Best Concert Venue

As far as small venues go, Aisle 5 takes the cake. There’s a certain magic the Little 5 Points club possesses, one that’s slightly creepy while simultaneously comforting. There’s no telling what you’re walking into at Aisle 5. Sometimes it’s a local band and other days it’s an EDM show. But one thing’s for sure: You’re in for a good time. Bartenders are quick and friendly, ticket prices are within range for us average folks, and though the crowd is a mixed bag, it’s always full of good people. less...

Step inside THE VISTA ROOM and it’s as though the air changes shape. The wood on the walls, the tables, the stage and the building itself feel as though they’ve been expertly crafted to serve the impeccable sound system. Standing adjacent to Napoleon’s Grill, a gastro pub in Decatur’s Oak Grove neighborhood, the Vista Room has hosted performances by everyone from Col. Bruce Hampton and the Swimming Pool Q’s to Glenn Phillips, the reunited Hydra and Drivin’ N Cryin’, just to name a few. There’s plenty of prog rock, bluegrass, country, folk and straight up rock ‘n’ roll occupying the stage throughout the week. The underlying theme tying it all together is called experience. The room is the fruit of Sean Keenan and Mike Rizzi’s labors. Keenan is a restaurant entrepreneur, and drummer Rizzi (Five Eight) is a long-standing Georgia music veteran who’s played in just about every musical environment one can imagine. With the Vista Room they’ve channeled the highs and lows of life on the road and an unending devotion to music into a comfortable and perfectly calibrated listening room that’s all about bolstering the music, for the artists and for the audience. 2836 LaVista Road, Decatur. 404-321-5000. www.thevistaroom.com. less...

Outside, its bouncers are smiling. Inside, its three bars supply 25 different beers. Terminal West is now Robert Shaw and Alan Sher’s dream venue, built after years of throwing concerts inside a King Plow Arts Center gallery space that required them to rebuild and destroy their stage setup for every show booked. Their persistence inspired an avid following that justified the need for a permanent venue. Terminal West now resides inside a former 6,700-square-foot iron and steel foundry, and its back patio faces train tracks running parallel to Marietta Street. But the better view is inside - featuring a stage setup capable of illuminating and amplifying newgrass pioneer Sam Bush, New Orleans sissy bounce queen Big Freedia, and the most buzzed-about DJ/electronic music producer of the year, Skrillex. Best of all, it’s here to stay. less...