A few steps from the fish-throwing crowds of Pike Place Market, an Art Deco ballroom has been hosting live music since 1939. The Showbox has seen Duke Ellington, the Ramones, and the Seattle bands that defined grunge. It has also survived a proposed 44-story tower.
This guide covers what the Showbox is, how it got its start, why it became a protected city landmark, and what to know before you go to a show.
Quick Answer
The Showbox is a live music venue at 1426 1st Avenue in downtown Seattle, next to Pike Place Market. It opened on July 24, 1939, holds about 1,150 people, and was unanimously designated a Seattle city landmark (interior and exterior) on July 17, 2019. AEG Presents operates it, and tickets are sold through AXS.
Showbox Seattle at a Glance
Address: 1426 1st Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101
Opened: July 24, 1939
Type: Live music venue
Capacity: About 1,150
Operator: AEG Presents (the building itself is privately owned, separate from the operator)
Landmark status: City of Seattle landmark, designated July 2019
Famous for: Big-name jazz and rock bookings, and early shows by Seattle’s grunge bands
From Palace of the Pacific to Punk Club
The Showbox opened on July 24, 1939, as a dine-and-dance hall developed by showman Michael Lyons. Designed by theater architect Bjarne H. Moe and billed as the “Palace of the Pacific,” it had an Art Deco interior, a spring-action dance floor, and equipment for organ music and movie projection. Big-band and jazz-era headliners followed, including Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Sammy Davis Jr., along with later blues names such as Muddy Waters.
The hall went through several lives over the following decades. It has been a ballroom, a furniture showroom during Seattle’s 1962 World’s Fair, a bingo hall, and a comedy club, and it operated under a number of names, including Showbox Ballroom and The Gathering. By the late 1970s it had faded from use. In 1979, Modern Productions revived it as a punk and new wave venue, which pulled it back into the center of Seattle’s rock scene.
The Showbox and Seattle’s Music Scene
From the 1980s onward the room became a proving ground for local bands. Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Mudhoney, TAD, and Screaming Trees all played the Showbox as Seattle’s grunge scene grew. The club also drew national touring acts. Early Seattle shows by Coldplay and Lady Gaga took place here, and later years brought artists such as Prince and Foo Fighters.
AEG Live (now AEG Presents) took over operations in the late 2000s and opened a second, larger venue, Showbox SoDo, about a mile south. The original room remains the smaller, more intimate of the two.
The Fight to Save the Showbox
In 2018, Vancouver-based developer Onni Group filed plans for a roughly 44-story apartment tower on the Showbox site. The proposal set off the #SavetheShowbox campaign, with tens of thousands of people signing petitions and packing city hearings.
The Seattle City Council responded by temporarily extending the Pike Place Market Historical District to cover the property. The building’s owner, 1426 First Avenue LLC, sued the city, arguing the rezone was illegal and seeking damages of more than $40 million.
On July 17, 2019, the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board voted unanimously to designate the Showbox’s interior and exterior as a city landmark, citing both its architecture and its role in the city’s cultural heritage. In late 2019 the city settled the lawsuit by agreeing to pay the owners $915,000. The settlement also gave the city an option to line up a buyer for the property and the Showbox name at $41.4 million. Historic Seattle and Seattle Theatre Group (STG) submitted a joint offer to buy the building in November 2019.
Landmark status is not the same as ownership. Designation stops demolition and requires review of major changes, but the property is still privately held. Preservation groups report that the Landmarks Preservation Board and the owner have been working through the controls-and-incentives process since 2019, with repeated extensions. The venue keeps hosting concerts, but check current news for any change in the building’s long-term future.
Planning Your Visit
Tickets: Showbox shows are ticketed through AXS, and the venue’s own site links to the current listings. Prices vary widely by artist and demand, and many shows add fees at checkout, so check the final total before you buy. Buy from the official venue listing rather than resale sites unless a show has sold out.
Hours and doors: The Showbox has no regular sightseeing hours. It is open for scheduled events, and door and show times differ for each concert, so use your ticket confirmation for that night. For the current calendar, policies, and directions, see the official Showbox Presents site.
Age policy: Many shows are all-ages, but some events are 21+ and some elevated sections are restricted to 21+. Policies are set show by show, so read the age notice on the ticket listing.
Getting there and parking: The venue is at 1426 1st Avenue, in the middle of downtown, and it has no dedicated parking. Nearby paid garages, including ones serving Pike Place Market, and limited street parking are the usual options, and downtown parking can be expensive on show nights. Transit or a rideshare is often easier.
Accessibility: The venue lists an accessibility line, (888) 226-0076, for accessibility questions. It is not for ticket sales. Contact them ahead of time if you need accommodations.
Bag and entry rules: Security policies can change and can differ by event, so check the official Showbox Presents site and your ticket listing before you bring a bag.
Showbox vs. Showbox SoDo
The two venues share management but are different rooms. The Showbox at 1426 1st Avenue is the historic Art Deco hall near Pike Place Market. Showbox SoDo, at 1700 1st Ave S, is a converted warehouse with a larger capacity and hosts bigger crowds. Confirm the venue on your ticket, since the names are easy to mix up.
The Showbox Seattle FAQs
Where is the Showbox in Seattle?
The Showbox is at 1426 1st Avenue in downtown Seattle, right next to Pike Place Market.
When did the Showbox open?
It opened on July 24, 1939, as a dine-and-dance hall built by showman Michael Lyons. It became a live music venue in its current form in the late 1970s.
Is the Showbox a protected landmark?
Yes. The Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board unanimously designated the interior and exterior as a city landmark on July 17, 2019, after a developer proposed replacing it with a 44-story tower.
Who owns the Showbox?
AEG Presents operates the venue, but it is not the building’s owner. The property has been held by a private owner, 1426 First Avenue LLC. Historic Seattle and STG made an offer to buy it in 2019, and the ownership question has continued alongside the landmark controls process.
What is the capacity of the Showbox?
About 1,150 people. Capacity varies with the layout, and seated configurations hold fewer.
Is the Showbox all ages?
It depends on the show. Many events are all-ages, while others are 21+, and some elevated sections are 21+. Check the age notice on the ticket listing.
How do I buy Showbox tickets?
Through AXS, using the links on the official Showbox Presents website. Prices depend on the artist, so check the current listing.
What is the difference between the Showbox and Showbox SoDo?
The Showbox is the original 1939 hall near Pike Place Market. Showbox SoDo is a larger, separate venue in Seattle’s SoDo district at 1700 1st Ave S.
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