Reviews of Orpheum Theatre (Movie Theater)

lesley stones

Went to a concert here. Lovely old venue, but the seats are small, cramped and threadbare, and the bar prices are high. Very friendly ticket checkers and ushers though. (And the concert was fab!)

Dede Booth

Love this venue. Great sound and no view is obstructed

Caroline Kinney

This theatre needs a good deep cleaning and a restoration-- it's currently quite dingy and there's peeling paint everywhere, and the seats in the box were very cramped (I'm 5'6" and my knees hit the seat in front of me). The show I attended was mic'd so I couldn't really get a good read on the acoustics. If this theatre were to be historically renovated it would be an incredible gem of a venue, but in its current state I probably would not return.

Madison Clapp

Beautiful theater! Easily the most friendly staff I've encountered at a concert, and also the most organized. The location is perfect, as a lot of concert venues in Boston don't have much room outside room for waiting, but this one has plenty since it sits back off from the street quite a bit and is in its own little alcove. Will definitely be back again!

Conrad Cardenas

Great place for rock venues!

Judi McCabe

Snow Patrol played the Orpheum Theatre Monday April 29, 2019. Awesome show!! Ryan McMullan (sp?) Opened the show, he was great. We Are Scientists followed with a fantastic performance. The crowd stood up when Snow Patrol took the stage and never sat down. Awesome!!!

Spud Resnick

Despite tight seats it's a lovely old venue, one of the oldest in america now. Built in 1852... Nice clean bathrooms! ♥️

Wini Peterson

Best place to see a concert.

Robert Johnson

great show. first time seeing tedeschi trucks.

Jonathan Ellis

Great venue for shows and concerts!

Pavels Danilovs

Run down theater but lots of charm and character

Scott Gibson

Nice, clean, good acoustics. Plenty of bathrooms, hardly any lines. Short lines at bar during intermission. Good crowd control.

Jake Harvey

Great venue. Every seat sounds good. They get great acts regularly. Not too big, not too small. I have had a great time at every show I've ever been to at the orpheum.

Xiangyi Meng

A historical place. seats are too crowded to each other and are uncomfortable.

George Shaw

Great old place, wonderful acoustics. Beers slightly more expensive than expected

Omar Bahammam

Good place in a good location.

Ms. Gonzalez

My favorite ticket agent can be found here. I believe his name is Michael. He's a ball of energy!

Mark White

The Orpheum is a classic theater, good acoustics, beautiful architectural design and details, no bad seats in the house, but the seats themselves much like all of the theater are in need of repairs and renovations

Debbie Konanec

Ian Hunter and Mott were awesome. Theater is grand in need of some repair...restore.

Mike Cleary

My poor knees. Unless you are sitting in the front of a row or standing expect to be uncomfortable.

Audrey Link

The Orpheum is incredibly antiquated and in need of renovation. Seats are from 1905 so they are very tiny. Complaints could be heard about the seating from virtually ever patron that came in. Many of the box seats have been replaced by folding chairs. The positives are that the acoustics are decent and it is large but still maintains something of an intimate feel. The staff are also extremely helpful and friendly. I would not attend another concert here.

Brian Blanton

It is one of my favorite venues in Boston! Like going back in time to catch an amazing show! Always happy when my favorite performers perform there...icing on the cake!

Eden Johnson

Super cramped, gets very hot, and there is absolutely no leg room at all. The concert I went to see was amazing though.

jsplittgerber

The location was easy to find, staff was friendly, seats were small, music was fantastic Be sure to check out Dustin Thomas, what a great artist and of course John Butler always at his best.

Jacqueline Ruff

This building is beautiful but I wasn't a fan of the seating. I understand it is an old building but some things need to be updated, like the seating. Or how cold it got inside the theater. We wore our winter jackets almost the entire time because it was so cold and we were squeezed into the tiniest and tightest seats ever! All the staff were great and there were no service issues, just really not pleased with the seating and temperature.

Simon

Beautiful and cozy theatre. Went there to see Julien Baker live. Only downside was once the concert ended they played really loud, aggressive music on the speakers which was a jarring to hear after the mellow, reflective music I was listening to live for the hours prior.

Jamie Partridge

Such a beautiful theater; easily accessible via public transportation and for individuals using assistive technology. While the seats are a little uncomfortable and tightly spaced, there is seating available for individuals who utilize assistive technology. The theater itself is beautiful and worth a visit.

Craig Hildreth

Great concert, but when it’s 90+ degrees in your 170 year old theater and you refuse to serve tap water (as is common courtesy at a concert), that’s not just a supremely dickish move, that’s a health hazard.

Jake Mcmillan

Seats are older then the building, cool otherwise

Popeye

Dump, power for music failed, had 45 min delay. This place is a dump.

Kaitlyn Switalski

Beautiful old venue with lots of character

Beth Gates

The Orpheum Theatre is beautiful inside. The seating is tough, small and tight.

super76

We love the venue, but it has fallen into disrepair. Very dirty now. Way too many people to help find your seat, but no one to clean the seats or aisles. Still a landmark.

Ivy Knight

Was a nice venue parking stinks but there is a parking garage close

Lael_Da

Always an amazing experience here. The staff keep things smooth, and the atmosphere is nice.

Gregory Hilton

This was absolutely gorgeous inside and we had a lot of fun.

Sergey Gatilov

Very nice old theatre. Steep and narrow isles. Great sound.

Alex Avitabile

Need 6 more inches of legroom somewhere and its an even better venue. Long legged people suffer. Other then that, its a great place to see a concert.

Kellie Zukowski

This is a great place for Boston to have shows I have seen a lot of comedians perform here it is a great venue very cool looking it is just hard to get to it is in the heart of the Theater District so parking is a little bit tricky and it is right on Boston Commons a great area in the summer a tricky area in the winter because you have to walk far to find your car but it's definitely worth the night out another problem is the rush to the restroom during intermission the line it is unbelievable but I guess it's going to be like that anywhere I still really like this place

Frank Brancato

Needs a fresh coat of paint and new chairs cushions are worn. Looks just like when I first went their in 1983.

Christopher Wilford

Theater is beautiful and kept well enough! Seats numbers were nearly impossible to read, but the ushers were helpful and super nice! Not overly comfortable seats, but spacious enough not to be crumpled in.

Hilary Jennifer

Great venue, good size but still makes for a more intimate experience.

James Mulrey

Old school theater...original hemp house..great rock n roll

Elizabeth O

I went for a James Bay concert and sat in the mezzanine. Great acoustics. Seats were fine for me but I am only 5'2. It is easily accessible by the park street T stop. All in all, I will be back.

Erik Antelman

Row KK had the leg room for a child. I spent the entire show sitting angled and with my knees in the aisle.

M Demetriou

The sound was awesome! And the theatre is nice. But believe the other reviews: these seats are TIGHT. You'll survive, though, and it's worth it.

Robert Craig

Well used, mid sized theater used mostly for music concerts. Ornate decorations inside, good sound, old seats.

George Arponen

Well past its prime, but still an intimate venue to see a show.

Greg Benson

Excellent seats for Tedeschi Trucks Band on November 29, 2018

Alex Rock

Charming old theatre. However the seats are incredibly uncomfortable and have no leg room at all. Incredibly hard to watch a show here because you are so distracted by the seat.

David Sierra

Mary Shannon's review is spot on for my own experience as well. The temperature was too hot and the seats under the balcony affected the sound negatively.

Luis Bascones

Great medium venue with very good acoustics

kurt federow

Great place to see a concert though seats a bit worn and plave looks dated inside - bathroom decent and good beer options along with drunken pizza

Brad Porter

Awesome historical theatre! New age shows with an 1800s feel. Book parking online ahead of time with SpotHero.

Emma Sutter

Love the location of this hidden theatre but a little outdated. But great shows at the cost of a crazy priced drink!

Chris Seider

An old dump , but a good time...

nathan bailey

Amazing venue and acoustics, will definitely be seeking out more concerts here

Kim Miles

This was my first time in there enjoy Boyz 2 Men and art on ceiling was great just fade like stuff like that need to repaint

Liza Radley

I love this place to see a show. The staff, however, we're a bit nasty this time.

Pat Warrren

It was ok. Seating terrible. Could not see stage.

Chuck Paone

The Orpheum is the grand old dame of Boston theaters, her age shows. Seats are small, little legroom. The staff is wonderful and was accommodating in finding alternate seating, so ask if you are tall. Great sight lines and sound. The concert by Bill Murray was wonderful. Seeing a living icon, simply amazing.

Andree Thibault

Great venue. Comfortable seating.

Thomas Rosa

Old and stinky but Elevation Concert was Amazing!

Maria Yuanita

It's a beautiful theatre. I was there to watch Maxwell's concert. Unfortunately, the acoustic isn't that good for such performance. I barely heard the vocal, since the room makes the sound of the bass and the drum too overpowering.

Matt Frotten

Decent venue but very cramped. Watched the venue staff go around threatening to throw people out for using their phone.

Ann L'Italien

We love already. They have Twix.

Christine Cortese

I understand that this an older theatre, but the owners really need to update the facility. Painting, and new seats! We are a much larger population than when the theatre was built.

Peter DiTommaso

Good venue for concert but limited restrooms. Parking in area within walking distance $12 or less for the evening.

Rachel Berls

The sound in the theater was great and the theater was very easy to get to with plenty of parking garages nearby. The biggest downside were the seats. The rows were so close together leaving no leg room and every time I sat down, I felt like the seat was going to break. When I went in November, it was freezing inside the theater. I had to wear my winter coat throughout the entire concert. Overall, I had a good experience, but the seats really should be renovated or updated!

Tim

Nice place to see a concert. Ornate interior. Good sound. Seats are old and legroom is limited.

Laura N

Nice venue. The location is awesome and the place has fantastic acoustics. The seats are a bit tight and not too comfy, but that's to be expected with an old theatre. The staff were slightly overbearing. The lobby is very small, so entering and exiting were annoying. However, it's overall a good place to see a show.

Caitlin McDonold

It's a beautiful old theater, but the rows are packed so close together - I'm short, and my knees were pressed up against the seat in front of me. Plus the entire balcony began shaking in an alarming way during one song when the audience was standing up and clapping along.

Jennifer Graham

Had a great time watching Pink Floyd tribute band. Beautiful theatre great staff!

Nick Minarik

As others have mentioned, this theater is a little dated in terms of... everything. Except sound! If you're here for a concert, the sound quality is really excellent. Since I haven't been here for a play or other seated event, I can't really say how that would be, but I do know that the 30 minutes I was sitting between sets were not comfortable on these seats. One thing I've never experienced before is that the entire mezzanine level actually bounced. I know that structurally it's good to have a little give, but I have never felt the floor ANYWHERE bounce to the rhythm of a song that people weren't even really jumping hard to. But hey, the mezzanine survived the whole show (was a little worried it wouldn't make it through the encore), so maybe the people who built this place knew what they were doing!

Ben Flisher

The old time theater feel and the cool location are what make this place bearable. Otherwise it's crowded with cramped dirty old seats and the sound is poor quality. The concert I attended was dangerously loud under the balcony.

Chris Riley

Was very hot in there- I was a sweaty mess and so were some of the employees. That's probably why the chairs look faded. Noticed everyone was using their show programs as fans. Balcony seats were very tight- I am 6'2" and was lucky enough to not having people occupying neighboring seats so I could give myself more room. Also food/beverages were expensive. I noticed $6 for a slice of pizza, and $14 for cans of beer. Will pass on performances held at this place in the future.

Mary Shannon

Sound quality in the orchestra section under the balcony is muddy (due to poor acoustics). Everytime I've been, it's been uncomfortable from a temperature perspective. The layout is tricky - narrow stairs and not enough doors. The bookings are great, and the venue has character for sure. But it's not great.

Thomas Daley

For tall people, the seats are horrible!! My legs were painfully squished against the seat in front of me. I know it's a very old, historical venue, but it was ridiculous!!! If I didn't have a sweatshirt to jam between my knees and the seat in front if me, it would have been completely intolerable!!!

Tracy McCallum

I Had The Best Experience Ever!!!!! The Gentleman I Spoke With And Bought My Tickets From Was So Amazing!

David Conrad

I really like the vibe here. Wish the seats were a little bigger (I'm 6'6"), but I mostly stand.

Eric Morency

Iconic Boston Venue never miss a great band here the sound is amazing and a small room less then 3k capacity!

Kelley Vaillancourt

Saw Hanson there. It was an awesome experience!

William Rollow

Was here for Anderson.paak: perfect venue

Keith Evans

Seats are a bit uncomfortable, but it's a fantastically old building. Besides, the show was great so we weren't sitting much.

greg ehle

Seats are close together but sound is nice.

Jesse Owen

Quaint and charming old theater. This place has definitely seen its share of moments. The chairs could definitely use some renovating, as could the ceiling, the stage, the stairs, etc. But it's super charming.

Kings Of Metal

Very nice place, very nice people

Josh Soto

Orpheum Theatre has a great ambiance, a great vibe and a great energy. The building almost cultivates an energy in anticipation of performance and it carries through to the final curtain. However the seating is absolutely dreadful. Seats are quite low and not very wide. If you're above average height, your knees will be pressed against the seat in front of you for the duration of the show. At the concert I attended most people got around this by standing up, myself included, which is fine but also not ideal. However, if your favorite band is in town don't skip seeing them! You'll have a great time nonetheless.

Matthew Hurley

Love this place. Great location. Great seats. Great shows. Great people.

Long John

This is a very lovely theater in the middle of downtown Boston. Less than a minute from the train station and many restaurants options.

Anish Pimpley

Great acoustics. Seating was terrible though.

Benjamin Lilyestrom

I’ve seen many different concerts and performances here. The venue is a classic old style theatre and I is beautiful. With that comes some trade offs, like low ceilings and tighter seats, but it’s not a big deal.

Yoland Bator

Got to see a great show in a historic building that needs serious up grades....very little has changed in the 30 plus years seeing shows there.

Carllee Ford

Small over crowded not easy to walk around when it is a sold out concert. Not enough leg room when you are sitting down.

Paul Bergman

This place is torture for watching any show. I only go to shows here that are really important to me. And where I don't foresee another opportunity to catch the show else where. There is no air movement, and the temperature is always unbearable. The seats are extremely tiny with no place to put your legs, so you may as well just leave them home. There are weird protrusions under many seats so you're liable to fall awkwardly. The stairs are steep and extremely dangerous to life. The seat numbers are super confusing. You may feel brutalized leaving.

Karla Paxton

Fantastic venue for a concert, small and great acoustic.

Oma Ekunkunbor Babalola

Was here to see Maxwell. Beautiful theatre but the seating was not the greatest, pretty awkward and unfortunately the sound was also awful. Maxwell did his thing. Definitely want to see him in concert again hoping the sounds better next time.

Derek Wheeler

The show was great but the theatre was trash. Seating was awful (old, dirty, tiny chairs) and the concessions we're mediocre and overpriced. Staff was nice and the acoustics we're okay but I'll be avoiding this venue in the future.

Greg Bensom

Excellent venue premium seats $35 Section: LBox C Row: C1 Seat: 1 Tedeschi Trucks Band Nov. 29, 2018

Bernie Kwan

Good acoustic but lousy everything else. It is in desperate need of a renovation. Seatings are horrible! Absolutely zero leg room and terribly uncomfortable seats. Definitely would not recommend and will not return until they totally renovate this place. Too bad, it has great potential in the right hand.

JF Sullivan

The old lady never fails to let me down. It's a good venue to see shows however it's very uncomfortable to sit through. You think with all the renovations they've done they at least would make the seats bearably comfortable

drew blaze

Nice historical theatre

HMSPJ8

Went there to see Maxwell, great performance, great view from my seat, the theatre is nice but seats could use an upgrade

Patrice Pintabone

Great place for a concert

Henry

Nice place good party venue

Carla Rennick

The seats are so narrow and close together that they don't accommodate even medium sized people let alone tall or overweight people. Anyone taller than 5'5" had their knees in their face, and you were crushed against the person next to you. As a large woman, I could only fit at all if I sat on the aisle so one leg could stick out, and I still got a cramp in one shin and a bruise in the other hip from the armrest jamming into it. But once you've paid for the tickets and made the trip to Boston you just have to suffer through it if you want to see the show. It's a cool old theatre but the seating needs to be updated for a modern (taller and wider) audience. If you are over 5'6" and weigh more than 200 pounds I would recommend staying away.

Sean Mackinnon

Always a great time seeing shows here

Brandon Agosto

This has to be the worst venue I’ve ever been to. No AC, a lobby area that is an absolute mess to try to get through to your seat, the oldest seats ever. Avoid this place at all costs.

Deanna O'Dette

Gorgeous venue. Our bums fit in the small seats, no problem!

F Superbravedude

Good open space, great view on stage, but the seats aren't that comfortable.

Jason Townsend

Seats are horrible no leg room at all. Too bad because it would be a great theater with a few updates

L Wilhousky

Boyfriend and I attended an event here.... Last minute. Beautiful environment. And beautiful accustics.

Lisa B

Loved loved loved this venue. Awesome in the balcony seating.

Cynthia Ladd

Fun concert at The Orpheum Theatre, Boston . Nick Mason .. great theatre

Kelly W

Great location for a venue. Beautiful theater but DAAAAMN it gets hot up in there- even in February! Cool place...pretty ceiling- quintessential Boston. Highly recommend!

Jesse DiGioia

Place is one of Boston's best to see musicians. My knees hurt because people were smaller back before GMOs

Kamille Parker

The show was great, the venue was lousy. It's in the cut. The venue is in need of a good deep cleaning. Really why it gets a 3 rating is the space. I don't want to be thinking of how I'm getting indentations on my legs during a show. It was actually painful. I am only 5'9 and there were many men taller than I am and I can't imagine how uncomfortable they were.

Al Jones

Definitely one of the coolest venues I've been to a show at. The acoustics are perfect; I could hear every word and every instrument that was being played. I absolutely love how they haven't done any major renovation to the inside. I imagine that how it looks now is how it looked since around the 70s and that is totally a good thing. The art on the ceiling and walls is also very appealing. 100% recommend seeing a show or concert here.

Jeffrey Cutler

Very nice concert hall chairs are dated bur who sits.

Tatiana Olaru

The acoustics here aren't the best. The seats in the back don't have their own speakers. The whole building needs to be revamped and restored.

Ramone Clahar

Went to see one of my favorite groups, Elevation Worship, was disappointed with the venue, seating felt tight, room was humid, and acoustics weren't quite where they needed to be. But they put on a decent show though.

Deb Fate-Mental

Really cool architecture. Keep in mind it's old, like Fenway, so tiny (velvet!) seats. And it's a bit stuffy. Staff was great. Would see a show there again.

Veronica

Beautiful theatre. Bring your own water/snacks as concessions closes before event ends.

Ken Therrien

Good venue... Needs a little TLC

Elena Cañadas

I came here last night for Dream Theater concert. It is a beautiful place, sounds wasn't bad but neither great. Seats are confortable and good visivibility of the stage even from the balcony area.

Duncan MacLeod

Saw a metal show and the lighting was amazing. Sound was a bit overblown at times, and the place gets HOT, but it was a great experience.

Ky Peven

This theatre desperately needs renovation!!! Not even to mention fugly dirty carpets, paint pealing on the walls, most likely full of asbestos, but the worst are the seats. They are tiny! I am a 6” 190lb guy, not even an XL league and I could barely fit there. After 1.5h show my lower back was killing me and I got too cosy with a big guy sitting next to me. The only reason for extra star is that acoustics there is pretty good.

wayne van wagner

The facility was quaint and comfortable. However the volume of the drums the base and the musical instruments totally interfered with the music. I went for a blessing in the results was noise-induced headache. Volume definitely does not equal substance.

J

Awesome shows happen here

Hack Jack

setup is a bit weird and its very smokey but the concert was good so

Patricia DeVries

Best experience ever. Went to a concert with my sister that uses a wheel chair and they were amazing with her. A lady named Celeste was awesome!!!

Colby Reich

Beautifully designed architecture that brings one back to the days of old.

Anne Marie Brako

Very dhabby interior; power issues; a capella acoustics great

Rob P

Great acoustics and super friendly staff. Facility is dated and could use some updating but considering you got there for concerts not really much of a negative. Will definitely be on the lookout for other shows here in the future.

Jean Pelotte

The Orpheum is beautiful. It is one of my favorite theaters.

Jeff Laurenza

Great venue for any kind of entertainment. It's smaller than many similar venues. So you are close to the stage. Balcony seats are all great. No obstructed views. No parking there so you need to use public parking which within walking distance.

Jim Dorman

The Orpheum is an old theater that is cramped and run down, but I'm glad it's still there. You can sit in the last row and still feel like you saw your favorite band up close and personal.

1BoardwalkAngel Forever

Saw Tedeschi Trucks Band in concert. Theater was built in the 1890s seating space is not the best with a lot of crowding (people were smaller then? I'm only 5' tall weighing 115 lbs and I just fit the seat. Unfortunately two football fullbacks were seated directly in front of us, and the theater has no amenities for large viewing screens so it was difficult to see the band although the acoustics were good. It was freezing inside the theater as it was winter and very cold outside. Apparently they've never updated the heating system either. It was a great concert, but I'd definitely choose another venue to see TTB again like The Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion which they play every summer and it's closer. Every seat in the "clamshell" is great there.