Smaller nice theatres in NJ, PA or upstate NY

[Esoteric]

Hi guys , can anyone suggest any nice small theatres in these states, ideally around 500 capacity that regularly host music and are in a pleasant town

[Scott Bails]

Well, the Keswick Theatre in Glenside seats about 1,300, so that probably isn't what you're looking for. The Sellersville Theater in (you guessed it) Sellersville, PA is considerably smaller and may fit what you're looking for. Nice theater, and Sellersville is a rather pleasant town.

[kenschwartz]

The Egg (www.theegg.org) (technically, the center for performing arts) up in Albany has two theaters, one seats 982 and the other 450. it's a great venue...plenty of underground parking (usually $5).


please please please please please please tell me you are shipping bill nelson on tour.

[Facelift]

The Egg (www.theegg.org) (technically, the center for performing arts) up in Albany has two theaters, one seats 982 and the other 450. it's a great venue...plenty of underground parking (usually $5).

Albany also has the Palace Theater.

Troy, NY has the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

Poughkeepsie has the Chance Theater.

[Nearfest2]

Diamond Theater at Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University.

[Magic Mountain]

The Sellersville Theater in (you guessed it) Sellersville, PA is considerably smaller and may fit what you're looking for. Nice theater, and Sellersville is a rather pleasant town.

Second this. I go to a lot of prog and non-prog shows here. Seats around 400.

[kenschwartz]

Albany also has the Palace Theater.

Troy, NY has the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

Poughkeepsie has the Chance Theater.

I didn't mention the Palace because I thought it was too big (> 2000). Troy Savings Bank....how could I have forgotten that...smacks head. Seats might not be as comfortable as the egg, though.

[mogrooves]

The Falcon (Marlboro, NY) (275 seats)
The Towne Crier (Beacon, NY) (250 seats)

Troy Savings Bank

Great room but seats 1,200

[rickawakeman]

Bearsville Theater in Woodstock NY, where I recently saw Glass Hammer was a great modern venue, seems to seat several hundred, with three adjacent restaurants, beautiful setting.

http://www.bearsvilletheater.com/

In South Orange NJ you have the South Orange Performing Arts Center, I know Renaissance played there, a modern new venue in a suburban setting yet close to NYC. 439 seats. Train station next door, easily accessible, many restaurants etc. right in the quaint village.

http://www.sopacnow.org/

I think both fit your criteria quite nicely. Both are beautiful modern state-of-the-art venues.

[Fracktured]

Diamond Theater at Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University.

That one sounds familiar!

[Polska]

The Tralf in Buffalo NY. Also Town Ballroom

[taliesin]

The Tralf in Buffalo NY. Also Town Ballroom

Well, the Tralf is a club not a theatre really but it's a good room.

There is also the Bears Den theatre at the Seneca Niagara casino in Niagara Falls - it's a fabulous venue.

[Bromo]

McCarter Theater-The Berlind Theatre Auditorium in Princeton, NJ (300-400 capacity iirc).

[chalkpie]

I will second these suggestions:

The Towne Crier
Bearsville Theater
Troy Savings Bank Music Hall (renowned as one of the finest sounding halls in the world - the Dorian audiophile label has made a tone of recordings there)
The Falcon
The Bardavon (Poughkeepsie)

[JKL2000]

Not really upstate NY, about 30 minutes north of NYC, the Tarrytown Music Hall. Todd has played there and plays there next month so ask him. I'm seeing Renaissance and Kansas there in the fall, and have seen Todd, Justin Hayward, and Johnny Winter there previously. I heard Tony Bennett used to love to perform there.

[progman1975]

Whitaker Center - Harrisburg, PA - 664...Saw Wilson tour
Colonial Theater - Phoenixville, PA - 658...Saw 3 of a Perfect Trio tour
State Theater, State College, PA - 571(Rundgren and ZPZ have played there)
World Café Live, Philly...Not a theater but freakin gorgeous(all seated)...300- Saw UK tours
Newton Theater, Newton, NJ....600 ( DiMeola and Hackett performed there)

[progman1975]

Hi guys , can anyone suggest any nice small theatres in these states, ideally around 500 capacity that regularly host music and are in a pleasant town

I hope you have surprising news as to why your asking this question

[gflorio]

In the South Jersey / Philly area:
Scottish Rite Auditorium in Collingswood, NJ
Levoy Theater in Millville, NJ
Colonial Theater in Phoenixville, PA
TLA on South Street in Philly
Dennis Flyer Theater at Camden County College in Blackwood, NJ
World Café Live in Philly
Been to wonderful shows at all of these places.
There are a dozen+ nice music clubs in Philly too.
Of course all of the casinos in AC have small performance spaces but I have stopped attending shows at the casinos since they all make the artists shorten the time & playlists compared to other venues.

[Facelift]

The Falcon (Marlboro, NY) (275 seats)
The Towne Crier (Beacon, NY) (250 seats)



Great room but seats 1,200

Proctor's Theater in Schenectady?

[rushfan]

Count Basie Theater Red Bank NJ - might be too large at 1500 seats.

[srtd4]

My brother owns The Palace Movie Theater in Hamburg, New York ( Buffalo area ), that seats 600. Perfect for Music performances ( he has hosted a few in the last few years ). Please visit the web site at: http://www.hamburgpalace.com/

Scott
http://www.stillstream.fm Your Place of Solace on the Net

[Esoteric]

Thanks for all these guys, will check em out, guess cost comes into it too but some great suggestions. Looking at doing an event in USA with some of my British guys and a few US bands too will probably kickstarter It to make sure there is at least some initial demand but I have to have a venue in place and a potential line up as can't ask people to go for something that might be somewhere with no idea of line up etc!!

[progman1975]

Thanks for all these guys, will check em out, guess cost comes into it too but some great suggestions. Looking at doing an event in USA with some of my British guys and a few US bands too will probably kickstarter It to make sure there is at least some initial demand but I have to have a venue in place and a potential line up as can't ask people to go for something that might be somewhere with no idea of line up etc!!

In the Fall or for next summer??? Either way, this sounds exciting...

[Wah3]

Some of these venues are more welcoming of progressive rock than others. In my area its The Egg. In past 2 years I've seen Steve Wilson, Ginger Baker, Yes, King Crimson, Steve Hackett (x2), Jon Anderson, Eddie Jobson, Todd Rundgren, Thomas Dolby, Roger Hodgson, Renaissance and Al DiMeola (x2). In a small friendly downtown with easy access from city or interstate with more underground parking than you'll ever need. It's owned by New York State and has 2 theaters, the Hart at about 1000 capacity and the Swyer at about 500.

Troy Music Hall is sonically superb but it's larger (~1250 seats) and they tend to book acoustic music. Saw Chick Corea with Gary Burton there but not much else in recent years. Massry Hall at the College of St Rose is another great sounding venue. With about 400 seats, they book a lot of good acts but mostly jazz -- saw Chick on solo piano, also The Bad Plus , Stefon Harris, The SF Jazz Collective, the Jeff Coffin Mutet. EMPAC at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is another venue that's supposed to sound great. Has 1200 seats in the main theater and 400 seats in a smaller one but the acts they book are real oddball avant garde and I've never been.

The Palace and Proctors book progressive rock from time to time but they are much larger, close to 3000 capacity.

[Yves]

Le Gesu in Montreal... of course, that's WAY upstate New York! Pleasant town though....