The Basement is exactly where the name says. It sits one floor below A&R Music Bar at 391 Neil Avenue, right next door to KEMBA Live!, and all three rooms are run by PromoWest. On a busy night you can have three shows going on one corner of the Arena District.
One floor down
This is the smallest of the three, a basement club that holds a few hundred people standing. It has a proper stage, real sound and lighting, and dressing rooms for the bands, so it plays bigger than its size. With a crowd that size, the front row and the back wall are not far apart.
The Basement has long pitched itself as the place where a band builds a buzz before the bigger stages. Catching an act in a room this small is the whole point. Our indie calendar is a good place to spot the next one.
Parking in the Arena District
The Arena District has plenty of garages and surface lots, but they fill fast when there is a game at Nationwide Arena or a big show next door. Check what else is happening nearby before you pick a garage, and give yourself extra time on hockey nights.
The North Market sits just north of the district on Spruce Street if you want dinner before doors. COTA buses on High Street are a short walk east.
Small room habits
- Age limits vary by show. Bring ID either way.
- Doors and set times are printed on your ticket. Headliners in small rooms often go on later than you expect, so pace yourself.
- If the show upstairs or next door catches your eye too, check the times. Bouncing between rooms on one corner is easy.