I attended the recent concert at the State Theater to hear Will Downing, Avery Sunshine, and Leela James—three artists whose music is rooted in nuance, tone, and actually hearing what they’re doing. Unfortunately, what I got instead was a full-blown rock-concert assault disguised as an R&B/jazz evening.The sound system was ridiculously loud, distorted, and plagued by constant reverb and an ever-present hum that made it nearly impossible to appreciate the artists’ musicianship. This isn’t subtle music meant to be pummeled into submission. Jazz and R&B rely on clarity—hearing the vocalist sing, hearing the band play, hearing the emotion that lives in the space between the notes. None of that mattered, apparently, because everything was cranked to eleven for no good reason. Add to that the nonstop reverb and speaker hum, and what should have been a rich, intimate listening experience turned into two to three hours of sonic fatigue.And yes, it’s already bad enough that concertgoers seem incapable of respecting the artists—or the people around them—by constantly videotaping entire performances instead of actually listening and watching. But to pair that behavior with a sound system that actively undermines the music itself is insult added to injury.Worse still, this is not the first time I’ve experienced this problem at a Cleveland Playhouse Theater. Years ago, I saw Stanley Clarke, and every time he struck his bass, I had to physically cover my ears because the sound was bone-crushingly loud. The same was true when I saw The Yellowjackets—another jazz performance treated like a stadium rock show. I also saw Anita Baker twice at a Playhouse Theater, and on both occasions she stopped the concert mid-performance to correct the sound technician, instructing them to adjust the system back to how it was rehearsed. Even then, the volume and distortion were so excessive that it took away from what is usually an incredible, controlled, and intimate performance. We also saw KEM, where the distortion and ridiculous volume were ever-present, and during one jazz festival, we were excited to see Trombone Shorty, only to leave early because the music was so unbearably loud it became impossible to enjoy.What makes this even more baffling is that the issue is clearly not the venue itself. I have attended productions such as The Lion King and Hamilton, as well as numerous dance performances, including Che Malambo and Alvin Ailey productions, and the music is never this loud. In those settings, the sound is balanced, intentional, and properly adjusted so you can actually hear the vocalists and musicians.I have also seen Shen Yun at Playhouse Square, featuring a live orchestra, and the volume was absolutely perfect—balanced, clear, and respectful of both the music and the audience.The Playhouse Theaters are beautiful venues, and I genuinely believe they are equipped with excellent sound systems. That is precisely why this issue is so frustrating. The problem appears to be how those systems are being used—or, more accurately, overused. Excessive volume seems to be the default rather than a deliberate choice tailored to the music being performed. In a venue like this, the sound technician is arguably the most important employee in the building; they are responsible for protecting the integrity of the music, the artists’ intentions, and the audience’s experience. When that role is mishandled, everything else suffers.These artists deserved better. The audience deserved better. And a venue hosting music of this caliber should know better.

Online tickets AREN'T emailed but are printed there, so be prepared to stand in line anyway. Overly aggressive and rude ushers who have no problem getting in your face. Overpriced refreshments. Parking is confusing at best. The sound during the performance was low quality and the performance itself was low and confusing. 0/10 would not recommend!

Playhouse Square is absolutely the best for live entertainment in Cleveland. The theatres are just gorgeous, the architecture is fantastic. There are so many shows to choose from, a must do if you visit the city.

Worst visit. Shocked. Unorganized. Gave away seats that are OWNED. Poor website hate this organization.Trying to find another show and due to poor managed website can’t purchase tickets in advance. This is supposed to be #2 in the country. We are in bad shape in that be the case.

Funny Girl was the worst production I have ever seen in Cleveland. I am a retired musical actress and singer. I have traveled all over the world for musical productions and this was the worst that I have ever seen. Jewish accents that go in and out, articulation that is terrible for the audience, songs that go sharp and flat...just terrible. Just awful. Married Lady, was never on perfect key. After watching Mrs Doubtfire whish was excellent, this production was an extreme disappointment.