I have not been to The Chop Shop since the renovations. Shame on me. No seriously, SHAME ON ME.
Ventured here last night with a group of friends to see The Revivalists. My first time seeing them live. If you ever have an opportunity to catch their show... GO! They were fantastic.
Anyway, back to the venue. Huge space. Two different stages. One for the bigger shows.. the other for smaller. Super cool decor. The main room was built out of re-purposed industrial and automotive pieces. There are seats along the wall that look like a cross between a movie theater and a vehicle. I definitely wandered away from the group to go sit in these comfy spots for a hot second. There are also pool tables to kill some time between shows.
Huge patio. Because of the size, nonsmokers can even step outside to get some fresh air without being bombarded with a cloud of smoke.
For a NoDa business, it has a lot more parking available than most. I didn't arrive in time for a spot in the lot, but found a place on the street with no problem and a short walk.
Sometimes I go to shows and I'm scared of what the bathroom will look like. You know the feeling... like is it safe to touch things or should I put mittens on? Not the case here. So clean. Didn't feel like a music venue at all.
Quick service at the bar. Reasonable drink prices. Great specials board. Nice craft beer selection. I was stoked to see a pumpkin beer available.
It's refreshing to catch a show at a venue where the tickets and drinks are very much affordable. No crazy added fees. I look forward to checking out more bands at The Chop Shop in the near future.