Tally Hall at Bowery Ballroom
Photo: Jon Klemm (more)
The 10 Most Influential Clubs in North America (In alphabetical order)
9:30 Club – Washington, DC
Bowery Ballroom – New York, NY
Crystal Ballroom – Portland, OR
The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA
First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN
Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA
Lincoln Hall – Chicago, IL
Metro – Chicago, IL
Paradise Rock Club – Boston, MA
The Troubadour – West Hollywood, CA
[Source: Billboard Magazine (July 21, 2012)]
Like last year, New York gets snubbed with only one entry on this list. Once again, notable absences/gaping holes include, the Mercury Lounge, Music Hall of Williamsburg and Terminal 5.
The Top 25 “Hottest” Clubs in North America and Top 10 Hidden Gems according to Billboard Magazine after the jump.
Top 10 Hidden Gems (Prized by fans, musicians, and agents)
40 Watt – Athens, GA
The Blue Note – Columbia, MO
The Bottletree Cafe – Birmingham, AL
Cain’s Ballroom – Tulsa, OK
Cat’s Cradle – Carrboro, NC
The Crescent Ballroom – Phoenix, AZ
Doug Fir Lounge – Portland, OR
Henry Miller Library – Big Sur, CA
The Orange Peel – Asheville, NC
Pappy & Harriet’s – Pioneertown, CA
The 25 Hottest Clubs in North America*
1. House of Blues – Orlando, FL
2. 9:30 Club – Washington, DC
3. House of Blues – Dallas, TX
4. House of Blues – Chicago, IL
5. House of Blues – Los Angeles, CA
6. House of Blues – Houston, TX
7. House of Blues – Anaheim, CA
8. House of Blues – Las Vegas, NV
9. House of Blues – New Orleans, LA
10. Stubb’s BBQ – Austin, TX
11. Club Nokia – Los Angeles, CA
12. The Joint – Las Vegas, NV
13. Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA
14. Glass Cactus – Grapevine, TX
15. House of Blues – Atlantic City, NJ
16. Harrah’s Cherokee – Cherokee, NC
17. Knitting Factory, Spokane, WA
18. Harrah’s Stir Concert Cove – Council Bluffs, IA
19. Knitting Factory – Boise, ID
20. Knitting Facotry – Brooklyn, NY
21. La Zona Rosa – Austin, TX
22. Knitting Factory – Reno, NV
23. Harrah’s Horseshoe Riverdome – Bossier City, LA
24. Park West – Chicago, IL
25. Hard Rock Live – Edmonton, AB
[Source: Billboard Magazine (July 21, 2012)]
You have to take the word “hottest” with a grain of salt here as the rankings appear to be solely based on gross box office receipts. Also, given Terminal 5’s lack of presence on the list, it’s fairly likely that Bowery Presents DOES NOT report to Billboard Box Score. Also, with the overabundance of KFs and HOBs on the list, you have to wonder how many clubs actually report their revenues to this BBS.
* Using numbers reported to Billboard Box Score from July 11, 2011 – June 20, 2012.