What is the Academy 2 like?

Dubliner(temp)

Is there a lot of drinking? Do the shows usually start on time? If it starts at 7:30 could I catch a bus home after the gig or would I miss the last one? Is it all standing? How safe is it to be in the crowd?

Anything else u want to say about the venue, the ppl that are usually there, etc. ...

Dermo

Dubliner(temp) wrote: »

Is there a lot of drinking? Do the shows usually start on time? If it starts at 7:30 could I catch a bus home after the gig or would I miss the last one? Is it all standing? How safe is it to be in the crowd?

Anything else u want to say about the venue, the ppl that are usually there, etc. ...

The venue is quite small and there is only 1 tiny bar at the back of it.
Shows starting on time/ending on time usually depends on the bands playing, it can vary. I have been to some gigs there that end at 10:30 others that border on 11:30.
The stage is very small and there are seats around the edges. If you want to see the band you will probably have to stand in the main part.
The crowd also depends on the band, there isn't any space to have security guys between the crowd and the band so it can get pretty crazy but since it's a small crowd you will probably be safe.

whiterob81

It's an absolutely tiny venue. I actually don't really like the place. There is no stage to speak of. In fact I think the wooden dance floor for the audience is actually slightly higher than where the band are. Unless you're standing right at the front row, it's fairly impossible to see the band. Like the above poster said, there's one tiny bar down the back, there's seating booths all around the dance floor but you'd nearly want to get in when the doors open to get one. even then I wouldn't really bother, because from what I can tell you can't see the band from there anyway.

Those gripes aside: I've been to 2 gigs in there, the slackers and white denim. the audience was fine at both of them. No trouble at all. Once it's not a big mad death metal gig with circle pits all round, you'll probably be fine. both gigs started around 8.30/9 and finished around 10.30/11, so more than likely you should be able to get a bus home

as for drinking, there's no more so than at most other gigs. The beers pretty expensive so you won't see too many people hammered

seamus

I was there once for a Blood or Whiskey gig. Service at the bar is **** - you've to queue ages to get a pint at the tiny bar with lazy barpeoples. There stage is more-or-less on the same level as the rest of the room and the sound isn't great.

To answer your actual questions as the others have - yes, it's safe, yes you'd get last bus home from a 7.30 gig, and no people are generally not that drunk because the beer's expensive and it takes too long to get a pint.