Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The Handlebar has been a good venue for music. I hate to say not many patrons are able to pay a lot to see very good and recognizable artists right now which in turns limits who the venue can book.
20's. And 30's don't go downtown as much as people on here think
I have to agree with others here that Simpsonville is more "family" oriented. My wife and I (and most of our friends) are mid 20s to mid 30s and if we aren't hanging out at someone's house (many of which are in or near downtown) then we are hanging out downtown somewhere. That's my experience at least since I've lived here.
Asheville is good, but if you want serious bands in the region, you head to Athens. Columbia's scene is mediocre at best, and even then, only there due to USC. Not shocked about the Handlebar....never thought Greenville was a very good music town. The article in the paper on the Handlebar makes it sound like a family feud between the Hatfield's and the McCoy's. LOL.
imo, Athens is not as high on the list these days. It's still better than Greenville but nowhere near where it has been in the past. I go there occasionally, but most of my trips to see live bands are to Asheville (Orange Peel, Grey Eagle) Charlotte (Fillmore, Tremont, Milestone, various others), or Atlanta (masquerade, tabernacle, others).
Columbia does not have a great local music scene these days, but what I meant was that some bands still come through there, simply because of the college-student audience. For example, one of my all-time favorite bands just came through SC and they went to New Brookland Tavern in Columbia. Now, I've been to the tavern numerous times over the years but surely we could have a venue in this area that could steal some of those shows this way.
And, I LOVE the Orange Peel in Asheville. One of my favorite venues in the Carolinas both as a spectator and a performer. However, I would be VERY surprised if they opened a 2nd location in Greenville; we are just too close. Music venues are different than restaurants. Bands are only going to play the same general area so many times on a tour. For example, except in the case of a very, very small band, if a band is planning to hit Atlanta -> Asheville -> Charlotte, they most likely would not see it as advantageous to add a stop in Greenville unless they were getting a great upfront guarantee or something.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carolina Knight
The Handlebar has been a good venue for music. I hate to say not many patrons are able to pay a lot to see very good and recognizable artists right now which in turns limits who the venue can book.
Do you think the patrons in this area are more strapped than patrons in other areas? When I drive to Charlotte, Chapel Hill, Atlanta and everywhere else I go to see the bands I want to see, the shows have good solid crowds. I was just up in Charlotte Sunday night to a sold-out Tremont Music Hall. I don't see there being an issue of patrons not paying to see good music.
Last edited by Sunbather; 03-25-2014 at 06:12 AM..
My wife and I went to see a band there a couple of years ago. The band was awesome. The Handlebar itself to me seemed very rundown, like it needed to be cleaned and basic maintenance done on the facility.
We had planned to see the band again as they had played at the Handlebar every year for a decade or so. The band toured the SE again this year with stops in Athens, Asheville, and Charlotte but not here in Greenville.
We've looked at the Handlebar's lineup periodically since we went to that show but haven't honestly seen much that seemed worth going to listen to even for a cheap price.
we need a better-booked music venue downtown. I have no interest in haywood or woodruff road. It's one thing we are really missing compared to several cities in surrounding states that I visit frequently for music.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
