The Fillmore has become one of the staples for live music in Philadelphia. Located in the Fishtown/Northern Liberties area of the city it hosts a huge range of genres: from EDM to Country to Rock and Roll. Leon Bridges isn’t a typical show that you’d catch me at, but the music was good and the vibe was fun!
One thing I love about the Fillmore is there are several big bars that are staffed properly so you’re rarely waiting long for a drink. Prices for drinks are pretty standard given it’s a music venue. The main room of the Fillmore is pretty big, with large chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and a large open space in front of the stage. All of the shows that I’ve been to at the Fillmore have always been General Admission, but I’m sure they could set up rows of seating if needed. There’s a balcony on the 2nd floor that wraps around most the room. The balcony is where they have the VIP tables and additional viewing space in the along the back wall. The restroom of the venue is large and well maintained, which is nice because there’s normally no wait when you’ve got to go!
My biggest complaint about the Fillmore, in my humble opinion, is that the acoustics of parts of the room are less than desirable. When you’re standing in the main room, in front of the stage, the sound is great! But if you move out of that space, maybe go to one of the bars that sit underneath the 2nd floor balcony, or go upstairs and watch from the back of the venue, the quality of the sound falls pretty dramatically. I almost feel like it’s unfair to judge the sound in these areas, but I’m sure there’s a way they could put some smaller speakers in those spaces to counteract the acoustics those areas.
As for the artist, I felt that Leon Bridges put on a fun show! He moved around the stage a lot and interacted with the crowd. The genre of music was like an R&B or Soul music. More of a chill vibe than my typical house music scene. I feel like the Fillmore is better suited for this type of music, with a band or group playing, rather than any house/EDM show. The ambiance of the room is better suited for the sounds of live music playing. Plus once the “dance floor” in front of the stage is crowded there’s definitely not much space to move, let alone dance.
The Fillmore technically has 3 venues under one roof, the main room (which is where Leon Bridges played), The Foundry and a bar/lounge called Ajax Hall. I haven’t been to The Foundry or to Ajax Hall yet, so stay tuned for more to come from The Fillmore!
Denise's Clef Notes 
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