1111 N. McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater, 727-791-7400, rutheckerdhall.com
The theater has magnificent sightlines and superior acoustics throughout. REH has no aisles except for the ones on the perimeter, which makes taking a piss seriously embarrassing if you're seated front and center. No food or beverages are allowed in the seats, and that makes listening to a great drinking song a bummer when you have no beer in hand. But lots of the shows are divided into two sets so that concertgoers can enjoy libations during intermission. Props to the classy venue for taking chances on young acts like Panic at the Disco in recent years.
Memories Bob Dylan rocked the hall in 1992 with a rowdy set that kicked off with "Rainy Day Woman #12 & 35," prompting a sing-along of "everybody must get stooooooned!" Toward the end, during "Highway 61 Revisited," Dylan brought out opener Derek Trucks, age 12, and the kid nailed a stinging slide guitar solo, bringing a smile to Dylan's face. "That night sticks out as a highlight," Trucks said years later, "definitely." • In the '80s, legendary jazzman Miles Davis made his Bay area debut at REH. He was all hunched-over and shadowy, and his playing was a little weak — but, hey, it was Miles up there. • Two nights of Van Morrison, performing with a large, horn-laden band in '97
Capacity: 2,180
Grub: Snacks
Booze: Full liquor
Next big show: The Stylistics, Jan. 16.
