Masquerade

My sense of hearing is intact one day removed from my first metal concert, so I thank God for that.
After years of rumors suggesting that The Masquerade would be sold, torn asunder, and replaced with an apartment complex, the rumors are finally proven true. This is the final year of The Masquerade as we know it and perhaps the final year of its existence, period. Ergo, I had to return for one more concert, my first metal concert.
Pro tip: Don not thine finest footwear, for it will be trampled upon. EPICA performed a remarkable show, and they encouraged the formation of a raging mosh pit near the end of their set. Even if you don’t attend a metal concert and even if you’re nowhere near a mosh pit, someone WILL step on your shoes, guaranteed. Two separate individuals stepped on my kicks even before the headlining act hit the stage!
Free parking is available, but if an attendant waves you in, said attendant will expect a tip. When I sauntered over to the box office, I learned that The Masquerade doesn’t accept American Express. I happen to be the only Unilocaler whom still carries cash, so crisis averted. Plenty of alcohol is served but no food offerings. I don’t mind the dearth of cuisine because I only eat gluten free, non GMO, locally sourced, farm-​to-​table, organic, fair trade, free range, artisan meals with zero trans fat. I don’t think that’s too much to ask, but I doubt that The Masquerade would cater to my very reasonable dietary demands.
Yes, The Masquerade is gritty and borderline dilapidated, but there’s so much history in that building, and the unkempt aesthetic is part of The Masquerade’s appeal (comparable to what I envision of the world renowned but also defunct CBGB). The Masquerade is «rough around the edges», like so many of its concert attendees, but part of its allure is that it is one of the few places wherein social outcasts and other misfits can feel a genuine sense of belonging, so it’s a real shame that an apartment building will replace it in T-​minus one year. If you can tolerate a few individuals sporadically rubbing against you as they exuberantly jump up and down, and if you can tolerate sporadically being lightly thrashed on your face by the long hair of a young lady engaged in headbanging, then sharing one last evening of live music with this Atlanta landmark is well worth your time and money.
Music never dies. It only becomes legendary.

Masquerade is gritty, grungy, and has a whole lot of feel. There place is older and an Atlanta icon. Parking is easy along the street or inside the gates when they’re open. The 3 stages are extremely intimate with room to get close up to the artist or hang back by the bar if you prefer. I always love frequenting the venue!

Masquerade is on its way out and I have mixed feelings even though I have not been a big patron of the establishment. Masquerade is a great place to host events like the King of Pops field day and the Harry Potter Ball. I have been to both events. It is a music venue that showcases a number of, what I assume, are up and coming artists. Cause I hardly ever recognize the names on the marquee. I think it is fun to have a funky place like this in the neighborhood (with room names like Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory — come on, fun). Even though it can make parking and traffic a mess. And the patrons are not always the most respectful to the neighborhood, especially after a night of drinking. :-(I did attend a music event here as I had won tickets online. We were in the top room — Heaven. This place is old as all get out and is actually in a historic mill. Not alot of seating, so prepare to stand. It is definitely not a glitzy place for a show, but I don’t think the customers are expecting that or want it.

I attended the Odesza show at The Masquerade this week. It was my first time attending an event inside of the venue. I heard that the Masquerade was bad but I never thought it would be THAT bad. I paid to park across the street at the new Ponce City Market garage. (I know they have free parking at the venue but I felt more secure having my car in a well lit area and knowing it wouldn’t get ticketed or towed.)
Entry into the Masquerade was no problem and we were lead up a scary staircase to the «Heaven» level (not a word I would use to describe this place) It’s dark, grungy, and crumbling.
I can appreciate that this place has a history and many greats have played there but the place is honestly falling apart. It seems like they have done nothing to maintain it. The ladies room was terrible– holes in the floor where tiles were missing (hello– super dangerous) and a few stalls missing locks (had to do the straddle while holding the door closed while trying to use the facilities– not fun) During the show when the crowd was jumping the floor was vibrating so badly I actually thought «What if this place collapses»?
The thing that most stuck out was the pushy & rude security staff. A couple of times I was pushed by different staff when I was just staying still minding my business. No apology whatsoever from anyone. I’m 37, was well dressed, and not misbehaving in any way. Maybe it’s my age making me feel this way but they honestly treated me like a piece of dirt. They should have more respect.
Good parts were the nice bartenders and a great sound system. But no air– once the place was full it got hot quickly!
In describing this place the words that come to mind are sketchy, crumbling, dive bar, grungy, past its prime, outdated, gross, dirty, & trashy.
Also– upon exiting I was harassed by a homeless man asking for money in front of the park. I really hope that they can move this venue or update it. It’s an eyesore next to the brand new buildings and beautiful park next door. I’m not sure why Odesza (or their management) chose this venue. The shows sold out immediately– they should have played at the Tabernacle– another historic venue (larger and has maintained its alternative yet historic charm)

I love the masquerade. It’s a great place to watch a show. I can be very crowded sometimes, just a tip… there’s a bar across the hall of hell where it’s not as crowded. Great place to catch a show during the week or weekend. And have a drink with friends. Fairly inexpensive tickets. A lot of times they have a newbie bands

A lively venue hosting concerts, events & more.
First impression after attending the Back to the Future Day party was that is a fun little place. The bar kicks butt with reasonably priced, strong drinks and very chill bartenders. The indoor stage is small, but in addition to the dance/​mosh floor, there are raised sides to accommodate a large group of people.
Security is high here, which is a good thing. If you don’t show your bracelet, don’t expect to sneak in or get a drink at the bar. The premises is a bit dated and I’ll admit that the bathrooms are kind of trashy, but if you’re at Masquerade, hopefully you won’t need to spend much of your time in the restrooms.
The BTTF party was incredible. They had a full-​scale, complete replica of the actual Delorean from the films. There was even an enthusiastic professional photographer taking pictures of people with the car. Inside the party, there were screen films, contests, prizes, live music and much more.
I’d definitely be down to done here again in the future!

Awesome venue. Set up really interesting. Strong drinks to where I couldn’t finish my drink. Had an excellent time seeing #epicrapbattlesofhistory

Music history has been made here. Pretty rundown looking, but the place is so iconic you gotta catch a show if you’re in town. Heaven is the biggest stage, but I think the intimacy of Hell is my favorite, great view no matter what.

Heaven is definitely hotter than hell! I wouldn’t go if your prone to having claustrophobia because when heaven is sold out you’re packed in there like sardines and it gets hot, hot like you can’t even breathe hot. The last show I went to here I had to leave early because there was just too many damn people in the crowd doing drugs, I don’t think thats The Masquerade’s fault though, just this place attracts a lot of sketchy people.
All in all, I’d only recommend going here unless it’s completely necessary and the artist you want to see hardly ever tours.

Like many other likeminded punks, my girlfriend and I visited the Masquerade last weekend for the inaugural Wrecking Ball festival.
From the outside, the Masquerade looks kind of old and decrepit, slathered in black paint with a few broken windows. Once you finally venture inside, it’s a whole different area. The inside is stone, so the acoustics are terrific, with sort of a natural reverb that I loved.
For the festival, the venue was separated into four stages. Heaven (upstairs), Hell (downstairs), Purgatory (outside in the parking lot) and the Music Park (around back).
All the bands we saw sounded great and put on amazing sets. Another factor that made the weekend great was how clean it was. There were trash cans everywhere and everyone did their part to keep it neat. I will definitely consider coming back next year!

Saw Say Anything (2000s throwback anyone?) in Heaven a month ago. Venue is a bit old and dirty, and the crowd is way too rowdy for my taste but overall a solid place to go to dance around and enjoy artists who can appreciate smaller venues (aka not-​so-​mainstream music). Them bouncers be working out and for their pay, grabbing and escorting moshers off the stage.
There is plenty of parking if you come early enough, and it is in a great location, right by Old Fourth Ward Park and across the street from PCM.

Thanks for the 2.5 fans, Masquerade. Heaven is hotter than hell. I like this venue, but this is ridiculous.
Yay! They’ll be forced to move locations! Best news for this place. The artist they bring won’t be ashamed to come back

I am a frequent concert go-​er and have been to heaven, hell, and the outdoor park many times. The outdoor venue is awesome, but the inside kinda sucks. The stages are hella small and to make matters worse there’s these huge pillar type things dispersed across the general area that makes finding a decent spot that much harder. The bathrooms are nasty and the crowd can get pretty rowdy depending on the artist. When I saw phantogram and Giraffage at heaven and FTP and cults outdoors it was very nice, but when I saw major lazer in heaven I was being shoved the whole time and the crowd was mad rude. But eh, all shows have those kinds of people.
Also if you’re drinking, make sure your bracelet is visible. The staff is pretty strict and kind of aggressive. I’m a shortie and a staff member grabbed my arm because he saw me with a drink and thought I was underage, but HELLO I’m 22 and had a wristband on. So be mindful of that.
oh and big tip, you should DEF cab here. The parking is the biggest pain in the butt because you have to go to this remote lot that’s 7 minutes away and then be transported by a bus that isn’t super timely and is a pain to load onto after the show ends. And if it’s cold outside you’re standing out there forever yo.
There have been times where I’m super excited to see an artist coming and then read the fine print that it’s at the masquerade… And then I decide to wait for the next tour if I can wait it out.

I’ve been to The Masquerade several times over the years for multiple events and a few shows and it’s always been a venue that I seem to enjoy one day and feel truly indifferent about the next. It’s a fantastic location for a venue of its size and the different rooms make it stand out among the others. I really dig the layout and the vibe, but there just some things that make it not my favorite.
I have to say that the accessibility of the venue from the BeltLine is about the only thing that I can deem cool about the entire facility. It’s pretty awesome getting to bike to a show and park for free. If anything, I’d say that the Masquerade is the one thing that doesn’t really fit in the area anymore, which is what makes me like it a bit more, I guess. I’ve only been here a half a dozen times or so, so I can’t recount shows from way back when, but it has some great character and I’m sure the walls have some great stories to tell.
The staff seems pretty nonchalant about being there. Not too many people on the floor, running security, scanning tickets, etc. I actually walked up to the front after a 7pm show and no one even scanned my ticket. I was a bit shocked. I just walked up the stairs to Heaven and grabbed a beer. Honestly, I was a little disappointed. Paying for a ticket, you’d think you’d be courted through «Hey, let me scan your ticket before you enter» at least a little bit.
Also, speaking to the character this venue has built up over the years, there are perhaps a few things that could use some attention to fixing. There were boards on the floor and a few loose treads on the stairs. Again, not something I’m worried about for myself, but I’m sure someone else could injure themselves.
I’m a fan of Masquerade, but only in some instances. If your favorite band is playing, it’s totally worth it.

Total garbage disorganized venue. Didn’t have any will call tickets for people who purchased online. 30 people at the gate stood and stood waiting while they told us «we never do will call» while we stood under a will call sign. Good job guys. This place doesn’t have its shit together and all of the burnout over the hill punk staff didn’t give a shit about our problem. Do not come here under any circumstances. Stay away please.

Came here for the first time for the Winter Beer Fest. I had no idea how big it was– inside and out! They have multiple stages set in different rooms of varying sizes. The whole place has a dark, musty feel (but in a good way). Apparently it used to be some sort of mill that was converted into concert and event space. I’d really like to come back for a concert.

Probably the worst place for attending any kind of concert… not even if it’s your most favorite band.
A) those smelly ingrates don’t know how to party/​jam out in a respectful and tasteful way.
B) when those farm-​animal-​like jackasses start moshing around and heaven starts to feel like a trampoline… I began to question the integrity of the structure. (Seriously– the concept is great but just rebuild the masquerade before it collapses and hundreds die)
C) the bathrooms: if you want a life with herpes or hepatitis than I say use them, otherwise steer clear.
D) I think they should have a small kiosk handing out or selling deodorant because the vermin who frequent the masquerade have never showered.
E) sound quality is just perhaps the worst. Cage the drummer and rewire something, please. …this we can go back to the rebuilding topic.
I could go on, but I think those truths are good enough for now.

Came here for a concert last night and I have a lot of mixed emotions. I think the venue itself isn’t so bad, but the area was hella sketchy. Upon leaving early some guy approached us in the free parking lot saying he was «a cop» and would appreciate any donations for keeping our cars safe. I feared for my life, not kidding. I would advice taking Über or getting dropped off if you’re coming here.
Otherwise had a good time. People working the bar were really sweet and the beer was reasonably priced. If the girl who sang before the white rapper is reading this, please stop screaming. Just sing. You have a lovely voice, but all that angsty screaming white girl rage BS isn’t going to make a career.
Horrible.

«I despise your masquerade, the dishonest way you pose yourself. You and your whole f — ing family.» — The Godfather: Part II (1974)
Ahhh the Music Park. An outdoor venue for music that has its pluses and minuses. This is only my second visit here in the 10 years it has been open (has it been that long… maybe longer?) and I am reminded that I am only partially a fan of concerts here.
So let’s talk positives first. Even in the heat of summer, it is cooler to attend a show in the music park (outside) than it is inside of The Masquerade. I am sure that place has no air conditioning, or if it does, they set it to 80 degrees. Add in 100s of people and you will lose 20 pounds in sweat at a good concert. Next, ease of getting to the bars for a drink, or a cold bottle of water — they are well-​positioned at the back of the park so even with a huge crowd, they are easy to get to. And there is plenty of security — those guys are far more plentiful than at much larger outdoor venues like Lakewood and will spot any issues a mile away (don’t try climbing down from The Beltline — they will catch you).
Now — negatives. The straw covered grass. You don’t want to wear open shoes of any kind as that stuff will stab your toes and is nasty when it gets wet (although it lessens muddiness in the rain). Speaking of muddy — so is the sound system. I’m not sure why, but the sound always seems muffled, like it is covered in gauze. And parking — there is none. You can park along North if you are that ballsy — but they do offer a shuttle and a lot over off Ralph McGill if you like. They often have shows run by outside companies, so you are stuck with Ticketmaster fees (upwards of $ 15 per ticket) — too much when the original ticket was only $ 25.
I would say this is a middle-​of-​the-​road venue for concerts and it does make me think twice before buying a ticket.

I love, love, loved this place! The Masquerade reminds me of the kind of music venue that you’d sneak out of the house to go waste the night away. However, the days of my youth and sneaking out through the window are way in the past. Lately, I end up being the oldest chick at the concert, which totally sucks for me because I usually end up leaving depressed and feeling like a grandma. BUT this time, I noticed that there was a pretty big age distribution and it wasn’t just the teens here enjoying the tunes. Of course, there were still the girls that totally snuck out of the house (I can tell this because there’s no way a father would allow their little girl out in clothes this revealing) but there were plenty of 20 and 30-​somethings to be found too.
My favorite place to catch a show back home is the Metro and lucky for me, The Masquerade embodies the same divey yet completely welcoming feel. You are close to all of the action, the acoustics are perfect and the music doesn’t sound like shit. What else could you ask for? Oh yeah, the drinks were cheap as hell too. ($ 30 for two craft beers and two malibu and OJs. That ish was a steal!) The best part of the show (besides the live music) was the boatloads of Southern hospitality that we experienced. A cool chick gave me her cheese fries after she caught me ogling them and another equally cool chick complimented my hair, shoes and braces (yeah, random thing to get complimented on, but I’ll take it.) With all this overwhelming amount of love, I may make the 10 hour drive just to enjoy concerts here in the future.
Said the Whale played and they were completely awesome. The show was only $ 10 (13 after the service fee) so even if you don’t know the band, I recommend coming to enjoy the live music. This place was really close to the bus stop and equally close to Clermont Lounge for those that want to catch a little something something at the end of the night.