The holiday season is a special time of year in Seattle. There are bright lights, plenty of Christmas cheer, and downright alternative music awesomeness at Deck The Hall Ball.

Update: Deck the Hall Ball hasn’t taken place since pre-COVID in 2019. It’s unclear what the future of the event is. We’ll report back as soon as we know more.

Deck The Hall Ball
Band of Horses

Deck The Hall Ball is an annual event put on by 107.7 The End, and it’s become a holiday tradition in the Emerald City. The concert typically takes place the first or second week of December, which is perfect timing to ramp up the Christmas season.

The first Deck The Hall Ball happened in 1992, featuring Evan Dando and Sarah McLachlan performing live on the steps of the Seattle Art Museum. The concert has grown exponentially since then, showcasing more than 100 different bands (Green Day, Foo Fighters, Mumford & Sons, and many, many more) in several different locations (WaMu Theater, KeyArena, Moore Theater and more) over the years.

Deck The Hall Ball usually features anywhere from six to nine bands every year. That means the show lasts about eight hours, and Tove and I try not to miss a second of it. Over the years, we’ve seen The Killers, WeezerVampire Weekend, Twenty One PilotsM83, Alabama ShakesThe Lumineers, The Head and the Heart, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night SweatsLorde, Chvrches, and many others perform at Deck The Hall Ball.

Just like any music festival, some bands don’t get a lot of time on stage at Deck The Hall Ball. The opening band only plays a few songs, while most of the groups get between 30 or 45 minutes. The headliners rock for about an hour.

Tickets have ranged from $40 (for general admission and reserved seats — this is the route Tove and I take) to $125 (for VIP access) in the past. That might sound like a lot of money, but keep in mind you got to see several different bands over an eight-hour period of time (which equals about $5 per band).

Deck The Hall Ball
Vampire Weekend

If you have general admission tickets to the show and you want to get near the stage, you have to show up early (lines usually form outside before the event starts). Since there’s not a lot of time between sets, people don’t usually move from the front row. If you don’t want to deal with the crowds on the floor, there are plenty of great seats around the venue.

Deck The Hall Ball obviously isn’t for everyone (depending on what type of music you like), but it’s perfect for Tove and me. You get to see great bands all in one place on a single night. Although very few typically rock Christmas songs, Deck The Hall Ball is a great way to kickoff the holiday season. Along with eggnog, mistletoe, and Santa — the show is now one of our Christmas traditions.

Have you ever been to Deck The Hall Ball? What did you think? We’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below or connect with us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Don’t forget to also check out Seattle Bloggers for more fun events to check out in the Emerald City!

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