Syracuse Ska Forum

What's up everybody? Yo. What are your favorite venues for ska anywhere? For me in upstate ny the chance in poughkeepsie is thuh winner. dark atmosphere, good sound, balcony, big bar, high rockstar stage in the middle of desolate po-town.
Runner up: the old haunt (RIP), the jailhouse (montreal)

the haunt or the stag hotel.


both no longer there.


(seeing general rudie/the ops at the stag hotel was a big highlight of the ska shows I've been to)

In my experience out of venues I frequently go to, Steel has better shows, but Waterstreet is a better place.

westcott shows own

You mean the old Haunt on the commons in Ithaca. I think Jay would be offended if you implied his place closed down. ; )

Anyways, yeah, I miss the Stag, the old Haunt, Zopies, old Hungry Charlies, Styleen's (Armory High never was as happening) and Happy Endings. Of places that still exist, I like the Westcott, Coffee Pavilion and UCF Underground the best. I never cared for Planet 505, Bridge St Music Hall or Lost Horizon (haven't been to Tundra yet, sorry).

House of Blues: Anaheim
The old Grog Shop in Cleveland, OH
Continental in Buffalo, NY

The Continental is sweet, I love Buffalo venues. I even liked showplace theater a lot, the slanted floor is pretty sweet, you can always see the stage plus those old theater seats for if you wanted to be a lazy old fart. I saw some damn good shows at the Cruise Inn as well, and once or twice I went to the Backstage Pub before it closed down..also a nice venue. Man, I miss Buffalo...
-Mike

I hate Showplace. The floor is way too small, the stage is way too high, the barricade is way too far away from the stage, and the crap falling from the ceiling is annoying as hell.

Showplace could be a good venue but the soundsystem blew, it seemed way underpowered for a room that size. Plus the staff were dicks, I haven't been there lately so maybe this has changed. later dudez.

The only way showplace could be good was if they fixed the ceiling, made the dancefloor wider, got a new staff, got a new stage, got a new building, and changed its name to something that didn't summon bad memories

Here's a wierd new note ...

The Bunker on Marshall St (in the space formerly known as Coffee Cave) is now doing live music. They're begging The Benefits to play there and so they probably will.

Why so weird?

It's owned by Bob Aluzzo, the same guy who shut down live music at Armory High a few years back and re-opened as the danceclub, Alluzions (get the name now?). He lied to everyone in the process of doing that, so I'd warn everyone to be careful with him going forward. Once an opportunist, possibly always an opportunist.

Just passing information along ...

I don't count that as "The Haunt"...

Yeah, it lost a lot of character when it moved from The Commons.

That said, they're now hosting SID3 on Wed, Sept 21st.

the New Haunt has great sound but so-so atmosphere and a bad location.
still a good place for bigger shows. and the old haunt was right next to the good calzones.