Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland

I was very, very pleased with this venue. A friend and I went to see Macklemore and Ryan Lewis last night. I bought General Admission tickets per advice of several friends. General Admission made me nervous– I am short and feared that I wouldn’t be able to see. We arrived 40 minutes before the doors opened and there were only about 100 or so people ahead of us in line. The venue itself is absolutely breathtaking; it has a beautiful chandelier hanging from the ceiling and beautiful architecture with intricate detail. Although we only waited 40 minutes, we got a second row view. For the first two acts, there was plenty of space. As the show progressed, people (of course) got closer and closer. However, there was never a time that there were so many people that it felt overwhelming. Overall, I am VERY impressed with Arvest Bank Theatre. I would ABSOLUTELY recommend General Admission tickets.

This is my favorite venue in the Lawrence/​Kansas City area. It’s a gorgeous theater that is nearly a century old. I’ve seen comedy here, a rock concert, and an alternative show. It works equally well for all of them.
The space is beautiful, and if you appreciate older architecture and design, you will be in awe when you walk in. Add to the fact that it’s right off the new streetcar line, and it’s an amazing place to spend an evening for any kind of event.

I’ve been to this venue three times, two of which I had problems with the staff.
The first time I was here, I had a low blood sugar episode and absolutely none of the staff helped me despite the fact that I was very close to blacking out. It wasn’t until a sweet guy at the bar gave me a Shirley Temple (sprite with grenadine) that I was able to get back on a decent level. After the show, I stood in line to get an autograph but briefly sat down to catch my breath as my previous episode was still lingering. A staff member stood at the end of the line and said there were no autographs after her. I had explained ny situation and she didn’t care. To add insult to injury, she added a childish and catty «Love you» when I started walking away. Luckily one of the guys working the autograph table told her I was fine.
The last time I was here, I was forced to leave my bag (big enough for only my phone and ID) on the sidewalk because «bags aren’t allowed» and I had been dropped off, so putting it in the car wasn’t an option. However, full costumes, masks, and hula hoops were allowed, not to mention I saw quite a few people with bags much larger than mine, all wearing next to nothing, so there was no way for them to sneak it in.
When I left, of course my bag was gone and another purse had also been abandoned. I was so upset. I made my bag purposely for shows and it’s been with me to several shows. It was sentimental and of absolute no harm to anyone there. The woman who told me to leave it was incredible hateful too. Someone ahead of me said she had called ahead and the person she spoke to said small bags were fine. The woman, who clearly hates her life so much that she has to project her anger onto others, then said, «It doesn’t matter what the people you called says, it matters what the door security says.» Alright, then answer me this: How in the hell are we supposed to find out what we can and cannot bring if the door security can just make it up on the spot?
Due to the security team that collectively seem to have the largest raw stick up their asses, I won’t be back. Shows are supposed to be fun and the staff makes sure that’s difficult to achieve at the Midland.

I don’t really care what show you’re seeing here. It almost doesn’t matter. The venue itself is so damn amazing.
Every inch of the space is seemingly drenched in history. All I can say is that it must be hell to be part of the cleaning crew — Swiffer dusters extenders ain’t got nothin on this place. You’d need straight up fairies to reach all the crevices of the intricate detailing. It’s impossible to walk around without your head on a swivel as you try to soak in all the ambiance.
The bathrooms are miniscule and not convenient. There are some cramped spaces/​walkways. There’s a hint of a musty smell. But frankly all those «downsides» serve more to legitimize the venue as exquisitely preserved as opposed to well-​staged or recreated.
The upstairs bar area is way cool. I don’t actually think we sat in our seats at all during the show — it’s so convenient to just park along the railing, mere steps away from the spacious bar.

Really enjoyed seeing a music act here recently. Bought tickets late and got seats way in the back (Section 405), which turned out to be a lucky stroke. We could see and hear everything on stage with nothing blocking our view. Will definitely chose to sit up there again. Lobby and theater are elegantly restored and seem well-​maintained. Wish the sections were labeled more clearly. Never found the women’s restrooms. All-​in-​all, it was a terrific experience in a lovely, if quirky, venue.

Easily one of the best concert venues I’ve attended. It combines the beauty of a historical theatre with the modern amenities we all want now. Beautifully kept and a superb place to see live music. Spacious tiers of standing room make general admission enjoyable! How is that even possible? We came for Passion Pit (October 2015) but will absolutely be back for other acts at the Midland. Large easy access bar area inside the theatre so you can still watch the show if buying drinks, plus additional bar carts around the lobby on two floors. Ladies restrooms have enough stalls to accommodate a ton of patrons at once, even though they’re not the most up to date. Charming features to enjoy make this so much nicer than an anonymous stadium style venue. All of the staff was helpful and polite, too. The only negative was a way-​too-​sticky floor, but you can’t have everything. I also loved that the Midland is directly across from Cosentino’s for a quick bite or dessert just before the show.

We went to see UB40 last evening, it was fantastic. The sound is amazing, the band put on an incredible show. Too bad it was on a Tuesday, probably why the show was not sold out. But regardless, we had a really great time, and the fans were also great, they showed lots of love for the band, and were of all ages.
The theater is as beautiful as ever and there is not a bad seat in the house. We parked next door, and it was a breeze to get out after the show.
The drinks are a little pricey, but I guess that is to be expected.

Incredible venue! Great acoustics for an optimal sound. A wide array of acts come through, so there’s something for everyone. And there’s plenty of room.

Amazing concert venue! The architecture allows for great acoustics. We have seen multiple bands here and have always enjoyed the environment. The bar at the ground level offers easy access to the venue. You can often enter with none of the wait of the GA main entrance.
The acts vary– we have seen everything from Q&A Walking Dead to rock Shinedown and have enjoyed them all. The main level bar offers better tap options but Boulevard Wheat & 80 Acre are standard at all (~$ 8). Overall, great place to see any act!

My favorite place to see a concert. The building is breathtaking. Small venue great seats everywhere but stay away from the chandelier bar if you actually want to see.

I love this place. It’s great for all kinds of shows. There isn’t a bad seat in the house.

A beautiful venue. The sounds and layout was great. The have a bar at the back and room to move around.
I was disappointed that this venue used folding chairs. This created some odd in/​out lanes people took to get more booze.
Despite this one setback, I would go again, and I would recommend others to go as well.

My first show here and wow! What a great venue. Seats that are not on top of each other. Beautiful building. It could use a little love, but still gorgeous. Great sound. Nice bar. I love venues like this because it provides an intimate music experience and all seats are great!

Very cool venue, wish we could have stayed for the entire show. But, while pregnant I can’t exactly secondhand smoke someone’s joint in the seat right in front of me. Told about 4 security officers and they couldn’t care less.

Probably one of my favorite places to go see a concert. The place is massive and has a private bar upstairs. I noticed the nice architecture of the ceiling and I’m sure there are much more to admire when not completely inebriated.

Nice lobby, some construction defects all over the place (broken fixtures, bare wires, holes in the wall), but not enough to detract from the overall beauty.
Major problem? The lower floor doesn’t slope well. Unless you are in the front row of one of the levels, or on the balcony, don’t bother getting any seats past row 10 or so. You won’t be able to see the stage. Period.
The picture I took was at a John cleese event where they were sitting in chairs. You can’t see anyone. We might as well have watched it on TV.

All ages rock shows with topless women, drugs and small children. The Midland is certainly a beautiful theatre, but there are issues…
I’ve been to several shows at the Midland and it’s a mixed bag really. The theatre is very elegant inside, but the set up is strange. Once you get in, post one of the laziest bag checks I’ve ever experienced, the merchandise stand is immediately to the right. This means a huge line of people that you will have to weave through to get to the theatre. The bathrooms are located in the basement, and it should be noted that at least one stall in the women’s room has no lock and another stall’s door won’t close at all. The beer selections are pretty sparce and Single Wide IPAs were priced at 7.50. The bartender informed me that they don’t have the proper license to carry Double Wide or Tank 7. Also, parking is not included. If you’re lucky enough to find street parking, it’s not so bad (minus the walk). If it’s a Friday or Saturday though, expect to pay to park in one of the P&L lots.
I saw Tori Amos there a couple months back. She put on a nice show and the sound was very good. Our seats were uncomfortable though (removable seats on the floor level) and the women behind us wouldn’t shut the eff up throughout the entire show. This last weekend I went to see The Pretty Reckless. First of all, this was an all ages rock show… at 8pm… on a Sunday… Ugh… Saying there was a diverse crowd is an understatement. We were standing on the second raised area of the floor level (we chose this spot in order to see because I’m short and the second raised area was significantly higher than the first raised area). That being said, I could easily see from there and that was a plus. Oddly though, we were next to a couple that had their little daughter with them (maybe seven years old). In front of us was a couple of bikers in their early sixties. A row in front of them was a group smoking joints throughout the show… I know that security on things like that at concerts is decidedly lax, but usually people aren’t crazy obvious about it (especially with little kids around). This wasn’t where I thought security failed though… Here is where security failed: In the vacinity of this group was an overweight woman in her mid-​to-​late thirties wearing a leather jacket with nothing under it. Yep, she was just walking around with an open leather jacket. No bra, no pasties, nothing. If this were the end of the story, it wouldn’t seem so bad. So, the first openers played and were pretty lackluster, but the second act was amazing (Adelita’s Way). After Adelita’s Way finished, the leather jacket woman approached one of the bikers in front of me and opened her jacket to reveal a clamped nipple and an extra clamp. The biker happily took the extra clamp and pinched her unclamped nipple a couple of times before leaning forward and sucking on the woman’s nipple (keep in mind there was a child right next to this). She and her boyfriend/​husband/​man of the moment (??) left after this and the biker speculated to his friend «I don’t know why she chose me». Uhhh… What just happened? Once The Pretty Reckless started up and were playing, the woman returned alone. This time though she had abandoned the jacket altogether and was simply walking around topless. She stood in a group that looked incredibly uncomfortable to be near this topless lady. I get that this is a rock concert, but seriously. How does a woman walk around this long with no shirt on and not get stopped? Step it up security. No one wanted to see that (Okay, I suppose the bikers in their sixties wanted to see that, but the rest of us did not).

Jennifer Nettles. So what… I cant like country?! Got some free extra tickets from friends and it was amazeballs usa… aka mazeballs usa aka mazeballs U aka Mazebots!!!
The venue is just beautiful. The theater stands as a testament to the craftsmanship of its day. The design and architecture is just wow.
The sound was fabulous. We were sitting in the upper loges… But for the price I think best seats other than floor is right at the edge of the lower loges.
Drinks are light and overpriced… But thats a half star off an amazing experience. Im not even a concert enthusiast, but this place will blow your mind. And your wallet Im sure! LOL

Oh The Midland Theater… do I have many fond memories that I’ve made at this place.
It’s where I saw Idina Menzel, Hunter Hayes, Ariana Grande, and saw my friends share their beautiful wedding reception at. I even performed on the stage! haha We did an X-​Men inspired Lady Gaga performance of Born this Way… but enough about that.
This place is beautiful. Like I should literally just stop at that word with this review because #beautiful just about sums it up! lol
I love how the theater is able to seat a lot of people but still make it an intimate venue for you to see your favorite performers up close. It reminds me of the Music Hall down town. I love being able to watch concerts here, because unlike the sprint center where you have to fork up the money to be in the front row just so you can see them up close… this place you can be seated anywhere and you will always have a great view.
The only drawback to this theater is that it SELLS OUT quickly. I lined up for tickets to see LORDE… and literally within 15−20min…the concert sold out. Well I can’t deny that Lorde’s popularity is what caused the surge of ticket buyers, but also cuz the Midland can only hold so many people.
I live within walking distance which is sooooooo nice. haha that’s why there isn’t any rants in here about parking! All in all, I wish this place will continue to keep the pace and have great performances here.
BTW…the BAR IS GREAT! I love the fact that there’s a bar available for all performances. This place is really great for wedding receptions, such as when my friends had it there. When they took out the seats… man it looked like an elegant ball I tell ya!
Happy Watching and Drinking! :)

I’ve seen a few shows at the Midland. Most recently I’ve seen The Fresh Beat Band Yo Gabba Gabba. It’s been a while since daddy saw a show here that wasn’t kid themed, but I have seen a few of those too!
The place has been well maintained. The architecture here blows my mind every time I see a show here. It always seems as though there is a new feature that I am seeing for the first time. The next time you see a show here be sure not to rush to your seat. Take minute and just be in this sexy and historic place!
The staff her is very friendly and it always seems that there is someone to guid you to your seat. The bartenders are upbeat and fast too. The restrooms are well maintained and clean.
This is a great venue to see any show. The acoustics are great for all types of music. I’ve sat in may different sections here and there are no bad seats. This is a truly intimate theater, so if you plan on seeing one of your favorite acts here, be prepared for a great time!

Here’s the thing, I’m a self-​proclaimed concert junkie. Because of this, I go to a LOT of concerts. There are probably worse things to be addicted to, but I’m not sure if there are cheaper habits. Maybe. Anyway, the Midland is a great venue to watch a concert as long as you know how to get around. It’s great to look at inside, the acoustics have always been top notch and every band I’ve seen there comments on how much they like the place. Drink prices are standard, but they make them pretty strong there.
Every time I’ve been, I’ve always had GA tickets to the bottom level, so I can’t comment on the view/​sound/​experience from the balcony or the balcony bar. Although, I’ve heard it’s kind of a waste of time. Plus, I’ve seen that balcony do some heavy swaying when standing beneath it and kind of don’t trust the sturdiness.
The one bad part about The Midland is they have random metal bars sticking up between the GA sections on the floor. I assume to keep people from falling off of ledges. But, when you’re trying to wade through a crowd, it’s kind of a wake up call to just run into a random metal pole.
Pro tip: If you walk into the Indie on Main (attached to the Midland) you can skip the line for the venue and go straight in through the side entrance.

:Gasp:
This theatre is beautiful. It’s kinda like the Fabulous Fox in STL but not quite the same. There are murals and old world décor that give it a unique classy feeling, for a venue you get to watch bands in. Also, there was no funky smell like some old venues have.
We went to watch The Postal Service and had an awesome time. The sound was great and the floor set up was ideal. We had GA standing room tickets and were late to the show. It didn’t matter though because even from the back you can see the stage quite well. The floor is staggered so every several feet the people behind you are a bit higher up and so on. People seemed to be less trashy (as in didn’t through trash all over) than in other places I’ve seen shows. I don’t know if this was due to respect of the theatre, due to the people The Postal Service draws, or a combo of both. Either way, it was nice.
The drink set up worked well. Long lines but they moved quickly.
The sound was surprisingly good. Nothing seemed too bass-​ey or tin-​ey. The vocals stood out just enough.
Even the airflow seemed good. The overall consensus was that it wasn’t too stuffy and the ac worked well. Although I will note that I was like sweaty hot but I’m pretty sure I had a fever.
I would mos def go back.