Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre At Encore Park

Can’t book any metal or hard rock concerts. Only family friendly bands or country. Parking is so spread out.

For outdoor venues, Verizon Wireless Amphi is one of the best! Gone are the days and drudgery of having to drive to Lakewood (oh wait, sorry now it’s Aaron’s or something) fighting traffic and the inconvenience of it all. Verizon is the Lakewood of the suburbs but it’s even better in my opinion.
They sell those little green folding chairs for five bucks except when JT came to town and they ran out. (that’s James Taylor, the ORIGINAL JT for you youngsters) I swear, I have never seen that venue SO packed as when he was there. What a perfect night too, gorgeous weather and wonderful music.
Anyway, I dread lawn seats at Lakewood but at Verizon I actually prefer it. First of all, you have several big wide aisles to walk up and down through the grass which is KEY to a quality experience. The security people make sure you don’t clog up the aisles too which is nice.
Secondly, (again) the chairs. It’s really nice to just bring your stuff and be able to rent a chair there for five bucks. Also the chairs are LOW so even if you’re just on a blankie in the grass, you can still pretty much see the performers.
Third, there are port-​a-​johns very conveniently placed at the top of the lawn so you never have to traipse all the way down to the bottom of the place to pee. That is OUTSTANDING planning. Sure, nobody *prefers* the port-​a-​john option over a good old fashioned American Standard bowl, but you rarely have to wait in line. (Heck, at the RUSH show in 2012, I got a good giggle because there was ZERO line for the ladies but the MENs was all kind of backed up. Rush being a sausage-​fest and all…
Anyway, like any and every venue, the beer and food prices are outrageous so you can’t really complain about that. Overall I really love this venue and for those of us who are suburban dwellers it’s a concert godsend.

The people who want to hear the music are there! We are over 7 miles from you and we hear you over our TV. It’s the weekend and all we want to do is relax. Why do you have too play the music so loud tonight. There are many venues you have that we don’t hear so why are we hearing you tonight??? This is why we would never support you in anyway!!! You don’t have the right to come into our homes with your noise… plain and simple!

I was in Verizon Amphotheatre at Encore Park last night, attending the Heart of Persia event. It was a long event from 3 – 11 pm and there was no organization or process to accommodate people. It was a mass crowd and 90% of the staff were either unhelpful or rude! When I was buying tickets, I called in and asked if we could bring the baby with stroller and they said «Yes». We passed like 5 group of staff on our way to our seats and nobody ever mentioned to us we can’t take the stroller in. Then, when we were seating to my surprise the security person said,” you cannot have the stroller here!!.” She was not either giving any option or helping us to facilitate the situation. Finally, I addressed the situation to her Supervisor and she agreed us to bend the stroller and put it under our seats.
The second experience at this venue, was like after seating for 5 hours, a new security person showed up and she asked me about the tickets, when she saw our tickets she said,” This is not your seat, YOU HAVE TO MOVE!.” I said, then where is my seat? since nobody was seating based on the seat numbers! she said, «I don’t know!». I said, no if you’re moving me you should show me my seat, because I know someone else is seating there, we are 3 people with a kid and you are responsible since I have tickets. Then she checked and saw another group are seating at my spot… She couldn’t move them at first attempt, but came to me again and threaten me if I don’t move she will have me out of the property!!! and I was like «What???» you people even didn’t try to accommodate us at first place, and 95% of these people are not seating on their supposedly be spots how come you are just interrupting me and asking to move?!!
So, I told her if you’re moving me, first you should move the other group from my spot then I move. All these, took about 20 – 25 minutes and we moved but the irritating part was the securities disrespectful behavior and approach. She was soooooo RUDE and unhelpful and was not able to manage the situation at all.

First of all, we saw the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and they were absolutely breathtaking. Amazing and stunning performance this review is More so about the venue. Do. Not. Eat. There. Horrible fried and greasy food that was probably brought there in a freezer. Also bring your own water and soda, I think you can’t bring your alcohol but you should, somehow. My husband and I spent $ 26 for two solo cups filled with cheap wine. Absolutely horrible. Also the table numbers were completely out of order. We were suppose to sit at one of the center tables, at least that’s how it was advertised on the website, but instead we were on the side and rained on. Also for being a concert venue the acoustics were terrible. Don’t even get me started on the parking, grass and gravel and no shuttles. I was not a big fan of this particular concert venue.

The parking situation here is absurd. Had a great time at the show, but they need to desperately hire some of the professional parking attendants from atlanta. The suburbs just aren’t cutting it here…

Verizon seems to be going downhill. We are frequent visitors since it’s an easy 15 min drive from our home. Sound quality has deteriorated to the point of painful. The last 3 or 4 concerts have been extremely loud and voices are all but indistinguishable. I’m not a sound expert so I don’t know just what the problem is, but it’s definitely an issue.
There is also the issue of young children. This is the only concert venue we visit where there are routinely young children running around. Wtf? Who is bringing 4 year-​olds to a friggin concert? We saw at least 10 very young kids at the latest concert (last Friday, Lynryd Skynyrd). Stupid bad parents.
You will also spend your entire time on your feet. Pay all that $ for a seat but you have to stand for 3 – 4 hours straight because all the idiots in front of you are standing. That means anyone under 6′ gets to stare at someone’s back for the entire concert. Gee, thanks people. Why can’t you just sit the hell down? Why can’t Verizon staff ensure they do? Then I could actually see the concert rather than the boot-​wearing, muffin-​top having clods in front of us. There is a «pit» area for those who prefer to stand, why aren’t you buying those tix?
I’m thinking Chastain my be the way to go these days, at least until Verizon starts caring again.

Years of concert security have ruined me for attending concerts. Plus, I’m sure my disdain for large crowds is a sign of age. But this is a nice venue. Very well laid out, with all the overpriced concessions any concert-​goer would ever need. And parking seems to be managed very well, too.

We drove from Decatur on a rainy night to see Rush. Traffic getting into Lot A (actually an overflow lot in an office park) was absolutely hellish… however, somehow, getting out was fast. I think partly because we were in the overflow lot. The main lot A was a massive field of mud packed with cars, and I don’t know how long it would have taken to get out of there. Due to the traffic getting in, I certainly wouldn’t just drive up here for any random concert.
Sound quality was good after the first song, and the video screens were huge and high-​res. Food choices were limited, as other reviewers have noted, so just go expecting to eat a hot dog or similar concession-​style food. If you’re not on the lawn, you have to show your ticket every time you go back to your seat, so be sure and put it in your pocket! Overall this venue is very similar to the one at Lakewood, but in a northside suburb.

Four of us saw Zac Brown last night at the Verizon Ampitheater in Alpharetta. The facility is nice, but the sound system was just awful! The music was really blaring!
That was our second concert here and will definitely be the last. The people in front of us all stood up the entire time, preventing us from seeing anything at all on the stage, just like the first concert we attended. It would have been nice if someone had reminded people to be courteous to those behind them. I didn’t pay to look at some stranger’s rear ends!

LOVE this venue!!! Yes, it close to where I live, but that is not the sole reason. This venue is easy to get in and out of, it is clean, and the staff is always friendly. I look forward to hearing that a concert is at this venue!

Nice big venue, great artists here all the time. They actually have an arrangement to park where I work at A tow so I deal with their staff a lot. Been inside a few times and certainly a good spot. Obviously ticket prices will vary by who’s playing.

I have been to hundreds of venues I’m my life. This will be my last time ever to this place. You have to shuttle to get back to your vehicle what a joke. You park about 5 to 10 minutes away. Oh and you are not allowed to tailgate and where.
Do yourself a favor see a band at another venue.
It is too bad the venue is very nice.

My first visit to Verizon was for James Taylor is earlier August of this year and we had such a wonderful time. Not only was it a great show with perfect weather, but the lawn seats made it an even better time than I had anticipated.
Parking Lot N, though hard to initially locate, was perfect for parking. They cycle tour buses in and out to take you to the amphitheatre and they super cozy. Really easy transport.
The grounds the amphitheatre happens to be on are immaculate. Though we were not drinking, the place is littered with options for drinks with stands at every orifice. Plus, the bathrooms are easy to access from any side. Bonus for those on the lawn with the portaJohns in the back.
The sound was wonderful, the weather even more so, and I couldn’t imagine having a better first visit to this venue. Looking forward to another show or seven in the near future.

I’ve seen a few concerts here over the years and regardless of the seat location, have always felt like the place was a good venue.
Even in the «Lawn» seating, the view and sound is fine. Whether you’re young and limber enough to enjoy a few hours sitting on a blanket on the ground might be a different story.
Definitely worth seeing a concert here.

I’ve been there a couple of times now, and have to say it’s a decent venue. I like the fact that it’s partially outside, so you can feel a breeze while watching a concert. I’ve only sat in regular chairs, not the lawn, so I can’t say what it’s like out there. But it is a much smaller lawn than Lakewood.
Some people complain about the sound, but I think it’s because it’s in a residential area. The acts can’t play as loud as others can in Phillips Arena, for example. And they have to end by a certain time due to noise ordinances, so you’ll get home at a decent hour.
Concessions are to be expected: big, overpriced drinks and mediocre food. We got a bag of popcorn that was stale, and there wasn’t enough Sprite to make it taste better. And it started to taste weird once the ice melted in the paper cup. If you get a mixed drink, go for the doubles for $ 14, saves $ 2 over the singles if you buy multiple. However, no matter how look at it, you’ll be paying way too much for your drinks because they’re premixed and not made very strong.

(much longer review in my blog)
My first trip to the Amphitheater at Encore Park and I was pleasantly surprised. The venue is much like other amphitheaters (Lakewood/Aaron’s comes to mind) but less of a sprawl — I’m not sure of the size difference but probably about half or a bit more of the size so it’s a bit cozier and most of the seats are quite good. For this first experience I sat on the lawn and could still see most of the movement on the stage — this was enhanced once it got dark by the two «jumbotron» projection screens to each side.
Positives:
1. The sound quality is quite good, much better than I expected. I’ve experience other amphitheater-​like settings that were horrible — whomever designed the acoustics for this place knew what they were doing.
2.Overall setup — there are several tiers that service the restrooms and concessions to either side of the amphitheater so the lines, even during breaks and intermissions, weren’t terrible. I hate having to anticipate the end of a set at larger venues to hope to get a beer without missing the next act — typical at Lakewood/Aaron’s, for example.
3. The beer selection is better than most — sure they have your typical swag domestics, but there was also a selection of craft beers — my favorite is/​was the Fat Tire 22 oz — it filled most of the jumbo cup and kept me busy for most of each act.
Negatives (and why the place doesn’t merit 5 stars):
1. The «jumbotron» screens are inferior to most that these venues use — the projection is worn and during daylight hours you can’t see the images at all (pretty much useless). Either the technology needs to be updated or an alternate method needs to be explored and implemented.
2. The cost of those jumbo beers is rather exorbitant — maybe it’s just me but paying $ 12 for a beer, even if it’s a craft beer, seems a bit much. The other problem is that they ran out of those craft beers — first the Fat Tire so I switched to Shock Top, then by the time I went for my third they were down to the swag beers. I think the venue needs to understand that most paying $ 100 or so for a seat probably want something of a bit higher perceived quality — sure there are those that are going to drink Budweiser, but I’d imagine that there are many that would pay the extra two bucks for something better.
3. The parking situation is a bit weird — the «A» lot (free parking) is way-​around the park — you actually go through a neighborhood to get to it — I’m sure that this is very irritating to those who have homes there. I have the Silverback stadium near me (adjacent to my neighborhood) and with overflow parking and traffic, I’m not pleased). Think about a bunch of buzzed concert goers riding through your neighborhood in the late hours and I believe you’ll commiserate.
So to summarize — this is a good venue, especially for the sound but it does require some planning — especially for the parking and carrying extra cash if you’re going to drink beer. I still really enjoyed myself, even on the lawn, much more than I had anticipated.

Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre is definitely nicer and newer than Lakewood Amphitheatre. It’s kind of like comparing Target to an aging Kmart. Lakewood is bigger and still gets lots of big name acts, but Verizon is certainly more shiny and new. Unfortunately neither Verizon nor Lakewood will ship your pants…
Anyway, Verizon is in Alpharetta, which means you are most likely not going to get mugged when you stop at a gas station nearby to buy concert tailgating necessities. However, if you are like me and get easily confused and disoriented in suburbia, it will take you awhile to find this place. I’m pretty sure we drove around for 10 – 15 minutes trying to find a parking lot. I was confused, irritated, and saw a lot of houses that all looked exactly the same.
Now I will say I’ve had two completely experiences dealing with security when attending a concert here. I got a very thorough total body pat down and had to open my sunglasses case for a Widespread Panic show, whereas it was a vague glance into my bag for the recent Alabama concert I attended. Clearly country music crowds have a better rap than jam band fans. I wonder how security would react to a Willie Nelson concert in which case?!
As for the venue itself, they have beer, bathrooms, and merchandise on both sides of the stage. Bathrooms are as clean as to be expected for a concert. Beer was $ 12 for a tall boy, which seems like a reasonable rip-​off for any concert or sporting event. There is a sufficient amount of covered seating, which definitely comes in handy in the event of rain. Coming from someone who knows nothing about sound engineering, the acoustics are pretty good and can be heard well no matter where you are seated.
Chastain Amphitheatre is hands down my favorite outdoor concert venue in Atlanta due to its size, location, and acts in draws, but Verizon Wireless is a great place to see a big name concert for sure.

Clean, organized, easy. This is upscale outdoor concert going, shiny and new for a completely different crowd than I’m used to for summer concerts.
You’re assigned a parking lot with your ticket purchase. There are signs everywhere to direct traffic. There are volunteers (not professionals) who are directing traffic and parking, though they weren’t terribly clear/​assertive in their directions for several of the cars in front of me.
When my print-​at-​home tickets weren’t scanning, the woman working the gate immediately called over a supervisor, who just tore my ticket and moved on. I liked that they didn’t make a big deal out of it, but that also could’ve been because it wasn’t a sold out show (they didn’t even open the lawn area).
Restrooms are clean and well equipped with plenty of stalls. There didn’t seem to be any air flow through, so they were a tad on the stifling side, though not smelly.
The concessions are decently varied: burgers, dogs, nachos, buffalo chicken tenders. They’ve got a good beer selection and frozen drink selection. I was pleased to see a Brusters cart with 6 or so flavors to choose from. The prices are what you’d expect from concert venues.
The seats are decently comfortable, and each has a cup holder. There are huge metal fans that keep the air circulating. The sound quality was what I’d expect from an outdoor venue.
I’ll definitely look for shows at this venue in the future.

«You like men at work? Where do they work? No man its a music group. How bout the Police? I seen them. Oh yeah, in concert? No, behind you.» — Footloose (1984)
What a great live music venue. I absolutely love live concerts outside and this venue does not disappoint (unless you end up picking a bad show, of course).
The place is very well designed with a beautiful lawn and a ton of covered seating. The seats themselves are quite comfortable, but if you pick the right bands then you will rarely sit in them. The seats are well positioned so there is not really a bad seat in the house. They are well-​spaced and even come with nice cup holders in front of you for your beer (bonus). You can always bring in your blankets for the lawn, but they also rent chairs if you prefer.
My recent visit, however, the lawn was not being utilized (odd). This is the first time I have seen the lawn in it’s full glory without a single blanket or drunkard anywhere in site (it was a little eerie). In this case, it was the Summerland 2013 tour… after experiencing it, I now why they didn’t (or couldn’t) sell the lawn.
The concession area is nicely laid out, but expect to pay concert prices for beer and stadium food, of course. The staff here is also quite friendly. I have yet to encounter an unfriendly soul in the joint — some are a little overly friendly and talkative — but I prefer this to the alternative.
The VIP Lounge is also quite the perk. If you are lucky enough to get to partake, I highly recommend it. Fancy and fabulous food, clean bathrooms, amazing beer and liquor selection and, if possible, even friendlier staff.
If you have something you cannot take (or don’t want to) into the venue, they will gladly check it for you at Guest Services (just don’t lose the ticket stub!).
The parking is ample and well-​organized. I have spent hours trying to get home from Lakewood — not here. It has to be one of the easiest in-​and-​outs I have experienced at any concert venue ever.
I’ll be back a few more times this summer and beyond for sure.

I saw the Avett Brothers at this theater. The venue is beautiful, but there are some problems. The stadium seating is not elevated enough, so if someone taller than you is in the seat in front of you, you will not be able to see the band. The seats were extremely comfortable, but people don’t sit during concerts these days, so it really doesn’t matter.
The acoustics are great, but the screens are really lame. If the sun is out at all, it is not possible to see the images on the screens.
I have never seen a drunker audience at an Avett Brothers concert. They sell monster sized drinks, so it is no wonder. We each had one 24 ounce beer at the concert. The beers were $ 10, which I thought was reasonable for 24 ounces.
The bathrooms accommodate plenty of people, so there are not long lines.
We parked in Lot C. There was a lot of tailgating in the parking lot. It seemed that many people were drunk before the concert began. Getting out of the parking lot took about 20 minutes, which isn’t unreasonable, especially since it was raining.
I’ll definitely be returning to this venue, since they have really great performers. It’s too bad that it’s in the boondocks. If you live in the city and plan to go to a concert that starts at 7:30 on a weekday, plan to leave a little early. Traffic is out of control. I don’t know how people who work in the city are able to live in Alpharetta. It’s sad to think that people lose at least 2 hours a day that could be spent with family.

It is a shame that how close I live and work to this place (literally the back yard of my work), and I just now make it to a concert here…
Came here to see ZZ Top– which was awesome because: A) What are the odds of getting a chance to see them, and at last minute B) getting to see them for free in box seats and C) not having to sit in the parking lot for a day while trying to get out of there.
Situated on the border of Alpharetta and Roswell (right behind North Point Mall), this place off the path, but strategically placed. Parking can be kind of confusing, but there is plenty of lots and they are spaced out, which helps out at the end of the show. I would like to give a shout out to the local police who set it up to make it an easier exit! I just remember going to some concerts at other venues and taking at least 30 – 40 minutes to leave– not the case here!
The space is large, clean, and open. Security is friendly and won’t grope you (like the TSA). When you enter, they have plenty of food, drink, and merch options. This is also where you smoke, as when you enter the seating area, it is non-​smoking (which is nice, helps keep it clean).
The lawn looks nice, but didn’t make it out there. I was escorted to my seat– which was in the box right next to the sound check, so we were right in the middle. The box seated 6, with a table, and chairs. Those were the most comfortable folding chairs I have ever sat in– I think it was about 4 inches of padding! There was a vast food and drink menu, and all you had to do was push a button to get a server.
The actual show was great– the sound was impeccable (which was nice, considering it was outdoor, and the band consisted of 3 old dudes) — probably some of the better sound equipment I have heard. The ceiling was high, but had large fans to which helped circulate air. All in all, this was one of the best concerts I have been to!
I can see why A-​class acts would like to come here to play!
Now, if OZZY would only come back to town!!!