Slowdown

What Plays There

Rock shows and concerts are the bread and butter here, though Slowdown books weddings, holiday parties, and other community events too. Slowdown aims for three or four shows a week, though it can be as few as two or as many as six, and on a night with nothing booked, Slowdown just stays closed.

For what's actually on the calendar, check the events tab on Slowdown's own site, where every show listed there links straight to tickets.

Tickets and Box Office

See Tickets is Slowdown's exclusive ticketing partner, and the venue's FAQ doesn't hedge about it: don't buy from anyone else, since fraud and inflated resale prices are common with third-party sellers. Buying in cash at the box office skips service fees entirely; credit and debit work too, but only cash purchases are fee-free. The box office also sells tickets for upcoming shows during any other show night, not just the night in question.

Slowdown's site doesn't publish a specific concert capacity, will-call details, or a refund policy for tickets bought through See Tickets. For any of that, call the venue at (402) 345-7569. If you bought through See Tickets and can't find your order, their own Support Center handles ticket retrieval and Ticket Protection claims.

Hours run loose: Slowdown typically opens an hour before each show and stays open until the last one clears out, or 2 a.m., whichever comes first, and the box office keeps those same hours. Sold out means sold out: Slowdown says it doesn't hold back or release extra tickets at the door.

Seating and Capacity

Two rooms make up Slowdown, the Main Room and the Front Room, each with its own stage. Seating is mostly first-come: a scattering of tables and chairs goes to whoever grabs them first, and the floor in front of the stage stays open for standing, dancing, or just nodding along. Most shows are general admission, though select Main Room shows offer Reserved Sections. Slowdown's site doesn't publish a concert capacity, though its Weddings page notes the space spans 10,000 square feet and can be divided to fit private events of 100 to 350 people.

Getting There and Parking

Slowdown is at 729 North 14th Street, just south of Cuming in North Downtown, about seven blocks north of Dodge Street and roughly a mile from 13th and Howard in the Old Market, close enough to walk in about 15 minutes or drive in about one.

Park free in the 138-space lot behind the venue, shared with the rest of the complex and accessed off North 14th Street. When that fills, metered street parking nearby is free after 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and all day Sunday.

Film Streams' Ruth Sokolof Theater shares the building, with its own box office and its own policies. It's a separate operation, so check filmstreams.org rather than Slowdown's site for anything about the movie theater.

Venue Policies

Bag Policy and Prohibited Items

Bring as little as you can. Slowdown doesn't have a clear-bag rule, but anything bigger than 5 in. by 6 in. isn't allowed in, and there's no bag check or coat check to hand it off to. Any bag can be searched at the door, which slows down the line for everyone, so a small bag, or none, gets you in faster. Slowdown bars weapons of any kind, permit or not. Once you're in, plan to stay — Slowdown's posted policy doesn't allow re-entry.

Age Restrictions and ID

Most shows are open to all ages unless a specific show says otherwise, so check before you assume. Either way, everyone needs a valid, unexpired, government-issued photo ID to get in, whether you're 17 or 97.

Ages 18 to 20 show that same kind of ID at the door.

For 17 and under, a Music Venue Parental Consent form must be on file, signed by a parent or legal guardian and notarized (Slowdown doesn't keep a notary on staff), though it can be brought to the door instead of filed ahead of time. The minor can skip the form entirely if a parent or legal guardian attends the show and stays with them the whole time.

And if you're under 21, you can't get in until an hour before showtime, and Slowdown expects you to leave right after the performance ends.

Accessibility

Slowdown's site doesn't publish accessibility details. For questions about accessible entry or seating, call (402) 345-7569.

Food, Drinks, and Amenities

The bar runs beer, liquor, wine, and non-alcoholic options; taps have included Bell's Two Hearted, Deschutes Black Butte Porter, and Guinness. You can pay for drinks and Slowdown merch with cash or card, but if a band's selling its own merch at the table, bring cash — they typically don't take cards. There's no food menu on Slowdown's own site, so if dinner's part of the plan, eat before you go.

Where to Eat and Drink Nearby

North Downtown gives you a few solid options within a block or two of the door.

Rally Coffee Co., at 749 North 14th Street, is open daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., handy before an early show, not so much after one.

Hook and Lime, a Mexican restaurant at 735 North 14th Street, is about as close as it gets: open until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and until 9 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (Monday isn't on the schedule, so assume it's closed).

Blatt Beer & Table's North Downtown location is a short walk at 610 North 12th Street, open until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday.

Our pick: Hook and Lime, for the location alone: it's right next door in the same complex, and its Friday and Saturday hours until 11 p.m. make it an easy stop before a show, which usually starts around 8 or 9 p.m.

Tips for a First Visit

Skip the big bag. Anything over 5 in. by 6 in. gets turned away at the door, and there's nowhere to check it, so travel light. Bring a real photo ID no matter your age, since it's checked at the door every time. If you can, buy your ticket ahead through See Tickets or with cash at the box office; sold-out shows don't get extra tickets released at the door. Park free in the lot behind the venue, and if it's full, metered street parking nearby is free after 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and all day Sunday. And once you're in for the night, stay in — Slowdown's posted policy doesn't allow re-entry.

Get there early, keep your bag small, and you're set for a night at the rock club that helped kick-start North Downtown's rebuilding.