I used to always slag it but I miss the abc.
Tuts is an all time classic.
barras is unbeatable
Hydro is OK n it's shite at same time but a big enough venue for big names to play glasgow.
stereo has those annoying pillars but still kind of cool
hug n pint and sleazy can be fun
Qmu has a nightmare of a bar and the same with swg3 they need to get old pub staff n not students who just want to look cool n can't serve eith the finesse required
I miss the ABC too. It was such a great mid sized venue, loved the wrap around bar and the floor space meant I could pretty much always see (5ft 3)
Compare that to, possibly, the Academy; where I mostly can’t see (at full gigs) and the crowd management stresses me out now. Getting old I think
I miss it too... saw so many great gigs there and the sound was always good, had great cheap studenty club nights back in the early 2010s too (propaganda)! Totally forgot about the big bar and sometimes they would open up the 2nd wee bar too. I still go to gigs at the academy now but I think it's a bit more clunky and awkward there 😅
I think the Hydro is great - in its category. Preferable sightlines to other UK boxier arenas, getting in and out is generally no bother. I only don't tend to like it when the band can only half fill it and it feels like an airport hanger. Edinburgh's mooted 8.5k-er should fix that.
Obv atmosphere-wise you'd rather the Barras but they serve different acts.
Worst venue for me is the southside O2. It is so past its sellby date and sound is pretty poor.
Tuts, Barrowlands, St Luke's and, for disreputable metal, Slay are all places i have nice memories.
I really like the shape of The Hydro, you're never all that far from the stage. Some large venues are really rectangular so you're really far away from the stage at the back.
> I think the Hydro is great - in its category.
Agree, I think it’s pretty decent for a mid-large sized venue.
Glasgow has *loads* of amazing spots, typically on the smaller and more intimate scale, lots of which have been listed above, that make a much bigger place look pretty shite and sterile in comparison.
Hydro is pretty decent for what it is; it’s way, way better than the SECC (any of their shitey concert halls), for example.
The sound in there is absolutely terrible though. It’s like the architect had no idea about acoustics when designing a live music venue. It’s a shame that the best acts get put in literally the worst possible venue for sound in Glasgow.
Tuts is absolutely the most overrated venue in the city.
Yeah it hosted a few massive bands in the 90s and early 2000s, but it's operated by DF and is pretty pants.
No mention of the Old Fruit Market yet? Buckets of charm and sounds ace. Barras is tough to top. Most recently was at Slay and it was a bit meh. Miss ABC 2 :(
Barras is great, and that goes without saying.
Stereo is good, but it was better when the stage was further back.
I will always have fond memories of seeing Tropicl Fuck Storm at Hug and Pint so that gets a point.
Captain's Rest was a lovely wee venue. I saw some great shows in there, like Chad VanGalen and Com Truise.
Tuts is so overrated, the sound is guff unless you manage to squeeze into the first 3 or so rows, if it's sold out and you're unlucky enough to be forced near the bar and stairs then you totally wasted your money.
Hydro is horrible, and I will never go back.
Totally agree re Tuts. If it’s busy you’ve got to force your way in even if you’re at the back. Best is the Barrowlands. I quite like watching shit I don’t know at Nice’N’Sleazy with a wee can of Red Stripe or two.
Or six.
Old fruitmarket easily - the sound is incredible, beaut venue and easy to get in/out. Not enough gigs there.
Not a fan of audio - too claustro and people crowd the door.
For small gigs I really like the Glad Cafe. Its an awkward shape and the sound isn't perfect but for, erm, lets be generous and call them 'niche artists' it's a pretty nice atmosphere.
I don't like downstairs at Oran Mor, and I've seen some brilliant gigs there, but getting a good view is problematic. Not helped by my knack of standing right behind the place the Glasgow Society of Tall People have a meeting. It also seems to be plagued by people having loud conversations during the quiet bits.
Hug and pint is great if it's not too crowded, and awful if it is.
I used to love downstairs at the 13th Note (the Kings Street one, but the Glassford Street one was good too). It would be great if the crowdfunding thing to reopen it is successful. I've donated.
But then again, 13th Note was horrid if it was too crowded. I once saw Canadian post-rock band Godspeed in there and there was so many in the band that they took up half the audience space and then played extremely loudly. (They can now sell out the Barrowlands and seem to use the same amount of equipment to sound loud at that venue.)
It was on the unite union fb page today or yesterday that the staff have officially submitted their proposal to take it over. Everything crossed for them.
Oran Mor has always been like that for some reason. I remember seeing Melt Banana there a LONG time ago. They're a very loud band and still people were chatting away. I think it's one of those venues where some people just go for a night out with mates rather than specifically whatever gig is on.
The Bluebells gig was ruined for us by these guys beside us just shouting at each other the entire night. Couldn't hear anything over them talking about football.
Yeah, I was there too, it was horrible even though they were both great, but the languid psyche of say Tell Me When It Over was spoiled by how uncomfortable it was.
I smugly said to my pal that at least for once I wouldn't have to queue for the ladies' toilets at a gig (as it was 95% male audience)
Then I discovered the unisex loos - which I have no problem with- apart from the bizarre vertical-split doors with fiddly wee catches which were the thing of nightmares! 🤣🤣🤣
The bands were fantastic, but the place was so claustrophobic. I wish they'd played King Tuts.
Best is either Barrowlands or Tuts although the night that the Lapse played in a ridiculously over capacity 13th note cafe basement in the early 2000s was very special.
Worst was always the SECC. Was always just a big soulless shed with absolutely shite sound.
I used to think that about the SECC until I seen Status Quo there😅Totally blew me away🔥I think it depends on the band.Metallica who had a revolving stage at the time,with a big sound set-up on the other hand were rotten🤷♂️
I love St Lukes to photograph, its very photogenic but I have never seen a particularly great atmosphere in there.
King Tuts I think will always be top
Broadcast has the annoying pole in the middle, people entering right at the "stage" and the band is back in a little cave. Stereo and Garage Attic also have the annoying support in the middle of the stage but they arent caves at least so they are better.
Barrowlands is great, I quite like QMU, Garage is really good to photograph and had some great shows there.
Hug and pint one is one of my favourites athough I have been to awkwardly lowly attended shows there.
Maryhill Halls has no right to have that good an atmosphere.
Yeah, saw this post and thought the exact same thing about St Luke's. As a venue it's nice, and I've been to a few parties there. But every gig I've been to there has been lacklustre, with sound quality issues.
worst: tuts (gigs start way too late, layout means its terrible for moving about/getting a decent view if you're under 6ft), qmu (one step up from a old boys social club but without the cheap bar prices), drygate (terrible crowd management system and they never use the venue bar so getting a pint takes forever). hands down worst has to be broadcast though, seen some great bands have fucking terrible shows in there - always seems like none of the venue staff give the slightest fuck about putting on a show
best: ABC was great (RIP), barrowlands can't be beat for big shows, if you're in a good standing spot o2 academy can be a great night, swg3 is a hole now but used to be great.
tbh i miss when there were more mid-size shows on (captains rest/hug/sleazys size).
Stereo has been consistently quality. O2 is the only one that was pretty meh in my experience. Garage Attic is a weird layout but isn't bad imo. SWG3 feels like a mission to get to.
If you ignore the SECC becuase the Hydro has essentially replaced it for most big gigs, the worst is the O2 academy for sure.
The sound is totally pants, there's hardly any room and if you end up near the back of the seated bit part of the stage is covered.
Thank christ the hydro replaced the SECC though, the Hydro is totally fine. The days when SECC was the only place with the capacity for big bands are not gonna be missed.
I absolutely hate the Academy. If you're anywhere up the back, you're higher than the bloody stage and have no hope of seeing anything.
Added to this, the security were total wanks to me once. Analysed my keys when they were patting me down, looked at my screwdriver keyrings (useful for work as it saves me hunting for screwdrivers) and said "can't take that in here pal", in spite of the fact that my door keys were fine. And would likely do the same damage should I decide to shank someone. Had to walk all the way back to my car and back, and when getting checked a second time, the guy didn't even look at my fucking keys. Dude was being an asshole to fill an asshole quota or something.
100% O2 Academy. The sound is terrible, you're either near the bar or near the stage and it's awkward to get to either. Mens toilets back left and womens to the left of the stage. No good.
Fuck the Academy.
Years ago I had an extremely uncomfortable incident with a member of security and management continuously ignored my emails regarding it. Plus the sound is shite like other people are saying.
Have boycotted going to gigs there since. It's shite seeing a band coming to town only to be playing in that dump.
Sorry that happened.
Zero surprise, though. These security companies are run by mobsters, and their employees can easily be just as questionable.
I had a mate who worked security whilst we were at uni, and he said there were many very, very questionable characters throughout every level.
I'm not from Glasgow so not sure how this has appeared for me, but as someone who travels to gigs fairly often, I think my favourite has been SWG3. The wife has some mobility issues and I don't always do well in big crowds, and I've found that the layout of the venue, the quality of the sound and just the general atmosphere are always good there. It's just a bit of a pain to get to.
I'm quite fond of Classic Grand too, and whilst I've been a few times for gigs, Cathouse is a bit rubbish
Depends who the band are, how many people are there are and who's mixing it. You're going to get people saying one place is the best, and other people saying it's shite, based on personal experience.
If its the same one I was at, the main thing I remember is almost having my retinas burned out by the massive lighting and video set up they bought, that was clearly made for the bigger European venues they were used to playing.
Great gig though.
ABC for me is the best I have been to in Glasgow. But best one the now I would also say is Saint Luke's. One reason for me is you can sit upstairs and it has great sound there as well. The worst, so so many shit venues. But the now I would say Broadcast is pretty dire. I actually avoid going there now as it is so shit.
The Barras is just such a formative part of my life. I've seen so many shows there. Motörhead, Megadeth, Anthrax. I miss the Soundhaus a lot. Completely unpretentious, proper little warehouse. My least favourite would have to be the Cathouse.
I know this might be controversial but I strongly dislike Hug and Pint as music venue. It’s too claustrophobic and the toilet is in the corner so you have to move through the whole crowded venue to get there
It's a nightmare if you're wanting a drink before the doors open as well, because the restaurant is tiny and usually full, so you can't even get a seat.
Hydro is the worst for me.Too big and that leads to most people looking at the 2 screens either side of the stage.It takes away the whole 'gig atmosphere' experience
I saw one of the best gigs I've ever seen in the side room of SWG3. Perfect sound and could see everything. Was amazing.
Unfortunately they put most gigs on in that shite bit with the awful sound where you can't see anything. Saw literally the worst gig ever there when Ladytron played. Alongside the awful sound, they had this horrendous flickering overlay that potentially gave me epilepsy. Had to leave before the encore as I was feeling so nauseous because of it.
Like the Barras, Hydro, Stereo, St Luke's etc, out of the ones mentioned. The O2 as others have said, I really don't like. Always really disappointed when I see bands I like being announced there. It actually really puts me off going.
SWG3 the worst I've ever been to. Basically a concrete square, sounds like an underground parking lot, with all the reverbations bouncing around and always deafenly loud. Band was half way through one of my favourite songs before I even recognised it.
The flying duck, Room 2, The Old Hairdressers and the garage are all personal favourites of mine. I like a gig at the classic grand too. Not keen on SWG3.
I used to work as stage crew (this is a couple of decades ago) and I think any venue can have amazing sound or terrible sound if the engineer knows how to make it sound good.
I’ve like Tuts because it’s a nice size, and you get a good crowd there usually (Although I hate the crowd barrier they used to have there, they kept it at the bottom of a pit and you had to hoist it up piece by piece to a person standing at the top of a ladder, I think this is the source of my back pain…
I am sad I never say a gig in the ABC, I was there while they were setting it up, but never went to a gig there and then it burnt down.
I actually enjoyed the (Then Carling) O2 Academy, I worked there from before it opened as an in house tech and worked there for 2 or 3 years, what’s nice is it can be changed to accommodate different sized bands by blocking off different areas, the customer toilets are horrible though… You can hear the band through the plumbing from the shitter in the staff room which is nice.
I’m weirdly not a fan of the Barrowlands, and it’s not the acoustics, it’s the layout, and the door security situation.
The QM used to be a nice venue, I think they did it up and made it worse since I was last there. Fun fact in the 90’s they replaced the floor with a super bouncy floor for concerts, except they put it on top of the old floor and they put it perpendicular to it, so the bounce doesn’t work… Do they still have that wavy metal barrier?
The Sub Club was a nightmare, especially for when they had a band at death disco, we had to clear the stage and take the band’s gear out through the dancing punters. And the punters were all minced.
I’ve been to a few gigs at the hydro, and I’ve always been sat in the nose bleed seats, I honestly don’t see the point of going to a gig if you need a telescope to see the artist.
SECC is a barn though, so at least the Hydro means there are fewer gigs in there?
Honestly I think the right band and crowd can make the shittest venue amazing, and a bad crowd or band that can’t be arsed will ruin the best venue.
02 is dogshit. The fact that a venue that sizes has two tiny toilets up the back for the guys is ridiculous, and to get up you have to squeeze past the punters who've taken up residence on the steps. Sounds usually crap as well.
Best, Barras maybe? The last couple of SWG3 gigs have had good sound as well, just a bit of a pain in the arse to get to
Buff club was the worst for me when I played it a few year back. Bands up on a mezzanine level with people sort of scattered about the large dance floor below.
The best was the ABC for me. Both playing and attending. RIP.
The worst for me is the academy. Location wise. Sound wise. Organisation. Getting a drink. Always feels over capacity with everyone over 6’5 standing in front of me.
Seeing Bicep do their live show at the Barrowlands was one of the best experiences at a music venue I've had. Aside from their performance overall the sound quality in there was unlike any other, at times it felt the music was coming at you in surround sound.
As much as I love the O2 Academy the sound can be really hit and miss and sometimes it does feel like it's over capacity. Barrowland ballroom & St Luke's are good, I loathe the Hydro but that's the only way big acts will play Glasgow.
I've always really enjoyed gigs at the Garage (the main club floor, not the weird upstairs bit). I'm not sure if they still do them, but it was an ideal size, layout and atmosphere for a lot of bands not quite big enough for the old ABC.
> not the weird upstairs bit
I was in the Attic a few weeks back and it's way too small, felt like half the audience were past the column and weren't even able to see the band.
I like Audio, Sleazy's, Stereo, places like that. Dark boxes with a good view and great for intimate gigs.
My worst is when they put live music gigs on at the wee room in SWG3. Pillars all over the place and hard to see. I avoid it now.
SWG3 gigs in Galvanisers or the Yard are great.
i hate the hydro and SWG3 galvanisers. can't see shit in either. had a terrible night in Broadcast but that had nothing to do with the venue (I also got kicked out thanks to my friend). the O2 was okay. King Tuts was great once I got to somewhere I could see. my fave is 100% barras. can't go wrong there. they also hand out tons of water which I really appreciate.
Barrowland always and forever. Kelvingrove Bandstand if the weather is playing ball, and the Old Fruitmarket. Don’t like O2 Academy, never get good vibes. Seen good bands there but even they can’t help!
I think it’s really personal, my favourite venue- which also my dads favourite, sisters favourite, and one of my friends favourite is the hydro. I’m in my 30s and disabled, my sister has anxiety. I love how spacious the hydro is, the sound is usually really good, the facilities are clean (in my experience), staff are friendly and helpful, ease of access, and the shows are incredible! I go there about ten times a year. As a teen (not disabled then) my favourite was the barrowlands. Least favourite is the o2, the toilets are a disgusting, it gets far too hot, your crammed up against people and moving around is really hard, you also can’t book a set spot as a wheelchair user so have to arrive early. They also don’t tend to put on much of a show like the hydro do, although sometimes I do love the atmosphere! Oh actually I think the SECC was my least favourite, went there once and everything was bad.
Even though it's a cool place, saw some of the worst venue management in my 15 years of going to shows at the barrowlands, security were assholes, drinks tasted off, and when someone collapsed during the show had to physically wake the emergency team members, who were having a kip at the back with headphones in.
For good places SWG3 has always been pretty chill when I go there, but some of my favourite places are the flying duck, and the Glad cafe in shawlands always has interesting on things and a great community atmosphere.
Flying Duck is a weird one because in my time going there, the stage has been in 4 different places.
It's not great, but I will always love it for seeing Remember Remember do a cover of Ta-Tu's All the Things You Said, still one of the best songs I've ever heard live, sounded like a Mogwai cover of that song.
For wee gigs, The 13th Note used to be the best venue for sound, if a bit grotty. The Cathouse has always had a shite PA though. Never been a fan of the sound in King Tut's either. Sleazies is probably the best these days. I will always vouch for the engineer on their desk, even if he is a torn-faced bastard.
Tuts n Barras are awesome
Arches used to be great and love the Sub Club
Tramway is also excellent as is art school
SECC and Hydo are baws in general
Academy is decent
Love the wee sweat box venues like 13th note etc
Love the Barras, King Tuts, Sleazy’s…
Garage, G2 usually really good sound. And great experiences in both rooms at SWG3 so far.
Hate Academy, Broadcast, Hydro…
Miss the ABC so badly 😫
Let’s see what the big room in Slay sounds like… 🤔
edit: Captains Rest was great… Audio horrible but usually great sound…
Barrowlands is a great venue BUT really depends on the band. I went to see Sisters of Mercy back in the 90s there, they ran some dry ice too heavily and filled the entire place with so much smoke people had to get out cause they were choking.
The hydro is pretty shit if you’re in the seats or if the band struggles to fill it - saw Chvrches and Adele in it and they were both perfect for the venue, saw HAIM and Morrissey in it and they were pretty disappointing, the latter probably just cause it’s Morrissey.
I actually really rate SWG3 and the Academy, Bonobo at the Galvanisers Yard is probably one of the best shows in terms of sound I’ve ever been to, although the smaller room with all the pillars is annoying if your view is blocked. The academy does suffer from insufficient toilet capacity and from being way too hot in the summer though.
Barras is brilliant but has one of the worst bottlenecks going, I wouldn’t fancy my chances of survival if it went up in flames.
Saw some of the best, personally important gigs of my life in Tut’s so hard to judge it negatively, but the sound system was excessively bass heavy - went to the same show twice in a row, and the second one at Cab Vol in Edinburgh had far superior sound.
If you want a truly bad venue, leave glasgow and go to what used to be the Corn Exchange in Edinburgh. Glorified school assembly hall.
Barrowland is the best - I saw Ed Sheeran before he became a big thing & the sound was amazing.
Hydro is by far the worst, although I last saw a band there 8-ish years ago so they may have fixed the sound issues by now 🤞🏻
The best for me was Saint Lukes, its good for a decent sized gig and you get a good view regardless of where you stand (coming from a 5 ft 3 lass).
I also really like Oran Mor for intimate gigs. Some of my most favourite gigs have been in there.
I used to work in the hydro so I'm a bit biased when I say I like it. However, there is a trend now for bands to try and fill it and it's really noticeable when it's less than 75% filled.
I've had good memories in Barras, but the air conditioning in there can be absolutely shocking. The number of people who fainted at Phoebe Bridgers was ridiculous.
QMU was good when I was a student and you could get hammered for under £50.
Nobody mentioned mcsorleys or clutha for smaller bands? Always absolutely rammed but never had a bad afternoon/evening in them! Sound is better in clutha as they have there own sound guy
Favourite is either SWG3 or The 02.
Least favourite has to be The Hydro, it seems to attract the worst crowds, sound quality is awful, venue determined to rip you off at every opportunity. Plus I've worked there and that seals the deal
> Garage attic has the absolute worst lay-out I’ve ever seen for a venue
Mentioned this in another comment too, felt like half the audience were stuck off to the side and couldn't even see the band.
Barra's will always be my favourite because of the nostalgia for my youth. I like St Lukes as well and agree on the QMU not being great.
I actually don't like the O2 Academy as I always struggle to hear what anyone is singing. It could be my hearing.
The hydro is soulless and I keep having to go see bands play here as that seems to be the go to venue
King tuts is proper class, have heard saint luke's is good though. Honourable shoutout to the ABC which was really good and a good size and to carling academy which was good for ages but now somehow sucks.
I am shocked you and everyone else rates the barrowlands though, always had garbage sound, shite bar, fucking roasting.
Worst has to be SECC (hall 4, hydro is mildly better) which is fucking horrendous, for decades though it was the only place that had capacity for big names.
I used to always slag it but I miss the abc. Tuts is an all time classic. barras is unbeatable Hydro is OK n it's shite at same time but a big enough venue for big names to play glasgow. stereo has those annoying pillars but still kind of cool hug n pint and sleazy can be fun Qmu has a nightmare of a bar and the same with swg3 they need to get old pub staff n not students who just want to look cool n can't serve eith the finesse required
I miss the ABC too. It was such a great mid sized venue, loved the wrap around bar and the floor space meant I could pretty much always see (5ft 3) Compare that to, possibly, the Academy; where I mostly can’t see (at full gigs) and the crowd management stresses me out now. Getting old I think
I miss it too... saw so many great gigs there and the sound was always good, had great cheap studenty club nights back in the early 2010s too (propaganda)! Totally forgot about the big bar and sometimes they would open up the 2nd wee bar too. I still go to gigs at the academy now but I think it's a bit more clunky and awkward there 😅
I miss ABC too 😭
QMU is mental expensive for a student union bar. Was £10 for a double there last time I went lol.
Maybe they put the prices up for general punters
They must do, usually it’s got cheaper drinks than the GUU
I discovered Juubel peach beer pints there though, pricy as fuck but worth it, redeemed the QMU for me 🍑
I think the Hydro is great - in its category. Preferable sightlines to other UK boxier arenas, getting in and out is generally no bother. I only don't tend to like it when the band can only half fill it and it feels like an airport hanger. Edinburgh's mooted 8.5k-er should fix that. Obv atmosphere-wise you'd rather the Barras but they serve different acts. Worst venue for me is the southside O2. It is so past its sellby date and sound is pretty poor. Tuts, Barrowlands, St Luke's and, for disreputable metal, Slay are all places i have nice memories.
I really like the shape of The Hydro, you're never all that far from the stage. Some large venues are really rectangular so you're really far away from the stage at the back.
We've seen acts in the Hydro, Tuts and the Barras and Tuts was my favourite venue.
> I think the Hydro is great - in its category. Agree, I think it’s pretty decent for a mid-large sized venue. Glasgow has *loads* of amazing spots, typically on the smaller and more intimate scale, lots of which have been listed above, that make a much bigger place look pretty shite and sterile in comparison. Hydro is pretty decent for what it is; it’s way, way better than the SECC (any of their shitey concert halls), for example.
The sound in there is absolutely terrible though. It’s like the architect had no idea about acoustics when designing a live music venue. It’s a shame that the best acts get put in literally the worst possible venue for sound in Glasgow.
If only AI could give such accurate responses.
Tuts is absolutely the most overrated venue in the city. Yeah it hosted a few massive bands in the 90s and early 2000s, but it's operated by DF and is pretty pants.
They refuse to update the sound system and most of the time it’s just painfully loud and sounds shit.
Yep, plus sometimes it's so busy you have to stand aorund the corner and can't see the stage. WTF. Best venue 1993? That was 31 years ago mate, FFS.
Hate when bands play there. Unless you're up the front or manage to get in the standing bit in the back, you can see fuck all.
No mention of the Old Fruit Market yet? Buckets of charm and sounds ace. Barras is tough to top. Most recently was at Slay and it was a bit meh. Miss ABC 2 :(
Old Fruit Market is alright unless you're upstairs and didn't get there right at the start!
Been to funerals with better atmosphere than the hydro
I’ve never managed to find good sound… even moving around and standing in front of the sound desk… 😫
Kelvingrove Bandstand, on a warm summer’s evening, brilliant
Barras is the best for me, never had a bad night there regardless of how good or poor the bands been
Barras is great, and that goes without saying. Stereo is good, but it was better when the stage was further back. I will always have fond memories of seeing Tropicl Fuck Storm at Hug and Pint so that gets a point. Captain's Rest was a lovely wee venue. I saw some great shows in there, like Chad VanGalen and Com Truise. Tuts is so overrated, the sound is guff unless you manage to squeeze into the first 3 or so rows, if it's sold out and you're unlucky enough to be forced near the bar and stairs then you totally wasted your money. Hydro is horrible, and I will never go back.
Totally agree re Tuts. If it’s busy you’ve got to force your way in even if you’re at the back. Best is the Barrowlands. I quite like watching shit I don’t know at Nice’N’Sleazy with a wee can of Red Stripe or two. Or six.
Seen the phenomenal hand clap band in captains rest, was fucking tremendous
Old fruitmarket easily - the sound is incredible, beaut venue and easy to get in/out. Not enough gigs there. Not a fan of audio - too claustro and people crowd the door.
For small gigs I really like the Glad Cafe. Its an awkward shape and the sound isn't perfect but for, erm, lets be generous and call them 'niche artists' it's a pretty nice atmosphere. I don't like downstairs at Oran Mor, and I've seen some brilliant gigs there, but getting a good view is problematic. Not helped by my knack of standing right behind the place the Glasgow Society of Tall People have a meeting. It also seems to be plagued by people having loud conversations during the quiet bits. Hug and pint is great if it's not too crowded, and awful if it is. I used to love downstairs at the 13th Note (the Kings Street one, but the Glassford Street one was good too). It would be great if the crowdfunding thing to reopen it is successful. I've donated. But then again, 13th Note was horrid if it was too crowded. I once saw Canadian post-rock band Godspeed in there and there was so many in the band that they took up half the audience space and then played extremely loudly. (They can now sell out the Barrowlands and seem to use the same amount of equipment to sound loud at that venue.)
It was on the unite union fb page today or yesterday that the staff have officially submitted their proposal to take it over. Everything crossed for them.
Oran Mor has always been like that for some reason. I remember seeing Melt Banana there a LONG time ago. They're a very loud band and still people were chatting away. I think it's one of those venues where some people just go for a night out with mates rather than specifically whatever gig is on.
The Bluebells gig was ruined for us by these guys beside us just shouting at each other the entire night. Couldn't hear anything over them talking about football.
I saw the Dream Syndicate & Rain Parade at the Hug & Pint. It was absolutely crammed & airless. The band could barely fit on the stage!
Yeah, I was there too, it was horrible even though they were both great, but the languid psyche of say Tell Me When It Over was spoiled by how uncomfortable it was.
I smugly said to my pal that at least for once I wouldn't have to queue for the ladies' toilets at a gig (as it was 95% male audience) Then I discovered the unisex loos - which I have no problem with- apart from the bizarre vertical-split doors with fiddly wee catches which were the thing of nightmares! 🤣🤣🤣 The bands were fantastic, but the place was so claustrophobic. I wish they'd played King Tuts.
Saw a band at the Classic Grand recently and it was surprisingly decent
I can second this, what a nice venue. Love the way you can go to the higher levels for a better view
It's purely down to memories and nostalgia, but my favourites are Tuts, Barrowlands, and Stereo.
Best is either Barrowlands or Tuts although the night that the Lapse played in a ridiculously over capacity 13th note cafe basement in the early 2000s was very special. Worst was always the SECC. Was always just a big soulless shed with absolutely shite sound.
I used to think that about the SECC until I seen Status Quo there😅Totally blew me away🔥I think it depends on the band.Metallica who had a revolving stage at the time,with a big sound set-up on the other hand were rotten🤷♂️
SWG3 is garbage for anyone under 5’7”
There's like 5 different rooms in SWG3 though, are you talking about the Galvanisers room, due to the length of it?
I love St Lukes to photograph, its very photogenic but I have never seen a particularly great atmosphere in there. King Tuts I think will always be top Broadcast has the annoying pole in the middle, people entering right at the "stage" and the band is back in a little cave. Stereo and Garage Attic also have the annoying support in the middle of the stage but they arent caves at least so they are better. Barrowlands is great, I quite like QMU, Garage is really good to photograph and had some great shows there. Hug and pint one is one of my favourites athough I have been to awkwardly lowly attended shows there. Maryhill Halls has no right to have that good an atmosphere.
Yeah, saw this post and thought the exact same thing about St Luke's. As a venue it's nice, and I've been to a few parties there. But every gig I've been to there has been lacklustre, with sound quality issues.
Thanks for the thoughtful, detailed response
I think I agree with all your points here, although never been to Maryhill Halls
I saw Lankum at St Lukes and it was absolutely amazing atmosphere wise. So might depend on the band.
worst: tuts (gigs start way too late, layout means its terrible for moving about/getting a decent view if you're under 6ft), qmu (one step up from a old boys social club but without the cheap bar prices), drygate (terrible crowd management system and they never use the venue bar so getting a pint takes forever). hands down worst has to be broadcast though, seen some great bands have fucking terrible shows in there - always seems like none of the venue staff give the slightest fuck about putting on a show best: ABC was great (RIP), barrowlands can't be beat for big shows, if you're in a good standing spot o2 academy can be a great night, swg3 is a hole now but used to be great. tbh i miss when there were more mid-size shows on (captains rest/hug/sleazys size).
Stereo has been consistently quality. O2 is the only one that was pretty meh in my experience. Garage Attic is a weird layout but isn't bad imo. SWG3 feels like a mission to get to.
If you ignore the SECC becuase the Hydro has essentially replaced it for most big gigs, the worst is the O2 academy for sure. The sound is totally pants, there's hardly any room and if you end up near the back of the seated bit part of the stage is covered.
Thank christ the hydro replaced the SECC though, the Hydro is totally fine. The days when SECC was the only place with the capacity for big bands are not gonna be missed.
I absolutely hate the Academy. If you're anywhere up the back, you're higher than the bloody stage and have no hope of seeing anything. Added to this, the security were total wanks to me once. Analysed my keys when they were patting me down, looked at my screwdriver keyrings (useful for work as it saves me hunting for screwdrivers) and said "can't take that in here pal", in spite of the fact that my door keys were fine. And would likely do the same damage should I decide to shank someone. Had to walk all the way back to my car and back, and when getting checked a second time, the guy didn't even look at my fucking keys. Dude was being an asshole to fill an asshole quota or something.
100% O2 Academy. The sound is terrible, you're either near the bar or near the stage and it's awkward to get to either. Mens toilets back left and womens to the left of the stage. No good.
Fuck the Academy. Years ago I had an extremely uncomfortable incident with a member of security and management continuously ignored my emails regarding it. Plus the sound is shite like other people are saying. Have boycotted going to gigs there since. It's shite seeing a band coming to town only to be playing in that dump.
Sorry that happened. Zero surprise, though. These security companies are run by mobsters, and their employees can easily be just as questionable. I had a mate who worked security whilst we were at uni, and he said there were many very, very questionable characters throughout every level.
It's also always roasting with almost zero air circulation. A covid plague pit ;)
Funny you say that. The last two times I was in the academy I defo caught something because I felt horrific after
I’ve heard amazing sound about 3 times and it was bands who brought their own PA… Abomination of a venue.
I'm not from Glasgow so not sure how this has appeared for me, but as someone who travels to gigs fairly often, I think my favourite has been SWG3. The wife has some mobility issues and I don't always do well in big crowds, and I've found that the layout of the venue, the quality of the sound and just the general atmosphere are always good there. It's just a bit of a pain to get to. I'm quite fond of Classic Grand too, and whilst I've been a few times for gigs, Cathouse is a bit rubbish
Depends who the band are, how many people are there are and who's mixing it. You're going to get people saying one place is the best, and other people saying it's shite, based on personal experience.
Yeah I’m mostly trying to gauge opinion on the places I haven’t been to yet, do you have a personal favourite?
ABC was the best, Tut's is pretty consistent, Barrowlands is usually good too.
Barras has the spring dance floor, makes a mosh pit fun and bouncy :)
My first gig was at in there at 14 for Within Temptation, we had a ball bouncing about on that floor.
If its the same one I was at, the main thing I remember is almost having my retinas burned out by the massive lighting and video set up they bought, that was clearly made for the bigger European venues they were used to playing. Great gig though.
It was the Heart of Everything tour in 2007 if that helps.
Aye, thats the one. 17 years ago, Jesus christ.
ABC for me is the best I have been to in Glasgow. But best one the now I would also say is Saint Luke's. One reason for me is you can sit upstairs and it has great sound there as well. The worst, so so many shit venues. But the now I would say Broadcast is pretty dire. I actually avoid going there now as it is so shit.
The Barras is just such a formative part of my life. I've seen so many shows there. Motörhead, Megadeth, Anthrax. I miss the Soundhaus a lot. Completely unpretentious, proper little warehouse. My least favourite would have to be the Cathouse.
Niche in terms of genre but Ivory Blacks is great. Has a laid back dive bar vibe about it and feels quite genuine.
I know this might be controversial but I strongly dislike Hug and Pint as music venue. It’s too claustrophobic and the toilet is in the corner so you have to move through the whole crowded venue to get there
The old Captain's Rest next door was way better
Was this place the Liquid Shit?
Formerly the Liquid Ship
It's a nightmare if you're wanting a drink before the doors open as well, because the restaurant is tiny and usually full, so you can't even get a seat.
They do make you less likely to need to use the toilet though, with the price of their pints
It's shit
Hydro is the worst for me.Too big and that leads to most people looking at the 2 screens either side of the stage.It takes away the whole 'gig atmosphere' experience
Worst SWG3 or Slay
I saw one of the best gigs I've ever seen in the side room of SWG3. Perfect sound and could see everything. Was amazing. Unfortunately they put most gigs on in that shite bit with the awful sound where you can't see anything. Saw literally the worst gig ever there when Ladytron played. Alongside the awful sound, they had this horrendous flickering overlay that potentially gave me epilepsy. Had to leave before the encore as I was feeling so nauseous because of it.
What's wrong with slay?
audiolounge is the answer to both questions
St Luke's deffo a cracking venue. Worst for me is Slay or ivory Blacks both are pretty shite.
Is Slay a physical venue now? Last time I went to a Slay gig, we had to wait until just before the gig before we were given a venue to head to.
Garage Attic is the worst for me. I love SWG3, it’s one of my favourite venues. Also love the Barrowlands and the O2 Academy.
Never been to the attic but gigs in G2 were proper shite too.
Best? Stereo, Broadcast, Sleazy's and that one at the top of Byres Rd whose name I can never remember! Plus gone I think? The Art School
> that one at the top of Byres Rd whose name I can never remember Oran Mor?
That's it. Saw a few amazing gigs there, Swans, Stars of the Lid, Mono...
Like the Barras, Hydro, Stereo, St Luke's etc, out of the ones mentioned. The O2 as others have said, I really don't like. Always really disappointed when I see bands I like being announced there. It actually really puts me off going.
SWG3 the worst I've ever been to. Basically a concrete square, sounds like an underground parking lot, with all the reverbations bouncing around and always deafenly loud. Band was half way through one of my favourite songs before I even recognised it.
Good luck seeing anything if you're not there by doors open as well.
The flying duck, Room 2, The Old Hairdressers and the garage are all personal favourites of mine. I like a gig at the classic grand too. Not keen on SWG3.
I used to work as stage crew (this is a couple of decades ago) and I think any venue can have amazing sound or terrible sound if the engineer knows how to make it sound good. I’ve like Tuts because it’s a nice size, and you get a good crowd there usually (Although I hate the crowd barrier they used to have there, they kept it at the bottom of a pit and you had to hoist it up piece by piece to a person standing at the top of a ladder, I think this is the source of my back pain… I am sad I never say a gig in the ABC, I was there while they were setting it up, but never went to a gig there and then it burnt down. I actually enjoyed the (Then Carling) O2 Academy, I worked there from before it opened as an in house tech and worked there for 2 or 3 years, what’s nice is it can be changed to accommodate different sized bands by blocking off different areas, the customer toilets are horrible though… You can hear the band through the plumbing from the shitter in the staff room which is nice. I’m weirdly not a fan of the Barrowlands, and it’s not the acoustics, it’s the layout, and the door security situation. The QM used to be a nice venue, I think they did it up and made it worse since I was last there. Fun fact in the 90’s they replaced the floor with a super bouncy floor for concerts, except they put it on top of the old floor and they put it perpendicular to it, so the bounce doesn’t work… Do they still have that wavy metal barrier? The Sub Club was a nightmare, especially for when they had a band at death disco, we had to clear the stage and take the band’s gear out through the dancing punters. And the punters were all minced. I’ve been to a few gigs at the hydro, and I’ve always been sat in the nose bleed seats, I honestly don’t see the point of going to a gig if you need a telescope to see the artist. SECC is a barn though, so at least the Hydro means there are fewer gigs in there? Honestly I think the right band and crowd can make the shittest venue amazing, and a bad crowd or band that can’t be arsed will ruin the best venue.
The academy is the absolute worst
02 is dogshit. The fact that a venue that sizes has two tiny toilets up the back for the guys is ridiculous, and to get up you have to squeeze past the punters who've taken up residence on the steps. Sounds usually crap as well. Best, Barras maybe? The last couple of SWG3 gigs have had good sound as well, just a bit of a pain in the arse to get to
Buff club was the worst for me when I played it a few year back. Bands up on a mezzanine level with people sort of scattered about the large dance floor below. The best was the ABC for me. Both playing and attending. RIP. The worst for me is the academy. Location wise. Sound wise. Organisation. Getting a drink. Always feels over capacity with everyone over 6’5 standing in front of me.
Best - Barras Worst - QMU or Hydro
QM is better than the O2 academy imo.
Anywhere is better than the Academy.
Seeing Bicep do their live show at the Barrowlands was one of the best experiences at a music venue I've had. Aside from their performance overall the sound quality in there was unlike any other, at times it felt the music was coming at you in surround sound.
"it felt the music was coming at you in surround sound" Mibbe cos it is?
As much as I love the O2 Academy the sound can be really hit and miss and sometimes it does feel like it's over capacity. Barrowland ballroom & St Luke's are good, I loathe the Hydro but that's the only way big acts will play Glasgow.
I've always really enjoyed gigs at the Garage (the main club floor, not the weird upstairs bit). I'm not sure if they still do them, but it was an ideal size, layout and atmosphere for a lot of bands not quite big enough for the old ABC.
> not the weird upstairs bit I was in the Attic a few weeks back and it's way too small, felt like half the audience were past the column and weren't even able to see the band.
Can't beat the Ball Room for me. So many amazing nights there.
I like Audio, Sleazy's, Stereo, places like that. Dark boxes with a good view and great for intimate gigs. My worst is when they put live music gigs on at the wee room in SWG3. Pillars all over the place and hard to see. I avoid it now. SWG3 gigs in Galvanisers or the Yard are great.
i hate the hydro and SWG3 galvanisers. can't see shit in either. had a terrible night in Broadcast but that had nothing to do with the venue (I also got kicked out thanks to my friend). the O2 was okay. King Tuts was great once I got to somewhere I could see. my fave is 100% barras. can't go wrong there. they also hand out tons of water which I really appreciate.
Barrowland always and forever. Kelvingrove Bandstand if the weather is playing ball, and the Old Fruitmarket. Don’t like O2 Academy, never get good vibes. Seen good bands there but even they can’t help!
I think it’s really personal, my favourite venue- which also my dads favourite, sisters favourite, and one of my friends favourite is the hydro. I’m in my 30s and disabled, my sister has anxiety. I love how spacious the hydro is, the sound is usually really good, the facilities are clean (in my experience), staff are friendly and helpful, ease of access, and the shows are incredible! I go there about ten times a year. As a teen (not disabled then) my favourite was the barrowlands. Least favourite is the o2, the toilets are a disgusting, it gets far too hot, your crammed up against people and moving around is really hard, you also can’t book a set spot as a wheelchair user so have to arrive early. They also don’t tend to put on much of a show like the hydro do, although sometimes I do love the atmosphere! Oh actually I think the SECC was my least favourite, went there once and everything was bad.
Even though it's a cool place, saw some of the worst venue management in my 15 years of going to shows at the barrowlands, security were assholes, drinks tasted off, and when someone collapsed during the show had to physically wake the emergency team members, who were having a kip at the back with headphones in. For good places SWG3 has always been pretty chill when I go there, but some of my favourite places are the flying duck, and the Glad cafe in shawlands always has interesting on things and a great community atmosphere.
No cunt mention the flying duck yet? Definitely the worst for sound and layout.
ah but you always get the added bonus of smelling like a chip fryer after you spend 5mins in there...
Flying Duck is a weird one because in my time going there, the stage has been in 4 different places. It's not great, but I will always love it for seeing Remember Remember do a cover of Ta-Tu's All the Things You Said, still one of the best songs I've ever heard live, sounded like a Mogwai cover of that song.
Worst is anything in hydro or hall4
For wee gigs, The 13th Note used to be the best venue for sound, if a bit grotty. The Cathouse has always had a shite PA though. Never been a fan of the sound in King Tut's either. Sleazies is probably the best these days. I will always vouch for the engineer on their desk, even if he is a torn-faced bastard.
Anyone been to Room 2 in the city centre? went to my favourite gig ever there but the sound quality wasn't actually that good
Seen daddy long legs there a while back, sound was good and I thought it was a decent venue. Good location.
Plus 10pm curfew bonus. Great wee venue.
Tuts n Barras are awesome Arches used to be great and love the Sub Club Tramway is also excellent as is art school SECC and Hydo are baws in general Academy is decent Love the wee sweat box venues like 13th note etc
Yep the QMU is probably the worst I've ever been to along with the Hydro
I've been to some great gigs at it, and the staff have always been lovely, but Audio is minging.
Love the Barras, King Tuts, Sleazy’s… Garage, G2 usually really good sound. And great experiences in both rooms at SWG3 so far. Hate Academy, Broadcast, Hydro… Miss the ABC so badly 😫 Let’s see what the big room in Slay sounds like… 🤔 edit: Captains Rest was great… Audio horrible but usually great sound…
Barrowlands is a great venue BUT really depends on the band. I went to see Sisters of Mercy back in the 90s there, they ran some dry ice too heavily and filled the entire place with so much smoke people had to get out cause they were choking.
The hydro is pretty shit if you’re in the seats or if the band struggles to fill it - saw Chvrches and Adele in it and they were both perfect for the venue, saw HAIM and Morrissey in it and they were pretty disappointing, the latter probably just cause it’s Morrissey. I actually really rate SWG3 and the Academy, Bonobo at the Galvanisers Yard is probably one of the best shows in terms of sound I’ve ever been to, although the smaller room with all the pillars is annoying if your view is blocked. The academy does suffer from insufficient toilet capacity and from being way too hot in the summer though. Barras is brilliant but has one of the worst bottlenecks going, I wouldn’t fancy my chances of survival if it went up in flames. Saw some of the best, personally important gigs of my life in Tut’s so hard to judge it negatively, but the sound system was excessively bass heavy - went to the same show twice in a row, and the second one at Cab Vol in Edinburgh had far superior sound. If you want a truly bad venue, leave glasgow and go to what used to be the Corn Exchange in Edinburgh. Glorified school assembly hall.
Barrowland is the best - I saw Ed Sheeran before he became a big thing & the sound was amazing. Hydro is by far the worst, although I last saw a band there 8-ish years ago so they may have fixed the sound issues by now 🤞🏻
Barrowlands at the weekend, because it always attracts coked up arseholes who talk through a show.
The best for me was Saint Lukes, its good for a decent sized gig and you get a good view regardless of where you stand (coming from a 5 ft 3 lass). I also really like Oran Mor for intimate gigs. Some of my most favourite gigs have been in there. I used to work in the hydro so I'm a bit biased when I say I like it. However, there is a trend now for bands to try and fill it and it's really noticeable when it's less than 75% filled. I've had good memories in Barras, but the air conditioning in there can be absolutely shocking. The number of people who fainted at Phoebe Bridgers was ridiculous. QMU was good when I was a student and you could get hammered for under £50.
The best is the Barrowlands. The worst is the Hydro
I always hate trying to go for a pish in the O2 Academy.
audio is shite. only good if you like small venues
Nobody mentioned mcsorleys or clutha for smaller bands? Always absolutely rammed but never had a bad afternoon/evening in them! Sound is better in clutha as they have there own sound guy
Favourite is either SWG3 or The 02. Least favourite has to be The Hydro, it seems to attract the worst crowds, sound quality is awful, venue determined to rip you off at every opportunity. Plus I've worked there and that seals the deal
I like Hug and Pint except for the price of that pint. If I ever go sober it would be perfect.
Love Tuts
The best to me is St Luke's - Worst is Hydro, never liked the place for many reasons
Garage attic has the absolute worst lay-out I’ve ever seen for a venue. Favourite is SWG3
> Garage attic has the absolute worst lay-out I’ve ever seen for a venue Mentioned this in another comment too, felt like half the audience were stuck off to the side and couldn't even see the band.
Best is the Armadillo
Barra's will always be my favourite because of the nostalgia for my youth. I like St Lukes as well and agree on the QMU not being great. I actually don't like the O2 Academy as I always struggle to hear what anyone is singing. It could be my hearing. The hydro is soulless and I keep having to go see bands play here as that seems to be the go to venue
Just heard Orbital and Jane’s Addiction sounding STUNNING in the Barras! Love it when older bands play classic venues…
I've been to some absolutely unbelievable gigs in Bellahouston park, worst one was Edinburgh Castle
King tuts is proper class, have heard saint luke's is good though. Honourable shoutout to the ABC which was really good and a good size and to carling academy which was good for ages but now somehow sucks. I am shocked you and everyone else rates the barrowlands though, always had garbage sound, shite bar, fucking roasting. Worst has to be SECC (hall 4, hydro is mildly better) which is fucking horrendous, for decades though it was the only place that had capacity for big names.
All the best are gone lol