Edinburgh Corn Exchange

My guy and I were here over the weekend for the 2016 Scottish Tattoo Convention. This place really is a great space for tattoo artists from around the world to set up shop for the weekend and produce some great art!
They have two separate areas sectioned off for the tattoo artists to set up shop as well as the main hall near the entrance where there are many craft booths selling all sorts of interesting goodies. There is a stage where they have «best of» tattoo competitions as well as a burlesque show, a fire act, a knife eating (?) act and a pin up model competition. It’s a really great weekend out for everyone!
There is a bar area, which comes in handy post tattoo (or pre if you’re so inclined– I wouldn’t recommend it) and an outdoor food vendor area where you can get normal chippy foods as well as burgers, pizzas and non-​alcoholic drinks. There are loads of toilet areas and although it gets quite warm in the halls, there seems to be a decent ventilation system flowing.
There is a big Asda next door with an ATM just in case you’re not sure where one is and you’re in need of money.
This was my second year here and we were here both days this year and I can’t wait to come back next year for more fun!

OK, I’m just going to come right out and say it… I don’t like the Corn Exchange. Well, hate would be a more accurate adjective.
It has the potential to be great, but (to start with) the sticky concrete floors turned my stomach.
The bars are little more than badly designed windows in the wall.
The whole place puts me in mind of an old dairy farm. Cold and unfeeling with a herding aspect.
Not good qualities for a music venue.
The stewards were great though, and did a stellar job of looking after everyone.
The gig was great too, but this is a venue review, so 1 star for the stewards.
And I’d really think twice about seeing anyone else here.

I hadn’t been to gig here in years. For a while lots of bands where playing there and then they stopped. Last night I went to see one of my favourite bands ‘the 1975′. The venue is a nice size not too big and not too small.
The security is high when you go in and you pass through airport style security. In the main foyer there is the main bar and toilets. But there are also toilets and smaller bars in the main hall.
They had screens flashing up a picture of the bands and security messages. Apparently a lot of phones were stolen at the last gig so the signs were telling you to watch your belongings.
Into the main hall, they sell the merchandise at the back of the hall. It is pretty much a big flat space. As I’m small I always go down the front, so I couldn’t comment on the view from the back (cause it would just be heads and shoulders for me)
The gig was amazing, but I love the band so they could play a shed and I would love it.
Sadly the Corn Exchange is one of the only decent venues in Edinburgh now that they’ve closed the picture house.

Great show in a passable venue. Went to see Rudimental, a multi-​piece electronic/​funk/​soul/​dance group on a Tuesday night in Edinburgh. I’ll have to admit some bias as I’m sure that the awesomeness of the group I saw is coloring my perception of the venue overall, but I’ll stand by the Corn Exchange being sufficient for the role it filled as host to the group.
Pros:
— Despite being a bit of a ways outside the city, this venue is shockingly easy to get to. There are a number of buses throughout the city which will bring you basically to the doorstep!
— 24-​hour ASDA right next door is a great spot to purchase any pre-​show food or drink on the cheap.
— Add-​on fun lighting was well done in time with the music.
— Have to give props for properly mic-​ing and broadcasting the wide variety of instruments on stage, which included singers, guitar, bass, drums, saxophone, trumpet, etc. — all at appropriate relative volumes and not a single speaker hiccup.
— Good number of bathrooms, so rarely have a long wait even for the ladies’ room
— Only one massive bar but the line is very quick moving, due to effective monitoring by security and quick bartenders.
Cons:
— Overall venue has a stadium feel to it without the pros of an actual stadium show. As is typical of stadium-​like venue, the following cons applied:
o Intense security, meaning can’t bring anything in.
o Limited and overly expensive food options (i.e. one hot dog stand with £4 hot dogs)
o Relatively expensive drinks — £4 for a low-​end draft beer, £7 for a mixed drink
— Lighting was a bit odd — too bright throughout for purposes of a dance-​type show, and black light was pervasive but didn’t do anything (basically just made everyone blue).
I’m noticing that my list of pros is actually quite long, but what leads me to three stars is that the overall feel of the place is very sterile, with little or no character or personality. It is a functional space which delivers on the necessities, but offers nothing more to the table. This is the type of venue that can only ever be as good as whatever you go there to see, because it gives you absolutely no other reason to enjoy yourself. That said though, if you go there for a great show you’ll have a great time!

I visited the ECE last Saturday for a Bolli & Burlesque Show. The Venue was easy to locate, with a taxi. A Lothian Bus #35 goes here too, but that will take you all around the city.
On arrival the entrance was clearly signposted and we decided to go have a little drink in The Pub. Which is part of the venue. On arrival we were advised that the tables with numbers were reserved. Luckily we found a table for 4 unreserved right in the reserved section. This gave us a great view of the stage.
It is indeed a big hall, but with some clever (black) lighting it felt cosy enough.
There was only one bar in the main hall, which required 3 deep queueing, but the staff was efficient and not too flustered.
They were fine refilling the water jugs that were present on every table. Cleaning the glassware was done regularly.
The show was good and viewable from any angle. Sound was loud enough and no dead spots.
I would recommend to visit this place when there is a sit down cabaret performance as after the show the dance floor opened op (removing some tables and this place is then a little crowded.
A good time was had by all, I felt taken care of by the staff.

Great venue, not the best location though
So, let’s paint the picture, I’m the kind of guy who is just as happy volunteering at the Scottish Real Ale Festival as I am bouncing about at a 2 Door Cinema Gig. Unsurprisingly both of these situations occurred at the Corn Exchange, both were memorable experiences.
The main room is huge, I’m not sure of its capacity, but its got to be around 3000, though if you build a huge real ale dispensing bar in the middle I’m sure that will go down to about 1000 at any one time. Their set up seems slick, and security relatively easy to get through, everyone gets bag searched and patted down, and I think that is a good thing. This was for the gig not the beer festival, the most dangerous thing anyone came to the beer festival with was an overgrown beard or some white socks under Jesus sandals, yes the stereotype exists.
There is one long bar at the main entrance and two satellite bars within the main room, one on either side, you can’t miss them as they have lovely neon lights above them. The acoustics worked well for 2DCC, though the floor should be on a slight slope I think, but it’s pretty flat so short arses like me don’t get much of a view.
There is another bar next door, which I can’t remember the name of, and bowling and 5 a side pitches behind the building I don’t know if these are owned by the same guys. Good bus routes also running from town, otherwise its about £15 in a cab to the centre, or a 30 minute walk.

Normally we choose not to go to Edinburgh for gigs but there simply wasn’t the choice this time. Slash feat Myles Kennedy at the Corn Exchange 7^th October, was one of our rare visits to the capital for a gig.
We were really looking forward to the gig itself, if a little dubious about the venue. Having heard previously that it’s far from a great venue, I can only say now that we agree.
Parking is a flippin nightmare, unless you’re one of those who likes to be at a venue super-​early. The acoustics of the place are, well, mince and the general atmosphere is lacking some serious oomph.
Definitely would not rush back to the corn exchange for another gig.

When I told everyone, excited out of my mind that I was going to see The Black Keys at Corn Exchange — the first thing that came out of their mouth was a massive groan and then they said it was a shitty venue.
Everyone was completely right.
The Black Keys are unendingly talented and brilliant and perfect and life-​changing…
so they overcame this shitty venueness. Any other band in the universe — I would have killed myself.
Advice: Bring gum so you can put that shit in pushy bitches’ hair.
America plug: 21+ is awesome because there is NEVER anyone 16 there.
Drunk 16 year olds are literally the worst people in the whole f**king world.

At 5ft small I am perhaps a little biased when it comes to reviewing gig venues. I’d easily award 3 stars for a decent view of the band. But in this case, it’s not just the awkward shape and view-​blocking pillars I don’t rate.
I’ve seen some stellar performances here — The National, Fleet Foxes, and Portishead to name a few. But listening to a great band at the Corn Exchange is like watching a great film on a mobile phone. It does the job but with a fraction of the quality and atmosphere other Edinburgh venues have to offer.
Being a fair distance from the City Centre I usually spend the long walk home declaring I will never return and yet there’s always another gig that lures me back.

I popped my Corn Exchange cherry here recently at a Jimmy Eat World gig (oh yeah, old school baby). Hands down without a doubt 5 stars to Jimmy themselves. Stellar performance, woo boy.
As for the Corn Exchange, it’s a-​ok as far as venues go. The biggest downfall being that it’s so far out of the way. An hour walk from Tollcross (ish) but fairly regular bus routes (34, 35 from Tollcross and 44 from West End). It’s just not that convenient, and in typical Scottish summer or winters leads to wet, miserable post-​gig syndrome standing at a bus stop. It is next to a huge 24 hour Asdas though which is great for post-​gig water and snackage.
It’s also a bit uninspiring as a venue. Literally, a big open hall. It looks kind of like a community centre or school auditorium.
On the plus there were three bars (a big one and two in the actual hall), lots of toilets which were kept clean, lots of staff, security and medical staff on hand. The whole gig experience was a pleasant one all in all.
So whilst it was hassle free and a good gig (AWESOME music, or did I already cover that?), it just didn’t exemplify the band any. The acoustics and sound setup was also good, but there was just no atmosphere… before they launched into Salt, Sweat Sugar. Yeah the band brought the atmosphere, the venue is just pretty basic but at least covers all the essentials.
I’d definitely come back here for a gig, but can’t say it’s a venue that would inspire excitement.

I have had mixed experiences of the Corn Exchange. I had my grad ball there, and it was perfect for that, with two big rooms, one for a ceilidh and the other for a meal, DJ set and casino rolled in one. For this it coped admirably, being spacious enough to accommodate everyone, and it seemed most people had a good time. The staff there were great, and still really friendly, despite serving thousands of drunk students.
The other time was for a gig which wasn’t so good. You notice how low the ceilings are and it feels a bit cramped, in a bad way. Also the acoustics are absolutely piss, nothing on the HMV Picture House. For gigs as well, the venue is pretty small, meaning everyone is crushed in together.
The bar is pretty pricey, as you’d expect from a venue like this, and it is just a little bit too far out of town to be easily accessible. It involves irritating bus journeys or cabs. Apart from that though, it’s not a terrible place to have an event, just not great either.

The Corn Exchange is considered to be one of the best places to see a gig in Edinburgh! I have been to many gigs and many venues in the city and from experience I would say that the reputation, the Corn Exchange has, is slightly over hyped!
Yes, I have seen a great gig there by the Dead Weather and sadly a gig by the Feeling there. And both times the sound quality has been less than brilliant! The space in front of the stage is quite large but as you go further back people are blocked by the giant pillars which surround the entire hall. Furthermore more, it seems to me that people at the back of the hall get bored and start yelling and generally being annoying when the band is on!
The bar outside the hall sells drinks at quite expensive prices. And even getting to the place requires a bus journey or an expensive taxi journey.
Alright I suppose, but there are better venues in the centre of town!

This was the venue for my graduation ball and it was a great night made better by this venue. There are three inside areas and outdoor decking for smokers.
In one room there was a stage and DJ which I imagine is where they hold gigs. I thought it made for a really good atmosphere. Loads of seats and tables dotted around but enough room to have a big dance floor and be able to get close to the stage.
There is a bar area that runs down the middle of the venue that is a perfect meeting point for when we lost people over the course of the evening! I thought the drinks prices were reasonable but was told that on a night when they have a gig or event it is much more expensive.
My main problem with the Corn Exchange was the location, its kind of in the middle of nowhere and getting taxis afterwards was a nightmare. As everyone left at once it was a mad dash to get to the few taxi that were there. Even if you booked one beforehand it was hard to know which was yours. Granted we were a bunch of drunken graduates but I imagine the situation would be the same after a gig so be warned!
The other problem with the location was nowhere to go before or after which again, as a gig venue I would find frustrating. However, if you are making an evening of it at a reception, dinner and ball as we did its great.

Edinburgh’s Corn Exchange is just one of many gig venues across the city. I have visited once: a couple of years ago for a KT Tunstall gig. This was my first gig, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. With KT Tunstall, you have a performer who was note perfect throughout with not a hint of miming. But anyway, I’m reviewing the venue and not Ms Tunstall.
The Corn Exchange markets itself as Edinburgh’s «premier venue» for all of your event needs. I was impressed with the facilities they offered, and though the main hall is not massive compared to other gig venues, it was perfectly suited to the KT Tunstall gig. I agree with Lisa’s review, which speaks of the feel of the big gig in a small space. I think this description suits the Corn Exchange well.
Yes, it was warm in there, and we were all packed in pretty tightly, but I didn’t feel at any point like I didn’t want to be there. It doesn’t seem to get many of the well-​known bands playing there — these now seem to be catered for at the HMV Picture House and other places. For me, it seems that Edinburgh still lacks that killer music venue, which Glasgow seems to have lots of. It makes up for this with plenty of smaller venues though.
All told, a pretty good venue that is now being usurped by the Picture House in some ways.

I’ve been to see a lot of gigs, in a lot of places — and up there, in the top ten, is easily the Edinburgh Corn Exchange.
If there is a band coming to Edinburgh who are big, they will be making their appearance here. The venue is pretty small really, considering it is the main music venue in Edinburgh — which poses a lot of problems. Firstly, its difficult to get tickets for the really popular bands — being so small, Corn Exchange sells out fast. Secondly, if you do make it, you are so jammed in even a mosh pit would feel more comfortable.
However, as I said, I like this place. The gigs here are always excellent, and most times feel intimate and well connected. The atmosphere is alays amazing, friendly and excited all at the smae time. The bar staff work very hard, and while the drinks can be on the expensive side, there is a huge selection and it always hits the spot — because it gets very hot and sweaty at times.
A great music venue, but you’ll need to be quick to experience it.

I only recently made my debut at the Corn Exchange in 2009, to watch Biffy tear up some riffs in their homeland.
Security was tight at the door but that’s to be expected in this hyper vigilant day of age. But we never had any problems with the friendly security, so in we trotted!
It’s a very long venue with a low roof — an unusual shape for gigs. But I still managed to see a fair bit standing near the back. It’s littered in pillars but since that’s my only gripe it’s not doing too badly!
The Corn Exchange is much like a mixture of Glasgow’s Carling Academy and the Barrowlands in terms of what artists play here. You can usually expect to find fairly high profile bands play gigs here, which is great since it’s intimate enough to get a glimpse of your idols. Shortly after Biffy I saw Faith No More in what turned into an outstanding night. The acoustics were great and I was so close to the front I could see the beads of sweat forming on the outlandish Mike Patton’s face. The band were cracking and the venue seemed fitting for the troupe of diehard fans it held within its walls.
Due to the low ceilings and its length I thought lingering at the back was going to spoil my evenings spent here, but I never had any problems. It wasn’t as claustrophobic as it first appeared, there was no trouble and we didn’t feel as though staff were ushering us out the venue. It was pretty relaxed and security had no problems shepherding people out the narrow doors.
My only tip would be to getting to the bar as soon as doors open since it is normally rammed. It was the only place in the venue I felt cramped so make sure you push your way forward before the hoards appear! And take a fair amount of money too as it’s leaning a bit on the pricey side. Other than that, I love the Exchange.

Edinburgh Corn Exchange is a huge, versatile venue. Back in 2007 we had our Freshers Ball here. It was great fun, if a little too big for the numbers attending. But that wasn’t the venues fault.
The main hall reminds me of an old school ballroom. It feels quite big and grand, and would be perfect for a number of events. I have attended a few gigs here and its amazing how many people you can fit in here without it feeling to crowded. It works great for a gig venue as there is plenty of exits to get to the bar so you don’t spend most of the gig trying to get through the crowd.
There is a massive Asda next door so you can pick up some munch before/​after your event and there are plenty of buses into town from here. Definitely one of Edinburgh’s best venues.

The Edinburgh Corn Exchange is a fantastic venue for all sorts of events. I went to see Goldfrapp play here not too long ago and it was fantastic. They layout of the main venue was just perfect for a big gig like that as it gave a good balance between being a huge spectacle but also feeling surprisingly intimate for such a large space.
I have also been to a couple of fashion shows here and they were also great due to the interesting things they can do with the catwalk in a space like the Corn Exchange.
A friend of mine went to view the Corn Exchange as a wedding venue and she came back with hundreds of information about the options available. This venue is hugely versatile when it comes to weddings and they can accommodate all sizes and themes from the ultra modern to a more traditional feel. The beautiful things they can do with the lighting are just incredible and the photos in the brochure my friend showed me of previous weddings are stunning. It isn’t a cheap venue to hire but if you’ve got the money I would definitely add it to your list of possibilities.

I had my first taste of the Corn Exchange last night and I must say I was not impressed.
I was looking forward to the gig for ages, Faith No More one of my faverate bands, who I have not seen for more than a decade. I can now say that althou I was at the gig I have still not seen them for more than a decade. Being just under five foot I am used to the fact that I do not always get a great view but at other venues I usualy manage to see something of the band, it did not matter where a stood I could not see a thing.
The sound quality was not great either.

The Corn Exchange is Edinburgh’s only large scale music venue and to be frank, it’s an embarassment!
Primarily used as a conference facility (to which it lends itself well) the corn exchange is located in the Slateford/​Gorgie area of town, far from the city centre. The lighting is poor and the sound system woeful (for the venue size) + neither are helped by the white poly tiled celing which keeps the place devoid of atmosphere.
As the only large venue in the city, many, many great acts play at the Corn Exchange but, personally, I’d rather travel to the Barrowlands (or even the SECC, the shame!!) in Glasgow than go here.
Ess