Iconic '80s band perfect showcase for new venue
Menlo Park's Guild Theatre shows off superb sound, lighting in Berlin's concert
Terri Nunn took a moment to survey the room, looking out at the 500 fans who filled the newly opened Guild Theatre in Menlo Park to capacity for her band Berlin's concert.
“It's an honor to be one of the first in your new theater,” said the SoCal singer. “It's gorgeous. They spared no expense.”
Nunn, of course, is an expert on music halls and theaters — having played a nearly unfathomable number of them since Berlin formed in Orange County in the late '70s. And she's right on with her assessment about this one, which ranks as the best new concert venue in the Bay Area.
All of the reasons for that were nicely on display during Berlin's fun show on Saturday. It was the first time that I had been to the venue since it opened on Feb. 24 with a performance by Robert Glasper. Although I did do a hard-hat tour of the building back in January, as the former movie palace — which closed its doors in 2019 after a 93-year run — was in the midst of its $35 million transformation.
The finished product — or, perhaps more accurately near-finished, since there are still some chores left on the to-do list — is quite impressive. It's an intimate concert space, with a vibe more like that of a supper club than a traditional theater, and you're never far from the massive stage no matter where you are in the venue.
It's hard to decide whether the best spot in the house is the main floor, right in front of the stage, or the balcony with its great view of the performers. In terms of the Berlin show, however, it was definitely the former since Nunn made her way out into the crowd twice during the night.
The first lengthy stint came when she boogied and sang with fans during a great cover of the Cult's “She Sells Sanctuary.” The second came when Nunn crooned the “Top Gun” hit “Take My Breath Away” while riding on the shoulders of the venue's production manager — Drew “D.B.” Berger — around the main floor area.
The stage lighting was terrific, showcasing an impressive number of moving overhead lights.
“No (other) room this size has 70 moving lights,” Guild general manager Tom Bailey pointed out during a quick tour of the venue prior to Berlin taking the stage on Saturday.
The venue's biggest selling point is the great sound — which comes from a combination of savvy acoustic treatments (such as the ceiling panels each being drilled with 8,000 holes) and the speaker system from Berkeley's Meyer Sound Laboratories. There's also a giant subwoofer that looks like something you'd see in an arena.
“Basically, there is so much bass in here that I could knock the walls down if I wanted to,” Bailey comments.
The superb sound system was put to excellent use as Berlin ran through such '80s new wave classics as “No More Words” and, best of all, “The Metro.” The group finished up the night with another cover — AC/DC's “Highway to Hell” — served up as a rowdy encore.
For those looking to experience the newly opened Guild, upcoming shows include Delta Spirit on Sunday, Son Volt on June 7, Ozomatli on June 17, Bombino on July 15, Bebel Gilberto on July 19 and Kamasi Washington on July 27. For more information, go to guildtheatre.com.