Babeville

I visited the fabulous, intimate venue in the basement. They have a parking lot where you’re welcome to park for free (and will tell you if you left your lights on). They’re awesome, friendly, and they make the tickets affordable, as well. Acoustics are great, casual seating (folding chairs that are reasonably comfortable), very clean bathrooms. Saw Peter Mulvey here, and it was a great show. Felt like sitting in someone’s living room. Kudos.

I have seen 2 shows here and it was great! The place is cool, the basement bar is pretty sweet.

This is my 100^th review, & I’m so glad it’s here. I’ve been here before for Sweet Charity (NOT a pleasant experience – far too overcrowded), but nust right for this event. Keb’ Mo’ in concert with a 3-​piece backup band. it was a seated concert and, like Bob Uecker, I was in the fronnnnnt rowwwww, but everyone was up and dancing within 20 minutes. Fantastic acoustics, very nice, clean bathrooms, polite and patient facility staff. The performer’s dressing/​resting rooms were comfortable, a little bit of ‘home on the road’ for the visiting artists. Beautifully preserved stained glass from the original church; it’s obvious that a lot of love went into restoring this jewel of a multi-​purpose facility. Thank you, Ani.

Great wedding venue. The manager was very accommodating and helpful to the wedding party even allowing some pretty big last minute changes without any stress. The staff was also fantastic particularly the bartenders who helped us in the after hours party. They even gave us rides back to the hotel which was incredibly nice.

We had our wedding reception at Asbury Hall on October 25^th 2014 and it was a dream! From the very first day of touring the space, Austin made the stressful wedding process a breeze. He answered all of our (many, many) questions immediately throughout our year of planning and even gave his professional opinion and suggestions when we asked. I wrote a very detailed list of instructions on how we wanted the reception tables set up and they were executed to a tee and then some! From the mantel setup, to the centerpieces, the dessert station and even the card table no detail was overlooked! It is obvious how hard Austin and his staff work to make sure everything is exactly as you like, and it was truly perfect! Our guests raved about Asbury Hall from the unique beauty of Babeville to the delicious food to excellent bar service! The staff paid close attention to not only our head table but both sets of parents tables to make sure everything was going smoothly and everyone was happy! The bridal room/​suite downstairs was filled with drinks specifically for the bridal party and a place for us to take a minute to ourselves during the reception (which was often needed!) Also Asbury Hall offers an after hours extended bar from 12−2am in the downstairs 9^th Ward which my guests loved! It was nice to spend extra time with family and friends after the reception while eating La Nova pizza and Mighty Taco we had brought in :) To give Asbury Hall, Austin and the staff 5 stars is an understatement, truly it deserves 10! I highly recommend this venue– It was one of the best decisions we made!
A HUGE thank you again to Austin Scaccia I don’t know how we could have done it without him!

I cannot say enough good things about the venue, staff and especially the wedding coordinator Austin. My daughter ‘s wedding took place here in October 2014. From the fiirst meeting with Austin along with this beautiful venue, my daughter knew it was the place for her. You can take a look yourself at the photos on their site and you will see what I am talking about! Austin could not have been more helpful along the way. Every question and concern was addressed immediately, and was always easy to get a hold of. The food was fabulous, absolutely no complaints. So if you are looking for a spectacular wedding to remember a lifetime this is the place!

I would totally give this place 5 stars, except it wasn’t for my wedding and only my wedding location could get 5 stars ;-)
Honestly though, this place was AMAZING. Perfect space for any type of venue. I’ve been here for a wine and chocolate tasting event, halloween bash, and now a wedding. All 3 events were great! The space is a gem to downtown Buffalo. Parking lot a definite plus (nothing worse than searching for a spot on Delaware Ave on the weekend). Space has so much character and charm. Can seem dark, but the perfect uplighting and photographer is all you would need for your wedding so don’t let that sway your decision. The catering for the wedding was delicious! Tons of options and not your basic/​boring «chicken or steak». No matter the type event, check this place out! It can suit anyone’s needs.

Aesthetically, this is a 5-​star place. I liked that the venue felt a lot cleaner than most venues I have attended for concerts– the floors were not sticky and smelly, the bathrooms were fully functional and cleaned up. The Ninth Ward bar in the basement is cute– a bit sparse, but features the age of the building in a flattering way. The sound was also really good (in similar venues I noticed an echo off the back wall). Given that Ani DiFranco owns this place; I wouldn’t expect any less than great sound.
Being a rectangular shaped venue, there are some bad «seats» in the house.
Docking a star because of security. Our first run in with security was one of the guards telling us we couldn’t stand up stairs, not even against the wall, we had to be sitting in one of the pews or go downstairs. This guy was pretty nice, so it’s not even him that I am docking the half star for. The next time we ran into security it was one BLARING his radio during a very quiet piece during the performance. Someone nearby asked «Can you turn it down?» What is it about some security guards that are just waiting for someone to pick a fight? The security guard ended up threatening to «throw» the person who asked out, it was just a ridiculous display of testosterone.

I don’t know if I should post this as a 5-​star, having only seen part of this building, but I was very impressed!
I attended a family wedding this past Memorial Day weekend. The reception was held here, in Asbury Hall. WOW. It was this huge, beautiful space, with choir lofts, stained glass (LOVE stained glass) and great acoustics. The food was excellent – I don’t know if they cater or allow outside caterers, but the filet mignon was melt-​in-​your-​mouth; the hors d’ouvres were delish… and the bartenders knew how to mix ‘em!
I actually tried to visit other sections of this building with my son, a recent college grad who majored in music technology. So he was interested in seeing this space. But most of this was closed due to the holiday weekend.
I’m really happy the current owner rescued this site from demolition. It’s a former Methodist church, and as exquisite as the stained glass was, it was not as representational as some other churches I’ve visited. But that’s okay! I am glad the space is still around so people can build happy memories here.
Good choice for a reception!

Babeville, fittingly named for Ani DiFranco’s record label («Righteous Babe Records») is an incredible music venue and event space. Over $ 10 million was spent to renovate this old historic church to a gorgeous venue with two main rooms within the space: Asbury Hall and The Ninth Ward.
Asbury Hall is the larger of the two, with a capacity of about 1,200 standing. I’ve seen a number of concerts here (including Ani DiFranco herself) and it’s an intimate, gorgeous venue with wonderful acoustics. There’s not a bad seat in the house and it’s most often set up to be General Admission. There’s an upper balcony you could go and sit if you wanted a more laid back experience, rather than standing in the midst of a crowd. There’s usually a few bars operating with very reasonable prices (and they also sell popcorn. score!). Lots of weddings are hosted in Asbury Hall as they rent the space out when concerts are not happening.
Downstairs is Asbury Hall which is one of my favorite smaller venues in all of Buffalo. It has a rustic tone to it with open stone and brick along the walls and is a beautiful space that can host 100 people. I’ve seen concerts here as well as a few lectures (Art & Science Cabaret usually hosts their events here during the school year) and it’s always been warm, comforting and inviting.
Hats off to Ani DiFranco and the people who work in Babeville for restoring an awesome building and making it something that our city can be proud of.

Nice place for a concert. Good acoustics.

First time to this venue for the IIB event Buffalo without Borders. Not much more to say than ‘Wow’. Beautiful interior and really cool basement bar. Awesome first impression. I will be back for future events.

After much soul searching, My Fiancé and I booked Asbury Hall for our wedding reception. Everything was A. Maze. Ing.
Austin Scaccia was the most incredible host– keeping the whole venue running smoothly, pitching the one wedding crasher, finding tables for unexpected guests, and making two last signature drinks an hour after everyone had left because someone hadn’t had a chance to taste them yet while they were waiting for a cab.
Thank you Austin, thank you to Austin’s AMAZING staff, and people are still raving about the bitchin’ party we threw in that beautiful Buffalo Icon.

This is such a great space. I have hosted events here and have attended multiple events here as we’ll. It’s a great venue to host an event as well as attend an event. I have not attended a wedding here, but have heard great things about that as well. Parking can be tricky if you’re unfamiliar with the area, but it isn’t as bad as it looks. I’ve never paid to park in this area or gotten a ticket.

I love going to Babeville – for concerts, comedy shows, art and craft events. There always seems to be something interesting going on. The venue is beautiful and shows how well old structures can be repurposed to suit modern purposes.
The facility is open for events only (not a «drop in and see what’s on tonight» sort of place) and the music offerings generally circle in the eclectic Americana territory with a splash of world music. The acoustics in both the Asbury Hall and Ninth Ward spaces are outstanding (as you’d expect in a space owned by acclaimed musician Ani DiFranco).
My only complaint (and it’s a small one) is that the facility lacks sufficient signage and is often a little unclear in terms of marketing. There are multiple performance/​office/​gallery/​etc. spaces here – from the huge Asbury Hall, to the more intimate Ninth Ward, to Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center. It’s sometimes hard to determine where you will be going for your event and how to find the proper entrance once you’re on site (and not all entrances lead to all spaces). It’s just a bit confusing, especially the first time you visit.

Amazing wedding venue. Huge space with the perfect band set up… bonus points for the amazing windows.
Definitely a unique place to host a large event.

By far the best concert venue in Buffalo. A beautiful old church that has been restored and renovated by none other than the musician Ani DiFranco. The interior is warm and welcoming and retains the charm of a historic church but without all the cobwebs and creaking floorboards. The bathrooms are clean with plenty of stalls for the ladies! I didn’t have to wait to use the bathroom at any point.
Downstairs the cellar has been turned into another small venue perfect for comedy shows and small concerts. Yet again, everything is clean and cozy and not at all what you would expect when you hear «cellar.»
The acoustics are fantastic in either the hall or the cellar and the lighting is equally as impressive. The ONLY downside to this venue is there aren’t enough events! I would go out of my way to see concerts here. Absolutely fantastic.

Asbury Hall is owned by Ani Difranco. It’s a gorgeous venue with an interesting and warm color scheme of light greens and peaches and whites with hardwood floors, stage, and balcony. The acoustics are absolutely amazing for any kind of event. You walk in and instantly feel like you are somewhere special. My husband and I fell in love with this place and we had our wedding here. Our ceremony was done on the main floor and we had Balloon Masters hang string lights from balcony to balcony over the main floor making everything look sparkly and magical. Cocktail hour was in the basement with a deep mahogany bar and natural stone all around. The room where all the girls got ready was totally rockstar with vintage couches, poster walls, and more natural stone all around. SO many opportunities for amazing photo opportunities, my photographer was in heaven!
We were catered to like any bride and groom hope to be and then some. It was wonderful. Austin Scaccia is an amazing event coordinator. He made sure that everything and I mean EVERYTHING was perfect for our big day. He helped calm many bridal nerves by staying calm and collected and helping me put together my perfect wedding. Nothing was too much for his staff either. I had an attendant almost all night that seemed to always appear when I needed her. When I was feeling really anxious she was there to offer juice or crackers to settle my stomach. She was always asking if there was anything I needed. I felt like a queen. The rest of the staff was courteous, attentive, and incredibly professional. Both my husband and I had an attendant for dinner where they made our plates for us, poured our wine and got us anything we needed so we didn’t have to do anything but enjoy.
The catering for Asbury is done exclusively by Exquisite Catering, the same company as the likes of Bacchus in downtown Buffalo. The food was exceptional and far beyond normal «wedding food.» The bar was awesome and Austin even threw in an extra hour free of charge and we had 2 signature drinks! Every part of Asbury Hall exceeded our wildest expectations for such an important day.
And honestly, the place and catering weren’t cheap but for everything we got for our money– it was worth every penny. And your venue, food, and bar should be about half your budget anyway. I would pay it over and over again for this kind of service. We still get compliments about the evening almost a year later.
If you need to know anything else about Asbury please feel free to message me for an additional personal rec. I cannot say enough about this amazing venue. Worth every penny and one of the best decisions I made regarding our wedding plans. Amazing amazing amazing. I wish I could give it 92 384 928 349 298 800 stars.

Babeville rocks, for so many reasons!
Babeville was erected as a church back in the 19^th century, and although the function of the space is no longer the same, the magnificent steeple remains one of the most unique markings on the skyline of downtown Buffalo. You know who bought this old church to preserve it and keep it rocking as a record label headquarters, event/​performance venue, and gallery? None other than the righteous babe herself, Ani Difranco. Awesome!
Gorgeous original architecture on the outside. Modern, unique event space on the inside. I attended a wedding held at Babeville’s Asbury Hall, which is housed in the original sanctuary space and still includes the original dark wood detailing and beautiful stained glass windows. I got the inside scoop from my friend, the groom, about how awesome the Babeville staff was in helping them get their ceremony and reception (both done in Asbury Hall) planned down to their specifications. It wasn’t cheap apparently, but damn they sure got what they paid for!
I was in the wedding party, and from the rehearsal the night before, to pictures and chill time before the ceremony, they attended to our every need, including starting the open bar for us 2 hrs before the ceremony. We chilled downstairs in the «green room» which was decorated floor to ceiling with every Ani Difranco concert poster and album cover — very cool.
Immediately after the ceremony ended, the Babeville staff swarmed the crowd with hor’duerves trays, and the open bar was open for business. The food, from appetizers to dessert, was top notch. Hor’duerves included tables set up with premium (for real — PREMIUM) cheeses, crackers, meats and fruits. Being passed on trays were seasoned chicken skewers, lobster cakes with a tangy dipping sauce, and steak bruscetta. Entrée selections included a stuffed chicken breast, cheese tortellini, or fillet with potatoes and veggies. I went with the fillet — along with, it looked like, the majority of the other guests. I’m not even usually a huge red meat eater, but damn this was a fillet done RIGHT. So tender, flavorful, juicy. I cannot give Babeville credit for the cake because it was brought from an outside bakery (but this was delicious as well). The open bar was staffed by 2 – 3 bartenders at all times, which meant no long waits. By the end of the night, they all knew my drink and had it prepared for me as I approached the bar (although perhaps that says more for my drinking problem than it does for their service?). The booze was top shelf, but again, I know this was also a preference that my friend and his wife paid for.
Overall, a perfect ceremony. We were impeccably served in an amazing, unique space — made for a very memorable night. I personally have no ties to Buffalo, but Babeville almost makes me wish that I did, so I’d have an excuse to party in style at Asbury Hall if I ever get married.
I didn’t get to see the rest of Babeville, but it is also the headquarters for Ani’s record label, and during the planning stages of the wedding, my friend got a viewing of her Grammy on display upstairs in the offices. Pretty sweet.
(Bonus: when I drunkenly engaged a staff member in a convo about if he has ever actually met Ani Difranco, he told me an amusing story about the time some of them tried to kick her out of her own place because she showed up in true Ani style — dreadlocked, bohemian dress — and they mistook her for a homeless woman. Ha!)