Rave   

2401 W Wisconsin Ave
Milwaukee, WI, 53233
414-342-7283
www.therave.com/

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The name is a little misleading. The Rave isn't a pulsating, techno warehouse filled with kids hopped up on ecstasy. It's an all-ages concert venue and one of the best in the city. With four stages of all shapes and sizes, the venue brings in just about every type of act, except for those who play gigantic stadiums and arenas (think Rolling Stones). The Rave Bar is a small, intimate club setting, while the Rave and the Eagles Ballroom are more spacious. The Rave II, a Miami-style dance club, is the newest addition to the venue. It's a good place to see both up and comers (in 1990 the Red Hot Chili Peppers joined unknowns Smashing Pumpkins and Pearl Jam on stage) and bands still trying to hang on (if there's another Ratt reunion tour, they'll play at the Rave). Before the advent of modern sound technology, the Eagles Ballroom was a spot for dancers and acoustic classical and jazz ensembles. With its huge dome and oval shape, complete with balcony, the room has space for aproximately 1,000 patrons. Nowadays, if frequency of performances and consistency of performing talent are considered, this might be the best concert venue in town. Unfortunately, the same acoustics that made swing bands sound great doesn't do the same for a high powered band like the Roots or Funkadelic; bass-heavy or funk-oriented sound is often muddy, even with the best of sound engineers. The Rave Bar is the smallest -- and possibly the best-sounding -- of the four venues in the giant Rave complex. Bands hoping for larger ticket sales might be disappointed when they end up playing the bar -- after all, the room is about the same size as many of the smaller live music clubs in town. But bands and fans alike with be pleasantly surprised when they discover that with low ceilings and cozy atmosphere, the bar can be slamming when the music is good.