Skid Row Garage, Venue Review

Shoutouts:

All I can say is WOW! Skid Row Garage did not disappoint! What a night full of brutal music with amazing people. American Mosh Pits came out and partied with us, it’s always good to have these guys in the crowd! I got to meet the people from East Coast Metal Mayhem also and they were all kind and super down to earth. I love what they are trying to do so make sure you give them a follow! Also got to meet a big group from the ICoN Pit Crew and man, such awesome people as always. I know if I see those shirts in the crowd I’m going to be taken care of in the pit.

For one of the first times, every band excited me and sounded amazing! VOIDS opened the show man they killed it right from the start! If there’s any inclination if the show is going to be any good, it’s when the opening band crushes it! After hearing all the good things about Who They Fear I was super excited to see them and they did not disappoint, they have a incredible sound and the singer even got in the pit with everyone which is always exciting! Fight From Within blew my mind, most certainly becoming a favorite of mine after listening to them more today. Their energy was off the charts and they sound freaking incredible. There’s no good way to describe them besides BADASS. The Wise Man's Fear finished off the night with a killer set that had everyone moving until the last song, even stayed late to finish their set with an extra song! Loved their bassist for getting in the pit and playing!  Every band made it into my playlist and I can’t wait to catch them again soon!

Venue review:

Skid Row Garage is a different venue than Im used too, that’s for sure. Located off W. Market Street in York Pa, it gives off that old school metal show vibe with that intimate feeling of the bands being right there with you in the crowd. Although the venue is small, it packed a serious punch and the energy is unmatched! I learned after talking with a bunch of people that the average drive time was over 2 hours for most of the crowd! That was so cool to hear, knowing people came that far for these bands at this location. If that’s not a sign they are doing something right I don’t know what is!

As for accessibility, I know the city itself pretty well being a “local” to the area. The part of York that they are located in is not the most accessible area. The buildings are all on the older side, meaning they weren’t necessarily designed with the ADA in mind. So before I made plans to come I reached out to Skid Row Garage via messenger and inquired about their entrances. As I assumed, there wasn’t a ramp into the building and had 2 steps to get in like most buildings in the area. However, without me even bringing it up, they already offered to get me inside by any means. Between the staff and other concert goers, I had 0 problems with entering the building. When inside your taken back in time and greeted by that old school intimate “DIY” feel. Reminds me of the viral videos you see of the 90s and people going hard during basement shows. Was so cool and I loved it! You have access to the front of the stage, and as Vin from American Mosh Pits learned, can easily help out the band when something goes wrong like setting up their microphone after it gets knocked down  From the stage area you’ll find a long hallway that featured the main merch booth for the headliners and areas for the other bands to setup as well as a kitchen that Tha Taste Of Brooklyn  was cooking in. Talk about amazing food! If they are at any event near you I highly suggest getting something from them! So good! The bathrooms were smaller, but did include a larger stall so that’s good! To get to the bar, it did have a partial ramp and a few steps. Due the age of the building, that’s not too uncommon honestly. For me, I use crutches as well so it was easy enough to head down to get a drink or visit the outside deck area. However those who are wheelchair bound would need the help of others to get down to the bar or a companion to get something for you. The bar area was cool and a relaxing area to get away from the music if you needed a break. I noticed they have a security monitor and you could see the stage with it, maybe one day they could add a bigger tv and people could watch from the bar if they weren’t feeling the crowd. The deck area was nice and would be an awesome outdoor spot during the summer! Overall, the venue is really well done and offers an intimate feel that you simply can’t get at any larger popular venue.

Conclusion:

Yes, the accessibility isn’t the greatest. But I do not fault the venue or its owners. You have to remember that ADA (American Disabilities Act) has not been around forever and there are situations where it’s just not feasible to make it perfect. Things like age of the building, zoning laws, historical districts, and cost all comes into play. What matters to me is if they know they aren’t accessible and they go out of their way to accommodate you the best they can. That shows me they care. And Skid Row Garage did exactly that! I am not giving a rating for this venue, as I feel that the rating would indirectly have a negative effect. And as I said, just because they weren’t the most accessible they went above and beyond to make sure my time was just as good as the rest of the fans. So with that said, I encourage everyone, disabled or not, to attend a show at Skid Row Garage. Just keep in mind you may need a hand or two, but don’t worry, if you’re coming alone like I sometimes do there will always be someone there to help you out. I will be back for another badass show soon, so see you then!