Theatre of The Living Arts

First time seeing a show here. Everyone was super friendly. Coat check process went good, only $5. The security at the front where the stage was, was super lax, they gave us free water, helped take peoples trash and even let people hand stuff to the band at times. The place is small, but they have 2nd floor seating with chairs. The bar offered a wide variety of spirits from wine to beer to hard liqour. They did have drink deals. A bit pricey, but they can be expected, I'm sure they don't want people to drink too much. The bathrooms are a bit small too, only 1 stall and 4 urinals. The merch is right at the front in a small lobby. Overall a very nice place with friendly staff, would see a show there again

Great venue! Was my first time seeing a show in a club setting, and this is a tough bar to top. Every single employee (from box office to security to merch to bar to general hospitality) deserves a raise. They were all super friendly. Will definitely be back in the future to see more shows here!

First time here, seeing The Used. Really cool venue, very intimate- reminds me of old school croc-rock or chameleon club. Great area in phila too! Staff were super friendly and accommodating. Had a great time and will definitely look for more shows here!

I chose to go upstairs and watch from the balcony. Before you head up, there is a sign that says 21+ only and a worker is standing there checking wristbands (that your ID was checked). Even though it is a 21 and over area, I noticed a few kids up on the balcony anyway. The sound in the entire place was way too loud and I could barely hear actual singing. The view was at least decent from the balcony and it wasn't too packed. I probably would not see a show here again.

Went here for a Harry Mack concert. Next time we should definitely come sooner for better views. Mostly standing only room from what I saw. We ended up at the top. There’s an area with seats in the center of the top but I’m not sure how you got the seats. Full pay down check to get into the venue and they checked all pockets of my Fanny pack. We did street parking about 2 blocks away and it was less than $8 for 3 hours.

Decent medium size venue right on South St. We come down from NY to see shows that get sold out locally. Definitely been here when they've oversold tickets to where it's unreasonably crowded, but overall not as bad as any of the Bowery Presents venues in NYC.

The tla is an awesome smaller venue. Great acoustics and there's not really a bad spot to watch the show from. Though if you can swing it the balcony seating is worth the price.

Sat in the balcony for Mereba. It was an amazing concert. The theater's acoustics magnified the angelic voices of Anaiis and Mereba. The seats were comfortable. The strawberry lemonade from the bar was delicious. Great venue! I can't wait to return for another amazing artist.

had the pleasure of seeing the staring line here for two sold out shows and it is one of, if not thee best, venues i've seen a show at. i've been to shows all over the country and TLA is tops! the venue itself is fantastic, but it was the staff that made it such a great experience. bob, the bartender, was so kind and so much fun to chat with whilst grabbing drinks. i didn't get the name of any of the security people walking around but they were hella nice too. so nice in fact that this is why i'm leaving a review. so smiley and engaging. they passed out water and took such great care of the crowd. not at all surly or grumpy. staff like that is such a breath of fresh air! a big plus was it didn't feel too cramped or crowded. large stage with plenty of pit space that you can get super up close to. they do have a seated section. bathrooms for their part were suitable. living across the country, i hope there's a show that can tempt me to come back sooner than later. well done!

Attended the Menzingers' Rented World anniversary show on Black Friday. Security was quick and respectful, bartenders were also quick, not a bad view in the house. It is cramped on a sold out night. We did street parking for free and bar-hopped after.

Came here for the Justin Bieber night and I had such a great time! It was so easy to find parking and the venue was spacious enough for dancing. The drinks at the bar were made fast and the bartenders were very attentive!

This place was so amazing! Reminds me of venues in NJ (some of which have closed - Hamilton Street in Bound Brook or Birch Hill in Old Bridge) where you are part of the music because you are so close to the stage. Got to see The Early November, Armor for Sleep and The Spill Canvas! Felt like I was back in high school. It was an amazing night and I got to meet some band members too.

I went to see Neon Trees, and the show was superb! Lighting was executed well. Sound was fine. When there was a small snafu or change needed, band improvised well. Wish there was a meet and greet, but I know things have changed too. There were quite a few people waiting off to the side respectfully after show, but I was too tired to try. The security staff were very professional. They even have mini plastic bags with a paper tag to claim your item (smart) rather than just having you throw a perfectly good item away or leaving it off somewhere to risk it being wrongly taken by someone else. Thanks to the two random ladies who took my picture too, the other two who let me take pics of the song list, and the gentleman who complimented me on my gear. ;) Because of the gear I was in, I probably should've opted to try for a seat in the balcony. Standing in boots got super rough on my feet and a tight-skin suit for hours, but the tight skin, while not comfortable, was much more than "bearable." The floor was sticky with beer or such. I'm not sure how much of it is bad cleaning and just people constantly accidentally or being really careless about making a trashy mess. This is typical for the main floor rather than an expectation for me to want it clean- although other venues I've been at, they've done a good job with this. I'm not a cleaning expert, and for this sort of thing, I'm not too sensitive as long as I don't accidentally sit on the floor because I fell or was hurt from standing, etc.

Stopped in for the first time to see Calum Scott, who is such a talented and gifted performer. He was opening for The Script at the Filmore but couldn't perform because he wasn't feeling well. The wait was well worth it for a full set with him soothing yet moving us with such intense lyrics. I would recommend seeing him any chance you get! The venue is an intimate venue with couples and groups of friends being close to one another and close to others as they groove and jam to the beats of the music. Checking in was pretty easy with the staff member checking tickets and IDs outside. It was our first time there so wanted to enjoy it without drinks. Once you get there was a merchandise area set up with people slowly buying vinyl and t-shirts. There was also a small bar area that was selling drinks in cups and cans. Going into the main area on the left there was another much large bar with some seated area which I assume you would need to upgrade your tickets for. Upstairs there are more seating areas; we waited for that area to be open online but they never did. We found a small nook under the stairs that gave a decent spot to the stage. We weren't pushed around and asked to move from our vantage spot which was nice. Even got complimented for our little carved out spot while others tried to squeeze by to get to and from the bar. Sometimes it's best for you to just enjoy the atmosphere and make due with what you got. Others were enjoying themselves being in the front row or more center stage but the crowds started getting more packed as the night grew. Being there with my boyfriend was enough for me, I was content if he was! I felt safe with a large police presence patrolling outside the venue. Just practice common sense and know your surroundings, the nearby eateries and shops looked like fun places to go before the music starts jamming and night descends on the area.

When I heard Mahalia was touring, I was buying tickets regardless of where she was performing. It just so happened to be at the TLA! Even I am surprised that last night was the first time I visited TLA. I'm a huge live music fan and go to multiple concerts a month. After many years of loving being in the front of a crowd, my preferences have changed and I need space. This has led my love for smaller, more intimate spaces. TLA is perfect for a smaller show! I arrived ~30 minutes after the 'start time' and got into the very short security line. They checked IDs outside and gave wristbands there, if you went in without a wristband you would have to go back outside to get your ID checked and receive one. That was no problem for my group, we had our IDs checked and then went through security. They have a small bag policy but I did see some backpacks so I'm not sure it's strictly followed. Inside was nice enough. The bathrooms worked and were relatively clean. They offered an 'over 21' section by the bar and a separate snack and drink section. Drinks were pretty standard for a music venue, if not a little less expensive than average. Merch is available right as you enter the venue. Overall, I enjoyed the TLA because of it's more intimate nature, there really is not a bad 'seat' in the house. But note that it is majority standing room with limited reserved seats. There are also seats up some stairs above the standing room area, I'm not sure how you snag one of those.

Location is fairly convenient. Staff was great. But, I attended a sold out show and it was insanely crowded, no room to move. Perhaps too many people in the venue but it was definitely uncomfortable and unsafe. The small entrance area and merch stands add more congestion with narrow hallways and passages to narrow staircases making it very difficult to get to the bar or up the steps. The house PA needs an upgrade too. The sound quality was pretty bad.

Awesome venue. Saw little dragon and they were amazing. Long lines to get in but security and staff made it seamless. Great acoustics and good vibes. My only gripe are the people who bought tickets to talk the whole time about their personal lives, rather than enjoy the show. Keep Dancing!

Always a fun time at a show here! Love the atmosphere and the great staff! Can't wait to see more shows here!

Great place for concerts. I saw Jacob banks here, it was a great show but they need better ADA seats

Great medium-sized concert venue! The sound here is fabulous and ticket prices were very reasonable- at least for the show we saw (Of Montreal). Most of the place is general admission with standing only, but there is a small balcony with seating for which we paid an extra $8 per ticket, that has its own bar and very clean bathrooms. Everyone working at the venue was very pleasant.

Would it kill you to fix your AC? The temp probably reached high 80s in there. Ridiculous. Oh there's one guy passed out! Maybe I should count them all night? This is a literal health risk in here for vulnerable people. You guys really dropped the ball on this one. Maybe it's a ploy to get people to buy your $5 bottles of water? Hmm... Update: there goes another one!

Security searched my Altoid tin, thus contaminating my cinnamon mints, and made me plunk my umbrella outside in a bin, which is essentially theft.

Having been long familiar with the previous experience with the TLA - an aging, run down movie theater with sometimes broken theater seats and sticky floors - I can't see how I could give this rendition anything but 5 stars with sparkles. Years ago, I used to go pretty regularly to the TLA for midnight performances of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", complete with my rice, TP, newspaper, water gun, etc. When we finished the place wasn't actually that much worse off for all the show activity, and I think all the water eased up on the stickiness of the floor. We didn't notice much anyway, we were too busy having fun. Flash forward 30 some odd years and I'm back, this time for a David Bowie cover band show. WOW what a difference. Gone are the old broken down theater seats. Gone is the sticky floor. In it's place beautiful subtle exposed brick walls, muted lighting, an upper deck, and a bar in the rear. This is almost upscale, and more intimate than other venues. I am impressed and pleased that another of the great concert spaces of my youth (the other being the Tower) has been so nicely improved and at the same time preserved. The show was great and the staff were pretty cool. I wouldn't hesitate to go back and enjoy another show there.

I'd give less stars if possible. Don't not come if you have a disability. Not a safe space.

Small intimate venue great for smaller artist! You need proof of vaccine (digital is fine) and to wear a mask which is great there is a coat check it's cash only and the ATM in the inside has a $3.50 surcharge. Staff was very friendly and nice! Bar pricing, I paid $16 for a shot of whiskey and a Red Bull. Bathrooms are kept nice and clean! Would go here again to see another artist.

When you friend books you an all male review show on Groupon and tells you to meet up at this place. Um, okay, but why? This place is just okay. The layout was not very customer friendly, and the seats were literally zip tied together. The seats were more meant for a child than an adult's behind. I was literally cheek to cheek - if you catch my drift - with my friend. It was uncomfortable and also, not safe. The whole experience felt rather cheap; like a club that I might of tried sneaking into when I was a teenager. This shouldn't be the highlight of your night, put it that way.

We saw 'The Revolution' on Saturday night and were blown away. My "BFF" and I LOVE Prince and this took us back. It was extra special b/c Prince just passed one year ago & one week ago. The crowd was wrapped half way around the building but the line moved pretty quickly. My friend got a kick out of being carded but EVERYONE gets carded, as I pointed out. We look good for our ages but not THAT good! Nobody checked our tickets. NP - we had them on us. The place got pretty packed and HOT but fortunately I had hair ties for each of us. Waters (all we drank) were $4/bottle. 'The Revolution,' was phenomenal. Other than the man, the myth, the legend and sheer talent, sexiness and love - PRINCE - not being there, all five other original band members were. They looked great too, especially Lisa (lead keyboards). Wendy sang "Sometimes It Snows In April" and shared a chilling story about it being written 30 years prior on April 21st (the day Prince died). It was beautiful. They played non-stop (no opening act) and got everyone into singing/swaying, etc. along. I will never forget this night and tribute to one of my LONG TIME all time favorite artists. Great place to see a concert for sure - we were able to get close to the stage and I got some pretty good pix and video clips. RIP Prince!

This venue is poorly managed and the staff ruined a fun night out. It's winter with a pandemic going on so what do they do. Hold the double doors open all night and make patrons who are drinking stand in a packed confined space. There was plenty of space around the bar but it was roped off. We couldn't drink on the main floor. The staff was very rude to my friend when he walk over to the edge of the bar closest to the stage to find a place to stand. There wasn't any space to move and he was turning around to back up and she kept harping on him to back up. It got to the point where he had to tell her he heard her and was moving away. Then she mumbled something to us under her mask which I won't repeat. Ten minutes later we were standing in the bar area and a big fat bouncer came walking by and said "excuse me". I turned around because he was behind me. There was plenty of room behind me so I motioned with my hand to show him all the space. The proceeds to walk directly into me and pushed me with his body. I push back to hold my balance and stop from pushing in to the couple in front next to me. He stops and turns around and says "I said excuse me. Do you want to see the show?" He was such an asshole literally throwing his weight around and abusing his position. I had nowhere to move and there was plenty of space behind me. The bar also ran out of a tap and couldn't replace it. I had to tell the bartender I was next after I waited 5 minutes patiently behind two guests he just served. He looked at me and said "I'll be with you in a second because these guys were here first." They had just walked over from coat check 30 seconds before he spoke to me. I politely corrected him and he was super nice about it and served me next. I'll never come to this place to see local bands anymore. I'd rather go to another venue that is considerate to patrons and have staff that are professional, friendly, and properly trained. It's sad to see a great old venue in decline. The staff can make or break an experience. There is nothing special about this venue. I'd rather pay money somewhere else and not deal with the frustration. Caravan Palace was amazing live. TLA not so much.

The TLA has been around forever, so if you haven't been there yet, it's time to go! They have lots of great acts - usually smaller, but big names too! I most recently saw Elle King ("Exes and Ohs"). Doors usually open an hour before the opener, and while there's usually a line it's not actually that crowded inside. There's a full bar (wristbands for 21+) and you can take your drinks into the general admission area.

Absolute great experience vibe is immaculate, just wish they handed out water more, gets hot as H*LL in there. OML

We came here for a show on a very cold night and were instructed to wait down the block in an alley until the doors were ready to open. The reason for the line being so far away from the theater was so that we were not standing in front of any of the other businesses. The wait was long and it's GA inside, so you may want to rethink the heels if that was your plan. There's a coat check waiting for you inside, so please don't think that you have to stand outside without one. Bring cash for tips. The bar area is a very tight space, and security ensures that no drinks are taken out of that area, so drink up before going back to the main floor. And make sure that you get your hand stamped at the door if you want to drink at all. The acoustics in the theater has a nice full sound which makes it feel as if the artists are singing right into your ear. The bathrooms, however, are extremely small and really could not keep up with the demand of how many ladies needed to use it in succession. I wouldn't be against returning for another concert but will stand towards the back of the room again where there is a bit of an incline (better view than being stuck somewhere in the middle) and closer to the exit.

I cant help but to love this place. My bad and boujee side wants to hate it because its (very) grimey.. but whatever.. at least they have coat check. I always have a good time here. Crowds are never too large and the sound reverb is perf! Drinks are expensive- $9 IPA whaaaaattt. Avoid the bathrooms if you can, they're gross. The floor is usually always sticky so don't wear your nice shoes here. Come dressed casual, its very ark and no one cares what you look like, anyway. PROS- casual atmosphere great concert sound easy to navigate coat check nearby food at any hour of the night CONS- parking drink prices bathrooms

The day before half the country was shut down they still held the Dead Kennedys/DOA show and refused refunds. I wasn't about to risk my health or potentially carrying something to my parents for a show, but in light of everything being closed down they could be decent and issue refunds. Oh wait, not a word from the venue, just the form letter "we care bullshit". No you don't. You're all about profits over people. Screw this place.

Concert venue itself is fine but the people standing outside taking tickets and checking ids last night were INSANELY rude. I have been to tons of concerts and festivals and have never been treated so badly. My partner and I showed up to the concert a little bit after the pre-show started so we were the only people in line. Literally as soon as we walked up and were looking for our tickets, two workers standing quite far away from the venue doors barked at us to get out our ids. Of course we walked right past them because they were standing so far off to the side we didn't even know they worked for the venue! Totally understandable that they needed ids but when I asked if he was going to look at them or to hand mine to the person standing near me, the girl caught an attitude and snapped at me saying "Either hand it to HIM or THE OTHER GUY. They both look at them" while staring daggers at me. Excuse me for not knowing who to hand it to because all of the workers wouldn't even LOOK at me or my partner?? I was so thrown off it was like I had sh!t right in front of their faces or something! My partner and I hadn't even said or did anything to have pissed anyone off. When they were putting my partner's wrist band on, he got yelled at by the guy standing far back saying "Why the hell are you moving while he's putting your wristband on?!" all because my partner turned to say something to me while they were putting his wristband on. To top it off when we were getting pat down by security, the original guy and girl being rude to us were talking crap about how "unbelievable" my partner and I had been??? Actually what the hell. Way to ruin a concert for people before they're even inside the venue. This being our first experience at this venue makes us not want to ever come back. I feel super sorry for the workers out front because they truly seem like miserable people.

Went and saw Joywave and Sir Sly last night. Had zero trouble getting in as some other reviewers have complained about (maybe because it was a Tuesday). We walked in right before the show started and had a great time! The venue itself is pretty standard. Sound quality is really good and the size makes it feel like an intimate show regardless of how close you are to the front. Downside is no parking since its on south street (for people that are driving) and it could definitely use a few updates décor wise. But who really cares about that when you are there to enjoy a show?!

Went for a concert and had a great time!! Staff was nice and the venue was pretty clean. I always have a good time at the TLA

This is one fantastic music venue. Multiple levels allow the TLA to handle a crowd. It's standing room only, and they're packed more often than not. Still, it's not a chore to move about, at least on the upper balconies. Solid acoustics ensures performers can be heard wherever you are, and strategically-placed flatscreens let you catch the action stress-free (their classy chandeliers don't even get in the way). Luckily, those same flatscreens aren't needed to see the mania of virtual visual pyrotechnics of blinking, pulsing, flashing colors and spears and arcs of light throughout. What's a concert without a bar? Chill bartender Diane will pour you shots of Jameson ($6.50/shot; cash-only) if you ask nicely. Patron, too (a scary $12.50/shot).

Been here twice in the same year and had a solid experience both times! The staff and security were excellent. Super easy to get in and I appreciated the good security check. The venue itself is just like any other standing room only venue. Frustrating to get out as there's only 2 exits in the facility. Otherwise no issues. Big bonus was the security hanging out free cups of cold water for whoever needed for both times I went. I'm super appreciative of them caring for people's health! Looking forward to coming back soon.

Been a while since I've been to the TLA, never loved this venue or coming this deep into Philly but the bands were worth the trip. Amazing renovations especially to their balcony. Unfortunately anywhere worth standing in the balcony is an upgrade for $40!?!?!? That's not happening and the staff is extremely rude to everyone in the surrounding area not willing to upgrade. Constantly yelling you can't stand there for a 70% sold show. Real fucking scumbags. Won't return to the venue for the fact they're trying to squeeze additional money out of their customers who already bought tickets and then shit all over everyone else. Fuck off TLA photo is view your left with when some scum bag does pay the 40$ upgrade

The Airborne Toxic Event is the absolutely best live performance band I have ever seen, and I don't give that away easily. I have seen hundreds of shows over the years. On Wednesday we saw them at the Beacon Theater in New York City. That venue is first class all the way, from the ticketing to the management, to the way they treat the fans, a definite A+. We left feeling great and decided to see the band again the following night at the Theater of Living Arts in Philadelphia. Ahhh, the TLA. Over the years I have seen scores of shows at the TLA and told my girlfriend the experience would be different but worth the effort because if you get there early and are willing to put in the work, you can get right up front. This is no longer the case. We showed up early with general admission tickets and got on the line. It was an uncomfortable, rainy night but the tickets read "Doors at 7:00," so it was not going to be terribly long to wait. The TLA sent a staff member up down the line with wristbands for drinking, upstairs access and whatever other upsells they could think of. My favorite upsell, no doubt dreamed up by a dropout from Community College of Philadelphia working the only job he could find in the TLA business office, was "pre-entry." We were told we were in the wrong line and the venue now charges extra for the right to line up on a public street to get in! Is this even legal? So, with this indignity we were moved to a secondary line because it would be necessary now to wait for everyone who was in the line we had just waited in for 45 minutes to file past us before we were allowed inside. About 6:50 the heavens opened up with a deluge of rain, accompanied by lightning and thunder the likes of which haven't been seen since the book of Genesis was written. So, "Doors at 7:00" became 7:10, 7:15, 7:20, then 7:25... and they kept holding the doors closed, and holding, and holding, and they could see the streets were running like rivers and we were soaked to the skin, but they simply would not let anyone in. Finally, we decided to just eat the tickets and go home. Thanks, TLA! You took what should have been a magical night and turned it into complete shit. I have seen The Airborne Toxic Event in 32 different places. The Theater of Living Arts is the most horrendously run operation I have ever encountered. The greedy little upsells, the two different lines to milk patrons for every extra dollar, the callous disregard for the comfort and safety of people waiting outside in the electrical storm/deluge. YOU ARE SHAMEFUL, TLA. SHAMEFUL. NEVER, EVER, EVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've only been to one show here so far (Turnover & Men I Trust), and I REALLY enjoyed the venue! It's a medium-sized venue (maybe even a little on the smaller side), with a good layout. No issues with sound or visuals, and the place has an intimate atmosphere. The staff working at the doors and inside the venue were extremely friendly as well! I hope to return here in the future.

Came to return tickets for a show that's been canceled at The Fillmore. After standing around and waiting 10 minutes the lady tells me just a few more minutes. I say its 1:40pm right now can you be done by 2pm I have to get to work so, 20 minutes ? She says no, calling ticketmaster takes longer than that. So inconvenient. Now I have to come back again, useless.

I don't usually give one star but when I do it's well deserved. Went here for a concert recently and baffled by the new live nation set up. The upper balcony seats are now VIP seats that require an up charge $40 to set in. Keep in mind that this is "in addition" to the ticket price for admission. Not only is the top balcony VIP but so is the seating at the left side at the top of the bar steps and well as the bottom floor lower left. This new "upgrade charge" seating structure negates just about every general admission viewing point from the bar without an upcharge. At the concert I went to there was only a handful of people that purchased the upgrades and the majority of patrons were left with bad views. The beer is about a buck or two more expensive than other bars which isn't too bad but I really hate this venue now with such other good spots which are way better such as the Union Transfer and Mann Music Center. Live Nation has offers artists an easier approach to do a national tour because they own most venues but what they have done here is infuriating. Wish the artists would play a different/better venue.

Was my first and hopefully last time at this venue. Going into the night, I was very excited. It was my first time in Philly and I was getting to see my favorite band perform for my birthday. Little did I know that a bouncer at this venue would come very close to ruining my evening. We arrived shortly before the concert started and hopped into line in order to get our IDs checked. When we finally made it to the front of the line, I handed the bouncer my ID to check it. Shortly after handing her my ID she bent it with suck for that it snapped in half. Immediately afterward, rather than offering an apology, she looks up, smirks and snarkily says "Well considering that your ID snapped in half so easily, I'm going to go ahead and assume its a fake." At this point I was irate since I've had that ID since I turned 21 (I'm 24 currently) but I guess I didn't age enough for her. I replied and let her know that my ID was not a fake and that I would now have trouble getting into every bar in the city AND would run the risk of not being able to get on my flight the next afternoon. The look on her face said it all--I'm guessing that this place is used to getting fake IDs and she was expecting me to cower away and apologize rather than become infuriated about her destroying my personal property. She asked us to step aside while she waited for someone else to look at my ID (even after we asked if we could just go in without getting stamped in order to make the most of an awful situation). Finally, another bouncer came and looked at my ID and let us all in with no questions asked. The rest of the night was pretty enjoyable, great music and great venue. Great drinks as well! The only other negative is that those of us who were drinking were held in a pen near the bar and were not allowed onto the main floor (again assuming this place has run into trouble in the past with fake IDs and underage drinking). All this goes to say, I would recommend this venue however, If you plan on drinking get there early in order to get a good spot in the pen so you can enjoy the concert with a drink. EDIT: I wanted to followup and let everyone know that due to the broken ID, my ID was not accepted at the airport and I had to undergo additional screening by TSA at the airport causing me to miss my flight! Thankfully, Delta was understanding of the situation and allowed me to rebook after paying a small fee.

I've been here for several shows. I still would love if this venue wasn't placed on South St. it jut takes some of the appeal of the venue away. Besides that last night I went to Xander Harris; Opening for Mogwai. Absolutely might be the most eclectic, alternative show I've seen yet. It's an average sized venue with 2 floors. The balcony having seating as well as standing room. They have craft beers on tap as well as your everyday, "I don't give a....",(Coors, Bud) selections. I will say after you are ID'd at the door they might ask to look at the stamp on you're hand around the bar again just to make sure you can drink. I get it but it's annoying as hell. I didn't even order a drink. I simply walked by the entrance to the bar and was asked. That's the one downfall. The bathrooms aren't terrible either. They were clean which I'm sure some people would find to surprising.

I give this place 5 stars. We loved our concert here! We came here to see Grace VanderWaal perform (she was amazing also). We had 3 kids with us (all under the ages of 7) and they absolutely loved it! We upgraded our tickets to VIP so that we all could have seats in the bar section (definitely worth it). Decently priced drinks also with a cocktail waitress! And I read on here before that it didn't have AC but... it has AC, so that's a plus!

Overview: Medium sized venue with great stage space and acoustics and whatnot. Came to Philly for Roots Picnic and ended up here for #gritsandbiscuits. The spot was packed and the music sounded good. The stage ended up being my posting spot because of how crowed every other section was. People really seem to like the place... I however hate the bathroom situation. I was pretty lit so I have no idea what the drink prices were however the bar was never empty so thats a sign the prices were decent too.. I wanna try it again in the future on a non-mixxy night, if those exist there. Its kinda hard to tell.

TLA gets a straight up 5 thanks to Kristina in the box office. We were sold bogus tickets from Matthew Berry on Stub Hub, as were 20 other people we were told. I was devastated when security told us. Matthew Berry sold the tickets, and then got a refund from Ticket Master making our tickets void. The show was sold out, but Kristina took care of us. We still got to see Nothing But Thieves, and it was a great show in my favorite kind of venue. Love these small and old theaters, they have the best acoustics. You can feel the music. Thank you for saving the day Kristina!!

Why doesn't every band make the TLA a stop on their tour? I don't go to the TLA too often, but wish I did. I recently went to a show there when Collective Soul came to town and put on a killer performance. I usually try to get to a GA venue super early, but that just wasn't in my cards on Wednesday. With that being said, I arrived during the opener and still had a fantastic sightline of the show, even amongst the sold out audience. The venue is intimate so wherever you stand, it's going to be pretty close. The worst part of my experience was the bathroom. The ladies room was super cramped and had very few stalls. Try to avoid it if you can. I didn't go to the bar, but had a few sips of my husband's Perpetual IPA. I'm not sure how much the can cost, but I got to give props to seeing such a good beer there. We had passes to go backstage after the show and we really got to see the age and quirkiness of the few. It really had that old theater charm. Who needs shiny, new modern venues when you have a classic theater with great views? The acoustics were great as well. I can't wait to go back.

Venue itself is mediocre, nothing great nothing bad. Reason it gets 1 star is because of the security guards outside. While entering the venue they search you like you're a criminal getting booked in jail. The security guard literally put his hands inside ALL of my pockets. Now i've been to a fair amount of shows in my life and never had i been searched like this. Usually its a quick pat down to make sure you have no guns/knives etc etc. Also they pack the venue in more than what is comfortable. TL;DR- Very aggressive security guards, will not come back.

Really like this music venue. It's intimate and has good acoustics. Staff is friendly and professional. They skew towards metal and grunge music but occasionally have funk or rock or unusual stuff. Saw Tom Jones here and he was amazing! Last night saw New Orleans funk band Dumpstaphunk. I wish TLA would have more funk. Bathrooms aren't too bad. I don't know why other reviewers said no drinking away from bar...that was totally going on last night and a waitress was roaming the floor taking drink orders. Was able to find parking on street and this was St. Patrick's Day night!

I can't give this place more stars because everything I experienced was either really good or bad. When I initially called to ask about tickets and parking the lady was really friendly. Fast forward to my concert time. Line was long, they scan your ticket and let you in. There is no real direction on where you should be going so you are all over the place. They have a few bars, but you need a hand stamp to get into the bar area.. So you go to another side to another line. To get your hand stamped and then you have to push your way back out to get out of the line crowd. Some staffers were friendly, some were confused. One bartender was bubbly, the other was rude. It was really unbalanced. Upstairs and downstairs and they have tv screens to see the performers. The sound was really good. And if you visit upgrade to VIP seating so you don't have to stand.. Its a centered area in front of the stage with seats..This option came with a cocktail waitress that I saw once..from a far.. And she didn't take orders for the entire section. It would make more sense to check your id at the door and stamp your hand to avoid more confusion. Unbalanced. They need to work on the way the setup is here. I would come back because overall the experience was decent. But please work on the setup here.

I probably see approximately 50 concerts a year around the world so I get a chance to experience a full range of concert venues. The Theater of Living Arts is a great venue for a concert. Wide open viewing space like the larger Fillmore or Electric Factory in Philadelphia but on a smaller more intimate scale. I had the pleasure of watching Death Metal stalwarts Obituary and Cannibal corpse for my first show here. Sound is awesome and you get to see the band close up. Looked like clean viewing from all areas of the venue. This is how a concert should be experienced, close to the band, not in a large arena. There is a small balcony but who want's to be there? I want to be in the action. Security appeared to be polite and not overly aggressive for a smaller concert venue (not often the case, especially for a metal show). The Bar was stocked decently with a variety of beers both on tap and in cans. Unfortunately the bar areas get really busy so get two beers at a time to cut your visits in half. Drink prices were reasonable for a concert venue. Highly recommended venue to see a concert. Don't be expecting a high end venue, TLA is certainly rough around the edges, but I consider that character. BK

3.5 Stars. TLA is another one of the smaller music venues in Philly, which I always prefer over the larger amphitheaters and stadiums. Parking is very limited nearby and on South Street, so go early to find a spot. General admission tickets are usually more affordable for the standing room only crowd, although you can pay a little more for a stool in the balcony. Regardless of standing or sitting, I like being in the balcony better than getting smashed together by the crowd down on the main floor. Plus, the upstairs also has its own restrooms and bar serving up domestic brews, including 24oz PBRs. The venue acoustics are pretty decent, that is, if you can hear over those annoying attendees who feel the need to continuously talk during EVERY SONG. Yeah, you know who you are...STFU and listen to the music!

Never have I felt more wronged by event staff. They failed adequately to section off the VIP area; and then when they pushed us back into the crowd they did nothing to soothe the angry crowd who they pushed us into. I was thrown out after having another patron put their hands on my neck while I raised my hands up. I have actually never felt more wronged by a venue(I have been going to Philly venues since I was 14). One star is too good.

If I were to start my own convert venue, I would model it after the TLA. This venue is the perfect size: not too big, but also not claustrophobic. Great sight lines and sound from any location. It's unfortunate that tickets are sold through Live Nation because of the excessive fees, but this is cancelled out by the quality performers that roll through. I've had the pleasure of seeing such quality acts as Vacationer, Geographer, Tokyo Police Club, Band Of Horses, The Weepies, and Grouplove over the years. My most memorable experience though was with Walk The Moon, who picked the TLA to film their show for VEVO Lift. Here's a sample of their hit "Anna Sun" from that night: http://youtu.be/-1rd62MYMVg. As you can see from the video, the TLA is the perfect place to dance the night away with your favorite band!