1234 Go Records (Oakland) Venue Review
During the day, 1-2-3-4 Go Records is the kind of record store you see in movies like High Fidelity. It's not huge, but has a great selection of records, CDs and zines. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly. The store specializes in punk rock, but carries plenty of other genres.
Concerts At 1-2-3-4 Go Records
Many evenings, this record store acts as a venue for punk shows. These shows are held in a back room and end before 10pm. Many of these shows happen in the middle of the week and might feature a touring band.
The space is intimate, and the bookers do a good job of not booking bands that would be too large for the space. The stage is only a foot or two off the ground and band members often end up on the floor with the audience.
Because the concerts are usually held in the back room, there is no need to worry about knocking over the shelves of records of causing damage to the store. People are able to dance without concern.
For those unfamiliar with smaller punk venues, all you really have is a room with a bare floor (no seating), walls, and a small stage. The band plays on the stage and sometimes the band members come off the stage and into the crowd. This is especially true of vocalists trying to pump up the crowd. There may be some dancing in the front of the room, depending on the crowd and band. The music will be loud for such a small space and ear plugs are a good idea. Intimate is the best way to describe venues such as this.
1-2-3-4 Go is a great place to see all-ages shows. The shows end early enough that getting home (or to another show) is never a problem. The door prices are reasonable and the sound is good. The bookers do a good job. If you enjoy punk rock and hardcore punk you will likely find a good show coming up soon.
Location
1-2-3-4 Go is located on 420 40th St in Oakland's Temescal district. It's a short walk from Macarthur BART. There's a couple food options in the area including Homeroom, a fancy mac 'n' cheese place. There's a lot more food options on Telegraph Ave, a couple blocks away.
Buses that stop right in front of this location include the 57, 658, 662 and the C.
Make sure you are not too late for shows at 1-2-3-4 Go Records. This venue is not running on 'punk time' because their shows have to end by 10pm. So if it's a four+ band lineup, expect it to start close to the listed time.
