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The UC Theatre Taube Family Music Hall

The UC Theatre Taube Family Music Hall

Name: The UC Theatre Taube Family Music Hall
Address: 2036 University Ave, Berkeley, CA, US
Telephone: (510) 356-4000

2036 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704

website

The UC Theatre Taube Family Music Hall is a historic single-room concert venue in downtown Berkeley, a short walk from the UC Berkeley campus and the Downtown Berkeley BART station. It started life as a movie house in 1917 and was renovated and reopened in 2016 as a dedicated music hall, so the room feels old in shape but modern in use. Capacity is around 1,400, and the layout is multi-tiered, with a standing floor in front of the stage and stepped levels and railings behind it that give decent sightlines even if the floor gets crowded.

Most shows are general admission and all ages, with bars along the sides and back for those who are 21 and over. The sound system is up to contemporary club standards and usually run at full volume, which works for heavier acts like Testament as well as pop and dance shows. The calendar swings pretty widely in style, from Bay Area thrash metal to touring reggae and R&B artists like Fia, to more theatrical performances like Verka Serduchka. On busy nights the lobby and restrooms can bottleneck a bit, but entry and security are straightforward once doors open.

The building is run by the nonprofit Berkeley Music Group, which also uses the space for youth education and local events when it is not hosting concerts. The theater’s own materials describe it as a "multi tiered, all ages 1,400 capacity live music venue," which is a fair summary of what to expect when walking in for a show.