What is the Main Stage, Club , and Lounge?
Sonar has 3 rooms in the venue, which are run either togetheror separately depending on the night and the event. The MAIN STAGE room holds over one thousand people, and that is where we would tend to do any of the major live shows and special events. The CLUB holds over 300, and the LOUNGE holds 150 with a mellower vibe, leather couches, pool table, and a fully stocked top shelf bar. Familiarizing yourself with how we bill our events will let you know what to expect out of each night.
If I pay for a concert, can I still use the club and lounge?
Generally when there is a Main Stage or Club event, the lounge will be open and accessible to concert goers. There are instances where two shows are happening on the same night, and in that case, generally each show has its own admission, with everyone sharing the use of the lounge. The calendar page will clearly state what admission to a show entitles you to. We try to play music in the lounge that is appropriate to the sound of performing acts.
There are lounge nights which happen regardless of whether or not there is a show, which you can attend separately from anything else going on.
There is no BUY NOW text listed for a show, what does that mean?
Not seeing a BUY NOW link means that we are not doing advance tickets to the show, all tickets will be available at the door. We often do not put local shows up on Ticketmaster.
There is a Sonar show listed on a band's website, but you don't have it on your calender. What's up?
We try to keep our calendar to only two months worth of listings, whereas bands will put their dates on their websites many months in advance. If a date is on a band's site, rest assured it's playing. Also, sometimes we are not allowed to announce a date becuase a band is doing a special presale of tickets, not for the general public.
What time do shows start?
Generally speaking, the first band will start approx 1 hour after the posted door time. Most opening acts play for 1/2 hour with a 15 minute set change. Headlining acts will tend to go on between 10 pm & 11 pm.
Are there dress codes or other things I can't bring?
Sonar does not have any dress codes, so feel free to be yourself, however freaky or conservative that might be. We do reserve the right to insure the ease of which we can see our wristbands or handstamps, which could mean the removal of any excessive jewelry, gloves, etc...
We do not allow backpacks or large bags of any kind, and naturally, no outside liquor, drinks, or anything which could be construed as a weapon is allowed in the building.
Can I take pictures, shoot video, or record?
We do not allow video or audio recording of any kind. As for pictures, our general policy is that we do allow small basic cameras into the venue. Basic means no additional lenses, flashes, or any other professional gear. Some bands prohibit photography altogether, which would be posted on the night of a show. Please do not email us in advance asking about a specific show, we do not know until the night of (95% of bands don't mind small cameras). In all cases, NEVER use a flash during the first three songs of a performance. Photo & recording policies will be strictly enforced. If you film when it's not allowed or with pro gear we will destroy the film; if you have a digital camera that we can't figure out how to erase, we're keeping it until we can.
Does Sonar have any policies I should be aware of?
We enforce a policy we call the Sonar code. It basically means that we insist that our place be a place where all are welcome, regardless of race, age, sex, sexual preference, income, etc... We will immediately remove anyone who is making another patron feel unwelcome, but it goes further than that. We do not tolerate obnoxious sexual advances, which means if you hit on someone and they say no, you better let it go. We also do not tolerate overly boisterous behavior, any activity which causes our security to pay too much attention to one person, and we frown upon the use of profanity in a way that annoys other patrons. Basically, be cool, and you'll be fine, act like a jerk, and you'll find yourself in the parking lot!
What hotels are in the area?
We have a deal with the Sheraton Baltimore, where Sonar patrons receive a rate of $119.00 per night for a room. This is a four star hotel about 8 blocks from the venue. Click HERE to book a room directly from Sheraton. Sometimes the Wyndham sells out of this promotional rate. If they do, there is nothing we can do about it. We suggest trying Priceline.
Do the following :
After clicking HERE
Put in Baltimore and the date
On the next screen check “Inner Harbor Area – Downtown”
On the next screen check “2 Star Moderate”
From October thru February, try putting in $79.00, in the summer months (when baseball is in season) it could be a lot more, and hotels downtown tend to sell out quickly.
The closest suburbs, where there are plenty of motel type places, are Towson to the North, Glen Burnie or Catonsville to the South, Randallstown/Pikesville to the Northwest, and Essex/Dundalk/Rosedale to the East.
Click here for PRODUCTION SPECS
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