Kate T.
Yelp
In other cities or other years, I could see the Barrymore getting a higher score from me. But in the last few years, other venues in Madison have really stepped up their game, and the Barrymore doesn't seem to care about keeping up with its contemporaries.
Its use of social media is near-archaic. The venue doesn't make an effort to create or even update pages for individual events, and good luck if you get any indication that a show is on track to sell out. And perhaps it's just my personal taste, but the Barrymore used to bring in excellent music acts on a much more regular basis. Now it just caters to the aging-hippie population of the neighborhood, preferring to fill its schedule with predictable offerings about far-left-leaning politics. These events don't offend my own political views, but they're often dull and serve as nothing more than an echo chamber for people who want their beliefs perpetually reaffirmed. They sell more tickets that way, so I'm not sure I can blame them for the strategy, but I hardly ever like the shows there. Also, the tickets are 2-3 times more expensive than the tickets usually are at other live entertainment venues in town.
The building itself isn't falling into disrepair, like the Orpheum is (heartbreakingly, I might add), but areas of infrastructure could certainly benefit from attention. There is no public WiFi, and you'll be hard-pressed to get cell phone reception, even in the balcony. I do appreciate that the open dance area is slanted a bit so that we vertically-challenged folks have a chance to see, but if you want to be able to sit and see the acts, the balcony is your best bet. It's not often open, however, especially for shows that haven't sold a ton of tickets. I don't recall this being a problem at prior events, but at the show I attended last night, there were constant problems with microphone feedback, often necessitating acrobatics by the band itself. The tap beer selection is good, but that's pretty standard in this town. Bottled beer selection pales in comparison to other venues, and the liquor and wine options are slim pickings. The bar is cash-only. The only ATM in the place charges a $4 fee for each use, so if you need to withdraw cash, make sure to get enough in one go. The line can be enormous, and often is bisected by people exiting and entering the theater. The bathrooms are fairly clean and well-stocked, although I've used them on more than one occasion to discover that they were out of soap, necessitating the use of their hand sanitizer instead. Also, the saloon-style doors are an easy way to get smacked in the face entering and exiting the bathroom, so exercise plenty of caution around them. The bathrooms are so tiny that the lines are formed outside the doors. They also don't sell earplugs, so make sure you bring your own.
Bottom line: in the rare event that they have a show I want to see, I'll go, but I make sure to bring plenty of cash, my own earplugs, and my plastic Barrymore cups (drinks are 50 cents cheaper when you remember to bring your cups back).
