Seapoint Ballroom

Flynn

Hey guys.

Has anyone been to the Seapoint Ballroom for a concert? What's it like? I see a few good acts coming up (Newton Faulkner, James Vincent McMurrow, The 1975) and was thinking of heading to one. Is it a formal venue? Is there a bar? Just the fact that it's on in a leisure centre has thrown me a bit.. Would it be a sit down affair?

Thank for the help!

snubbleste

Hello 1950s!

JoeA3

I was at a Bell X1 gig there before Christmas. It's OK. A bit old-school obviously, its very much a throwback to the old dance halls! But it was more comfortable than I expected and there was a bar with a limited selection (I think it was cans only!). It was all standing where I was but there was an upper tier / balcony with seats and tables which I think were a free-for-all on the night I was there.

Galway could really do with a proper modern venue to be fair.

Flynn

Thanks Joe, Sounds oldskool alright!
Yes I agree on the venue front!

renegademaster

JoeA3 wrote: »

I was at a Bell X1 gig there before Christmas. It's OK. A bit old-school obviously, its very much a throwback to the old dance halls! But it was more comfortable than I expected and there was a bar with a limited selection (I think it was cans only!). It was all standing where I was but there was an upper tier / balcony with seats and tables which I think were a free-for-all on the night I was there.

Galway could really do with a proper modern venue to be fair.

nobody in town has the stones or the means to challenge the Royal Theatre in Castlebar which is so big it can take the largest stage productions on the planet, it always makes me laugh at the state of our venues in Galway City :eek:

reap-a-rat

I've been to two gigs here recently. Both were fully seated; one had the balcony open, the other did not. The bar for one of the first gigs there since the Roisin started using it I heard was poor selection-wise, but both times I was there it was well stocked (for a venue like it) - few different lagers, Guinness, bottles, the regular spirits and wine.

Sound-wise I find it fairly good actually. And for both gigs, getting in and out was no hassle, even though the crowds were big.

It's a bit weird having the massive bingo prize cheque on the wall outside the door and the disco ball is really cheesey, but it's well-run and both gigs I was at as well as another I heard about were really good there.

thesandeman

Used to be a classic venue in the 80s. The New Years parties were legendary. Every 'head' in Galway used to turn up for Chris Meehan and his Redneck Friends, The Fleadh Cowboys, Sawdocters, Stunning etc.
Wouldn't think the interior has changed much.

swine

I went to see Mick Flannery here over Christmas. Bit of a strange venue alright but probably more comfortable than the times I've seen the same artist in the Roisin itself since the Ballroom holds more people. The bar was open for and had a decent selection (Guinness, wine, pint bottles of Bulmers, Carlsberg). Sound was quite good I thought. One thing was the place felt a bit cold in the bar area, it was a little warmer in the ballroom. I'd definitely go back overall.

witnessrenegade

renegademaster wrote: »

nobody in town has the stones or the means to challenge the Royal Theatre in Castlebar which is so big it can take the largest stage productions on the planet, it always makes me laugh at the state of our venues in Galway City :eek:

Have you seen the list of acts who have played the TF recently? Sweet feck all! When the venue opened again after being done up it had gigs on every weekend with the nightclub going as well, hasn't had anything big in the last two plus years apart from a comedy gig here and their. Such a waste, if Galway had a proper venue it would be amazing, town is still getting big gigs for the venues on offer, if they had a proper venue that held 4/5k + it would bring in some great acts, I though their was talk a few years ago of the college wanting to build a theater in the field where the big top goes for the Arts festival?

stampydmonkey

Flynn wrote: »

Hey guys.

Has anyone been to the Seapoint Ballroom for a concert? What's it like? I see a few good acts coming up (Newton Faulkner, James Vincent McMurrow, The 1975) and was thinking of heading to one. Is it a formal venue? Is there a bar? Just the fact that it's on in a leisure centre has thrown me a bit.. Would it be a sit down affair?

Thank for the help!

Went to the villagers a few weeks ago. Granted it wasn't near sold out I thought it was a great spot. Seats around the outside of the floor, and the balcony but standing everywhere else. People sat for the first few acts but stood for the villagers. It was rotten out and we got drenced on the way over but venue was warm so we quickly forgot. Bar was outside and easy to get served. Limited range but grand. Smoking section too for smokers so was cool enough

Flynn

Cheers for the replies, It sounds grand tbh!

godfrey

Worst load-in in Ireland. Fact! Stairs, stairs, stairs, stairs, stairs, stairs, stairs, stairs...

Luckily, that won't concern you as a punter

Oh jaysus my back...

g

gandroid

Good venue, sound was very good I thought.

Bar was reasonable for a gig and wasn't too busy.