The Sugar Mill

Overall, the sound is unimpressive. I’ve only seen electronic shows here and the sound tends to be way too loud and gets muddled inside this big warehouse space.
Perks to this venue are the thick blankets of jasmine on the walls outside, the large space that can comfortably fit a crowd, and the central location – though street parking tends to be a bitch.
Cons to this venue are the highly uncomfortable concrete floors that make your back ache after a couple hours and the micro-​managing bathroom attendants who harass the ladies about bringing their drinks into the bathroom. There is some kind of «policy» about this, but I don’t get it.
ATM fee is $ 4.50. Bring cash.
Bottled water is $ 4 from the venue or $ 2 from a food truck if they’re there.
It’s kind of set up to rip you off and piss you off, so make sure the show you go to see is going to be worth the bullshit.

If you’re looking for a HUGE space to throw a party or event, this is the place to have it at!
I’ve attended the 610 Stompers Débutante Ball the past 2 years here, and there was enough space to hold the amount of people that attended (although drink lines were ridiculously long this past year).
There’s also an outdoor patio-​like area, which adds to the space and is a great place to go if you want to get some fresh air.
Whether you’re looking for a place to hold an event or if you’re attending an event here, you won’t be disappointed in how much space you’ll have and the layout of the space.

This is a huge indoor/​outdoor warehouse space that can be used for special events. I hadn’t been inside since around when it opened and had a different name…
It’s great to be able to have both indoor and outdoor sections. And that the entrance narrows (thanks to the triangular shape) so that access can be limited as you file people in.
Biggest con? That you’re standing on a concrete slab in a warehouse for hours. So if it’s chilly, you feel it despite the crowds.
Parking in the area is rough, especially if there are multiple events going on.

A great space for a ginormous party!
I’ve been here for various events including San Fermin, Fashion Week New Orleans, and (most recently) The 610 Stompers Débutante Ball.
The Deb Ball had outgrown its first venue the UNO Human Performance Center (though I loved it too), and has been in the Sugar Mill the last couple of years. Even with an attendance of 3,000+ you don’t feel like you’re vieing for air or space, in my opinion.
I love the dual outdoor/​indoor space. The courtyard in front isn’t an afterthought. It’s very well maintained and it’s not just for the peeps that want to smoke. There is a ton of space. This area’s great for San Fermin.
I’ve been here multiple times for Fashion Week New Orleans. They use the upstairs for makeup and hair (love the old school barber chairs up there). There is enough room to have plenty of space «backstage», set up the fashion show area, AND host a vendor area.
Facilities-​wise, women’s bathroom is great. Tons of stall, very clean, and, in some cases, an attendant to steer you to an open stall. Like I said, the upstairs is great, also as an area to safely keep your stuff, if you’re hosting the event as well as an extra bathroom. They also have another upstairs area you can host VIP OR photo shoots. Aw yeah.
For a smaller event, it can seem a little cavernous, so make sure if you’re throwing an event you can really utilize the space.
I would love to see a concert there sometime soon. I know some people have mentioned sound as an issue, but I’m not expert. It’s the tiniest bit difficult to hear the band when your in the upstairs area near the courtyard, but again there were 3,000+ people there when I was trying to listen.
Will update if I see a concert there!

A really great place for shows! Been here for a few like Primus and someone else, …but mostly for the San Fermin Nueva Orleans events here. Perfect perfect place for it. So dam huge and open, great bathrooms and the bar set up has the wait next to nil. Perfect.
Only bad thing about some of the shows here is the turn around time, meaning when your big and fat like me, standing up for 5 hours aint gonna cut it. Would be cool if there was a few seats way off to the sides, out of the way of everyone. There is like NO seating in there, unless your part of VIP seating upstairs.
That would be the only thing I would change about it, I totally dig this place for a short term deal.

Went here for the Erykah Badu, Mos Def, Hot 8 show during Jazz Fest and the sound was, meh. Sound is thee thing i care about most when going to any show at any venue.
Perhaps what else contributed to the three star rating is that the show itself was just, meh. On top of standing around on what seemed to be the most solid surface on the face of the Earth for five hours waiting on Mos Def to get on stage (before Badu) there was absolutely no place to sit down for a little relief and there was no re-​entry so once you’re in, you’re in. Not a fan of that at all, especially since the tickets were $ 66. Gotta do better by your ticket holders.

Not the best venue for music if the music is non-​electronic. They need to work on their sound set-​up. Saw Alabama Shakes here last night and although we all had fun (Boucherie and La Cochinita food trucks being highlights) the sound of the music itself was really bad. They also filled the huge space with tons of fog machines for some reason. It’s a nice big space that I’m sure works well for a festival or party, but not so much for someone singing her heart out and barely able to be heard.

We got some free tickets to the CMT Crossroads show with Journey (YAY!) and Rascal Flatts (not yay at all) and this was the venue we were shuttled to. We walked in and couldn’t believe how big it was. We went and claimed our standing spots in the pit and then the boyfriend went and grabbed some drinks for us while I held down the fort. He got a mixed drink and I got a glass of wine. He only ended up spending $ 10 which is pretty awesome for two drinks at any music venue, especially the night before the Super Bowl. Everyone was really friendly leading us to where we were supposed to be. We had a great time besides being sandwiched and pushed by the immature crowd of people who were trying to dance (or something like dancing?) at a Journey concert. It’s not a mosh-​ey kind of concert guys.

Before the Cosmic Convergence Festival I’d never even heard of the Sugar Mill. So I was pleasantly surprised to find it to be a nice venue. Here’s the layout: the main building is large and has great stage and wide, open spaces like a warehouse. Bathrooms are on both ends, one side men and the other ladies. Bathrooms are clean and nice looking and kept in good condition. Just outside the main building is a triangular-​ish courtyard. The far end of the courtyard (which is the narrow end) can host a secondary stage, which is did for the CCF.
I see some reviews complain about beer selection, and I completely agree. As for problems with entry/​exit, that’s not determined by the Sugar Mill itself but by the group that rents it. I did some volunteer work for the CCF and got peek behind the curtain. ATMs and food vendors are also the responsibility of the renters it seems. I won’t fault the venue for that, screwing up those things isn’t the Sugar Mill’s fault.
Overall it’s a great venue, large enough for big events but too big for more intimate gatherings.

What a great location… and the space can be arranged for specific needs and desires. Ive been to this venue for fashion shows, concerts, I was even an extra in a television show filmed in the Sugar Mill. The place has a parking lot next to it, which in that area you can save some time parking in the lot.

This is a very cool venue. It has a lot of open air space, but also caters to events in colder climate. They have lots of room for vendors and various types of VIP, and are close to some great bars and restaurants in the area.

Friday night was my first time checking this place out & I was less than impressed. To begin with, the lines to get in were not labeled & were extremely confusing, it nearly made me want to just leave. I took everyone’s advice about the ridiculous parking & we opted for a cab. Once we walked up though, the line on the left of the building to get in was insanely long but seemed to be moving quickly so we jumped in. It was actually kind of fun to see everyone’s reaction as they walked up & registered the amount of people waiting to get in. During our wait, everyone in line was treated to the aroma of some dead, rotting creature in the dumpster we had to stand next to. Seriously, some of the stupider girls were audibly concerned that they would «smell like that for the rest of the night.» I had already drank a considerable amount of rum before arriving so my gag reflex was on full alert.
Once we got to the front we were extremely dismayed to find that that line we suffered in was actually the ticket line and not will call. That line was on the opposite side of the building. The security guard politely moved the barricades so that we could head that way but informed us that, once we picked up our tickets, we would have to get back in the long, stinky line in order to reenter. Wow.
We got our tickets and begged a different security guard to please let us back in the barricades. He laughed at our sob story but thankfully let us in anyway. Once in the outer courtyard, it didn’t seem too crowded at first. The space was large & the crowd wasn’t too thick (which was a huge relief for us after having attended jazzfest prior to this concert). We found a decent spot to stand & I went to get us drinks. There was NO BEER available at all and the well drinks were $ 5-​$ 8. Let’s just say I came prepared so this was not an issue for us but I was disgusted nonetheless & vowed to once again be fully prepared should there ever be a future concert I want to attend here. Or, as Shannon put it, «No wonder so many people seem to indulge in getting themselves into a drug induced rave haze of one kind or another prior to arriving here.» Well said, attending a concert sober is just not something that happens often in this city & I’m not about to be the one to change that.
The bathrooms were clean & had attendees that told you when one was free, which was super nice. But overall, the experience here was not something I would like to go through again.

I attended a wedding here. As this place seems to be an old… well, sugar mill, and the decorators did a fabulous job of transforming the inside of the place for the wedding, my review may be influenced by my fondness for the decorators, but at the very least, this place has great potential.
There’s a courtyard outside that works a wonderful reception area, and the inside can serve as a dining hall that seats at least 300 people.
The downside to holding events here is parking. There is limited street parking in the area, but you might have to park for away and walk over. The lots immediately by the Sugar Mill charged $ 30 for just parking your car (ridiculous!)
Other than that, I was really impressed by the (transformed for a wedding) Sugar Mill. It was one of the most elegant weddings I’ve ever attended.

I came to the Sugar Mill for a 610 Stompers party and then again for MOMs Ball. Both times were great experiences. I really like the lay-​out of the space. You first walk through the gate to an open court-​yard with various areas that you can hangout with friends but also their might be some food stalls/​booths with local chefs and restaurants selling their food. Then you walk into a space that really looks like a hanger for airplanes or a warehouse (maybe that is why they call it The Sugar Mill). There is a massive stage with an equally massive sound system for DJs or live music. The Sugar Mill will also have beverage stations strategically located at various points throughout the space.
This place is mainly for events and is not really I place I would frequent like a bar or music venue on Frenchmen, but when I do come here for events, I’m pleased and satisfied with my experience.

Ok nice big space here and it is a decent place in a decent location to watch live music or attend other events. Big huge minus is the fact that they seem to always be out of any decent beer (they advertise Heineken everywhere here but NEVER seem to have it) and seem to always just have PBR and Miller Lite for $ 5. No wonder so many people seem to indulge in getting themselves into a drug induced rave haze of one kind or another prior to arriving here in order to enjoy themselves despite the poor choices at highway robbery prices. The other great aspect is that they only take cash at the bars so you have to travel with large sums of cash to have any hope of enjoying any alcohol induced bliss here (and carrying lots of cash in NOLA is never the best idea). Anyplace that sells PBR for $ 5 just makes me angry (and I’m just insulted by the sheer gouging of such a cheap beer at that price) and being left with low alcohol lite beer as my only other choice makes me want to stick a vodka IV in myself so I can finally catch a buzz to enjoy the freak show bands that usually play this venue. They generally don’t play the type of music I like here anyway so fortunately I rarely have to endure the hyperinflated swag beers here.

Okay, so I didn’t actually go *inside* the Sugar Mill, but I did hang out in the parking lot for a while. And I saw the sign outside, which is pretty cool and made out of metal.
NOLA Summer Jam this year was held at the Sugar Mill; that is, in the parking lot of the Sugar Mill. When we got there, there was a long line going into the building because there was some kind of MMA cage fight event happening that day. (Cage fighting? That kind of freaks me out. No thanks.)
Someday, I’d like to actually check out the space itself. However, if you’re ever looking for a parking lot to have a concert in, these people may be able to help.

This is a great space to hold an event, specifically a party. Its a very open area with ample areas. Note: will need decorations and furniture to give it the right party feel.
I recently went to a party at this location and the huge space was transformed into a whole new world. Check it out.