Fillmore/State seating

**East Detroit** · November-12-12, 01:55 PM

Which is better at the Fillmore/State?

First row of the "Loge" or 3rd row of the Mezzanine?

I can't tell from 2D diagrams or their own pictures what means what.

Loge is the bottom edge of the balcony? Seems that would be better.... thoughts? Thanks!

**Gistok** · November-12-12, 02:00 PM

Definitely the Loge is better!! The Loge [[otherwise known as front of the balcony) is closer to the stage. Like all of C. Howard Crane's GCP movie palaces, the Fillmore/State has 3 seating areas.... main floor, horseshoe shaped mezzanine that goes around the perimeter of the auditorium [[and in some venues such as the Fox and Detroit Opera House, this space has been partitioned into separate box suites), and above that the loge/balcony, that cuts thru the middle of upper part of the auditorium.

This arrangement puts most of the mezzanine underneath the balcony overhang, and therefore the sound of the stage performance in the mezzanine is nowhere near as good as in the loge/balcony... with the front section [[loge) being the best sound in the entire auditorium.

The Fillmore/State originally had 3,000 seats [[today only 2,200), but the slope of the main floor was removed for terraces, and today the main floor seating has been reduced from 1,500 down to 700 [[cabaret style)... with a wooden dance floor at the lowest level nearest the stage.

**ScienceFair** · November-12-12, 03:15 PM

Originally Posted by East Detroit

Which is better at the Fillmore/State?

I think the answer also depends on what you want out of your concert experience. I prefer the mezzanine simply for the fact that it is a more intimate seating experience. Fewer rows of seats to wade through to get in and out of your seats and in some cases the seating is more spread out.

**DetroitPlanner** · November-12-12, 03:22 PM

I'd go with Loge.

**Gistok** · November-12-12, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by ScienceFair

I think the answer also depends on what you want out of your concert experience. I prefer the mezzanine simply for the fact that it is a more intimate seating experience. Fewer rows of seats to wade through to get in and out of your seats and in some cases the seating is more spread out.

If by intimate you prefer to have a balcony overhang just 10-12 ft. above you, then yes that would be intimate... but bad for sound though. Generally the only functions at the Fillmore/State that even use the mezzanine/balcony are concerts... so you will get an intimate experience with poor sound and acoustics.

**Wesley Mouch** · November-12-12, 04:34 PM

I believe the State [[aka Fillmore) does use their original Mezzanine branded as Loge. Some previous posters suggested Loge may be front of the main balcony. I'm not sure of my answer, but do double-check. Technically, the term 'loge' refers to seating broken into boxes. But marketers don't follow rules.

On the issue of sound... I disagree with the 'bad sound' on the mezzanine at the State comment. For a highly amplified concert, I think either main floor or mezzanine is best. Balcony worst. The reverse if generally true for unamplified events such as symphony or opera.

For amplified concerts, the closer you are to the sound mixer, the better. The good ones really do balance out the room -- but the weak guys make their sound better at the expense of the balcony. At least that's my experience.

**Gistok** · November-12-12, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

For amplified concerts, the closer you are to the sound mixer, the better. The good ones really do balance out the room -- but the weak guys make their sound better at the expense of the balcony. At least that's my experience.

Not always true... it really depends on how well the sound people did their homework on checking the sound equipment and checked it from various spots throughout the auditorium... [[I believe either Detroitbob or 56packman mentioned this issue before on another thread)... years ago I was at a Keith Richards concert... and the sound at the Fox under the balcony overhang was horrible.

... and you're right about the nomenclature about what they call the different parts of the theatre... loge can be either the box level or front of balcony level. At the Fox they have "Main Floor", "Box", "Loge", "Gallery A", Gallery B", and "Gallery C". Ditto for the interchangeability of the terms "Grand Foyer" and "Lobby".

**Wesley Mouch** · November-12-12, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Not always true... it really depends on how well the sound people did their homework on checking the sound equipment and checked it from various spots throughout the auditorium... [[I believe either Detroitbob or 56packman mentioned this issue before on another thread)... years ago I was at a Keith Richards concert... and the sound at the Fox under the balcony overhang was horrible....snip...

That's right. Nothing's always true. Except that people should blame the building and the speakers less, and blame the sound guys more. Everyone complains about the 'sound' at xxx. Its usually the gear or the operator. I don't think most people realize that almost every concert and broadway show travels with their own audio and sound 'guy'. They can be great, or not.