The Ardmore Music Hall

The Ardmore is a good sized venue with excellent acoustics. My girlfriend and I were guests on a recent night to see Buckethead perform. We were slightly perturbed that the staff hadn’t made separate lines for general admission ticket holders and early seating ticket holders, but this became irrelevant when we were granted out early admission and managed to get spots in the front row.
Mind you, we stood before the stage rather than sat upon the chairs in their seated section. This was the clear choice since the seating section doesn’t afford the best views and is further back from the stage than would be preferable. That said, the extra ticket price was worth it for the early entrance as the place steadily filled up to capacity (it was a sold out show).
The acoustics were good, security was reasonable and the bar served a fair selection of drinks at only a modest markup from average bar prices. The concert itself was excellent, and we would gladly return to the venue. We happened to catch a show on a Sunday and were able to park at one of the city lots for free!

I love the Ardmore! The venue is spacious even when the show is sold out. The amazing talent the venue brings in will keep me coming back. Everyone there is kind, from the door men to the ticket taker to the bathroom attendant and bartenders, everyone is friendly and welcoming. The drinks are food are priced appropriately and don’t break the bank, neither do the ticket prices. I especially love their selection of beer. Definitely don’t miss a show here!

This is my new favorite music venue. I’m 42 and have seen music in venues all over the country… Brooklyn, Manhattan, DC, New Orleans, Salt Lake City, St. Louis, Ithaca, Jersey, Jackson Hole, Breckenridge, you name it. This venue is EXTREMELY well-​managed compared with other venues from a music-lover’s point of view.
Here are the salient features:
1. GREAT beer like the microbrews from Tired Hands down the street and other truly amazing sht. Best beer selection of any venue you’ve ever visited.
2. Good attentive bartenders. They don’t care if you’re 42 or 24 or 64, fat or skinny, wearing Louis Vuitton or Old Navy. They’re not hired for cleavage or muscles but for knowing how to bartend.
3. Sound is good all over the venue, even to the sides of stage and in the back.
4. Free parking out back
5. Can leave and re-​enter the show if you want to smoke or get a slice of pizza across the street.
6. They sell slices across the street
7. Venue sent me an email before the show to tell me the set time for the headliner, parking situation, and how late the kitchen would be open.
Another thing I love about AMH is the crowd. These people are fans! They dance instead of talking over the music and cheer for a badass solo. They’ll take a step to the side when you need to squeeze through. Dressed up or dressed down, old or young… it’s diverse and no one seems judgy. You’re all there for the same reason which makes these folks your new friends. You’ll probably get a high five or a smile from a stranger.
The only thing they lack is a hotel nearby. We live in the boonies and drive 3 hours to see music here so we always need a hotel room. Not much on Air BNB either. Someone could build a hotel franchise here and make a killing…

The talent they bring in is top-​notch. Great sight lines, amazing staff, excellent beer selection– Love the fact that they’ve created an outdoor music festival (Live from the Lot) in the back parking lot!

I might come here again. It wasn’t a horrific experience, BUT this place needs management work!
HIRE WAITERS: I had to yell over the people leaning against the bar to get the bartenders attention to order my food. I had no Choice, but to yell it out. She seemed to take it like I was yelling at her afterwards. How else was I suppose to get her to hear me? The bar Leaners didn’t move and the bar circle was crowded.
BEWARE DISABILITY ACCOMMODATIONS:
My girlfriend has 2 crutches for her spina bifada. The usher seated us rows and rows back to a row with 8 seats and 4 people sitting. Nobody offered her the first seat. We were told to go to the last 2. Also, I witnessed a girl with an adult. I’m guessing she had ALS or some disease where she used an electric wheelchair and she was placed with the adult behind the bar where she could easily be runned into.
LAST: LOSE THE FLOOR CHAIRS OR MOVE THE BAR
the bar is so wide and Lengthy that it’s literally next to the font of the Stage! It’s so hard for people to get through. And the chairs on the floor make it even harder. At least there were floor chairs at THe Weight: tribute to The Band show.
Get some work!

Horrible Venue. Better off watching a YouTube concert on an iPhone. They sold us two «reserved seats» for Tal Wilkenfeld. All reserved seats are crammed in the back on the floor with a hundred or so general admission patrons standing in front of you blocking any sight of the band. What a joke. Only in Philly do people think this is acceptable.

Music: 5 stars
Food: 1 star
I will be back, often, because they have the best brass/​funk/​jazz acts around.
But I will never eat there again.
I used to enjoy the food. It used to be a good burger. Now my high-​school lunch-​lady would be ashamed to serve the 50-​cent-​piece-​sized charcoal that passes as a burger.
And the tots? Frozen tots, covered with lowest grade bag-​o-​cheese-​whiz and sour-​cream-​impersonator I’ve ever had.
Clearly someone new took over and is trying to nickel-​and-​dime everything, including a $ 3 coat check, and bottled-​water only. Penny-​wise, pound foolish.

TERRIBLE service. Literally the only bar you could die of thirst in. I felt like I was in A bad episode of Bar Rescue. I stood at the bar for exactly 34 minutes and wasn’t even acknowledged. I had money in my had ready to pay but no one served me. Would not go to again. Do not recommend.

Amazing sound, great vibe, incredible beer selection, and friendly staff to boot. One of the best venues in the area in my opinion.

What the heck happened to the food in this place!!! Do they no longer have a relationship with any food provider? Our «food» came in paper boat-​style containers; the salad was a handful of wilted greens with a few walnuts thrown in (not candied walnuts, as the menu described), and no cranberries (as the menu described). The salad dressing tasted like bathroom soap. Other options were «nachos» (a handful of tortilla chips topped with a small amount of cheez whiz and canned chili), and «tater tots» that tasted like old cooking oil. Total joke. Mind you, each of these «entrees» was $ 7 or more, which I thought was a bargain until I saw what they were passing off as food. Be warned. Eat someplace else before the show. Total damper on the night.

Will post full review later

Came here for the Ardmore Beer Fest. Fantastic venue, great staff. The Wiskeyhickon Boys and the New Sound Brass band were the best groups for this type of event: energetic, entertaining, but not obtrusive. Great event, great beer, great everything. We’ll definitely be back, and we’ll keep an eye out for the next beer fest.

This place refuses to serve tap water or any potential tap water bearing vessel. Its ridiculous. I have never before been refused an empty plastic cup from a bar. They refuse to serve me a glass of tap water… fine. But I refuse to aim while I dispose of said fancy water. Maybe they can use the three dollars they pried from my pocket to help hire some poor (and probably thirsty) guy to clean my pee off the floor.

Saw a great show but the VIP is a complete waste. The «buffet» was rice and beans, salad, chicken with veggies and pita bread which they called Mediterranean food. Mediocre and not enough food either. Only plus was we had great seats because we got in an hour early but next time we will come when the doors open @730 for the riff raff and either grab a seat at the bar or a table a bit farther back.

I came here 3÷6÷15 for the Drkwav show. I got my email info in a timely manner concerning the times and parking info. Security and ticket handler were very professional and able to answer my questions about the opening band. Bathrooms were clean and the Merch tables were easily accessible. Additionally the bar service was prompt.
As for my show experience, there was plenty of seating in the back, bar and balcony should someone need it. The standing area was ample and the back half was slightly raised, allowing for everyone to get a good view of the stage. Sound was good for a venue of this size. I look forward to making the trip to Philly again to see one of many great acts this place brings in.

Be prepared to re– live your college days. Be prepared to stands for 4 –5 hours as seating is limited. Be prepared to get hearing damage from half deaf audio engineers or to stuff your ears with pieces of bar napkins which I had to do for all 3 of the shows Ive attended so far. Also be prepared to have no, or if your lucky, a partial view of the band since the stage is low and there will be lots of people blocking your view. On a positive note the management and staff are super nice and responsive. Had high hopes for this place since its close to home and gets some great bands but World Café Live is a much better choice for a truly great live music experience.

One of my favorite things about Ardmore is the easy access to all kinds of cultural events. This venue is a charming part of that. You can buy your tickets to the shows online very easily, which they have a record of at the door.
I came here with a group of friends to see Kermit Ruffins, the amazing New Orleans jazz musician! At first glance, the space seemed pretty cramped, but there were actually open seats at the bar and plenty of standing room near the stage.
Our lively crew threw down a few rounds of (rather expensive) beers during the uneventful opening act before making our way to the stage for the real show! We honestly had the time of our lives. The resonant sound, the jazzy lights, the rowdy show – everything was marvelous! We even got called up on the stage to dance for a number or two.
I’m deducting a star because my friend had his very nice jacket stolen from the rack. I know it’s not the venue’s fault directly, but they should definitely look into establishing an actual coat check.
Still, I will definitely be back. This spot is right up the street and they have a great lineup of performances that I’m dying to check out.

A grateful dead band playing here that is tight in a good way.
«Walk into splintered sunlight
Inch your way through dead dreams
To another land
Maybe you’re tired and broken
Your tongue is twisted
With words half spoken
And thoughts unclear
What do you want me to do
To do for you to see you through
A box of rain will ease the pain
And love will see you through» come out to hear «splintered sunlight» and feel nostalgic and current at the same time. This is a small venue with plenty of bar space to get a drink. Young and old approved

This is a cool venue. The layout is a little interesting, I would prefer that the balcony/​bar area faced the stage. If you sit up there, in the back, you will likely be looking at the back of the heads of the performers. It’s an interesting birds-​eye-​view but you can’t really hear the music that well because of the way sound travels in the room, and the fact that people are generally chatty at the upstairs bar.
I do appreciate the inexpensive, delicious eats from Firinji and the fast service. We split a spicy baba ganouj dish. I also found that the drinks were not at very reasonble for a music venue bar. My mixed drink was $ 5, my husband’s large glass of beer was $ 6.
We were there to see Joan Osborne and she did not disappoint. It was also amazing to walk there and home as I live right in the neighborhood.

Saw Beatlemania Now last night. First time here with the new table reservations. What a difference from Rusted Root! The only place to stand was on the second floor with an obstructed view. Since this drew an older crowd I guess 90% of the people reserved tables. They put them pretty much everywhere there was room leaving zero standing room in front of the stage. The only place we could find space was by the upstairs bar standing behind the tables that lined the railing. We could see the stage if we peeked thru people, but for the most part it was a big PITA. Both the view and sound were pretty lame from our vantage. There are plenty of bad places to watch and listen. I really think they should have left the stage on the side wall.
In any case it seems they have a business model down now. You can buy cheap general admission tix and try to get a spot at the bar. Or you pay roughly double for the VIP experience which gives you early admission and first crack at the seats. The added VIP costs make the show that much better. But you are paying for it. As of now, I’m not a fan of this setup! I don’t want to sit and I don’t want to pay extra just so I can see the stage.
I assume when Rusted Root returns there won’t be so many tables jamming the floor. I hope so anyway! If the new trend is to rent out as many tables as possible the only way to get a good spot will be to pay the VIP pricing. At those costs I can goto the Mann or another bigger venue for an authentic concert experience.
I would also like to see them upgrade their closed circuit video feed. They have a camera on the stage but it’s obviously their security camera repurposed. So blurry it’s not worth looking at.
If you go GA get there as early as you can! If you are going VIP, buy me a ticket too!

Standing room only and barely any of that!
Last night was the grand opening of The Ardmore Music Hall. We were excited to see local favorites, The Hooters. The sound was great and once the crowd thinned out toward the end of their second set, it was much more enjoyable. We arrived about 15 – 20 minutes before the show’s start time. It was sold out and we had no interest in standing in the line that snaked around the block and into the parking lot as it was absolutely pouring down rain. So, we sat across the street at Jack McShea’s.
We stayed in the back and did not attempt to push our way through the crowd. There was truly not another place to stand.
Way too many people. If this were a younger crowd I think it would have been trouble. Fortunately, most of this 40+ crowd behaved themselves. I don’t think I would return under the same circumstances. If something bad happens and that place has to be evacuated… I don’t even want to consider the possibilities.
Other than the great music I will say that I was pleasantly shocked by the low cost of drinks. $ 3 for a Yuengling Draft? Unheard of at a concert venue. Also, the Ardmore station is right out the back door! Great location.