Music venue facts for kids
A music venue is a place where people go to enjoy live or recorded music. These places can be very different in size and style. Imagine a small coffeehouse where someone plays folk music, or a huge sports stadium filled with thousands of fans for a pop music concert! Different venues often host different kinds of music. For example, opera houses are great for classical music, while nightclubs might play rock, dance, or pop music.
Music venues can be funded in different ways. Some are supported by the government, like a bandstand in a park. These usually don't charge money to get in. Others, like a nightclub, are private businesses. They often charge an entry fee to make money. Not all music venues have live performers. For example, a disc jockey (DJ) at a nightclub plays recorded music for people to enjoy.
The type of venue can change many things. This includes when it's open, where it's located, and how long performances last. The technology used for music can also differ. Some venues might offer other fun things too. These could be performance art, standup comedy, or social activities. For instance, at a bar or pub, a band might play live music. In between songs, recorded music might play. Some places, like a restaurant, might have quiet background music from a grand piano.
What Makes Music Venues Different?
Music venues can be grouped in many ways. The type of music they play is a big factor. Also, whether they are temporary or permanent matters. Who owns the venue also affects its features.
Permanent or Temporary Places
Most music venues are permanent buildings. But some are temporary, meaning they are set up for a short time. A good example is a venue built just for a music festival.
Who Owns Them?
Music venues are usually either private businesses or public places. Public venues are often set up by a city or government. Some are also run by groups that are not part of the government, like music clubs.
Music Styles They Play
Some venues focus on only one type of music. Opera houses, for instance, only host operas. But large places like stadiums might host many different styles. These could include rock, classical, and world music.
Size and How Many People Fit
Music venues vary a lot in size. The smallest ones, like coffeeshops or tiny nightclubs, might hold only a few dozen people. The biggest venues, like stadiums, can hold tens of thousands!
Inside or Outside?
Music venues can be either indoors or outdoors. Outdoor venues include bandstands and bandshells. These offer some shelter for musicians and are usually in parks. A temporary music festival is often an outdoor event. Indoor venues include public houses, nightclubs, coffee bars, and stadiums.
Live or Recorded Music?
Venues can play live music, recorded music, or both. It depends on the event or time of day. Discothèques are mainly for recorded music played by a disc jockey. Live music venues have one or more stages for performers.
Getting In and Opening Times
Some venues don't require tickets. You can just pay a fee at the door. Others need you to buy tickets in advance. Sometimes, there might be rules about what you can wear.
How Important is the Performance?
At some venues, like opera houses, watching the show is the main focus. In other places that also serve food, the music might be background music. It just adds to the atmosphere.
Different Kinds of Music Venues
Amphitheater
Amphitheaters are usually round or oval-shaped and open to the sky. They often have seats that go up in steps, like a staircase.
Bandshell and Bandstand
A bandshell is a large outdoor stage often used by concert bands and orchestras. Its roof and curved back protect musicians and help send the sound out to the audience. A bandstand is a smaller outdoor structure.
Concert Hall
A concert hall is a place built especially for playing classical music with instruments. A concert hall can sometimes be part of a bigger building for performing arts.
Jazz Club
Jazz clubs are venues made for a specific type of music: jazz. They are places where you can listen to live jazz music. Most jazz clubs are like nightclubs or bars. They are allowed to sell drinks. In the past, when jazz bands were big, jazz clubs had large rooms. This was because jazz was popular for dancing, and dancers needed space.
Later, jazz music changed. Smaller groups of musicians, like quartets or trios, became common. The music became more for listening than for dancing. So, smaller clubs with small stages became popular. Today, jazz clubs can be found in many places. They are often smaller than rock music clubs. This fits the close feeling of jazz shows. Some jazz clubs have a small fee to enter if a live band is playing. They might also host "jam sessions." These are times when both professional and skilled amateur musicians can play together.
Live House (Japan)
In Japan, small clubs for live music are called live houses (ライブハウス). They often feature rock, jazz, blues, and folk music. These places have been around since the 1970s and are now all over Japan. The name "live house" is a Japanese invention. The oldest one is Coffee House Jittoku in Kyoto, started in 1973. Similar places have also appeared in big cities in South Korea and China.
Opera House
An opera house is a theater built just for opera. It has a stage, a special area for the orchestra, seats for the audience, and backstage rooms. Some opera houses are part of larger performing arts centers. The term opera house is often used for any big performing-arts center.
The Teatro San Carlo in Naples, opened in 1737, was the first to have a horseshoe-shaped audience area. This design became a model for many other theaters in Italy and Europe. Opera was very popular in Europe in the 1700s and 1800s. So, opera houses are usually big, often holding over 1,000 people. Many major opera houses built in the 1800s had between 1,500 and 3,000 seats. Examples include Brussels' La Monnaie (1,700 seats) and Paris' Palais Garnier (2,200 seats). Modern opera houses, like the Metropolitan Opera House in New York (3,800 seats), are even larger.
In a traditional opera house, the audience area is U-shaped. This shape helps decide how many people can fit. Around this area are rows of balconies. Closer to the stage, there are often "boxes." These are small, private sections of a balcony. Since the late 1800s, opera houses often have an orchestra pit. This is where the orchestra plays at a lower level than the audience. This way, their music doesn't overpower the singers' voices. The size of an opera orchestra can be very large, sometimes over 100 players. An opera can also have many singers, a chorus, and dancers. So, a major opera house needs lots of dressing rooms. They often have shops to build sets and costumes. They also have places to store costumes, makeup, and props. Rehearsal spaces are common too.
Big opera houses often have very advanced stages. They use large stage elevators to change heavy sets quickly. At the Metropolitan Opera, sets can even change while the show is happening! Singers might rise or go down as they sing. This happens in operas like Aida. The Royal Opera House in London was updated in the 1990s. It kept its old audience area but added new backstage spaces.
Opera houses use the latest technology for stages and lighting. However, traditional opera houses usually don't use microphones to make singers louder. This is because trained opera singers can usually project their voices well enough. But since the 1990s, some opera houses have started using a subtle form of sound help called acoustic enhancement.
Public Houses (Pubs) and Nightclubs
A pub, or public house, is a place where adults can buy drinks. It's a social place and an important part of cultures in places like Britain and Ireland. Many pubs focus on offering different kinds of beer. They also often sell other drinks, food, and snacks. Pubs can be places for live music. In the 1970s, pubs helped many bands become popular. This led to a music style called pub rock.
A nightclub is a place for entertainment that usually stays open late. It's different from a regular bar because it often has a stage for live music. It also has one or more dance floors and a place for a DJ to play recorded music. Some nightclubs have special VIP areas for famous people. Nightclubs often have bouncers at the door. These bouncers might check people's clothing as part of a dress code. The busiest nights for nightclubs are usually Friday and Saturday. Most clubs focus on certain music genres, like house music or hip hop.
Stadiums and Arenas
A stadium is a large place for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events. It has a field or stage surrounded by seats for spectators. In the 1960s, stadiums started being used for popular music concerts. This led to the term "stadium rock" for types of hard rock and progressive rock. This trend grew in the mid-1970s. Stronger sound systems allowed bands to play in bigger venues. Smoke, fireworks, and fancy light shows became common at these concerts. Famous bands from this time included Journey and Queen. Since the 1980s, many rock, pop, and folk stars have done big stadium tours. These include Madonna and Taylor Swift.
Theater
A theater or playhouse is a building where plays or other performances, like musical concerts, are held. A theater used for opera is called an opera house. The theater helps define the areas for the performance and the audience. It also has support areas for performers, technical staff, and audience members. There are many types of theaters. Some are built for specific kinds of shows. Others are more general or are adapted from other buildings. They can range from open-air amphitheaters to fancy, cathedral-like buildings. Some theaters have a fixed performing area, called the stage. Others, like "black box theaters," might not. For the audience, theaters can have balconies, special "boxes," and "house seats" which offer the best view.
See also
- Art space
- Auditorium
- Concert hall
- Cultural centre
- History of music
- Music festival
- Music venues in the Netherlands
- List of concert venues
