The Spot Underground

Some friends were performing at Open Mic night. The different performers were pretty good, definitely an eclectic group. The venue was spacious and had a garage band feel to it. All the surfaces were sticky. The walk to the ladies room was pitch black and slightly terrifying. Using our cell phone lights to explore the adjoining larger venue we could tell it hadn’t been cleaned since the last show, cans and filth everywhere. Drinks were good but grossly overpriced for their small plastic cup size. Drinks and physical appearance aside, the music is what you come for and it’s definitely worth a trip to The Spot.

The Food Is okay, The Good thing about this place is the LIve MUsic ONLY !

Fried avocados… changed my life!
Friendly staff, weirdos galore, live music! Had a great time here watching people dance and enjoyed the art.

Bad art on the walls. There are better places in providence.

We love this place for the atmosphere, nonstop live music, and cheap drinks. This is a great place to get together with friends and indulge in live music without the dreaded top 40s DJ. Not to mention the place is so cool inside! Kitchen open late night!

Located at 101 Richmond St Providence 2^nd Floor. 2 stages. 2 bars. Local and touring music. Local art. Live painting. Dance. Great food. Great vibe. Great people. Competitively priced drinks. Intelligent, caring staff. From tenders to security to tech.

I’m so torn on this place that I gave it 3, smack-​dab-​in-​the-​middle stars, and I’ll tell you why:
There is a band we’ve been DYING to see and low and behold, they were playing the Spot Underground this past Saturday. We’d never been there before, so here is my honest reaction to the night:
Walking in the bar, which used to be Jerky’s, I was amazed. It’s awesome and beautiful. Artwork on all the walls, sculptures that light up, fabric hanging from the ceiling and covering lights to provide ambiance. The room is huge and wide open, with high ceilings, a bar on one side, a stage in the corner with couches nearby, and a second level of seating three feet up. No matter where you were, you could see the stage and there were plenty of corners to find a seat and have your drink. I was SO excited to see the band play. This part of The Spot gets 5 fantastic stars.
Except…this wasn’t the room where the band we went to see was playing. This was where the opening band (who was very good!) was playing. And I understand why — the stage here was probably too small to host the 7-​person band we were waiting for.
The headlining band played in the OTHER room, which is a totally different story. This room was a lot smaller, though the stage was slightly bigger. It had two levels… but the second level was about 10 square feet and was reserved for a private party. The room was rectangle shaped, with a small bar on one side. On the adjoining wall was the (low) stage. Because of the position of the stage (blocked on all but two sides) and the positioning of the equipment on the stage (at least one, if not both, corners were piled high with amps and equipment) you could only see the stage if you were in the front two rows or if you were 6’5″. I’m 5’6″, so while I’m not tall, I’m not particularly short, either. By the time everyone in the club condensed into this small room, there was zero elbow room and zero room to dance — even towards the back of the room.
We wound up going out one of the room’s exits to the main room and up the stairs and around the corner (back in the main room) where people were dancing. The sound was lousy out there and obviously, we couldn’t see the band. Because they were this funky, awesome jazz band, WATCHING them play was one of the things we were excited for, and sadly, that wasn’t an option. There were two massive, 72″ flat screens in the main room and I was sure they were going to «simulcast» what was happening in the other room but… no.
I’m super bummed. Both because I didn’t get to see the band I REALLY wanted to see (because I physically could not see them from anywhere unless I planned to elbow my way to the front row) and because the Spot was ALMOST a 5 star bar that I’d go back to again and again… but I probably won’t go see another show there unless I know for sure they’re playing in the large room.
Drinks were standard price, bartenders were working hard and provided good service, and on this particular night, the crowd was awesome (except for that one REALLY smelly guy dancing next to us. Brother, I’ve been to 86 Phish shows and never smelled stank like that. HOW DO YOU NOT SMELL YOURSELF?) so save for that ONE THING with the small room and stage with zero visibility, the place is great. Unfortunately, that one thing is the reason we spent $ 40 on tickets and went out for the night.

Great live music! Recently saw Jim Cotta band with Viral Sound and they were mind blowing! Another time, I saw a band where one of the guys busted out a groovy conch solo. Yeah dude, a conch solo. It happened! Bartenders are quick and efficient. I have definitely had some of the best times ever hanging out here and when my brother came up to visit, we made sure we took him here! The vibes are great, and people are friendly and positive for the most part.

Great place to hang out in the middle of the week. There were 2 live bands playing and both were exceptional. There were plenty if seating and dancing areas. The prices of the drinks were very reasonable as well. The décor was very interesting and definitely a conversation piece.

this is the third location for these guys. Its my least favorite. During the week its alright. During the weekend, you can hear the club below pounding threw the floor. it drives me nuts.
The vibe is friendly, unlike the outside atmosphere of the area which is filled with angry frat boy hip hop drunks and slutty whores wearing skirts and tank tops in WINTER. There is very little free parking close by, so the walk is always sketchy as you leave with all the other clubs at closing time.
The venue has two stages, so the music never ends. They spotlight local talent as well as upcoming regional acts. I usually have a good time, i know they can do better though.

I had never been to the Spot’s old location, but I really like the vibe they’ve got in the new place. This used to be Level 2 back in the day and it’s sure come a long way since it was a skeezy club.
I come here to watch local and non-​local bands play for a minor cover charge. There are 2 bars (which serve Rum Punch– a house specialty!) and plenty of seating. There are also 2 stages, so depending on the crowd they anticipate will determine which stage the band plays on. I haven’t tried the food, but they now have a full menu too, which looks pretty yummy for reasonable prices.
They usually have some street vendors either selling their own artwork, crafts, etc. Just be careful-​because the hippies might try to sell you a «real» painting when it’s really just a print that’s painted on… although I still like the painted print :0)
On Reggae nights (SOPHISTIFUNK!), it can get quite smelly too– but that’s all apart of the experience! :0)
Overall, I love this place!

Was looking for something fun to do an a Wednesday night, and I’ve found it! The Spot has a large stage and live music with no cover Weds nights – what more can you ask for? Oh, and ½ off drinks for ladies, and they’re pretty good. Had a RI iced tea which was on the ½ off menu (great) and some of my friend’s white russian (not on the ½ off menu, but amazing). For a Weds night party with other people looking to have fun, and for free (!!) I haven’t found a better place yet. Going to check out other nights soon! The music, by the way, was slightly funky and totally great.

awesome place. very hip and lively. Its fun seeing live music there which gives a lot of character to the place, also you can have a private exhibit there with art work.

First time here was this past Wednesday and I can’t believe I have been missing out!
First off the décor is really random but somehow fits together perfectly. A group of friends and I went for free funk Wednesday which also happens to be Ladies Nights with half price drink specials! So lucky me when I found out that I could get Magic Hat for $ 2!
I like that there is a ton of seating available including some pretty comfy looking couches. I hate when I have to stand around usually in the way of other people trying to navigate.
If you check in on Unilocal or facebook you get a free washington apple shot. A little sugary for my liking but damn if I don’t love free stuff.
Bar tenders were very nice although hard to get their attention at some times. Best off just clearly making your presence known.
All in all, I can’t wait to go back for some free music, laid back atmosphere, dancing and half price drinks. Most exciting Wednesday I have had in quite a while.

Great live music venue. The ambience is the best I’ve seen for this kind of club in Providence. The lights during the live music are fantastic. There are lots of different nooks you can sit in to enjoy the music, including couches by a fish tank or Christmas tree. The door greeters treat you like you’re entering their own home, and the bartenders are sweet. The noise level is always high though, so expect your hearing to be slightly impaired that night.

I’ve been a fan of The Spot from it’s time on Thayer and they really took it up a notch when they went «Underground». A gem among Providence’s live music venues. The crew is terrific, the atmosphere is eclectic and comfortable, «an art museum that doubles as a concert hall». If you’re a fan of live original music, and The Spot showcases some of the best you’ll see any where, you have to get to The Spot Underground.

I wish Boston had a place that was half as awesome as The Spot. We popped in and caught the last few minutes of comedy and then a band came on, it was a great time. The décor is cool, the bartenders are fun, and the prices are reasonable.

I have only been here once for a friends show, but its definitely a place I will hopefully see more of.
The bar is reasonably priced, the drink strong and the place is small but just chill.
They always have live music, which is obviously a plus.

I just recently saw Frank Black (of The Pixies) here and I have to say it was the venue that made the show. Frank Black, who I normally love, was only average that night.
The décor was awesome — like aesthetically pleasing garbage. There was this one piece called «Yellow Cloud». No joke — it was some yellow/​gold fabric rigged up to look like a cloud on the ceiling. They stuck a light inside and called it art.
Also, there were christmas lights everywhere. It reminded me of my old bedroom from when I was in the 8^th grade.
But seriously, it looked pretty good.
The stage seemed small, but good for a solo act or open mic.
They have a small menu, I had some zucchini fries and aside from being too hot to eat for the first half hour they were pretty good — much better than average bar food. Prices were reasonable.
Definitely a place to check out if you haven’t been yet.

Until I went last Saturday, I thought this place was the basement at The Spot on Thayer. Whoops. I couldn’t have been more wrong. To clear up any further confusion:
1. The Spot Underground is where the Call and the the Jewel Bar usetabe in the Jewelry District.
2. The Spot on Thayer and The Spot Underground share management, a website, a phone number (and I’m sure many other things — that sounds like an STD joke but I didn’t mean it that way), but they are two separate venues with two separate addresses.
3. You do things like take a belly dance class on Thayer and you see awesome bands like Sauce perform at the Underground.
Man, do I feel better.
Anyhoo, it all came together for me on Saturday, when I had a blast at the Spot Underground. Cover was $ 10, which we all thought was a bit steep, but willing to spend to support our beloved local band Sauce. We rolled in around midnight, though, so the doorman was good enough to charge us a reduced rate of $ 5. Noice! Without us even asking! That NEVER happens!
The interior has been updated nicely from the last time I was in there (when it was still the Call) — floors are great, plenty of room for dancing, and more than enough cushy couches and chairs. A member of the Cardi’s dynasty is involved in this project, so the furniture is hooked up and not your typical oh-​my-​god-​what-​has-​transpired-​on-​this-​upholstery-​to-​make-​it-​so-​sticky club fare. I like to alternate between dancing and lounging about at a music show (which is usually a problem at Lupo’s or the Met) so this was perfect for me. The bar is giant (I don’t even think the whole bar was open) and they offered a whiskey menu, a nice selection of bottled craft beers, and two sizes of drafts.
Most important quality necessary in a live music venue: the sound is great. And the sound is great at the Spot Underground. Managed by a team of local veteran musicians and technicians, love for music and performance is written all over this place. Can’t wait to go back.