Headliners Music Hall

Every year Headliners gets worse. I started going there many years ago. I even saw Kings of Leon there, before they became so popular. I’ve also seen Wilco and Alejandro Escovedo there, as well… So some pretty fantastic talent! Back in the day, they used to have seating with lots of tables and chairs. I guess if you’re in your 20s and don’t mind standing in ONE place for several hours it’s OK, but that’s not the case for me or my husband. Now, they oversell and it is so crowded you can barely squeeze and wiggle through the crowd. Worse thing is DON’T GO IN THE SUMMER! I say this because I’ve been there about 4 times in the summer, and not exaggerating, it is literally OVER 95 degrees inside! Mix that temp with over crowding and you will be miserable. Every time I ask the bartenders what’s up with the heat and they always say the AC went out! What? How ironic that the AC is always out. The parking lot is so tiny you might as well forget about parking there. You’ll end up either on the street or in a muddy grass lot across from the venue. Again, they’ve managed to get some good groups there (I missed Cage the Elephant, wish I could have seen them), but they oversell for the space and it’s just not worth it! Bring back tables and chairs, waitresses, climate control, and I will pay way more to go! Quit trying to cram so many people in and just charge more for those who want to get what you pay for.

Louisville has a knack for attracting Cool. For so many of my friends from different cities, concerts get expensive. I’ve always loved the lineups at Headliners and the affordability they provide. This year, I knew I wanted to attend more concerts of new (to me) bands, and I was always tempted by the new concert notifications from headliners. A few weeks ago, friends and I saw Moon Taxi here, which was packed and an absolute riot; by comparison, my friends and I saw Pokey Lafarge here last weekend and really enjoyed the laid back atmosphere of the balcony upstairs. Headliners has two great bars with equally great staff, serving local brews and cocktails. The sound staff is fantastically talented, and each band is really showcased with visuals that fit their brand. Unlike some music halls, Headliners is always very clean and well maintained; (come on, we’ve all been to those halls that are littered, graffitti’ed, and dirty). Above all, the bands they have on docket are all top-​notch!

This is a great venue. The live sound is considerably better than similar venues. Clear and not TOO loud. Drink prices were surprisingly reasonable. Bathrooms werent too bad. Then again I saw Lacuna Coil/​Within Temptation/​In this Moment. So it wasnt too crazy. Parking was no trouble at all. All in all, an excellent live music venue.

This is a favorite spot! Yes, it’s a bit run down and a bit of a dive, but I find that to be a huge part of its charm. Headliners is a great place for affordable entertainment! There isn’t a bad «seat» in the house. It can get crowded, and tough to get around in there, but I never mind… The shows I’ve seen have always been more than worth my while!

An older venue in Louisville, but I still have to give this place 5 stars. Being a little older just adds to the overall charm and enjoyment for me. Out of all the venues in Louisville, this has to be one of my favorites. I’ve been here for hundreds of concerts, comedy shows, and The Moth!
It does seem to draw really great bands and bands at the other end of the spectrum that aren’t so great. It does well drawing the mid-​range bands that haven’t blew up yet. The ticket prices are usually reasonable which fits since it’s an older building that is run down.
The drink prices are reasonable too! It’s usually 4 or 5 bucks for a beer and 7 or 8 for bourbon. Since this is a music/​event venue, that price could easily be more. I’m glad they’ve established that sweet spot. The staff makes drink buying better too. They might be the nicest bar staff in Louisville.
Parking is easy. They have a lot. There’s plenty of street parking all the way down Lexington Road. There are also some secret places to park if you absolutely can’t find a spot… but sorry folks, I’m going to keep that a secret… muahahaha.
If I could change one thing, it would be to move the merch area. For larger shows, it would allow for more room for the crowd. For smaller shows/​events, you could probably put quite a few more chairs along that wall.
My only other complaint is back behind the sound booth and at the bar. If it’s a loud band, sometimes the sound can bounce off the back wall causing you to get hit with a noise muffle. It’s not terrible, but depending on the band… it can make a difference.
If I could suggest… the upper balcony would be perfect to host a game night. There are already other gaming communities around town. If it was executed correctly, I think a board gaming day/​night would work perfectly at Headliner’s.
Overall… if there is a band that you like and they come to Headliner’s… BUY A TICKET!

In terms of a music venue Headliners is as real as it gets. There is deep history through prohibition, some of the greatest ever have passed through this stage. Has a cool balcony area, excellent place to see up and coming acts.

My sister won free tickets to see Calexico here.
It wes pretty standard for a concert hall, stage in front, bar in back.
I rally enjoyed the old building with the old paintings on the walls. I would defiantly go back for more shows there

Came out tonight to catch Built to Spill with my wife and sister-​in-​law. We stopped by early and waited for the opening acts. I don’t remember the first act’s name, but it was a one-​person band on drums and guitar.
Venue is pretty standard as far as lay out goes, but has a cool overall vibe. The acts were fun, the crowd lively, but not obnoxious, and the sound guy actually knew what he was doing. Nice spot.

I always have such a great time at Headliners! Ticket prices are reasonable and it’s a cool place to take on a show. I have been a frequent visitor for some time now. My shows have ranged from Citizen Cope, Amos Lee, Hem, Matisyahu, The Disco Biscuits, Ingrid Michaelson, J. Roddy Walston and the Business, and Louisville’s local Villbillies & Code Red. The history of the building is pretty awesome too and I recommend checking it out.
There’s really not a bad seat in the house. My favorite place is located downstairs in back of the sound guy behind the railing. You get a perfect view of the stage and the crowd! It’s pretty much standing room only, however depending on the show and the atmosphere they sometimes do put tables out. The upstairs area also has a bar and a rail you can stand next to. This is another great place to watch a performance if you aren’t into being squished upfront near the stage.
I would give Headliners five stars, but then discounted a star for the bathrooms (I think every time I’m there one of the toilets are overflowing. Lol!). I also think the drink prices are a bit high. And it would be nice if they built a better air conditioning system in.
These are all little things though. I really do love this venue. It has charm and is a terrific representation of Louisville! AWESOME! :)

Headliner’s long-​storied past and awesome history make it a treasure of a venue in Louisville. The small size of the hall provides an personal setting with some of the best bands in the nation, where you’ll rarely get so close to your favorite artists anywhere else. This place gets HOT during a sold out show in the summer, but the oscillating fans mounted on the wall were a good enough gesture to keep airflow moving and the fans slightly cooler, but still sweaty and thirsty enough to purchase drinks from the bar. There is plenty of streetside parking along the property and it’s not a sketchy area.
Louisville’s music scene continues to wow me, and our ability to draw my favorite artists in small, intimate venues just makes me love this town even more.

Such a cool vibe here. It’s a great place to check out new music, or to go for a music event (their New Year’s Eve party is a blast!). The balcony has a great view, but know going in that if you stand up there your ears will be ringing for 2 days, as it is much louder than the floor. They have a good selection of drinks, and the overall experience at Headliners is just fun!

So the shows here are pretty good, get some great acts that are still headliners. Unfortunately that’s about where it ends. This place has been the same ever since I started going here years ago and that’s not always a good thing. Parking well there isn’t really any, at least for the amount of people they oversell shows too. The bathrooms are deplorable, your probably best wearing waders or rain boots if you do have to go but probably should just have a catheter and a urine bag.
The place makes no sense whatsoever if you want to go outside for some fresh air or smoke you have to go thru a muddy dirty landfill basically and then come back in thru the front door. They must make absolutely no money because as long as it’s been like this they could have built a patio and have the ability to come in and out of the same door. As far as the customer service goes, your probably better off going to the DMV to be treated better. You’d think your in the movie Road House or going to Golds Gym by the meat heads that work there. God forbid you bring a cell phone it’s like you just pulled out a gun at the place. From the top down they really need a makeover from management to the décor. With new places like Mercury Ball Room if they don’t reinvent themselves they will go by the wayside just like the abandoned buildings surrounding the area.

Price = 4
Experience = 4 (great old interior, sound and layout are great… look for the crashed plane with graffiti)

Oh headliners. I love and hate this venue. It hosts some of the best indie bands that come into Louisville. It has great communication. The people who take money for parking are some of the sweetest grizzled old men I’ve ever met. God love em. They’re my favorite and will watch out for you when you cross the road. Parking is super reasonable. One of the easiest places to park in Louisville. Bring cash.
It’s bar style when you go in. Bar in the back. Big empty space and then stage. Huge room. There’s an upper level to the left where you can watch from above. Industrial décor but minimal. It’s not a place to go if you want to admire the décor.
The bad parts: this place is plain unfriendly for the short of stature! There’s no seating. It’s hard to see and you’ll get trampled. My first show here, though it was awesome, the AC was out in the dead of summer. It was packed. Even though the audience was still amped and it was a freaking amazing show (coheed and Cambria) — wow unpleasant and hot!
The times I’ve been right up to the stage (which is awesome and amazing to see your favorites so close) I got a headache halfway through trying to keep my neck at that angle.
My suggestion? Get their early and watch from the balcony or halfway up the stairs if you’re short. If you can stand it, get there super early with some aspirin and hang out next to the stage.
Don’t dress warmly.
Wear comfortable shoes.

Headliners is a great size for live music that doesn’t need a stadium to house everyone. The room is deceptively large and the mezzanine gives a great view of the stage as well as hold quite a few people.
With the wide bar at the back, there is plenty of space to try and grab a bar tender’s attention without having to fight people making their way back up to the stage.
I really like the feel of the place and the sound quality was excellent! Reasonably priced tickets that are easy to buy on their site cinched it for me.

Went here for an OK Go concert which was great. The venue itself is fairly small which is nice because it gives you a great opportunity to get up close and personal. The drinks range from $ 5 – 6 which is more than reasonable considering they could easily gouge you once you are in the doors.
I was a bit unsure of what to wear but know it can get a bit hot inside when crowded. If you don’t want to sweat your off don’t wear too many layers. People were dressed in the whole spectrum from shorts and star wars tshirts to dress casual hipster.

I just experienced The Moth Story monthly interactive show. It was Amazing! Go. Seriously.
Beat the line and buy tickets on their site. Easy-​peasy. You even print it out yourself. Self service. I like it.
The bouncer is Intimidating for sure. Just like in the movies… Which was surprising since we were basically there for story time.
And then I saw the bar…
It’s stellar. It’s Beautiful. It’s… bouncer-​worthy.
The chairs are not fab, but the intimacy of the venue is great. I look forward to attending a concert here soon.
Also, there’s balcony seating for those of you who like to look down on people. #nice

Intimate, sounds good, compares well to Bogarts (Cincy) and The Vogue (Indy) – those are just a few of my thoughts about this venue. They’ve already been going for over 20 years and have been under new management for more than 5 years now. That new mgmt has done it right IMO.
Since my last review 8 years ago I’ve seen dozens of shows here. A few highlights:
— The Black Angels opening for The Black Keys (before they got huge)
— Tame Impala
— The Apples In Stereo
— Cut Copy (love this band!)
— Guided By Voices
— Son Volt (another 2x since 2006)
— Japandroids (I actually walked out on them, too loud, and then the guitarist whined he lost his earplugs… omg!)
— Premier of the Slint documentary, «Breadcrumb Trail,» with an all-​Slint-​members Q&A panel.
And many-​much more! It’s a full slate at Headliners always; check their calendar.
I like the variety of shows done here-​no ideology-​and how they’ve maintained their presence and distinct identity among the increasing competition, and they do fit nicely into that niche that can attract prominent indie bands… right between local bands and the pricier shows that go down over at Louisville Palace and (the rather new) Mercury Ballroom.
Shows range from around $ 12-​$ 30 here depending on the act and their popularity and whether you’re smart enough to grab tickets at your local record shop instead of online (I’ve vowed to stop buying tickets online so I can have a real ticket and my stub as a memento while also saving $ 3 – 4 per unit).
Long may you run, Headliners.

Even though I live in Cincinnati, I’ve been to a few shows here in the past 3 – 4 years, and they are always GREAT. Headliners does a great job of hosting big and small events alike– they always seem organized and get people through any lines really quickly.
The venue always seems clean, but still has a lot of charm. Always a really really great sound, even for naturally loud bands.
Love this place, and anytime a band I like is on tour, I hope they stop at Headliners!

Louisville wouldn’t be Louisville for me without Headliner’s.
I have so many great memories from Headliner’s, including seeing Jim James and VHS or Beta live and attending a great Halloween party in which Cheyenne Mize covered PJ Harvey and Nerves Junior did Radiohead.
Is the venue perfect? Absolutely not, but those imperfections help add to the charm.
I love the weird murals on the walls, and the lived-​in feel of the place — like it has seen hundreds of shows but will still see hundreds more. (The fact that the carpet was recently replaced gets two thumbs up, though.)
Ticket prices are affordable, and I especially love watching a show from the second level. The main bar almost takes up a whole wall, which means there is plenty of room for you to sidle up and grab a drink, assuming you can get a bartender’s attention.
Yeah, the drink prices are a bit steep, and I wish they opened up the second floor bar more often, but given Headliner’s pros, I can let these cons slide.
The staff has always been friendly, and I love the weird plane sticking out of the hill behind to venue.
And while they don’t serve food — or at least haven’t when I’ve been there — many shows over the last couple years have included a food truck or two.
Headliner’s straddles the divide between large venue and cozy locale very well. I look forward to attending many more concerts and events here.