1. Home
  2. best-of
  3. 160695-2319

Concert halls from around the world. What have been your favorites.

I have been to the best ones in NYC and many other cities in the US and Europe.  Fisher and many others come to mind... But I am interested in your experiences. 

All of the best live performances of music at all of the great halls, the music was on stage in front of me, Left to Right with natural front to back based on the stage and arrangements of players.

I have never been to a great live performance where there were player to my sides or behind.  Hence my interest in Stereo and not 5:1, 7:1, 467:1 et. al. 

But if you enjoy movies where the dinosaur or something is attacking from the sides or back...well...

I am still of the thought that the "Absolute Sound" is great live music in a great building.  But I also like real, fresh and natural foods vs. processed, max corn sweetener foods....

whatjd
whatjd OP
1,139 posts
 
The original Hancher in Iowa City was quite good until a flood ended it's life.  The new one is good, but I do not have enough experience yet to compare them.  Being a Jazz fan, most of the live performances I have seen were in commercial places...like bars, Sweet Basil's, The Blue Note and others.

I have seen several "outdoor" events and find it is all over the place sound wise.....


rcprince
3,101 posts
 
palasr--I agree with you on watching an opera in Italy.  I went to a performance by a touring troupe in Todi, and it was almost like being at a baseball game here in the US.
dayglow
2,449 posts
 
Another vote for Hill Auditorium. Have attended many concerts there including several folk festivals classical and pop/rock/blues performances always with above average hall acoustics. The standout concert was The Berlin Philharmonic with Claudio Abbado conducting his farewell tour 2001. I believe they only performed in 5 cities NY/Chicago/SF and DC? The performance was stunning with razor sharp precision and dynamics, I'm sure the acoustics of Hill Auditorium accentuated the great Berlin Philharmonic!
cwlondon
1,210 posts
 
bsimpson
Vienna - schmienna!!

Everyone knows that only New York has the best of the best of the BEST of everything, 24/7.  Obviously, you are a hateful, privileged, misogynist. 

I bet you eat meat and don't even drive an electric car.
nordicnorm
313 posts
 
+1 for The Concertgebow in Amsterdam.

The Winnipeg Centennial Concert Hall (Winnipeg, MB Canada) competes with it. The acoustics are incredible. There is not a bad seat anywhere. I had the fortunate experience of playing on its stage when I was (much) younger. It took little effort for me to peel the paint off the back wall.

The Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts in Kingston, ON Canada. It’s a bit disorienting when you walk in - your ears automatically feel blocked. It has been acoustically treated so there is very little bounce off the side walls which messes with your kinaesthetic awareness. But the sound from the performers is exquisite!
More to discover