It's a huge improvement over the Asylum. The aesthetic is pleasant, and the venue looks great. It's really well done, and most of the vantage points give you a decent view of the stage. If you're vertically challenged, you might not agree with me, especially if you have to stand.
They have a coat check room, the lady there was very cool. It's $2 cash only. She also sells earplugs for $1 if you want them.
Retrain or fire your security. They're trash.
The staff was mostly friendly. Mostly. They have metal detectors at the entrance. I had a small utility knife that I use for work, and had to hike back to the parking garage to put it away. I would have been perfectly fine with it, except for the attitude I received about it. Overall not a big deal, just frustrating.
The downstairs space is often used for small music events like retro night, or the local goth-alternative event. The remodel looks amazing, and the sound quality was really improved.
The security nonsense is enough to turn a 4 star venue into a 1 star review, but the custodian that was keeping the floor fresh all night is a good touch and worth another star. Kudos to you, sir. Nothing worse than standing in sticky beer for the duration of the show.
The only downside is that this is an increasingly popular location, so the wait at the bar keeps getting longer!
The picture is standing at the back of the floor general admission area. The show was Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience.
The physical transformation from The Asylum to Aura is impressive. The venue looks beautiful. The bar tenders are great and the selection is decent.
The "security" for the shows... quite a different story.
A huge credit to the venue, they have been bringing a steady stream of varied acts to town on a consistent basis. Portland is a better destination with this venue.
There are many sections to this business, and all of them are great. The sportsbar has great service. They offer a rather large menu, and the food is always really good.
You don't kick people out the door 15 seconds after the house lights come on. I understand the desire to clear the place out in a reasonable amount of time... but I think you can give folks a solid 10 minutes before the gestapo rolls out. Many people drove a long way to see these bands and drink your beer. I literally walked down the stairs from the upper bar area to where the bands setup their merch for under a minute, then went back to where my people were only to be stopped at the stairs by a person who stepped in front of me about and inch from my face "What are you doing?" "shows over, make your way outside"
Personally I thought the sound was just right. Loud enough to be a concert, but not so loud that it becomes problematic. My ears weren't ringing like the old CCCC shows back in the day.
General admission venue was terrible especially since we were at the meet and greet and there was absolutely no place for us to get in afterward, so we were unable to really see the show(we did our by the bar just to get a glimpse of the performer). The venue was over sold and there were not enough places for those that had paid decent money for tickets (over $50/standing spot). Can't believe the City of allow this many people in a venue even if you could see. I will not go back for GA ever again!
Overall not a bad venue for a show. If you eat there before the show, you get seated first when the doors open. Good beer selection, typical pub fare, good presentation, fairly priced. My waitress Ashley was awesome, and my burger was just right. They had a Banded Horn Porter on special for Happy Hour. Carrying a variety of local brews is a huge plus. Also, they have a lot of healthy options as well for those who like a fresh salad with their rock n roll.
The management however is horrible, there night of the show people who carefully selected seats were told the seats were taken away for general admission standing and if we wanted to be able to sit we would need to get into a long line to get a seat with less than ideal selections. In short, management made a money grab to try and squeeze out more tickets. Simply put, they screwed everyone who bought reserved seats! Until the venue management decides to do right by paying customers, stay away.
The floor and balcony general admission was not seated. Standing for 4 hours and constantly having people squeezing by to get drinks, come back with drinks, spill drinks on the floor, go to the bathroom, come back from the bathroom, etc ... It definitely detracts from the concert experience.
I posted a few pictures from different angles to give you some idea on the seating.
The venue itself is nice with the exception of a non-working elevator... Seriously, a freshly redone venue and a broken elevator during a show.
To be fair, I'm big on show etiquette. Get there early, and find your seat, or place to stand. Once the show begins shut up and stay put. If I'm paying good money to enjoy a show, that's what I plan to do.
The concert space is awesome. There are 3 bars, and the balcony area doesn't have a single bad seat. I've already seen a few shows there, and the experience has been great.
Aura is a US Night Club based in Portland, Maine. Aura is located at 121 Center St, Portland, ME 04101, USA.
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