Macky Auditorium

I’m not sure if I should write a review for Macky or for CU Presents, the organization that puts on most of the events I attend at Macky. Either way, every time I find myself walking through the front door into this cool, old venue, I think «why don’t I come more often?».
CU sponsors many visiting artists, and internal dance and music performances. All are world class, affordable, and RIGHT IN BOULDER. Our last trip to Macky was to a performance of SF Jazz Collective. The venue was beautiful, the staff and volunteers all helpful and cheery, the crowd local, and of course the music spectacular.
OK…time to get off of Unilocal and onto the CU Presents website to find the next event to attend at Macky!

It would get 5 stars except for the absolute nightmare that parking within 10 blocks of the auditorium represents coupled with the fact that now you can no longer even get a glass of wine to warm you up from the trek in the bitter cold from your parking spot in the hinterlands of Boulder.

Gorgeous venue!
Was here recently for a graduation, and the venue itself is beautiful. Intricate architecture and the acoustics are great.

2012 Review #42: Mackey is one of the few venues where I have probably seen and performed in an equal number of performances here. I think the best thing about Mackey is its imposing view as you walk toward it from your parking spot, which is undoubtedly a mile away. There’s a wide variety of performers who come here, from the CU orchestra to the Boulder Philharmonic to famous touring artists such as Hillary Hahn, Joshua Bell and the Kronos Quartet.
The hall lends itself well to big performances but doesn’t doa lot of enhancing for small ones. When I saw Bell here he was doing a recital with just a pianist, and the hall didn’t really do much to improve or carry the sound, not that it needed improving. Same with Kronos quartet. I’d say the hall lets the sound carry naturally, but it might be hard to hear things like spoken dialogue or quiet subtleties.
As a performer, Mackey is a really neat venue. The back stage area is essentially unfinished, so it’s like you’re walking around a big castle. The green room type areas are actually a little sketchy, with dumpy couches and stuff strewn around, but it does have a certain cool factor.
If you are a CU student you can get some awesome deals on tickets here, but otherwise the cost is a little less than you’d experience at Boettcher, but I wouldn’t’ say cheap. Any money you save will go to parking, which will cost you at least $ 5 and will still be at least a 10 minute walk away. Mackey is Boulder’s one, and basically only, answer to having a large, traditional venue, and it fits its role rather well.

I love the guest artist series here. Every time the concerts are great. They get Van Cliburn laureates to come through every year the competition occurs. And the tickets to their events are relatively inexpensive.

Mackey is a classic auditorium. You feel like you’ve gone back in time as you cozy up in your seat. I’ve seen Peking Acrobats and Carousal. I preferred sitting in the balcony when I saw Peking – the view is fabulous and you can see the stage better than sitting directly behind someone. I love visiting the building during the day – it’s usually open for wanderers. It’s magnificent!

Saw Momix at Mackey last night. They were 5 stars and Mackey was 4. A really neat old building on the CU campus that packs em in for some great performances. Parking’s not wonderful, but hey, for $ 3 you can get in close, and the place reeks of Boulder hipsternicity. What keeps the building/​operation from the etherial 5 star rating is that the seating arrangement isn’t that good for loge folks.
However: It’s on campus. It’s convenient to lots of good restaurants; and it’s an architectural gem. So you should make your way up there every once and a while to drink in some a that Boulder high. Ummmm ummmmmm, goooood.