Aragon is handicapped friendly.

The floors can get very slippery, beware!

Leaving the main floor after a performance is a nightmare, especially on the stairs, you may want to stand around and wait for the crowd to thin out before descending the stairs.

The sound quality depends on the band itself and where you are in the venue. Make sure you consider that if you are an audio Nazi.

Bring a lot of money, the drinks are expensive. And so is the merchandise, pizza, etc.

There are only two bathrooms! One for men and one for women. Both located on the first floor. The ballroom is upstairs, and the seating is above the ballroom. There is a long, tiring walk ahead of you every time you wish to visit the toilet.

Ladies: don't bring any large, heavy handbags. You won't get through security.

Have fun. Be cautious. Be considerate.

Thanks.

The staff of the Aragon is friendly, but a bit over-cautious. The same can be said for the security staff. The rules can be strict, but if you take a moment to review them before the show, you won't have any troubles. Feel free to bring a camera. And, by the looks of things, feel free to bring your marijuana cigarettes. I witnessed various plumes of sweet stinking smoke rising from the dancefloor and security did absolutely nothing to curb the behavior.

Make sure you line-up outside very very early if you want either good seats or a place near the stage. I get in line three hours before a sold-out show and have my pick of any prime spot in the venue.

A word for the patrons: I have met some of the kindest people at the Aragon Ballroom. And, I have met some of the most troglodytic bottom-feeders this planet has ever produced. A caveman is a caveman, but a drunk caveman is a very dangerous, if not amusing, creature. Beware! The Aragon holds 4000+ people, one-quarter of which are rude, drunk, shallow, meat-headed, belligerent and violent. Respect your fellow concert patron. Don't shove, don't spill drinks, don't make lewd comments and DO NOT STAND AND DANCE FOR THE ENTIRE PERFORMANCE IF YOU ARE IN THE SEATED SECTION, BLOCKING THE VIEW OF THE PEOPLE BEHIND YOU! The floor is where the animals can dance freely! The seats are there for those people who wish to relax and watch the show from a seated position.

My grandmother spent many Friday evenings dancing to the Big Bands of the era before and during World War II. And, my stepmother was witness to Led Zeppelin and Blue Oyster Cult on that same storied Aragon Ballroom stage.

My own Aragon history begins with a Jane's Addiction show, November 30, 1991. I life changing experience for a young teenager just starting to explore underground music, I can tell you! I was very impressed with the performance that evening, but I was equally impressed with the colorful characters in the audience and the beauty, splendor and old-world charms of the Aragon Ballroom itself.

If you have never visited the Aragon Ballroom yourself, allow me to paint a picture: you are standing upon a hardwood dance-floor, surrounded by highly decorative medieval Spanish architecture and fountains. You are attending a celebration in the middle of the town square, the star-filled night sky unfolding directly over your head. The music starts, the crowd is deafening and you start to sweat. Magic.

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