Croc. the bar is mellow and quiet. show room is small enough to be intimate, big enough to hold crowds for most shows. the stage is elevated so everyone can see what's going on. it's grungy and dirty, but not scary like the old graceland. it always sounds great. they serve food. the beers are good - and pretty cheap. and they consistently book the best local talent -- any given night you're bound to like some or all of the lineup.
For the record, Showbox is the worst venue in Seattle. always over-crowded, always sounds crappy, always full of drunken uw packs, always grumpy bouncers, horrible restroom locations, never able to see anything on the stage b/c the floor isn't angled enough. i have banned the showbox for life (except for the calexico show this summer, for which i was forced to make a single exception because i expect the crowd will all be courteous and over 25).
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