The best way to get to any point in New York City is simply to cough up your $2 and hop on the subway. After that, it's a joy ride. Do not dare fuss with taxis, rental cars, or buses. In fact, to get to the Roseland Ballroom, it is easiest to jump on the subway which will drop you off at 50th street. From there, it is a highly interesting 10-minute walk to 52nd street. After all, there is no place on earth like New York City! The Roseland Ballroom is a huge venue—one of the largest I have been in—but still surprisingly cozy and "small" in feel. The staff is nice, the security check is not as invasive as other places, and the bars are easy to find though at times difficult to get to. There is a nice mezzanine area upstairs with plenty of tables close to the railings and a multi-level area directly facing the stage. The mezzanine is a great place to see the action of the mosh pit while still being close enough to feel the vibrations off the woofers and tweeters. The sound was so strong in this place that I physically felt sound waves tickling my backside. Talk about thrills and chills! Now THAT is sensational acoustics! The cool thing about the Roseland Ballroom is that if you end up not getting tickets to your intended show, there is always Broadway and a million other places nearby to have fun. Again, don't fuss with taxis, rental cars, or buses, just hop on the subway.

The recently renovated Roseland Ballroom has played host to a spectrum of musician and bands, including David Bowie, No Doubt, Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead, Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day and Beck. As with many other "ballroom" venues, there are no assigned seats, and all tickets are general admission. Try to get there early to secure a good vantage point for yourself if you really want to see anything. Roseland is a little larger than some of the other venues in its class, but the accoustics are good and there are plenty of places to get a good view. There is a mezzanine and cash bar at most concerts.

The box office at Roseland is only open the day of the show. To purchase tickets, you have to go downtown to the Irving Plaza box office (17 Irving Place & 15th Street) or call them at 212-777-6800. You can also purchase tickets for Roseland through Ticketmaster at 212-307-7171.