re: What happened to The Varsity Theater in Baton Rouge? It no longer books live music?

Posted by CottonWasKing

4,8,15,16,23,42

Member since Jun 2011

29478 posts

Posted on 5/7/25 at 8:24 am to turnpiketiger

quote:
Saw them there in 2016 and 2016

I don’t remember that show but I saw them there sometime around 2013 or 2014

Posted by blueboxer1119

Baton Rouge

Member since May 2013

9554 posts

Posted on 5/7/25 at 8:25 am to DiamondDog

Liquid Sand at the Varsity was a good time.

Posted by ansertiger

Member since Sep 2023

144 posts

Posted on 5/7/25 at 8:27 am to MyRockstarComplex

quote:
Who went in after Alex?

The run of bookers was solid for like 30 years:
Glenn (whatever happened to this guy)
Chris
Alex

Not sure if there was anyone after Alex, but I was told that they switched to just using their ticketing service out of New York or something to do the booking after COVID.

I know that when I was considering purchasing any tickets the last couple years, this crypto ticketing site is who they've been using so I'm assuming it was them, at least until recently (the event on the Varsity site is now sending you to TickPick)

https://blocktickets.xyz
https://blocktickets.xyz/venue/varsity-theatre

This post was edited on 5/7/25 at 8:30 am

Posted by terriblegreen

Souf Badden Rewage

Member since Aug 2011

11823 posts

Posted on 5/7/25 at 8:27 am to DiamondDog

It used to be awesome. We used to go all the time even if it was someone we'd never heard of. Great venue in the 90s.

Posted by Fat Harry

70115

Member since Mar 2005

2360 posts

Posted on 5/7/25 at 8:27 am to ansertiger

Jerry Jeff Walker in Fall 1999...epic....

Posted by el Gaucho

He/They

Member since Dec 2010

58435 posts

Posted on 5/7/25 at 8:50 am to turnpiketiger

Hopefully since yellowstone sucked so bad people will stop liking them and they play small venues and Evan starts drinking again so the music is good again

Posted by JW

Los Angeles

Member since Jul 2004

5155 posts

Posted on 5/7/25 at 9:03 am to el Gaucho

Heydey was clearly G. Prejean from 91-2000ish. So many national acts of note that have been mentioned, but also Public Enemy, No Doubt, Wilco, Tori Amos, Danzig, S. Crow .. a diverse mix for sure ... including lots of smartly planned showcases with DMB, 311 etc. If memory serves, they were free. KLSU even promoted and "sponsored" shows. I don't recall Beck performing, but there is a lot i didn't retain.

Just a different time. A real music community alongside the Art Bar, Bayou, Chelseas and even Murphy's.

The guy in the middle was terrible really with bad taste and uncharismatic stiffness. If the Chimes team really wanted it back, they could hire someone and make a go of it.

This post was edited on 5/7/25 at 9:06 am

2 ...

Posted by Maderan

Member since Feb 2005

869 posts

Posted on 5/7/25 at 9:10 am to JW

Can't speak to the peak but the acts were great during that period. I was at KLSU and we definitely cross promoted a bunch with them. Chis L was pretty good as well from a booking standpoint.

Posted by Nyala

Member since Jun 2007

117 posts

Posted on 5/7/25 at 9:11 am to JW

quote:
Heydey was clearly G. Prejean from 91-2000ish. So many national acts of note that have been mentioned, but also Public Enemy, No Doubt, Wilco, Tori Amos, Danzig, S. Crow .. a diverse mix for sure ... including lots of smartly planned showcases with DMB, 311 etc. If memory serves, they were free. KLSU even promoted and "sponsored" shows. I don't recall Beck performing, but there is a lot i didn't retain.

Just a different time. A real music community alongside the Art Bar, Bayou, Chelseas and even Murphy's.

The guy in the middle was terrible really with bad taste and uncharismatic stiffness. If the Chimes team really wanted it back, they could hire someone and make a go of it.

Your memory is right, DM was definitely free. See my post above.

This post was edited on 5/7/25 at 9:13 am

Posted by BobABooey

Parts Unknown

Member since Oct 2004

15867 posts

Posted on 5/7/25 at 9:17 am to DiamondDog

I saw Leon Redbone perform in the late 1980’s but I could swear it was in the restaurant portion of the Varsity. He had an acoustic guitar and played to a crowd sitting at tables in a section of the place. He definitely wasn’t on a stage in the theater.

Bought OTC medicine from Rexall Drugs.

Posted by DiamondDog

Louisiana

Member since Nov 2019

12716 posts

Posted on 5/7/25 at 9:40 am to MyRockstarComplex

quote:
Also worth noting: the glory days were before LiveNation ruined the industry. Touring acts tied to LN plus ticketing through TM makes things very unprofitable.

I used to buy them from their box office.

I feel old.

Posted by dgnx6

Member since Feb 2006

85455 posts

Posted on 5/7/25 at 9:43 am to DiamondDog

Flaming lips were there around 2012 ish and turnpike truoubadors in 2015.

Those were the last two shows I saw there.

Posted by Supermoto Tiger

Baton Rouge

Member since Dec 2010

10464 posts

Posted on 5/7/25 at 9:46 am to TigerTitleHunter

Saw The Cult at the Varisty years ago - awesome show.

Posted by Fewer Kilometers

Baton Rouge

Member since Dec 2007

37853 posts

Posted on 5/7/25 at 9:53 am to Kafka

I saw Raising Arizona there. They'd sell the posters for the previous films in their lobby. Before the Siegen theater took over as the independent film cinema in town (until Tinseltown put them out of business).