Brighton Dome

I really like Brighton Dome as a venue. Acoustics great and very comfortable. Nice bar too. Be sure to pop in there for a coffee during the week even if you're not going to an event. It's a nice respite for the hub-bub of the Brighton streets. Close to the North Laines and South Lane too :)

loved the place its huge with great accoustics and a lovely scene, a friend had his graduation and had the opportunity to vist.

Absolutely amazing venue, the acoustics are great and you’d be able to see the acts from wherever you are standing due to its dome shaped interior. I saw Sufjan Stevens here in May as part of Brighton’s Great Escape music festival, and it was one of the best gigs I’ve ever been to.

We hadn’t been here for some years unitl recently. Pleased to say that The Dome still has the same high standards as ever. It is one theatre that we really feel comfortable in, but still think the refreshment prices are high. Quite extortionate for soft drinks!! Nice to have many choices for Dining afterwards, or before, especially Al Duomo’s!!!!!

Last year I saw Diamanda Galas perform here, with Erik Friedlander warming up the audience for this amazing event by performing works of John Zorn on the cello.

The acoustics are fantastic, and did Diamanda's unbelievable voice perfect justice. I wouldn't have expected any lesser ambiente for such a powerful singer, and I wasn't one single bit disappointed. Very classy interior as well, without giving the impression of being pretentious.

Re-reading my own review, I realised I should go out to venues like this more often. What an experience it was!

Beautiful place, spacious and oppulent. Located right in the centre of Brighton, it is close enough to go out for a drink or meal beforehand and not have to walk miles afterwards. Parking is a real issue though. The NCP down the road is very convenient but stupidly overpriced. It is also the location for the University of Sussex graduation ceremonies, so unless you are the University VP and on over half a million a year, do your homework and park & ride.

Went to The Corn Exchange for some of The Great Escape gigs. You'd think for such a large main room, it would need it to be packed before it got really over heated, but even around half full it was stupidly hot and airless in there. And even when it was only about half-full, the search-everyone, overly heavy security meant that people were queueing to get in. On the plus side, it's a relatively large music venue right in the town centre, surrounded by pubs and places to eat. It's a really stunning building as well, if you happen to like that sort of thing.

This is the best performance space that has been converted from a stable that I have ever visited.

I note that other reviewers have stated “there are no bad seats in this venue.” I have to disagree. On either side of the stage are about four seats that are almost backstage. I am not sure if they release these seats for sale unless all the other ones have sold out; when I ended up sitting there it was because it was literally the last ticket available.

Probably Brighton’s most famous arts venue, the Brighton Dome is my most frequented place for an evening’s entertainment. I’ve seen everything here from stand-up comedy, to music gigs, to my very own graduation ceremony.

Incredibly well-laid out so that there isn’t a bad seat in the house (I’ve never sat in one, anyway) this stunning mid-sized theatre is a truly brilliant space with great acoustics. You wouldn’t think this fantastic concert hall was originally home to George IV’s stables, would you?

A very attractive venue in a great location. The history of the building is everywhere & I am always amazed at the detail. Lovely areas of tiling too.

Weird gents loo situation mind: Not enough urinals by half & when the pressure's on, so to speak, having a strange 10ft long, waist height stainless steel sink is only going to cause confusion!!!!!!

I've seen good comedy here (Frankie Boyle, Jack Dee), I always wonder if it might be just a little too spacious & clean for a decent gig?

this place is really good….lots of variety for all types and ages…really makes Brighton proud and if your around have a look at the listings for something nice ;)

Last year I went to the Brighton Dome to see Dylan Moran and it was fantastic. The beer was surprisingly cheap for a live show and none of the seats were bad seats! As a mid sized venue it attracts some big names, I would definately recommend it. The best thing is, when the show is over you can go out in Brighton and carry on the party!

This Grade-I listed complex is both a highly original performance venue (with 3 performance areas, actually), and an historic building with a fascinating past.

History

The Dome was originally built in 1803-05 for the Prince of Wales (later George IV) as a stable block, adjacent to his then rather modest Brighton seaside villa. The architect was William Porden, and it was he who chose the iconic Indian architectural style (technically “Indo-Saracenic”) and designed the huge dome - originally covered in glass, 24 metres in diameter and 19 metres high, to cover a circulating area for the horses.

Once completed, the new buildings so overshadowed the original villa, that the Prince instructed that they should be revamped into the iconic Brighton Pavilion we see today.

The complex was sold to Brighton in the 1850s, and the Dome was developed as a concert hall in 1866. A major refurbishment in 1935 saw it modernised and given an Art Deco interior, and the Pavilion Theatre was added on the site of Mrs Fitzherbert’s stables.

Over the years it developed an enviable reputation as a Concert and entertainment venue for both classical and popular music, despite its notoriously poor acoustics. Famous names who performed here include Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones, and in 1974 it hosted the Eurovision Song Contest, won famously by Abba, singing 'Waterloo’.

However, both the interior and exterior were crumbling and a major refurbishment was begun in 1999, costing £22m and taking three years to complete. The revamped complex now houses 3 venues: the 1,850 seat Concert Hall, the 570 seat Corn Exchange (which also hosts non-seated events on its sprung floor) and the 220 seat Pavilion Theatre. The exterior (together with the Museum) provides a suitably exotic backdrop to the Pavilion itself.

Events

The Dome hosts an astonishing variety of events, from concerts, conferences and performances in the main Concert Hall, to more eclectic drama, comedy and dance in the Pavilion Theatre. I’ve mostly attended events in the Concert Hall, and I’d agree with others that it’s a great place to visit: the seating is comfy and spacious, the acoustics are hugely improved and the unusual shape gives it an intimate feel.

Practicalities

It’s a ten minute walk from Brighton railway station, and just about every Brighton bus route passes close by, either on North Street or the Steine. The venue has level access throughout (and specific spaces for wheelchairs in the auditoria), disabled toilets, hearing loops and printed material is available (on request) in large format. Disabled customers can apply for a complimentary ticket (one per booking) to enable them to bring a companion or access assistant with them free of charge - phone for details.

Well worth a visit.

I’ve been here a few times and it’s a great venue: nothing elaborate, but the seats are comfy, the views of the stage are generally pretty good wherever you are sitting, and it’s easy to book. Although there are some pillars which hold up the balcony, they don’t usually obstruct the view.

One of Brighton’s best venues for music and cabaret. My only quibble - as with all theatre venues - is that the bar prices are a little steep, and the queues at intervals can be a bit long.

The corn exchange is a wonderful venue for major events. The centrepiece of the venue is the large exhibition hall which hosts events from dinners to parties.

The Brighton Dome is a great location to listen to music. The seats are all close to the stage meaning a good view is offered to all. They are comfortable too. Some of the unterior design of the building now looks a bit dated, and I noticed that severe dusting is required in some of the hard to reach areas which can detract from the atmosphere.

I love the Brighton Dome. We saw James Taylor here and a recording of Friday night is music night featuring Stacey Kent and Curtis Stigers and the BBC big band. They were two totally different concerts but for both the sight lines and sound were excellent. It has a very good atmosphere with the high ceiling and sense of space. Seats were comfortable. An added bonus was an art exhibition which we wandered around during the interval having purchased a drink at the bar. I noticed that there is a real mixture of ages in the audience which is fairly unusual. Highly recommend you to visit.

A major event venue that still has touches of grandeur left. Juxtapositioned by the Pavilion it is somewhat overshadowed by its beauty but if you look hard enough you’ll find sections that resonate glamour. Ive been here to see plays and musical events and the sound carries well. The bar area needs updated and suffers from the ususal overpricing once they have you captured and unable to exit. Eat and drink elsewhere before or after and just enjoy the wide variety of shows it has to offer. Its ceratinly an improvement on the Brighton International Centre as a choice of where to go for entertainment.

I’ve had many a good night seeing concerts in the Dome.

It’s a large enough venue to attract “big” names - but not so large that it feels souless. Sound quality is excellent.

It’s an all seated venue - but all the seats give good views. I prefer the seats in the gallery which mean that you look down onto the stage (and they are slightly cheaper than the stalls)

The bar area has been refurbished in the last few years and it is clean and contemporary. Expect long queues in the intermission though !

I saw Gogol Bordello here recently. It was amazing!! The sound is fantastic and its not an absolutely massive venue so the intimacy was still there. Drinks expensive though!