rev:text
| - Road-tripped to our first show (Ray Lamontagne) at this venue last night.
I've got to say, I'm fairly shocked by the consensus-negative reviews here; I suspect many of them must pre-date some amount of recent renovation.
$10 to park, near-instant access to the main road right after the show. Nice. I suspect if you know the geography, you probably don't pay to park here at all, as there seem to be plenty of other options in easy walking distance.
It's not much from the outside but perfectly welcoming once you make the doors. A line-neighbor mentioned that it is the oldest venue in town; this shows in the architecture which looks like it could have been done by Mike Brady, but really didn't detract from the overall experience, in my view. Yes, there is a lot of dark paneling but everything was clean and in good repair.
Bathrooms were fine, clean and sufficient. There were lines for the bar (where aren't there) but friendly servers pouring shockingly cheap drinks (call liquor for $7 and domestics for $5? Don't these guys know concert venues are supposed to gouge?).
Google says that the venue holds 2400; this puts it on similar size footing with our local state-of-the-art DPAC but Ovens felt much smaller and more intimate without the stacked balconies. We sat dead center of the main floor and found the sound quality to be top-notch (admittedly this can vary a lot with the act, but every instrument and every detail was audible). Sound levels were just right, loud enough to make it a rock show and drown out the yakkers but not so loud to need plugs.
I guess it's fair to dock them a star as the seats themselves left a bit to be desired and, admittedly, newer venues have a bit more polish. But I'd go back here in a minute for an act I wanted to see in a smaller venue.
|