The Catalyst

The Catalyst is one of the most historically significant rock clubs in America, a 800-person institution at 1011 Pacific Avenue that has hosted Neil Young, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Phish, Emmylou Harris, Iggy Pop, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Alanis Morissette, and No Doubt, among hundreds of others, since Randall Kane transformed the original Catalyst Coffee House into a live music venue in 1969. The main hall is 5,000 square feet of standing room with a 100-foot bar and balcony seating, and the Atrium provides a smaller, more intimate room for mid-level shows. The sound system is the real article, the history lives in every corner of the building, and walking through the doors still carries the charge of a place where so many indelible musical moments have happened. Currently operated by Ineffable Music Group, the Catalyst continues to book the full range of rock, hip-hop, reggae, and alternative acts that have always defined it.