The Side Door

September 14, 2024This was my first visit to The Side Door. We were there to see singer Chris Webster and guitarist Nina Gerber. The venue is small, but is a great place to see live music. At only 130 seats, it is an intimate setting. Music only, no food or drinks sold. We had dinner and drinks next door at The Hop Gardens restaurant before the show, and then walked around the corner a bit before show time and we were lucky enough to snag first row seats (no assigned seating). The seats are folding chairs, but they are comfortable enough. The sound system is great. Made for a wonderful evening of music at a very reasonable price ($25/ea).

Awesome venue to see music. I absolutely cannot wait to go back. Thank you for creating this space in Sacramento.

The Side Door, Sacramento, CA - May 20, 2023I came to The Side Door on a Saturday evening with a couple of friends to see Joe Craven and the Painted Mandolin, a four piece band made up of Joe Craven (Mandolin, violin, percussion, and vocals), Matthew Hartley (acoustic lead guitar, banjo, and vocals), Larry Graff (acoustic rhythm guitar and vocals), and Dan Robbins (stand up bass). I had purchased my ticket online at https://www.thesidedoor.net/shows a few weeks earlier at the suggestion of a good friend of mine who had seen the band before. Right next door to The Side Door is The Hop Gardens Restaurant. My two friends and I showed up at The Hop Gardens restaurant at about 5:30 PM to get a bite to eat and have a couple of beers before the 7 PM show. Doors at The Side Door opened at 6:30 PM. We were the first to show up. We were greeted by super cool and friendly Side Door owner John Green who had our name on his list and checked us in as we arrived. John explained to us a little bit about his business model for bringing through great performers at a reasonable price to the audience. You can get a discount on your ticket if you order early. I got mine for $20 and one of my friends got his for $25.The Side Door is a very intimate setting. The room is a triangular shape and seats about 100 people, with the stage at one corner and the chairs arranged in curved rows leading away from the stage. The front row is literally 6 feet away from the edge of the stage. I got to sit in center of the front row.Joe Craven and the Painted Mandolin are considered to be one of the best Grateful Dead cover bands ever, and of course, we did get to hear some great GD songs; however, on this pleasant Summer's eve, we were mainly treated to songs from their newly released album, "Sweet Rain." Most of the songs were written by Larry Graff. Matthew Hartly engineered the album produced by Joe Craven. Songs included: Sweet Rain, After the Fire, Love in a Rose, Shine On, Mather, Bird Dream, and Northern California Banjo Hound. The melodic tunes filled the air with comforting rhythmic resonance, like sweet honey over a warm raspberry muffin. A true delight to the senses as the musician's instruments and voices blended together to form an amalgam of fantastical enchantment. Each musician brought his special talent to the stage, and combined, they delivered pure perfection. The band did take a 15 minute break at about one hour into the show. Good time to grab a quick beer at The Hop Garden next door, and yes, converse face to face with these wonderful musicians.Go online to find more great shows that this band will be bringing to audiences in the coming months https://matthartlemusic.com/painted-mandolinThe Side Door also has many great additional shows lined up for the coming months. Check out https://www.thesidedoor.net/shows to learn more!

A small music venue in Curtis Park. John Green is the owner operator and puts together great shows. Maybe 50 seats total. This place caters to an age 50+ crowd, so it's mellow and fun. Saw his band The SideDoorios do a great country set last night. No concessions or drinks, but Hop Garden next door is great for intermission or dinner and drinks before the show. Parking is on the street, so expect a short walk to the car.

Great venue! The seats were folding metal chairs, comfortable and sturdy. This is handicap accessible (saw an electric wheelchair user inside the show moving around). I didn't use the bathroom but I know they were there. No alcohol for sale but i think they might be selling bottles of water now. The corner market just across the street was open during intermission and many folks ran over there to grab an ice cream or cold drink. I brought my water bottle in with no troubles. We purchased tickets online before the show (months earlier) but folks could also pay cash at the door. The show was very close to sold out so I wouldn't buy tickets at the door. The sound was good, lights were good. I'm partial to using ear plugs when I remember them though. You should go here, we need more small venues!

What a great venue! It was a very intimate show at The Side Door. The owners have created a spot where the sole focus is on the music and lyrics. There was not a beer or cocktail in sight. Better yet, you didn't miss it! The whole excitement came from the entertainers and the sounds encompassing the room. I highly recommend The Side Door!