Lovedraft's Brewing Co., Venue Review

Title: Venue review of Lovedraft's Brewing Co. in Mechanicsburg, PA. Introduction: Over the past weekend (2/17/2024) I got to experience two awesome venues here close to home, Lovedraft's Brewing Co. in Mechanicsburg and Phantom Power in Millersville. Both venues are known for having amazing bands and I was looking forward to finally visiting them.

Shoutouts:

Lovedraft's was actually a spur of the moment decision for me as I was in the area for Motorama Events. American Mosh Pits shared the flier and my first reaction was heck yeah! The venue is known for having a lot of rock, metalcore, and deathcore shows so I was very excited. The bands (Jungle Dream Murder Method Suicide Puppets Half Heard Voices, Bodyboxfldm Go Ahead And Die) were all amazing, but as mentioned before in an earlier post, Half Heard Voices stole the show for me. They were incredible and with their front man, Alex Conner delivering smooth harmonic vocals that transition into powerful screams that blend so well with their metalcore sound. I highly suggest giving them a listen if you’re fans of

bands like A Day To Remember, Our Last Night Sleep Theory, or Fame on Fire!

Venue Review

The venue itself is a brewery located just west of the capital. Location wise it's right off the major freeways and has a large parking lot with plenty of handicapped spaces located right in front of the doors which was awesome when I was leaving. The doors to enter were easy to open on my own but did not have an automatic function, so some help may be required to those who need it. The doors leading to the outdoor seating area were easy to open and very light, but the threshold is a bit large and I could see it being a roadblock for those who do not have the strength to push over it. Inside the venue, it featured a bar that wrapped around into the concert hall area and into a separate area, allowing for a chance to get away from the crowd but still hear the music and partially see the band. I am not a big brewery person so I don’t know if it's a common thing, but both venues featured a number ordering system at the bar so patrons don’t have to yell over the music. It also had me thinking how helpful that would be with someone who may struggle to talk but can communicate in other means. The bathrooms were easy to find and the hallway was spacious on the way to them so with heavy crowds there is more than enough room. The door was slightly heavier but not anything like some I have experienced. Inside featured large stalls and plenty of space to move around. I also loved that the walls were covered in band stickers, everywhere you looked you could find a sticker, from small local bands to national touring bands we all know and love, it sure looks like they've made a stop through Lovedraft's. Back out on the floor, the stage area was a small to medium size with a dance floor to match. With it being very wide, it had easy exit points on the sides. The area that would be considered front row was quite long and provided a lot of room for people to be on the barrier. From what I could tell; there was no “assigned” ADA area. However, the staff were ready to offer a hand if I needed it, but I opted to find my preferred area on my own. I could easily see the band and get on the barrier on the sides of the stage with my wheelchair or crutches and not feel like I was in anyone's way. If the venue was sold out though It could be a bit tricky of course. On the left side along the wall I did notice some seated spots that suited me well to park my chair and have a good exit path if needed. Near the back of the floor closer to the bar, there is a raised area where the old bar used to be. It would catch my wheels sometimes as well as random drains in that area. After the show I spent some time talking to one of the employees about it and they do plan to have the floor done at some point. But I think that would be my biggest complaint honestly, which is pretty good if you ask me! All the employees were great and were more than happy to help if needed.

All in all, Lovedraft's provided an epic show with epic bands, and I encourage anyone in the area to stop by! Special shoutout to 717 Entertainment, LLC for putting it together!

Background photo by: Lovedraft's Brewing Co.