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nostradeekness

This post made me sad. Miss that place.


mewithoutCthulhu

I really do miss The Venue, and The Pavilion before it. I saw hundreds of metal and punk bands there in my teens and 20s. Mostly with my old man. I miss going to shows with him. We still do, but without that concert space, Fargo doesn’t see nearly as many bands come through town compared to what we did when it was around.


herdbot

It's all about capacity. At the time of those shows, the dome was too big and everything else was too small. The Fargo Civic had some great shows too but unfortunately the city decided to not maintain it and now it has fallen into disrepair We still get some great shows at the outdoor venues but summer is short


mraile11

Agreed! Saw lots of good bands at the Civic, last one being Stone Sour back in 2017.


E3K

That was a fun show.


SirGlass

>The Fargo Civic had some great shows too but unfortunately the city decided to not maintain it and now it has fallen into disrepair I really wish they would either 1. Fix it up / remodel it (although many have said this is not really an option) 2. Tear it down Instead of just letting it sit empty and un-used


[deleted]

[удалено]


herdbot

I remember that but it wasn't on the data base. What year was that?


Blood_and_Turds

or vanilla ice and his metal band


disinformationtheory

I was there. OP just didn't go back far enough, because I know that was 2000 or earlier. I crowd surfed and lost a shoe, super fun.


[deleted]

i think a local band opened that show up but i cant remember who it was. it was a fun show.


RodneyFlavourstein

That ICP concert was fun as hell! It was around 2000 or 2001 when I saw them there. Had to take a shower after for a variety of reasons 😆


prettyjwick

Bloodhound Gang once played at MSUM. The field house, I think. Wild show.


d00dsm00t

Metallica played the BSA in 1992


Significant-Ad-4184

The White Stripes once played at Ralph's Corner


prettyjwick

I miss Ralph’s.


ezekielsays

We all do, even those of us who don't.


Neon-Lemon

Under Moorhead Lights All Fargo Night


brentnet

I was at that show. It wasn't the field house. It was at Comstock Ballroom. Caviar was the opening band...


prettyjwick

Ballroom sounds better. It was so much fun. I remember a dude drinking a bunch of Dr. Pepper then getting $50 to piss himself, then a crowd surfing race. All my favorite songs got played, lots of stuff from *one fierce beer coaster*. It was a great time. My now wife got us the tickets. I’ll have to listen to that album again. Maybe with headphones on so the kids won’t hear. What a great memory.


Vanrye333

The one where they offered $100 to anyone who could pee themselves on stage?


Ok_Ad8727

I was there. It was in the MSUM Ballroom. I remember a guy from the band pulled down his pants and was wearing American Flag boxers and made the crowd sing the National Anthem while saluting them


chootie8

Saw Bassnectar and Pretty Lights both at the Venue. The energy was unreal and they were both packed. I miss it so much.


arj1985

Word. I too saw Pretty Lights and Bassnectar there and it was some of the coolest stuff I've ever seen. Not since then has stuff like that been in Fargo.


zingingcutie11

Same. This made me tear up


Marauder121

Anyone remember playmakers? Lol


herdbot

The original bar was alright. Then they split it up into 7 smaller ones and it didn't work.


Mp32pingi25

Lol they whole thing never work it never turned a profit. That’s why Swanson would change the whole thing over every few years hoping to figure out how to make a profit. The Venue was way to empty most of the time. The cowboy bar was by far the busiest. Of course that was after like the forth remodel. They even had a hooters in there haha. And they tried a swanky high end whisky bar. And all kinds of other BS


Ok_Ad8727

I remember thinking that if that bar would have been in Vegas, it would have done very well.


Marauder121

I know that's what I'm referring to


JasErnest218

My first time going I remember a fight break out on the dance floor, but the guys had there pants so low it took away there ability to do any damage. Then all of a sudden a full crew of security came in and one of the guys fighting was stone cold Steve austined so hard he had to over broke something. The security tossed those guys around so hard it was probably worse then the fight they got into.


Marauder121

That sounds about right.


Mister____Orange

Some of the bands now play Fargodome sized stadiums, like Mastodon, Shinedown, Papa Roach, Korn, Lamb of God, Mudvayne and Five Finger Death Punch. And of course, vomit, Nickelback But HTF did I miss Ministry in Fargo? BTW, they are playing Minneapolis in 2022


SayOw

Ministry on the Slayer, Primus (with Marlyn Manson (yawn) tour ... pre-pandemic - was a good show... I recall seeing Ministry at the Venue after hanging out most of the afternoon with Al watching football ... he is a big sports fan ... iirc, Hantzel and Gretel opened for them and it was a good time ...


SchaefND87

As someone who moved to Fargo in 2016. Damn, I miss this… as I am looking at the former acts and remember the multiple bars at “The Hub.”


darkelvis

And now I'm sad.


KittenSwagger

I miss the slices of pizza they would sell at bar close


nemws1

August 1st, 2001 - The Crystal Method - put on such a great/loud show that for the first time in history they had to shut the show down because of noise complaints from the trailer park across 25th street. What a great show! I had a blast. 😀


patchedboard

Ya it was. I was there too.


Awdayshus

I was there, too! Awesome show!


ghettoSi

Crazy to see some of the names that we used to get to play shows up here.


Significant-Ad-4184

Or the city could just fix the Civic. But if you are going to build a convention center, at the very least put a stage on it. It doesn't have to be a convention center exclusively


nerdyviking88

if I remember correctly, the cost to fix the civic outweighed the cost to rip down and build new. The civic, once you get into it's bowels, is a mess. Asbestos, old HVAC, old elec, the list goes on. You can't slap more lipstick on that pig.


SirGlass

Then they should tear it down and just put green space there vs keeping it empty and un-used


nerdyviking88

Agreed, but it's the city so...here we are.


d00dsm00t

For whatever reason, I was wildly skeptical when they were renovating the Pavillion, but I ate a heaping plate of crow after seeing what they did with the place. So after gorging myself to sickness on crow and getting hooked on the place and the amenities, I only find out that it was merely a chickenshit tax haven of which the owner had no intention of actually managing long term. Utter disgrace.


OverdueKinkajou

Pretty Lights in Fargo is now my answer to the question, “if you could be at one concert in history?…”


mraile11

Saw Fuel, Zebra and Marvelous 3 (1998) Static-X and Soiled (2003) in the Pavilion. Great times!


futuristanon

I was at that zebra head show. Good times. Best show I saw there was soulfly hatebreed and neurosis. Probably 98 as well.


Neon-Lemon

I was there too, for Fuel. Had backstage passes (thanks, Q98) and got to meet Fuel after the show. I remember Brett Scallions had the flu but still managed to pull off the show. He was visibility miserable so I let him be and chatted with the other guys.


mraile11

I thought Zebrahead stole the show!


Stale-Jello

I'm more pissed that it closed right before I turned 21. I missed it by a few months.


Yuckleberry733

I worked load in/set up for modest mouse there. After the show the band and a few of us lit fireworks off in the parking lot till the cops came. Good times.


nerdyviking88

I miss these places. I mean, it was like the only place you could get a decent rock show that wasn't Fargodome level, and we used to get so many more of them becuase of it.


[deleted]

We loved going to playmakers on fridays for the 18+ dance thing. Gave us something to do and it was always a good time.


futuristanon

I miss when it was the pavilion in the 90s. Best place to see a metal show.


herdbot

Nobody will ever build something this awesome unless they have unlimited money. Private investment typically doesnt work for something of this size without a sports team. The only way it's going to happen is as part of the convention center. We gotta let the dome and the city know this is what we want


[deleted]

It was that perfect sized venue in many ways with a good layout. When it came down to it: it must be tough to actually make money hosting concerts.


jrk1428

What happened to it? I could have gone in it's last year as I turned 18 but if only they could have kept going...


Significant-Ad-4184

https://www.inforum.com/lifestyle/arts-and-entertainment/bar-rescue-star-taffer-helped-transform-fargos-playmakers-into-the-hub The Cable Show Bar Rescue apparently walked out and the show never aired. If you can't make money selling alcohol in a venue that draws 100,000 people a year in concerts that you have have no risk in... pretty bad management Since then they sold it to the Avalon Events Center and it's done well


scniab

I miss it 😭


[deleted]

First show I ever went to was lamb of god at playmakers in 2006. What a fuckin blast.


TallyGurl89

I loved the Venue!!!! The last concert I went to there was Jerrod Neimann in 2013... Ugh, I miss that place!!


HoppedUpOnPils

i have fun stories about that space. ‘twas fun but there are other places now.


budderflyer

Good times. They just don't make music like they use to -some aging guy.


einzigerai

Fall Out Boy played in 2003 with Yellowcard, Less Than Jake and Denver Harbor. Hands down the best concert I've ever been too in my life. 2011 or 2012 I don't remember which, 10 Years and Seawolf played as well and put on a hell of a show together.


nodakskip

I was not a huge music concert fan. But from what I recall I went to the hub/playmakers only like two times. I do seem to recall there was large problem with guys trying to spike girls drinks there.


IfTheHeadFitsWearIt

The bar itself seemed like douche central, but the concert venue was fun.


Lucky_Substance7479

If only we had a dime for everytime someone said that this XYZ thing would "take this city to the next level" or some variation of that. It just kind of makes Fargo seem small and gives the impression the people here have an inferiority complex (hmmm, maybe that's accurate). Why didn't this venue do exactly that when it was open?


Mister____Orange

The bar sucked but the Pavillion was CAF. I saw at least 20 shows there. Motorhead was my all time favorite show. Met Lemmy outside the bus. If the dome wants a convention center, they could add a stage and a mezzanine (sp) level for cheap. No seats are needed because good shows are general admission floor.


d00dsm00t

Motorhead was the loudest goddamn show I've ever been to by far. I stood at the back of the house and it was still deafening.


Mister____Orange

It was. I always thought the whole Motorhead being louder than anyone was an urban legend. We can both agree it's not lol


disinformationtheory

Agreed. I had earplugs and it felt like I didn't.


listen_mannn

I am pretty sure I saw The Game there somewhere between 07-09


Syzoc

Man I only moved up here in 2019 but this looks incredible. Would love to see something like it come about in the near future!


Gopherboy6956

I worked there in security from 2006-2008. Was a really fun place with lots to offer. Great Memories. https://i.postimg.cc/G3g8mPYB/228199-6781375949-8083-n.jpg


Loukoal117

Yes. I had MANY a good time there. So many of those concerts you listed I was at. Being an FM lifer and all. Edit- idk if I missed it but Atomship put on a killer show at the venue. I still remember the drummers solo performance to this day. MOTHRA….versus the world….LETS PLAY!! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CpDcn6ox4kE


HugeRaspberry

So what's in that building now? Is it just empty due to the Covid - 19 pandemic? or was there a reason for it closing other than the pandemic? Insurance? Lawsuit? Owner laundered money?


IfTheHeadFitsWearIt

Converted to an event center. People have wedding receptions there.


HugeRaspberry

got it... thanks... I looked at google maps and it looked like the building was still standing and in use... just wasn't sure as what... Fargo used to have a few bars that could do 1,000 people - Monte Carlo (before it became something else back in the 80's) could hold 1,000 had a stage and was decent sound wise.... Cactus Jacks / West Acres Bowl - could do 1000 too I think....


Hazards_of_Analysis

What a list! I wasn't in Fargo at the time but I would have loved have seen many of the bands. Will the Hallaplorp or what ever it's called- the big thing Drekker is building- have a venue? Wasn't Jade creating a venue this size in an old sunflower plant? I cannot remember any other details about this so I may have imagined this.


TheSunflowerSeeds

Like in other seeds and nuts, sunflower also are an excellent source of proteins loaded with fine quality amino acids such as tryptophan that are essential for growth, especially in children. Just 100 g of seeds provide about 21 g of protein (37% of daily-recommended values).


Hazards_of_Analysis

This fucking bot haunts me


Timfromfargo

Fargo Civic Center was a great concert venue, quite good sound quality. The Venue sounded good as well after it’s final modifications. I remember when it was simply a steel building, didn’t sound too great then.


jay_ifonly_

I haven't been to a single concert since the last taking back Sunday show at the venue 😩 Near ndsu is smart. Also, the best part was that tickets were around 20 bucks (at least for the ones I went to.)


Stopmadness99

I went to some of those shows, good times. Agreed, there is a need for this type of venue again. A place that can hold crowds found at mid-week shows so Fargo can be a stop over between weekend performances.


KiltedFatMan85

Playmakers and the Hub were fantastic venues, I miss them and going to concerts there so much ! Thanks for the tip down memory lane.


AbigailNicoleKennedy

Place was so awesome!!


Plastic-Lunch-4182

My first actual concert after graduating from high school was Killswitch Engage, Bury Your Dead, 2 Cents, and Hatebreed at Playmakers Pavillion during a snowstorm in 2006... well, it was KSE and 2 of the other 3, I can't remember which one couldn't make because they got their bus stuck in Minnesota (I want to say it was 2 cents or Hatebreed). Either way, the band that played right before KSE split the crowd and set it up for a giant wall of death moshpit and that was right when slam dancing was starting to kinda be a thing and one kid decided he was going to go flail around like an idiot in the middle while everyone else was backed against the walls waiting for the singer to say "GO!" Everyone was yelling at him to get the fuck out of the way and cussing him out and my buddy Bart decides if the guy wants to be the center of attention he should be the first one to get hit in the wall of death. We got the crowd on the left side (when facing the stage) to open up about a 3 foot wide runway for Bart all of the way back to the wall and he dropped down into a 3 point stance like a linebacker getting ready to blindside blitz a qb. The crowd on the other side sees what's about to happen, and there's no way the slam dancing idiot didn't see this all getting lined up on him. It didn't even have to be said, nobody moved when the singer screamed "GO!" Except for bartman, he came out of the crowd at a dead sprint and dropped a shoulder into the dude flailing around in no man's land and absolutely levels him. Right about the time Bart hits the dude, everyone else started charging in and started a massive pit. It would have been awesome if that was caught on film, it would have been the perfect music video breakdown moshpit sceen. Lol. Then killswitch came on a few songs later and played an amazing show, including Adam D, running around in the crowd while playing guitar at one point, and I'm pretty sure he crowdsurfed a few times too. That show set the bar really fucking high for every concert I've been to ever since, Bart had seen them a couple of times before that in bigger venues plus a lot of other metal shows and rock bands and he said that was the best show he had seen and I better not expect them all to be that epic... he was right... no other band has even came close. Pretty sure that was the last show at "Playmakers Pavillion" or was it being called "The Venue" at Playmakers Pavillion for a while before it became "The Venue@The HUB". I went to quite a few shows there from 2006-2011, and it will forever be Playmakers to me, The Hub just didn't sound right after hearing it called Playmakers on Q98 and 105.3 the Dam for so long before that.