Berkeley Community Theatre

For a show that ran over three hours, this venue couldn’t make time go by any faster. I can see how this venue would be favorable among performers, but I’m writing for the 99% that is the audience.
The only upside I see to having events here is the large stage and seating capacity. Everything else is a bust. It’s great that the venue can seat over 3,000 people, but how they utilize and care for the space is beyond me. There’s no surround speaker system, only one central source front and center. The air was stale and smelled like old farts, the bathroom was flooded and just as gross, and I could feel the springs in my seat!
And to put a damper on the entire show, the manager made her grand debut on stage after intermission and had to lecture a whole crowd of college students to clear the aisles. Way to kill the buzz and make it feel like back-​to-​school night…

I is be a smart people.
We had excellent tickets to see Flight of the Conchords… never been to this theater, I was clever enough to read Unilocal.This one worried me:
Jess s.
11/​23/​2008
’This venue is falling apart! Heres what I got to experience for a $ 50 ticket to a show here:
5 minute wait for the only ladies bathroom (5 working stalls), plus the entire bathroom was flooded with toilet water!‘
Before the show, all of the women’s rooms were packed with lines of about 40+ squeezing their knees together or doing the pee pee dance. Being the ballsy girl that I am, I stomped over to the men’s room. In and out… I was so proud of myself, I wanted to shake my imaginary penis.
Halfway through the show, I need to go again. Guess what? The bathroom floor was flooded with … you know… toilet water, tinted with a nice shade of yellow and some floaters. Nice, huh?
Leaving the show was a nightmare. The first show ran late, because it started late… so the line for the next show was a mob of angry people. And the first show goers (me) just wanted out.
I would prefer not to return to this theater. Unless it was someone totally awesome.
Also… the air circulation is poor. They did have the doors open to help… which with the bay breeze, made it nice… but there is no way in hell I would ever go to a show in the summer time.

Saw Flight of the Conchords here and had a pretty good time. The venue is right next to Berkeley High School, so there’s no drinking. The staff here is like the best because I lost my wallet and they found it for me, which is like INCREDIBLY lucky, but yeah. They were also a bit unorganized because they had a problem with the fire alarms and they had been going off all afternoon… BUT overall, great experience. A very intimate venue.

I was fortunate enough to see Flight of the Conchords here last night. The show was amazing, unfortunately the venue was not. For starters… it’s in Berkeley. It was beyond poorly managed. The line was literally around the block with another long line for will call. Once they started moving it was a complete cluster f**k. However, the will call people got to go in immediately after getting tickets which was nice. Inside there were no signs to tell us where to go, just some guy screaming and pointing. The ushers also did not direct us to our seats so we had to figure out which side of the theater we were supposed to go to. The acoustics were not great. Fortunately the place was pretty clean.
It would have to be a pretty awesome act to get me to go back.

I had a decent experience here from the only show I have ever experienced. I went with the husband and we parked for free on the street (always a plus in my book) and within walking distance. We got there early so we wandered the area and it is right near Shattuck and tons of places to grab a drink or a bite.
As for the show (we saw Primus), I had no complaints. Our seats were good, we were up front in the first section of seats after general admission. I didn’t even book the tickets right when they went on sale and we still lucked out with great seats. I found my seat comfortable, enough leg room for what you would expect.
They did not allow photos, no one really does anymore though. We didn’t try to eat or drink at the theater so their rules were not an issue for us.

5 stars for the show i saw here last night (cheech and chong). but only 3 stars for the actual venue. we were sitting in the orchestra section. that would have been cool if the numbering and organization of the seats wasn’t so damn confusing. we couldn’t find our seats and neither could the ushers. while it was comical to see a bunch of stoners confused and trying to figure things out, it did get annoying after awhile. a circuit also blew out during the show and we had to sit in complete darkness (until people started lighting up) for a good 10 minutes. you’d think that a place like this would have a backup generator. they do earn a star for the fact that they didn’t hate on the people sparking up. despite the negative things, i’d still consider seeing a show here again.

This venue is falling apart! Heres what I got to experience for a $ 50 ticket to a show here:
5 minute wait for the only ladies bathroom (5 working stalls), plus the entire bathroom was flooded with toilet water!
They do not have the rows labeled and I had to wait another 5 minutes for the 1 of 2 ushers for the entire balcony (understaffed).
The seats were made for 7 year olds! I was shoulder to shoulder for 2 hours and knee to knee with the people next to me, & virtually no padding on the seats.
The main breaker failed and all the power went out for about 10 minutes. Sitting at the top row, it started to get extremely hot without ac. And they do not have emergency lighting, not even on the stairs.
Trying to leave was herendous, from the balcony all the way to the street it was like a moving in a herd of cattle, it took 20 minutes!
1 star because this place is so old and decrepit that when the lights went out I started to have thoughts about how I would probably die trying to get out if there was an earthquake or some kind of disaster.

I had a great time seeing Cheech and Chong at the Berkeley Community Theatre. In the 28 years if you would of told me that I was gonna see Cheech and Chong perform I would have never believed it. Well it happened and it was a blast! I had seats in the lower balcony and I thought was the perfect area to enjoy the show. The only bad thing is the numbering of the seats. Its very confusing and even the staff had trouble looking for the seats –1 star. During the show a circuit breaker blew so we sat in the dark for 15min –1. This totally cut right through Chong’s bit and killed it. –1 star for the audience talking and yelling while the Theater staff was trying to explain the situation. +1 star for Chong trying to get the crowed settled down and meditating. –1 star for waiting 10min for the crowed to dwindle down only to get stuck at the exit to the street. Finding yourself moving like a herd of cattle. Only to find out its due to the people selling merchandise are right smack in the middle of the moving crowed and creating traffic. +1 for seeing the girl who killed cookie monster, which made a good laugh (maybe an inside joke).
So in total I don’t recall how many stars we have because I’m sorta high from all the smoke in the theatre. ROCK ON! Cheech and Chong!

My first, and possibly only, BCT concert experience happened here last year when Sonic Youth toured in celebration of the 25^th Anniversary of their album ‘Daydream Nation’. In the middle of the concert, I found myself wishing we were practically anywhere else enjoying this performance instead of this place. While the facility offers easy access and lots of parking nearby, which is sufficient for high school and most amateur performers, I would gladly sacrifice both in return for a venue that can support a great concert experience.

Class. Class. CLASS!!!
That’s better. Now children. Today we have a very special assembly for you in the Auditorium. Principal Skinner and I think you are really going to enjoy Keane.
But let’s go over a few rules first, shall we?
First, there will be no alcoholic beverages of any kind. The only refreshments allowed in the Auditorium will be those which you must buy there. You may NOT bring any of your own. Of course all we will have is water and some stale candy, and we will run out of those before the show starts. So if you become thirsty, you may feel free to lick the puddles on the floor in the boys and girls wawrshrooms (say it with me: wawrsh-​rooms) because as you know the 60 year old porcelain water fountains still don’t work.
Also, as you know, the ventilation system is poor and we don’t have the funds to fix it. So, it will get very hot in there. You may NOT remove your shirts however.
Yes, we are aware that the seats are very tightly packed together and most are broken and uncomfortable, but you MAY NOT STAND at any time because your neighbors behind you won’t like it.
Now use your manners, enter single file, and try to find your assigned seat in an orderly fashion despite the fact that the seat numbering makes no logical sense.
Enjoy the show boys and girls!

I’ve only seen one concert here but it was totally awesome even though we had really shitty seats. But really every seat is a pretty good seat, it’s just sort of a bummer if you’d rather be running around drunkenly then sitting in a seat when you’re watching Primus. But the sound system was great, so who cares.

I will always remember one of the best times of my teenage life was at the Berkeley Community Theatre — Live 105’s Green Xmas in 1995. Friends had to lie to their parents to be able to go to a venue so far from home and I remember seeing The Rentals, Radiohead, Sonic Youth, and Oasis. We had to leave for BART before Oasis was done because the last train was coming. That was such a bummer!
In college I heard Salman Rushdie speak here, which was awesome — he was very entertaining and funny. I’ve also seen Modest Mouse, Keane, and a few others. Though going here as someone in my late 20s I always feel old, because it seems like the last few shows have been full of teenagers and college students (the theater is on the Berkeley High campus).
The sound is only OK and the seats are pretty uncomfortable. Plus, just sitting the whole time isn’t that fun. Unfortunately, I think the chances of me seeing a great show here are lessening as I get older.

Bad venue! Bad! Go lie down, venue!
— The numbering for the seating is completely nonsensical… expect to beg an usher for help (well, some of the ushers can’t even find their way around)
— Ran out of food/​water/​etc. before the show even started (and you’re not allowed to bring in your own)… the only refreshments are these ghetto water fountains with no water pressure… prepare to lick the faucet if you want some refreshment. This wouldn’t be so bad if not for…
— HOT! If there is AC in here, there might as well not be. This is especially bad in the balcony area.
— Located on school grounds (no alcohol)
— Seats are somewhat uncomfortable for long shows

–no booze
–no booze
–decent seating
–no booze
–pretty good acoustics
–no booze
–NO BOOZE!
pass on this one…

This place blows.
HOWEVER, Ryan Adams did what he could with it as did I.
5 stars for one of the best shows of 2007.
1 star for one of the worst venues to see a show of 2007
(the sound is great, but that doesn’t make up for the rest)
A Kiss Before I Go
Please do not let me go
Goodnight Rose
Peaceful Valley
Two
Easy Plateau
Beautiful Sorta
Mockingbird
Happy Birthday (Summer Rae Brown)
When Stars Go Blue
I Taught Myself How To Grow Old
Everybody Knows
Let it Ride
Blue Hotel
Elizabeth, You Were Born to Play That Part
Dear Chicago
Wildflowers
What Sin Replaces Love
Cold Roses
Shakedown On 9^th Street
I See Monsters

Saw the Keane Concert 27-​Jan-​2007.
Parking — Street parking available if you get there early enough. There are a few garages in the area too.
Venue — Small/​Medium sized venue with great headliners.
Sound — The sound was clean and good.
Food — none — chips and water was about it.
The Berkeley Community Theater is a great place for a concert. The intimate atmosphere, phenomenal sound quality, and walking distance from Shattuck to pre and post concert libations makes this place a winner.

Seriously, my high school theater did not look like this. Good place and in walking distance to quick cheap restuarants and public transportation… for when the concert is over and its time to get the hell out of dodge. Keane concert was amazing. I had third row seats, but there was this security guard that stood directly in my eyeline and blocked off half of the stage. I bitched, I complained, and then she bothered me no more.
1 star off for the bathrooms. 10 stalls, 1 broken, 3500 people! WTF.

As far as venues in the bay area go the Berkeley Community Theatre is definitely middle of the pack for me.
The good include a fairly intimate setting, reserved seating with good sightlines (I’ve sat everywhere from front row to back of the balcony) decent acoustics and close to BART.
The bad?
–The bathroom lines are out of control (even for the guys)
–No food allowed inside
–No drinking at a concert? Are you kidding me? I know it’s a high school auditorium but it’s not like school’s in session!

For a high school theatre, this is an amazing space. I was three rows back in the pit for the acoustic Foo Fighters show so my seats were great, but the venue is small enough that I can’t imagine that the balcony seats are at all bad.
Because of the proximity to BART and the nice sized venue, I’ll definitely be checking out their calender for upcoming shows.

Maybe the Oakland Paramount’s, long lost, less flashy sibling. The seating and space layout are almost identical, it’s just not nearly as ornate. However, it is no less acoustically fantastic. The last I was here Tool had previewed Lateralus on force. Cut to years later and the Foo Fighters are doing an acoustic set. I had seen them at Bridge School in the same fashion but always felt they were at their best rocking out. From the power of «In Your Honor» to the slow burn and buildup of «February Stars» I was blown away by how well the re-​composition of songs sounded in this space. Every nuance in Dave’s voice to the singularity of each instrument. Phenomenal.