Royal Oak Music Theatre

Nice older theater, but their general admission shows can get very "squishy." Limited seats upstairs. Getting a good view depends on you being early and up front. Good variety of musical acts and comedians. Sound mix can be an issue at times as audio engineers do not take into account the room size and often crank it too loud for comfort. Nearly had my eardrums burst working an EDM type show - bass was loud from the start, but when he kicked it into overdrive the last 3 songs, it was obnoxious and unhealthy. Contracts should have decibel limits!!!

Great music venue. The size is intimate, to give the concert goer a more personal experience. Event staff is great especially security in having to deal with physical safety of patrons.

Ah man... I wanted to love this place. It's a beautiful old historic venue, and I got to see Rise Against here... I was stoked, but... It wasn't great. The staff was excellent. Entry with the AXS app was new to me but super easy. I could get a drink without barely a line up. All good. But the tiered floor is weird. There's 3 (or 4?) levels with stairs, descending as you move towards the front.... But these tiers are really deep, so if you're not on the bottom tier and if you're not at the front of your tier, you're looking THROUGH all of the people standing on the same level to see the stage. I'm 6'2" and my wife is 5'11" and we're both shocked at how hard it was to see (you grow them tall down in Michigan!). And the sound. Now, this might be the band and not the venue, but the mix was horrible. We were halfway back and halfway to the side, but the vocals were very difficult to make out. When the singer was talking to the crowd it was very difficult to make out what he was saying. We enjoyed the show, but we were very disappointed in the sound. Now, a band I love in a venue of this size? I'd go back... But it wouldn't be my first choice, sadly.

Came to see both nights of Hanson's Underneath Experience Tour! This venue is one of my favorites to see the band at!! The staff were friendly and helpful. My bestie and I had an AMAZING time!!

This is a great big small venue. The sound is pretty good. I've seen many wonderful acts here over the years. Rock and roll to electronic grass punk rock, I like the staff are pretty friendly and not rigid or rude.

Everyone is very efficient, they keep it moving. Plenty of seating and they do have a bar in the back. All areas can see the stage. Older venue of course! But fun!!

Nice concert space, nice architecture on the inside, the sound was good for the Tori Kelly concert we went to. Could use more bathrooms, but that's pretty on par for most venues.

The line to get in moved quickly. Staff responded to emergencies in the crowd and line quickly and professionally. The set up of standing areas makes it more likely that you can actually see the performer compared to other venues I've been to.

We had an amazing time at the Royal Oak Music Theatre! The venue itself is impressive, with great production, friendly staff, and excellent sound quality. It was comfortable inside--not too hot, which is a common issue at other venues. Everything ran smoothly, and we had a fantastic experience. Great job to the team--thanks for hosting us!

This is another gem in metro Detroit that I can't believe I haven't reviewed before. The Royal Oak Music Theatre is a long-standing pillar within the community, located just a few blocks off of Main Street in downtown Royal Oak. This theatre is a great, smaller-scale theatre that will attract lower key artists and concerts than those that would come to Detroit. I would equate the Royal Oak Music Theatre to a step down from The Fillmore in Detroit, but also a step up from St. Andrew's Hall also in Detroit. The Royal Oak Music Theatre certainly has not gone through any noticeable updates throughout the years it has been in business, which seems like several several decades now. So it definitely shows signs of wear and just feels a tad outdated, but not quite rundown. But it's still such a solid venue and is in a much better, less trafficked city than Detroit that allows coming and going to and from shows here a lot less of a headache. There is tons of parking options surrounding the theatre in the parking lots throughout downtown Royal Oak and on the side street parking as well. There are also a ton of delicious restaurants and bars easily within walking distance for you to grab a bite or a drink before and after your show, along with doing some shopping as well! It's truly a delightful experience every time I come to Royal Oak Music Theatre!

I've never parked here so zero help there... Venue is ok, walking distance to tons of fun things to get into, bathrooms aren't the cleanest, drinks are very expensive, but the lines go fast and it's always a vibe. I recommend but venues in Detroit are way better, I only go here if it's someone I really really like other than that it's a complete skip for me.

We came here for a Toad the Wet Sprocket concert and I decided to get the seats in the Projection Room as sometimes my husband's mobility is a little poor. We arrived and had VIP entrance as part of the Projection Room tickets. We were escorted upstairs and boy am I glad my husband was feeling strong as we had to walk up two flights of stairs! I should have called to see if there was an elevator before getting those tickets! Once we got to our seats, we found out that only three out couples would be with us in the Projection Room. It was cozy and seats were very, very comfortable. We even had our own bar and restroom - which was literally right next to our seats. It did feel a little strange to sing and dance with just 6 people we just met but after a few minutes, I did not care - I just sang loudly to the music like everybody else! Finally, the acoustics in the Projection Room are good but not too loud. If you want a more intimate viewing of a concert with your own bar and restroom, this is the perfect place. If you want incredibly loud music, you are better off on the main level.

We had an absolute blast. Tonight was a teacher takeover of Royal Oak...Mr. D was back home and hosting a stand up show. If you're an educator, Mr. D brings laughter to our life! Great time?

It was our first time at ROMT to see a Love and Rockets concert. The ambience was fantastic, seating was great and the bartenders & ushers were very responsive and friendly. There wasn't a bad seat in the house. Not to mention, parking is only a block away and there are plenty of places next to the Theater to grab a bite to eat or pre-party with some drinks. We will definitely be back here, depending on the next set of venues. Highly recommend!

First time here! Took my son and his friends to see WaterParks. Main floor the kids were packed in and it gets really hot... my kids only made it through the 2 opening acts and 4 Waterparks songs until they came and sat on the bench with me . Nice crowd. Security was nice as well, but I'm a mom and helped with a girl who passed out and bashed her head on the bench right next to me . They do need more seating for people as lots of people were passing out from standing all that time. They have a hard bench on one level, but maybe some seats around the bar. Also , yes water is beyond expensive.. no name water for 5.50. They could lower it for these kids even to 4 bucks they'd make a killing.

That's bs about no recording. Who does not have a cell phone. Kiss my ask me no questions about the security telling you otherwise.

Came here for two shows in the past few months. Andrew McMahon and Trey Kennedy. The best place to park is a parking structure around the corner, only a minute walk, if that. Had to either show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. This held up the line as one could expect but glad Royal Oak Music Theatre had such policy. However, masks were strongly encouraged but not mandated. Their bag policy is an interesting one. Pretty much a tiny little clutch, no bigger than a wallet is allowed. However, I saw people with much bigger bags being let in through the security checks. Be prepared to go through a metal detector and putting all of your belongings in a tray. Once you get through all that the place opens up and you can have some room to walk around. Merch was to the left, the bar is inside the theatre, along with a bar upstairs. Be sure to look around and take in the architecture and décor of this historical building. Both times I visited - I sat upstairs. The chairs are wonky and old. But had a great view even being so high up. I do like the floors being stacked on the ground floor as they give different height for people to see. Acoustics were great. Drinks were good and they had a lot of options beer, wine, and liquor. The Andrew McMahon show had no food but the Trey Kennedy show had bags of chips. Staff were nice and helpful. A solid historical venue! Be happy if your favorite artist plays here!

So disappointed with our seats. We went to see Tommy Emmanuel which is the type of concert where everyone stays seated. As others have said, seats are in rows that are not tiered. Our seats were five rows back and we could see absolutely nothing but the people seated in front of us. Unacceptable. We salvaged our night by moving upstairs to the balcony seating which is tiered and had some seats open. The sound was great and the performer was fantastic. Unless you are in the front of a section on the main floor, don't bother. Balcony is the way to go.

They need to just not bother with seated shows, if you aren't in the front row of a section you can't see anything because the rows are immediately behind each other and not tiered at all. Also a cocktail + Red Bull was $30 LOL.

Probably the worst venue to see a show at in all of Detroit. I had forgotten how bad it was and bought tickets for a couple shows this year - totally regretting it now. Went to a sold out show last night and could not see anything from anywhere. If you're not in the front of the tiers/balconies or right next to the stage - you will see nothing but backs of heads. Unacceptable at any price but with how much shows cost right now? Downright criminal. And drinks? Forget about it. $6 just for water is price gouging I won't put up with when I can't even see the stage. Do yourself a favor and just skip this place.

This venue is beautiful and historic but the capacity is way oversold. Uncomfortably full and if you are under 6'4 " you can't see a damn thing. Total waste of my time, spent way too much money to stare at the back of people's heads. Will never purchase another ticket for this venue.

Small and intimate Sound wasn't great but absolutely love the artist so it didn't matter that much to me.

I went thru the security line holding my cell phone (nobody told me to put it in the basket) and the metal detector went off. Security officer Frances (5 foot, 60s, aggressive African American woman) said, "mam I need to pat you down right now or there's the door, you can leave." Literally from zero to that! I was wearing leggings, a fitted top and holding my cell phone (purse was in their container), obviously it was my phone that set off the alarm there was nowhere on my body to hide anything. Security guard Frances was wearing blue nitrile gloves with filthy yellow fingertips, from literally going through 1,000 purses. "Can you at least put on clean gloves before you touch me?" "No, mam I frisk you right now or you will be removed" (I can see a male security guard watching us). She refused to wear clean gloves! So after being threatened with being thrown out, I was literally molested in front of hundreds of people while the other security guard (male) started to blush and was laughing! VERY unprofessional; example of over aggressive ghetto staff taking physical advantage and violating a nice younger patron that made an honest mistake and obviously had nothing on her. Literally touching between the breasts, my inner thigh (I was wearing leggings!) with filthy gloves, wiping the yellow slime over my entire body while exposing me to post pandemic germs of 1,000 purses. Frances, karma will get you and I'll leave it at that! So then my friend and I went to the bar to discover we needed a wristband in order to order an alcoholic drink. Apparently they were supposed to check ID's right before security but missed a bunch of people. We were told to talk to Security Officer Bill (6 foot tall mid 60's white guy) in the front area. I tried to ask him if he could check my ID for a wristband and 2 words out he held his palm up 1 inch from my mouth 'talk to the hand' style and said we'd have to leave and come back in, go through security again. After being molested by Frances that wasn't happening so it was a sober night. Another typical show at ROMT: the sound and microphone was going in and out. How is that acceptable at a music venue? In closing, I wish I had pictures of Security guards Frances and Bill to post on Reddit and have them cancelled. Power hungry overly aggressive security guards taking advantage of an easy target.

Easy in and out, clean, great sound, and parking is simple and free on the streets at certain times. The seating is HORRIBLE - There is no tiered/stadium seating and you either sit on fold-up card table type chairs or on a foam seated bench with no back, found in the back row of each section. The only way you will not have someone in your view is if you are in the first row of each section or you are much taller than them. Each section seamed to be about 10 rows. Beers are $17, Water $5, not sure about mix drinks...

Hot mulligan was wild and the venue was awesome. Main floor in front of the stage was a little small but for the size of the venue it can be expected. Went there a month later for Beartooth and had another awesome experience. Would definitely recommend!

Had an amazing night watching the Toadies and Reverend Horton Heat (Nashville Pussy opened) and hanging out with friends. Very well done shows and glad to have live music back!!!

We saw a stand-up comedy show here, and it was good(the show itself). I've never been to ROMT, which is probably coloring my review. I may have been expecting 'not-quite-the-Fox'. I should have lowered that expectation. The staff was professional and being my first post-pandemic outing I thought it ran great. Security staff were above and beyond.... professional but fun, which helped so much with the atmosphere. Three stars are for the entire experience(I refuse to say "vibe"). Everything is run down, broken, dirty, mostly sticky and dank. Add a bunch of ick to that and you get the bathrooms. None of this is in a dope rock & roll kind of way, either. There isnt any cool history or stuff to see. Just a mediocre building where I'm sure some pretty amazing stuff went down. Only going back if God or Tom Segura book dates there.

Pre-COVID review I've been to Royal Oak Music Theatre for several shows now and have had a pretty good experience each time. The last show I attended (winter 2019) was a weird layout with tables on the main floor and up on the balcony, which I hadn't seen before. Luckily we were able to stand behind the tables on the balcony so we had a decent vantage point. The only issue I had was that it was super toasty warm up there! I ended up having to check my coat. It's $5 cash only for the coat check and they do have an ATM onsite. Drink prices are typical for a venue like this - pretty expensive. Be prepared to pay $10 per drink. The restrooms were clean but the upstairs women's restroom was out of soap at one point. I let an employee know and she went to fill them up right away. The security staff was polite when coming in to the venue. The theatre isn't much to look at inside. There are parking lots and garages nearby that are convenient.

We came to watch the Jokoy stand up. This was my first time coming to this theatre. #TonsOfAsians It's a little smaller than the theatres I'm used to seeing in Detroit. We also sat on folding chairs right behind the floor section which wasn't too too bad. Except if you're sitting to two big giant human beings. I do like the big giant bar that's pretty much behind us though. That means I could still get my watch on while getting my booze on. The bathrooms are easily accessible as well. It's definitely a pretty good theatre. But then I take it the comedians could've just done one gig for the night if they booked a bigger venue in Detroit instead. Plus I'd rather be there than in Royal Choke. Thank you so much for reading my reviews. I hope this helps with your decision making experience. Enjoy your awesome yelptastic day!

I recently attended a concert They were called HOT dogs and nuts. The lead singer Jizzy was definitely not even singing. The others had amazing lyrics. Chestnut was real good. Jizzy went up to the mic to freestyle and was OBVIOUSLY lip syncing. I loved all the songs they sung. However I am not sure why the lead singer was rolling silverware on stage. She kept going around to the tables and snatching silverware from guests. This was extremely disturbing. I am appalled that someone like that would be leading such a fantastic band.

Masego sold out. It's beyond sold out. Then you got a Karen walking around talking about sitting on some empty stairs is a fire hazard. This whole place is a fire hazard. Cords everywhere. People everywhere. Crumbling facade and she worried about someone sitting on some steps.

This theatre is in serious need of renovation. The flat seating is not effective for seeing the stage by most of the audience and the women's bathroom has some serious plumbing (causing offensive odor) issues. We left in the middle of the show, because we couldn't see the stage.

Last night I saw Countess Luann De Lesseps and Friends at the ROMT. I had VIP tickets for the private suite in the Projection Room. It came with a private bar, wrap around couches of additional seating and two rows of assigned seats for up to 20 people. Heads up the ROMT website does not disclose that the Projection Room is located up two flights of stairs with no elevator available. Also, the second row (B) of assigned seating is located next to the restroom. Gross! I was appalled by this and requested to be seated elsewhere. Unfortunately the event was sold out, however the concierge named Anna found two front row seats on one of the tiered levels. She made my day because I would not of enjoyed the show otherwise. Thanks again Anna!!! The show was spectacular. The lighting was superb and the sound system and acoustics were excellent. Security did a fantastic job with crowd control, keeping everyone out of the aisles and in order. The bar is conveniently located in the center of the room and the service is quick. The restrooms are clean and pretty decent for this type of venue. There is a lot of street parking and nearby parking structures for only $5.

Wear bad shoes, floor sticky. Good fun. I'm not sure why the line has to wrap around the entire block.

I visited Royal Oak Music Theatre for a Underoath concert. Honestly, not even mad! Though I did indeed get super sick after the show. I enjoyed how organized the venue was about ticker holders between VIP and regular ticket holders. The inside had a top floor and the ground floor. I instantly got up to the front row for the best view. The security during the show was mindful of people crowd surfing and super friendly. It was a spacious area for the amount of crowd surfing and mosh pit. After the show, they provided water bins at the exit which was a great add because sometime the bottle water is simply expensive.

Great acoustics in this place! I saw Jesse Cook here yesterday and was sitting all the way on the second floor in the back. It felt like my own personal seating and the sound was amazing even in the back. There's a bar on the first and second floor for your drinking convenience . I purchased my tickets in person at the box office which was quick and convenient and helped me avoid service charges that apply when you purchase online. I would definitely love to see more concerts here as the space isn't so overwhelmly large that concerts here feel a bit more intimate.

i will never go back to this venue. yes it's visually beautiful on the inside but i went for luke hemmings and there was no regulation of the crowd. it was all general admission so people were crowding in pretty close together to try and get as close as they could to him. however it should be common knowledge not to block stairs or exits of any kind for safety reasons but nope. people stood on the stairs completely making them unnoticeable and that caused immediate panic and worry. the girl next to me was so disappointed and mad that there was not only no respect from the fans to not keep pushing forward AND not to stand on the stairs but also that there seemed to be no workers or security that cared about that. luke was even late to come on because right when he was supposed to, 3 people passed out and had to be taken out of the pit. i unfortunately only made it 4 and a half songs in before i could feel myself start to panic and i was 2 seconds from passing out and falling to the floor. it didn't help that the fans there were not very nice and i physically had to push people out of the way so i could get out. i couldn't even find the stairs when i was frantically trying to go get help before i passed out and i went to the wrong place first and when i found the stairs, nobody was moving out of the way which you would think would be what you do when you see somebody going in the opposite direction of where the artist is performing. i found a bench and told a lady i was about to pass out. my vision blurred and i could barely hear. the medical staff was incredible, they got me up and on a wheelchair and took me to the medical room and immediately began running tests and asking questions. i could hear luke playing my fav song right when i was getting my blood pressure taken and i started sobbing and was so disappointed that i traveled 4 hours to see him and was missing it but they were trying their best to console me and lift my spirits. they kept reassuring me that i could go back out but i also was allowed to stay in the medical room as long as i needed. they took my blood pressure, pulse, and blood sugar. they had me drink a water bottle with vitamin c in it. but even though they took really good care of me, i shouldn't have been missing out on a show i've been waiting so long to see and paid a lot of money for just because the staff didn't do ANYTHING for safety and making sure there weren't people blocking the stairs aka the only exit from the pit area. there wasn't much air flow in the pit area either which helped nothing. the medical staff saw how devastated i was having to just listen to the songs from in the room so let set out some chairs outside the room so i could sit behind the top pit area and listen more clearly even though i missed 95% of the show. they told me "if you go back out there and start to feel that way again, we'll push anyone out of the way to get to you" but they should have to push people out of the way in the first place. there should be a clear path to get to an area where someone may need medical attention. all in all i left that show super disappointed and devastated and couldn't wait to leave michigan. i do not recommend going to this venue unless it's a seated event...no general admission show ever should be held here.

In the middle of a block, limited street parking with pay garages some blocks away. If possible, uber/lyft. Inside is a really oversized lobby. This leads to a large bar area in the rear of the theater, and open cement floors that were covered in folding chairs. The bar area isn't horrible, but you can't see the stage well. The seating 2/3 of the way back is bad, you have obstructed views of the stage. The seats are not comfy. Decent acoustics and sound system. Undersized restrooms that were dirty when I was there. There is a balcony but I didn't go up there.

Our whole family went to see Charlixcx perform. What a show, she is amazing along with her dancers. This venue is just beautiful & made for a more smaller group of fans. The crowd had fun, behaved, & enjoyed being in Royal Oak, MI. Charli did not disappoint.

Overall a nice, intimate venue for a concert (we saw Kacey Musgraves in January 2018). Pros: - The stage are very close to you. We were on the third level of the floor and could still see all of the performers' faces in good detail. Even the balcony is not too much further away. No big screens and no need for them. - Good acoustics. Kacey's band had a great sound and you could really feel the vibe of all the instruments. Made for a fun atmosphere. - Cheap parking nearby. We parked in a multi-story lot that was a 5-minute walk from the theater for $3.00. There was a ground-level lot at a funeral home next door for $5.00. Next time we will go for the funeral home because it took 30+ minutes to get out of the garage. Cons: - No food an expensive drinks (cheapest was $8 which was a very small mixed drink in a cup). - Long line to get in. We arrived at 6:35pm and doors were at 7:00. The line was already around two blocks. We made it into the theater by 7:15 but then still had 5-10 more minutes to get through the metal detectors. Similar issue with coat check - especially long line after the show to pick up your coat. Limited good viewing spots. We got there early enough to stand on a railing, giving us a great view. But as the place filled up people were standing in large crowds 5-8 people deep of the railing. Good luck seeing the stage from that crowd if you are short.

Such a great place to see some live music. Located in the heart of downtown Royal Oak. The architecture on the inside is still well maintained to keep the fancy feel of it. But that doesn't mean that this place doesn't rock out hard! I've enjoyed seeing many of my favorite bands here and will be back many more times I'm sure :)

Disappointment is the best way to sum up this venue. Great artist come through here and considering the location I expected a better experience. The line to get inside the theatre was well over an hour wait past doors open in 30 degree weather and high winds. They also made people wait outside long past the opening act. When the performer came on you couldn't even hear her sining over the base and horrible sound system. This place needs to get their act together and raise the bar a little bit higher because it was a very bad and expensive experience. I personally will not see a show here again. The performer I paid to see is actually talented but the theatre set up/sound is so bad it didn't really come through. I paid over $200 for balcony seats and honestly should have just sold my tickets to this sold out show. Also, disappointed the artist would allow such horrible quality, literally couldn't hear her voice. Pretty sure someone forget to do a sound check.

While I appreciate some of the acts that they bring to this venue, I have regrettably spent extra money for floor seating for an event at Royal Oak to be severely disappointed. At the last show I went to, they did not stagger the seating, instead, putting each row immediate behind the next - which led to not being able to see the stage all night because of the row in front of us. I also heard a lot of complaints about people getting floor seats but having to sit on a long padded bench instead of a normal seat. Plan for extra time to enter the venue as there are only two doors and four metal detectors. It's a slow-moving line, especially when asked to take off your coat before walking through the detector. Also, I watched the ushers completely mess up the seating arrangement for about 20 minutes because they weren't able to figure out who should sit where based on their ticket. It may help to put the seat numbers on the chairs to help the people who don't know how to count. If you go, get balcony seating so you are able to see the act that you paid for. Also, you will have to pay for public parking where ever you go. A lot of it is coin-operated. The last couple of times, we have parked in a parking garage for $5 to the left of the building (if you are looking at the front entrance) across the street.

Hadn't been here in years! Great up and personal venue. Saw Brett Young and he was awesome as ever. Sold out show that wrapped around 2 corners. This is a mostly stand only venue. The bar was fast moving with cold drinks. Can't wait to go back.

Surprisingly good. For a smallish concert venue, it hit all the marks. The sound quality/acoustics were good, security was neither too lax nor too oppressive (they carded me, but no 300 pound security dude was in anyone's face, patting anyone down or holding up the lines), getting in and out was a breeze, the restrooms were fairly clean (the toilets worked and they weren't out of toilet paper- take that, Harpo's), finding a decent spot was easy as pie, and service at the bar was lightening fast. I attended a Garage concert here last October, which was the first time I had ever been to Royal Oak Music Theatre (my husband had been before and therefore was familiar with it). I heard it was small, but wasn't sure what to expect. After all, I've been to a lot of concerts at a lot of different venues of varying size and quality over the years (Harpo's, The Palace, DTE, Shelter, St. Andrews Hall, Machine Shop, Cobo Hall,etc), so I was prepared for anything. I came away pleasantly surprised. I noticed that it appeared remarkably clean (my boots didn't stick to the floor as there wasn't a thick coating of spilled beer and gum on the floors) and didn't reek of stale cigarettes, urine and unwashed bodies (take that again, Harpo's) like some venues I've been to before. It was unbelievably well-run and the entire night went smooth as silk. I don't think I've been to many concerts that weren't a congested mess on the way in or out. We walked in just as the opening act was taking the stage, about an hour after the doors opened. Maybe we missed the rush for the door, but people were still coming in at a steady pace for some time after that with no holdup at the door. The lobby wasn't jam packed like sardines with people running into each other, yet I think the show was sold out. It was just very organized, run like a well-oiled machine. Oddly enough, the wait at the bar was mercifully short, although the lines were long, snaking their way around the speedwells and out into the crowd. I thought the wait was going to be outrageous, but we were served immediately. That was a shock (take that again, Harpo's). Kudos to the bartenders for the expedient service! The drink menu was basically overpriced domestic beers and a few other decent selections (served in cans, probably for safety reasons), but it's a music venue, not a cocktail bar, so with that in mind, I really wasn't expecting much to begin with. All music venues sell overpriced drinks, so it wasn't a big deal to me to pay $7 for a beer. The sound and lighting quality were both great (the video montage in the background and the live shots of the band popping up on the big screen were equally electrifying, but the whirling lights were a tad dizzying, coming quasi-close to resulting in a migraine and ruined night for moi) and we had a pretty good view from the row next to the top of the steps. The only seating is in the upstairs balcony area, but who is sitting down, anyway? No biggie to me. In all, I thought it was pretty nice for its size. It has a great location, easy accessibility in and out, good security, plenty of nearby parking, and excellent sound quality. On top of that, I had a fabulous time and shot some great video of the show. Now I need to upload it to You Tube. What more could I have asked for?

We came here for the Jesse Cook show. It was not general admission, but just chairs set on the floor way too close together. I wish the chairs had more cushion, and that they were a bit wider or spaced a bit farther apart. We were crammed in like sardines. The couple next to us, who even had aisle seats, left at intermission. They were not overweight. We are about 30 pounds too heavy, and probably 15 years too old, for the seating provided. It did not help that we arrived about an hour before Jesse took the stage, so we were uncomfortable before the show began. While we were close enough and the acoustics were good, the line of sight was pretty bad. We were in the 4th row of seats on the 3rd level of the main floor, and everyone in front of us was like us, dodging around for short lived sweet spots to see the stage. Entry into the venue was rather slow, but I've seen worse elsewhere. Not the worst experience in my concertgoing life, but certainly not the best.

It's such a shame that a nice area as Royal Oak has a terrible venue for events. Royal oak music theatre staff really are a joke; especially the security. I was felt up more than when I attend events in Downtown Detroit. They have an AWFUL system for coat check and they should really look into the company coatchex. It would make their life easier and people would be able to leave the venue in a timely manner. I saw so many people literally grabbed and taken out of the venue. The security staff is too physically aggressive and it's inappropriate. The only reason why I gave this place two stars is because the show options they put on are fantastic.

I had my first experience with the Royal Oak Music Theatre last night. My husband surprised me with tickets to see Ingrid Michaelson. Our tickets were on hold at Will Call. The show was advertised as being 7pm. Come to find out, the doors opened at 7, but the show didn't start until 8. With the windchill being in the low 20s, this would've been good info to have ahead of time. The line was around the building, but we had VIP tickets for the Projection Room, so we were let in a little ahead of everyone else. The theatre itself was very nice. It's clearly old, but clean and well kept. The access to the projection room seems sketchy at first (solid, unmarked doors, stairways clearly intended for the employees many years ago) but the projection room itself was very nice. It was set up for 20 and had a private bathroom and bar. We had a great view and the acoustics were fantastic! The staff was super friendly, maybe more so because we had VIP tickets. I can't wait to go back and checkout another show, but I think I may be spoiled now by my experience with the projection room.

Went to see James Blake and Moses Sumney, great show! The venue was very nice and design provided great views of the stage from everywhere.

I've been to hundreds of concerts across the country and I'm attempting to write a review of every venue to assist my concert going troubadours. Sturgill Simpson - June 2, 2016 This is one of my favorite venues to see a show. When I lived blocks from the venue, I went to some great concerts there: Modest Mouse, Jamey Johnson, Bright Eyes, Justice, and The Black Keys. This past summer we chose to travel back to Royal Oak to see Sturgill Simpson because the venue in my hometown (Pittsburgh) hosting Simpson on this tour is seated and I don't do seated theaters. Also, we got tickets for $19 on the secondary market! So, it was back to the GA, friendly confines of the ROMT. We had a great time! One of the biggest perks of this theater is there's so much to do around it. There's a ton of bars and restaurants within a very short walking distance (like a skip). I've sat at Gusoline Alley, Lilly's and Ronin's until 15 minutes before showtime (45 minutes after the doors open) and made my way to the front-ish of the stage before the first note was struck. It's crazy to read all the negative comments about the security at this venue. I have never experienced anything (or witnessed) but the upmost respect and courtesy with the entire staff. But, I don't make things challenging for them, either. I'll gladly drive the 300 miles back to see a favorite artist at ROMT.

I love seeing artists here! The workers are almost always super nice. I like the setup it's easy to get to the bathrooms and bar no matter where you are in the venue. Floor tickets are definitely my go to, I like not having a seat. Drinks are kinda pricey but that's normal for shows.

I had not been to this venue in about 15 years. I really like it because all of the seats here are really good seats. If you are fortunate enough to sit on the second floor (as we were) you can actually get the soft back and bottom chairs. Otherwise, you may want to bring a pillow cushion for the show. Sitting on those chairs, looks like it might get a little taxing. The drinks were watered down at $9 a pop.

I've got to hand it to operations manager Tommy Smith at ROMT. Last spring, I had a really bad time at a concert there. Tommy wanted to retain me as a customer, and kept up regular contact with me until an upcoming show I wanted to attend was on the schedule. Tommy immediately offered two tickets to the show I was interested in, which I accepted gladly. I met Tommy at the box office when we arrived, and was glad to finally meet him. He handed me the tickets and then to where we (my date and me) were to be seated. The show was very full but the seats were in a good area and we had a great time. So kudos to ROMT for going an extra mile to make up for a factor of an elderly building that ruined my previous experience there. I'm grateful and impressed. Problems are unavoidable, of course, but this is the correct way to resolve them.

ROMT is definitely one of my more favored venues. I tend to think of it as the Fillmore's baby brother. Very similar layout, just a little smaller. The sound, the lights, and the staff are all pretty solid, and parking is nice and easy just a couple blocks away. The building and bathrooms are kept in pretty good shape. As with any concert venue, you're going to pay out the ass to drink, but that's to be expected anywhere.

I just went to a show here for the first time and never expected such a nice place outside of downtown Detroit! The inside was really pretty and WAY bigger than it looks from outside. A couple of issues, though: -VERY slow to get inside. I did not expect metal detectors! We ended up having to wait in line outside for probably 20 minutes after the doors had opened before we even made it to the front doors. -No re-entry, even if you have your ticket with you. This makes no sense for a venue in Royal Oak, where the meters are still quarter-operated and not connected to an app. We got really lucky we didn't get a ticket. -There should really be more of an incline to the standing room- without getting a VERY specific spot, I'm not able to see anything, and I'm a pretty average height.

Hmmm. Perhaps I was a bit too hasty in my last review where I primarily discussed attending for a kids' event. I still contend that for an event like that it was great. However, I have to balance that experience out with yesterday's particularly hellish experience at Noel Gallagher. Granted, a lot of this isn't necessarily the venue's fault (my biggest beef were with the drunk brodudes who kept bringing their buddies down and squeezing us out of our spot as they shouted throughout the entire show, shifting the audience as they kept tag teaming beer runs. BUHHHH) I don't know, I think it's just the type of people this kind of venue brings in. There are parts of Royal Oak that I really dig but it does have the tendency to bring in that sort of clientele in certain venues. And the fact that I couldn't really go anywhere else to escape the insanity was a bit rough. The tiered main-floor system seems like a not horrible idea since you have far more options in terms of being able to see, but it only works if you're in the front. Any further back on those levels and you have absolutely NO sightline. You can only move through those tiers via the center aisle. The far right and left aisles go directly to the front. So if you want to move to the side of a tier you have to go through the center and then fight your way through those lines to get to the less crowded right or left. So annoying. Finally, the line! Even an hour after doors were supposed to open the line was wrapped around the block. It just takes forever to get in which is crazy because I wasn't even searched when I got in. What's taking so long? My days of dealing with the cold and standing in line are over (oh, Annette--remember when you used to be the first in line, willing to stand for hours to be right in front? Oh, college!) so needless to say we decided to bypass that and grab sushi at Ronin next door. We managed to wait for a table and eat before the main act even started, so how about that? I guess, bottom line is, overall this isn't a horrible venue and I'll go for a ticketed seating event but my days of general admission here are over because the sightline sucks and the crowd sucks even harder. At least Noel Gallagher sounded amazing and he did Talk Tonight so my night wasn't a total loss!

It was my first time inside the theatre. It's not the greatest looking venue it could use a remodel but it was clean. The show was sold out and it was packed their is one main bar all I could remember was it was brown all shades everywhere. I like the marquee sign outside. The chairs were small so everyone was cramped. There really isn't a bad seat in the house even in the back the view was still great. The parking in Royal Oak is not the most convenient situation and at least the weather was nice since people had to wait outside for doors to open if your 21 they wristband you if you want to drink. They checked your bags and you went through metal detectors. The show was great super funny comedian. Always give your self plenty of time when going here.