arden shakeseare

We've gone to Arden Gild Hall a few times for music. They get a good line-up of diverse musicians, including some from across the globe whom you don't get to hear on big stages. Excellent sound system. Drafty, rustic barn-like building, reminiscent of summer camp. Small house, not a bad sight-line anywhere, BUT flimsy, cheap plastic chairs that will leave your back cramped and aching before the show even begins. "Bar" offers beer and wine, no coffee or tea even on a frigid winter night. The clanking sounds of bottles from bar clean-up during the concert can be a real distraction. And there's something a bit cloying and in-crowdy about the volunteer locals who run the place. They're dedicated and hard-working, to be sure, but you get the feeling that you somehow don't really belong if you're not one of them.