage. OK, most good-sized venues have good-sized stages, but what I like about this one is that it's not too big. The Roseland, for instance, has an enormous stage, and bands with only a few members look like they're lost. A solo artist, or big ensemble, looks at home on the stage at the Aladdin. Though I admit, the 12-piece Godspeed! You Black Emperor were a little crowded.
6. Food, drinks, bar next door. Yes, you can get drinks at the Aladdin. There's a bar attached that serves hard liquor, and ticket-holders can go in and out at will. The theatre itself also has beer, wine and food. Sometimes they only do beer in the balcony, but that's OK. I'd rather they do that than make shows 21-over.
7. The sound. The first time I saw a show at the Aladdin the sound was terrible. The band was using their own equipment, I don't think they had the PA installed at the time. Since then, they've had a really nice system installed. It's never too loud, but not too quiet either. Always just right. The huge sound of Godspeed! was so awesome it almost made me cry, and the mellow sound of Low was clear and subtle. Nothing bugs me more than paying $15 to go see a band and having them sound horrible (see Mum at Berbati's Pan, I actually asked for my money back, it was so bad).
8. Friendly to all. Wheelchair acessible, a rarity. All shows are all-ages. It's great to see families bringing their kids to shows there. Not many places in town you can do that comfortably.
9. Nice clean bathrooms. Another pet peeve of mine. Even some of the classier joints in town have embarassingly bad bathrooms. It's gone now, but La Luna had some of the worst - I swear there was never a single stall that had a latch that worked. And the last time I was at the Roseland there was water all over the floor and half the stalls were out of order. Bad form, and I haven't been back there since.
10. Bands love it. I swear, every single band I've seen there has made a point of saying, sometimes repeatedly, what a nice place it is. Which makes me think it's not just the venue, but also the people running the place, that are making them welcome. And when the band is happy, they'll play better.