Vivarium

Vivarium is a new live music venue on Milwaukee's lower East Side, and I saw the band Luna there in about the third week of Vivarium's existence. Run by the Colectivo crowd, it looks just like the Back Room, high ceilings adorned with metal trusses, fake and real plants, and no soundproofing. Checking in with the app the employees were super nice! Really refreshing. If you follow live music in Milwaukee you've already heard about the talking crowds and bad sightlines from the Buffalo Nickels show and a co-worker said the same about the Charlie Paar show. We were there early so got a good spot closer to the stage, but even close up the stage could stand to be higher. Luna was sounding good but the guitarist was noting a ghost in his equipment, band members seemed to be wincing from sound issues. Something for the club to figure out. Went to watch from the back and the room sound is really good. Sightlines are horrible back there, as the stage needs to be higher. The crowd was so talkative during the whole show, my friend noted people are disengaged from the bad sightlines, so that makes sense. Stand in front of the truss with the wifi device for a better engaged crowd, good sound and better sight lines. Bar offerings are good, bathrooms are clean and stylish. A solid three stars (OK) with room for improvement.

BF and I visited Vivarium to see the band Enter the Haggis. It was the third show at the new venue, so everything is clean and nice. The interior decor appears to have been moved directly over from the Back Room at Collectivo, with the same ceiling treatment and plants - both real and faux.The bar is also pretty much the same, with mixed drinks, wine, beers and non alcoholic options.Seating at this show was all folding chairs, but the staff brought out more when they saw the size of the crowd in attendance. Perhaps it was our average collective age. There are a few loveseats and high stools along the right side of the room.It is not a fantastic acoustic space, with it's abundance of hard surfaces and no soft finishes, but it is intimate and allows you to get right up by the musicians.The bathrooms, at least the women's, are large with plenty of stalls and flattering lighting.This is a good replacement for the Back Room - essentially a carbon copy - but you have some chance of parking successfully over here as the street is less busy. There are also plenty of restaurants around for pre-show eats.

Great venue. Bands sounded great and everything is brand new with very clean bathrooms.

Amazing show and experience. Which they had some seating and tables for drinks though. It gets hot with sold out crowds and holding your drink while standing gets tiring.