The Tower Theatre

We took a chance and bought tickets for the Todd Haaby CD release concert. The theater is quaint. You can tell it’s an older theater, but since we never saw it before this trip, I cannot comment or compare how it was previously.
We sat approximately 15 rows back (just about perfect). I would be amazed if there was a bad seat in the house. The theater is pretty small, but not too intimate. The seats are comfortable and the theater is very clean, including the restrooms. They served wine, beer, nonalcoholic beverages and popcorn. You could even take the refreshments into the theater. This was a new concept to me since the theaters in Seattle make you down them before going back in.
The staff was very pleasant and although the theater is small, they were on hand to show everyone where their seats were, just as in the larger and more elegant venues.
I would highly recommend this theater for a concert. I would love to see a play here.
I would highly recommend this theater for a concert. I would love to see a play here.
Update: Just an FYI — we were at the Tower Theater for the PDXchange concert featuring All You All (yuck), Talkdemonic (sorta yuck) and Helio Sequence (pretty good). Unfortunately, the sound was horrible. Whoever the sound guy/​gal was that night, they must have been deaf. I actually had to plug my ears because the feedback, tinny sound and all around sound was horrible.
So, as a lesson, I suppose, be ready for either good or bad.
March 6 is Ryan Styles — let’s hope the sound person doesn’t mess with Ryan’s sound!

It’s an attractive venue but I was not impressed with the sound. Heard «Tower of Power» there on Friday, Oct.21, 2011. The band was in top form, as they always are but the sound was muddy at least from where I was sitting in Row J. Went up front to dance as well and the sound was bad there too. No definition between the instruments, couldn’t hear the bass, the killer tenor solos were really hard to hear. I’ve heard TOP in many venues over the years, been a fan since 1969. If I was TOP, I wouldn’t play the Tower Theatre again.

Absolutely fantastic theater. I have performed here, and been here as an audience member. As a performer, it has good sound, fantastic lighting for it’s size, and it’s newly fixed up. As an audience member, the seats are comfy, the have beer and such outside before you come in and at intermission. Don’t sit too close up. I’d say the sweet spot is about 9 – 15 rows back mid center right. But I’m an audio geek.

The restored Tower Theater in downtown Bend is the very best venue in Central Oregon for the performing arts. If only Corvallis could get the Whiteside theater restored in the same glory.