The Showbox (originally known as the Showbox Theater) is a

music venue A music venue is any location used for a concert or musical performance. Music venues range in size and location, from a small coffeehouse for folk music shows, an outdoor bandshell or bandstand or a concert hall to an indoor sports stadium. Ty ...

in Seattle, Washington. It has been owned by AEG Live since 2007.

History and usage

Founded in 1939, the Showbox has hosted a diverse offering of music over the decades. From the Jazz Age to the

Grunge Grunge (sometimes referred to as the Seattle sound) is an alternative rock genre and subculture that emerged during the in the American Pacific Northwest state of Washington, particularly in Seattle and nearby towns. Grunge fuses elements of p ...

Era, the ballroom has featured shows by

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...

, Muddy Waters and the

Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United ...

— as well as local artists such as burlesque performer

Gypsy Rose Lee Gypsy Rose Lee (born Rose Louise Hovick, January 8, 1911 – April 26, 1970) was an American burlesque entertainer, stripper and vedette famous for her striptease act. Also an actress, author, and playwright, her 1957 memoir was adapted into ...

, and grunge bands Soundgarden,

Pearl Jam Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. The band's lineup consists of founding members Jeff Ament (bass guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), Mike McCready (lead guitar), and Eddie Vedder (lead vocals, guita ...

Mudhoney Mudhoney is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1988, following the demise of Green River. Its members are singer and rhythm guitarist Mark Arm, lead guitarist Steve Turner, bassist Guy Maddison and drummer Dan Peters. Orig ...

, TAD and Screaming Trees. After many years of operating as the Improv Comedy Club, restaurateur Tony Riviera and Barry Bloch purchased the Improv with the intent of continuing operating the Venue as The Improv. Riviera and Bloch discovered old photos and historical information and articles about the Showbox and decided to recreate the venue to its original look and reopened New Year's Eve 1995 as The Showbox Comedy and Supper Club which they operated for several years before deciding to sell the Venue. Riviera went on to open numerous restaurants up and down the West Coast. In July 2018, Vancouver-based developer Onni Group announced plans to redevelop the property into a 42-floor apartment tower. Local preservation advocates, including Historic Seattle, Friends of Historic Belltown, and Vanishing Seattle, submitted a landmark nomination for review by the City of Seattle's Landmarks Preservation Board in June 2019. The board unanimously decided to grant the Showbox landmark designation on July 17, 2019, preventing the renowned theater from being demolished. Seattle musicians such as

, Duff McKagan, Alice in Chains, Death Cab for Cutie and Macklemore voiced their support for preserving the Showbox. A petition on Change.org to name the Showbox an official City of Seattle landmark garnered over 110,000 signatures. The property owner filed a lawsuit against the city of Seattle. Claims of damages were dismissed by the court, but a trial was scheduled for August 2019 regarding other claims. On November 19, 2019, the Historic Seattle group announced a partnership with Seattle Theatre Group and submitted a formal offer to purchase the property. The partnership would retain AEG as the operating tenant through at least 2024.

Showbox SoDo

Showbox SoDo opened in 2007 and belongs to "Showbox Presents" family. It is located at 1700 1st Avenue South, Seattle, Washington. It takes its name from the SoDo district, referring to an area south of T-Mobile Park and Lumen Field. The Showbox added to its family in 2007 with the addition of the larger Showbox SoDo, a converted-warehouse-turned-concert venue located just south of the sports stadiums in the SoDo district. The space has wood-beam and brick architecture. In its short history, the venue has already hosted events featuring My Bloody Valentine,

Kid Rock Robert James Ritchie (born January 17, 1971), known professionally as Kid Rock (also known as Bobby Shazam), is an American singer, songwriter and rapper. His style alternates between rock, hip hop, country, and metal. A self-taught musician, ...

, Heart, The Pogues,

M.I.A Mia, MIA, or M.I.A. may refer to: Music Artists * M.I.A. (rapper) (born 1975), English rapper and singer * M.I.A. (band), 1980s punk rock band from Orange County, California * MIA., a German rock/pop band formed in 1997 * Mia (singer) (born 1983) ...

, The Hives,

Dropkick Murphys Dropkick Murphys are an American Celtic punk band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1996. Singer and bassist Ken Casey has been the band's only constant member. Other current members include drummer Matt Kelly (1997– ), singer Al Barr (199 ...

, Josh Ritter, Counting Crows,

Panic! at the Disco Panic! at the Disco is the solo project of American musician Brendon Urie. It was originally a pop rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada, formed in 2004 by childhood friends Urie, Ryan Ross, Spencer Smith, and Brent Wilson. They recorded their firs ...

, Adam Lambert, Odd Future,

Jillian Banks Jillian Rose Banks (born June 16, 1988), known mononymously as Banks (often stylized in all caps), is an American singer and songwriter. Following the release of two extended plays, ''Fall Over'' and ''London'', in 2013, Banks released her d ...

, The WhiteTrash Whiplash, Trivium and many more. This Showbox SoDo was originally built as a truck warehouse in 1935 for John Eddy Franklin who was also responsible for the Columbarium at Evergreen Washelli Funeral Home. The main part of the warehouse had a dirt floor and a gas pump.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Showboat Nightclubs in Seattle Music venues in Washington (state) 1939 establishments in the United States Buildings and structures in Seattle Music venues completed in 1939