I've been coming here for years and it's one of my favourite concert venues in the city. Yep, it's old, the stage is small and short, and some of the wooden seats are in dire need of repair, but despite these flaws, I still love the Horseshoe.
Depending on the night, it can either be very packed or empty. Tuesday nights are good nights to check out up-and-coming bands for free.
As a live music photographer, the stage is decently lit which is to say that I've gotten away without using my flash. Another good thing is that the lighting tech guy doesn't rely on the contrast killing red light.
The only dislike I have is that when it gets too packed, it's a hot box in there. There's been a few times where I had to leave my spot because I felt like I was about to faint. Luckily that has never happened but they need to add more ceiling fans.