What do you people that have seen the Features countless times think is the best venue for them?

Any venue that has the Features in it is a-okay by me. But of all the places I have seen them at, I could only handle seeing them at Exit/In, Blue Sky Court and The Boro on a regular basis (although the Boro doesn't seem to be an option anymore).

Dancing in the District is a good place to see them once a year, but I couldn't imagine seeing every Features' show outdoors. The Red Rose is a good venue, but I prefer to not be level with the band. Plus you feel like you could fall into them at any second. The Attic has closed and it was in Chattanooga (too far away). Nxt Generation was hilarious, but I wouldn't want to put up with that atmosphere on a regular basis.

I would say the best Features shows I've seen have been at the Exit/In (with 12th and Porter being a close second). However, I've been told that the sound is much better these days at the Blue Sky Court because the guy that was doing sound at E/I is there now. Consequently, I would have said that the BSC was the WORST venue for the Features sound-wise, but that was then and this is now.

Top Five Features Venues:

5. Main Street
4. 12th & Porter
3. The Boro
2. Exit/In
1. The End

-Although one Features Show at the Red Rose will always hold a special place in my heart, I don't really think it is a very good venue (inside at least).
-I've only been to one Features Show at Exit/In (the most recent one), but it was great - really great.
-12th & Porter is the venue I've seen them at the most, and I think it's pretty ideal.
-I greatly disliked Blue Sky Court, though I would gladly have gone if Friday's show had been realized.
-The Boro was very nice while it lasted, but it seems as if the honeymoon's over.
-I still say the tent at Vandy rocked the house. Great setting and neat, great, big sound.

sorry, i must disagree. i can't recall the features ever being mixed as badly as they were at the vandy show, IMO.
i think that while the best sets seem to be played at the boro, the place itself blows and vocals are usually pretty hard to hear. my vote goes to the end, because it's not that bad of a club and the sound there is surprisingly good.
Frank Sass always seems to mix the band pretty well, but i can't endorse his liberal use of vocal delay. that shit is retarded.

I couldn't agree more. That dude's a character.

my vote goes to the exit-in, followed closely by blue sky court.....i like any place that has an elevated stage.....

A great and very relevant topic, JAD.

Here are some honorables:
Outside at Red Rose, where I first held Token.
Long Branch Saloon in Knoxville, with a velvet Elvis and dogs playing poker on the wall above the stage
Tomato Head, though yes it is a restaurant more than anythin

The End is definitely a good call, JC.
I like the occasional Exit/In show for the bigness it lends to them.
I thought they sounded great at the Vandy show.

I've seen them most at 12th, and I think it's my favorite.

aw...young love

i think my favorite place to see them would be blue sky court. it's bigger than the boro and red rose, but it's not as big as exit-in, so that "i feel that this show is personal enough that i can shout requests to the band and have a chance of getting them played" feeling is still there.

though it's probably one of the worst venue wise, i seem to have the best time at red rose shows. i hope to one day see them play a show outside the red rose.

one day, 12th and porter, one day....

Though I've probably seen the Features there more or equal to Fluid Ounces, I can't help but walk in the Boro and think of my favorite band. I never get into Features shows any more there for this reason. Oh well, that wound won't be opened again since the Features won't go back.

Why did they stop playing at the Boro?

This thread sets the scene. They were pretty mad about fans being locked out in temperatures well below freezing.

We'll never really know if they stop playing the Boro unless, years from now, jamiecarroll4 or some other message member points out, "Hey! They never played the Boro again before becoming the biggest band in America."

I could argue any of the following venues:

-The Boro : home to my first Features show, greatest sets
-Blue Sky Court : elevated stage, good size, really good show
-Exit In : elevated stage, big, very good
-Red Rose : best picture-taking venue, cozy, very good

Overall, I'd lean toward Exit-In or Blue Sky Court. Some of the best shows have taken place there. The Boro is a dirty, stinky, ugly place, but I will always hold it dear to my heart because of The Features.

12th and Porter must be nice...I WOULDN'T KNOW!

i cant believe that you all think blue sky court is so great. its so cheesy. the disco ball makes me nauseous, literally, the twinkles on the walls make my stomach so uneasy because the ball isnt spinning or something [not that i would want it to spin, i just want it gone]. the paintings on the wall in the bar area are simply ridiculous. i want to puke on them, and likely could thanks to the disco ball.

very little mention of 12th&porter, i believe [i skim a lot of posts]. i always have the most fun there. red rose and the boro are cool. i like exit/in more than either [despite the asshole of a sound guy], and more than the end. the end is just hard to navigate and poorly designed [narrow walkway between bar and upstairs]. and the bathroom is the worst there.

i wish theyd play the slow bar.

(Edited by stopforme at 8:00 pm on Apr. 15, 2003)

I only like Blue Sky Court because it produced an amazing show and the band were close enough to take requests (both "Oh My Love" and "Temporary Blues"). I can't really remember the way it looked though...I just remember thinking it looked Dugeon-esque...

They did--once. They're already too big of a bnad to play a venue that size. Its poor design shows itself also.

Yeah, I probably just liked it because it did produce one of the best shows. I do not recall the disco ball. I think I thought the paintings were bad, but I don't actually remember what they were. I really liked the venue though. From where I was, the sound was good, too.

i also do not recall seeing a disco ball at the club...

i can confirm the disco ball's existence. the features played there right after it opened, didnt they? they probably didnt have it yet.

the slow bar isnt that poorly designed. it just gets full. i guess the features are too big to play there, but they are pretty stringent about the 21+ rule so maybe that would help...

oh and the blue sky court has a fucking blue ceiling!!! RAAARGH

im sorry, im not going back there unless its to see the beatles.

i don't care if the blue sky court has four disco balls, shag carpet, and a smoke machine...i'd see the features there any day. i don't care if it's not pretty. it's the perfect size and layout. the raised stage, the floor below that, and then the elevated section behind that all make it easier for the most amount of people to see. i think i can manage to avert my gaze from the bad art and blue ceiling...

I couldn't disagree more. It does get full and when it does, literally half of the crowd has an obstructed view. I understand they're doing the best with what they have, but when I saw ...Trail of Dead and Postal Service it really took away from the show.

I think it's poorly designed, too. It's basically two separate stores that have been combined into one. The wall in the middle (behind the bar) really limits the number of people that could enjoy a show there. I think it's great for small, intimate shows, but I don't think it'd be much fun with a normal Features-sized crowd.

I've heard lots of people say they're strict about the age limits. However, when I went a couple of weeks ago to see Seth Timbs play, there was no one at the door. (However, that's the only time I've been there so I can't say whether or not that's normal.)

But the Exit/In has all of that, too. It also has more space and (in my opinion) better sound. So why should BSC be considered a "better" venue?

How are we judgind the venues, anyway? Is it based on technical merits (i.e. lighting, sound system, size) or is it "I have the most fun at the Boro, therefore it's the best venue for the Features"? I'm a bit confused.

Is the best for The Features. The ones they seem most comfortable, best set lists, just more fun to see them there.

I'd say The Blue Cats in Knoxville is the best venue I've seen them in, but I've never been to Exit/In, Blue Sky, or 12th and P.

Will

(Edited by Wiyum at 12:43 pm on Apr. 16, 2003)

i guess that i dont think that the slow bar is poorly designed because it gives the usuals an area out of the crowd. the pool table area is nice. id like some more chairs back there, though. the bar area is kind of hectic, but what bar isnt? they even opened up an ancillary side-bar thing to help with that. i like the slow bar because i like grimey and i think he works really hard to make sure that everyone is having a good time- more than any other club owner. he fixed the place up really well, did what he could with the space allotted, and its right across from margot, so i can have bread pudding and a sangria in less than a minute if i want it.

i judge blue sky court on the aesthetics because they matter to me. if they dont matter to you, i dont care. i guess that the sound is fine, it was better than vandy [i dont care what you say, it was terrible]. it just reminds me of an 18+ rockettown or something [im referring to the old one that used to be in cool springs and i went to once for a birthday party seven years ago]. its just been overdone. the stage is fine. the layout is fine, but a little convoluted without stairs within the large room between the lower and upper level.

I must break with all of the TN venues. The 40 Watt (in Athens) is a great, world-renown place, and is always 18+. This would give them great exposure, as well.

yes, the exit/in does have all of that too. but, as i mentioned before, i think it lacks that more personal, request-taking component. of course this is just why i think that blue sky court is a good venue...not why anyone else should.
i don't care. i'd see the features play in a stinky barn on a farm in the middle of nowhere. hey, maybe then everyone would take more notice of parrish's excellent moog-playing skills.

I'd love to see them play a huge keg littered outdoor show. that would be awesome.

I agree. I would've loved to have seen The Features play there. I've only been there once, but I really loved it. But they also have a disco ball which makes it a bad place to see a show, right??

(Edited by iwantelvis at 2:04 pm on Apr. 16, 2003)

asian girls hate you back.

Sorry to offend. Carl loves you enough for both of us

(Edited by iwantelvis at 3:03 pm on Apr. 16, 2003)

She speaks the truth

Ooh, that would be fun. I could play with all the pretty little animals during the opening bands.... Man, that would be great.

Here's what could make the Slow Bar a GREAT venue, but it's pretty intensive and could take a lot of time and money (which are inversely proportional):

1. Remove entire party wall in the middle of the two spaces and leave only columns.
2. Place stage on opposite wall so that entry and crowd space do not overlap.
3. Extend secondary bar all the way to front of building and use pool room space for kithen oriented mechanics, eliminating the other bar in favor of one large, easily accessible bar and an open view of the stage from everwhere within.
4. Not necessary, but would be a nice bonus during good weather months, a patio space outside in the back parking lot.

Ah, in a perfect world, Mike. I would also like to add:

5. Move the entire bar out of the ghetto and to a place where there isn't a plethora of beggars and thieves.

yup, they do indeed have a disco ball. along with some christmas lights strung on the ceiling that nearly came down on me last nite when the big balloon balls were floating around. I think you can spot the disco ball in some pictures in the photo section.

Mike should be in restaurant planning. Good call on all fronts, except as Carl hinted, I try and limit my time out of doors around there.

Yes, it could be in a better neighborhood, but I like East Nashville.

Oh, don't get me wrong. It definitely has its charm.

(Edited by carligula at 5:22 pm on Apr. 16, 2003)

I just bought a house in a very nice neighborhood across the river and I'm happy about soon living only a couple minutes from the Slow Bar. I cannot deny the criminal acts that have happened in that area, though.

Maybe the outside area could be a covered patio that could be enclosed in winter, and wouldn't be so open to the undesireables.

(Edited by mike_D at 5:30 pm on Apr. 16, 2003)

Yeah, but then who would they sell beer to? (ba-dum-bump)

After much thought, I have decided the following:

I agree with jamiecarroll, the best features show of all time was at the end, therefore I must consider that the best place to see them. Close second is the Boro, although it sucks now.

the best of the rest: The Exit/In, The Earl, The Pilotlight, The Slow Bar

Ok: Red Rose (although its a great place to see any other band), Echo Lounge, The Attic

Sux Ace: Blue Sky Court, 12th and Snorter, The Nick

I've said it once and I'll say it again- The Red Rose is not a good music venue. No real stage, no real sound, and The Features are way too big for it. 12th and Porter is reasonably sized (especially since it eliminates the 20 and unders), you can hear everything (yes, they overdo the reverb, but who doesn't these days?), and it is a 7 minute drive from my house. My favorite Features show is the same one you are referring to, but The Features have outgrown The End.

I guess at this point, I'd have to go with Exit/In. Right size, good sound (well, sometimes), and it's even closer to my house.

5. Move the entire bar out of the ghetto and to a place where there isn't a plethora of beggars and thieves.


Plethora is a strong word to use. Granted, it's not Belmont or Hillsboro, but that's why I like living on the otha side. I am constantly outside (jogging) at night and have had no problems in the two years I have lived here. Although, last summer an obviously cracked-out sweatty ho knocked on my door at 1am offering to sell me a Filet Mignon. After I turned that down she pulled out of the kroger bag a packet of Bologna as a second option. I also turned that down.

Best sounding venues the Features have played.
1. Blue Cats - Knoxville
2. The Gig - Los Angeles
3. The Attic - Chattanooga

Best Features performance venues (dates withheld for lack of remembering)
1. The End
2. The Boro
3. Blue Cats

I agree with the Blue Cats pick. I really enjoy how the coutyard adds to the overall club experience. If it's good weather out (or even if it's not), you can escape an opening bad band or two while waiting for the Features to play.

That needs to be in a movie, priceless.

Maybe plethora is a strong word, but I honestly can't remember the last time I went to a show there and wasn't asked for money. Trying not to sound mysoginystic (sp?), I don't feel comfortable with my lady friends walking around alone in that area. I just talked to an old friend at the Postal Service show who said she was robbed at gunpoint in the parking lot exactly a year ago. Of course, that could happen to anyone-- male or female. In Grimey's defense, though, she said he was extremely comforting with the whole situation.

a guy in some touring band that was playing there got pistol whipped by two guys last fall. i'm pretty sure they quit the rest of their tour.
what i'm trying to say is that the slow bar is awesome.

agreed

The Village and especially the West End area where the Exit/In lies is not exactly crime free. I think once you're inside the 440 circle your chances of something happening to you increase, especially when you walk around late at night, which is usually the case when these shows get out.

I like the Slow Bar. I don't love it. But I do like the fact you can go there and hear music for either free or pretty darn cheap. I'll certainly give Grimey credit for that. I think of him as the Jim Varney of the Nashville live music scene (Mr. Varney nearly single-handedly kept Nashville's film business alive).

I thank Ernest every night for my jobs...

At Slowbar a couple of weeks ago, Seth Timbs thanked Grimey, calling him the most influential man in Nashville (just above Phil Bredeson)

Well maybe not with your jobs, Mr. Frog, but certainly pretty much every feature film made by Nashvillians owed a lot to Mr. Varney for them ever seeing the light of day. Some of them never should have seen the light of day though... I'm thinking of Blood, Friends and Money, or whatever that was called.

I think it would be cool if the Features played the Red Rose with Imaginary Baseball League. I think April 29th would be a pretty nice day for it.

Okay, I guess I don't have to be vague about this as the website says this show will happen. The Features site says April 27th (Sunday), but the IBL site says its the 29th (Tuesday). Can anyone here clear the confusion?

Update:Okay, I'm guessing the 27th as that's what the Red Rose Website says. They're calling it a "surprise" show. It also says it's gonna be on the patio. Sweet!!!

Also, I see that Slack is playing the night before. Can it get any better!?! The answer is "no".

(Edited by carligula at 12:24 pm on Apr. 18, 2003)

ah...life is good.

what a great piece of news to start the weekend off with...

The Features at the Attic= Good Sound?

Err, I respectfully disagree. I've seen em there three times and have never been impressed with the mix.

On a side note, I almost got snookered into running sound there cause the "soundman" was MIA as the band was setting up. This was like three years ago. I was nervously excited but the guy showed up. i would have done a much better job.

I did get to do lights at a 12th and porter show (with jetpack, i think) way back in the day, like two summers ago or something. it was fun but fairly nerveracking.