(919) 821-4111
126 E Cabarrus St.
Raleigh,
NC
27601
35.7741
-78.638
Neighborhood: Central
What People Are Saying About The Lincoln Theater
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
In Short – Built in 1939, the Lincoln Theatre used to be a movie house, showing the best films of the golden age of cinema. For years it remained dormant, occasionally used as a venue for private parties. But as 2001 rolled around, Pat Dickenson and his cohorts had other ideas for this architectural gem. At the beginning of the year, they opened the theater as a venue for larger acts that might have felt cramped in smaller clubs, and the results have been outstanding.
09/30/09
Good for smaller crowds but avoid sold-out shows.
by lessthanzero
I have been to the Lincoln theater twice and the experiences were vastly different.
My first experience was at a Mindless Self Indulgence show. Now, granted, this isn't exactly the friendliest crowd of folks you could run into. The staff let in those who had hard tickets first, and those who had purchased online had to wait. If I had known ahead of time this was going to be the case I would have bought hard copies.
The place was jam packed from the stage all the way back. When it came time for MSI to go on, the entire crowd started pushing at each other. Not moshing, but people in the back pushing everyone forward to try to get in. My friends and I were at the front of the stage and we were all covered in bruises the next day. When we complained to the guy behind the bar he was rude and said that they would try to add more security in the future.
The second show I saw here several months later was much smaller and so much better. The staff was also a lot more friendly.
I would avoid shows that you know are going to be extremely big, because the layout of the venue is such that you can't hang off to the side. Otherwise it is a great place.
- Pros: Good sound, decent band selection, lower pricing than most.
- Cons: Over-booking the space, rude staff.
02/07/09
Great venue, intimate feel
by mkathrynp
The musicians they attract say a lot for the Lincoln Theater--it's a great place to see live music in an intimate atmosphere. Quite frankly though, the beer prices leave a lot to be desired. My memory is foggy and my tabs have always been extremely high, but I think a PBR is upwards of $3--ridiculous! Since they renovated there is a lot more space, and because there are different levels it's generally easy to find a good "spot" in the crowd to dance AND be able to see. The smokiness has been remedied a little bit by requiring smokers to use the upper balcony to smoke. Overall, it's an awesome venue. The door men are often a bit unfriendly, but that's the case at most places--the bartenders are great, especially the female one.
- Pros: Intimate, but spacious venue
- Cons: Expensive beer prices
01/30/09
Good Music, Bad Air
by groupie1
We went to see Leon Russell this week and although it was a great show, the cigarette smoke was terrible. I love good music and especially love the good music at Lincoln Theater, but I won't go back until it's smoke-free.
- Pros: band choices, good staff, large space
- Cons: smoke
The Details on The Lincoln Theater
Parking:
The small, paved parking lot on the corner of Wilmington and Cabarrus is an "honor pay" parking lot: Pay for a parking pass and put it on your dash--or your car will be towed.
Where to Sit:
Due to the tiered, open layout of the room, there's really no bad spot during a show at the Lincoln; with a capacity of 550, the party is capable of growing to mythic proportions. The acoustics are pretty solid, and the vibe is definitely laid-back.
Category:
Smoking Permitted:
No
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