The Fillmore

       This week I will introduce you to another great venue located in Fishtown, The Fillmore. The Fillmore is a truly iconic name, as the first one was located in San Francisco in 1965. The venue was hugely popular and contributed to the success of legendary performers such as Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Grateful Dead, The Doors, Santana, and others. The Philadelphia venue opened its doors in 2015, and is the product of a renovation effort put in place by Live Nation’s House of Blues Entertainment Division. The venue is located at the corner of Frankford Ave and Delaware Ave, and is in a 125 year-old building that was previously home to Ajax Metal Co. They really did a great job preserving the slightly industrial feel of the building while still providing a warm and elegant atmosphere. While the venue was being constructed, Ron Benison, CEO of House of Blues Entertainment, said this about the project: “We’re building what we believe will be the best club in America.”
       The Fillmore boasts a rather large 2,500 capacity two story main room. There is balconies lining the whole room complete with their own tables, chairs, and bars. When you enter the venue there is a huge bar just outside the main stage area, as well as a few more bars inside. This provides easy access to drinks and makes it so you do not have to wait very long when you want one. Throughout the venue you will have access to awesome food and drink offerings. They have craft beer, wine, small batch liquor, and a food menu that has options ranging from chicken fingers to cheese plates. They also have very upbeat and professional staff; you will not need to wait very long for service or deal with grumpy employees. Upstairs they have The Foundry, which is what they call their “club within a club”. This is a much more intimate setting complete with a bar and stage and can only hold about 450 people.
       The Fillmore provides great sightlines to the stage, no matter where you are sitting. Its large open and airy space provides for awesome acoustics as well. There are other venues located in Fishtown such as The Barbary and Johnny Brenda’s, however this is by far the largest. While the intimate setting of the other venues is appreciated in many circumstances, having a larger venue such as The Fillmore really helps to liven up and diversify the town music scene. They host an eclectic group of artists that range in musical genre, so you will be able to find a show you will enjoy. There are tickets to their shows available at several online ticket sellers as well through their website. If you would like to see the shows they have booked in the coming months, you can see their event calendar located on their website's homepage by clicking here.