In The Woods

NEVER again. Total ripoff. We decided to buy tickets to a New Year’s Eve party by in the woods, in mill valley. We are new to the Bay area and were looking for something fun to do. The event listing in the paper said «cabaret, vaudeville, burlesque, dancing girls, fire performers, circus freaks, an absinthe bar, old-​timey photo booth, and a SHUTTLE BUS — info to come»
We are on a tight budget but decided to splurge for a nice New Year’s Eve since we haven’t been going out much lately. I started calling the number listed, to ask a few questions — most importantly, about this shuttle bus. We were not looking forward to driving anywhere on New Years…
After my first few calls were not returned, we figured, big party being planned, they are really busy, we’ll buy the tickets («no refund») and just follow up on the shuttle bus information. We continued calling, multiple times DAILY, leaving messages, and using the form online to contact them. Still no one returned our calls. The info was still not updated online either.
New Years Eve came, and after leaving about a hundred messages and filling out the form online over and over again, but never hearing back from anyone at the woods, we ended up having to drive. So we went. The place was a total dump. The local VFW and masonic halls are all the same, and this one was no different. dusty walls, hand made cardboard decorations, bright lighting everywhere, and the chair lifts lining the brightly lit staircases… to the «absinthe bar» — a crappy table upstairs tucked behind the «coat check» — which consisted of your aunt sally handing you a number to put your own coat on an open rack. The party itself was mostly geriatric, with a few scattered and bored-​looking young folks (20s-​30s) here and there. The only positive experience was the performing band — El Radio Fantastique — who were truly great!
We left after a while, a wasted New Years Eve splurge, and went home to toast ourselves and watch the fireworks on tv — a truly more exciting and entertaining activity than in the woods offered up that night. No wonder no one would return our phone calls, with the miserable excuse of a party this place blatantly false advertised, to cash in on people this holiday season. No refunds, No shuttle bus, as advertised and promised, no returned calls, and no accountability. «In the Woods» productions should truly be ashamed of themselves.

Wooohoooo The Woods is Here! Finally Mill Valley has live music. This place is live! The Woods is the old Masonic Temple located across from the Mill Valley Fire Station and The Mill Valley Market. Sweet, intimate, low key venue with an awesome sound system. The ambiance is like a wonderful show like when I saw Sting, Lou Reed or the Dead play gigs back in the day at Berkeley High Auditorium. Great Feel. Just getting started – low key bar. Real feeling of community. Great place to meet people and just an all around great place to hear, experience and see music! LOVE IT. Will be there all the time! Wooohooo The Woods! Rock On!

The Woods is an awesome venue… thank god live music is back in Mill Valley!