Eastern Iowa is home to many amazing venues that play to all sorts of epic concerts! While I do enjoy the big arena shows, most of my favorites are found in the clubs.
I grew up attending shows at venues that could only hold a handful or up to 1000 people, it’s where good rock n roll is born. My first ever heavy metal show was not at a 10,000-seat arena, it was at a sticky floored, covered in spilled beer sweaty rock venue. Standing on the general admission floor, moshing to Drowning Pool, and experiencing the music instead of just sitting in a chair with arms folded.
That’s not to say that big arena shows are lesser or anything, it’s just that the smaller venues have a vibe that is… intoxicating.
There is, however, one local rock venue that has always been around. It is a place nestled on the grounds of the National Cattle Congress fairgrounds in Waterloo. The place is called the Electric Park Ballroom, and this place has a HELL of a history.
