Les Schwab Amphitheater

Came in early with my family to grab a spot for a sold out Phish show. I thought it was well set up and the sound was great. The river runs right behind the stage allowing people to capture a view (pretty cool). I was not a fan of the beer selection but there were a lot of food trucks that provided a bunch of options. I went with the noodle spot. Bend is a sweet town and this venue allowed me to get another good experience.

Awesome outdoor venue in Bend!
There’s lots of space for those who don’t like being mashed in a crowd. Most concerts you are allowed to bring low profile chairs in and the sound system is never too over-​bearing. There is a large handicapped section always cordoned off.

Death Cab for Cutie (twice), Cake, Jack Johnson, the Decemberists — I have seen some of my favorite artists on this stage, and I’ve enjoyed every single one! The people behind the Les Schwab Amphitheater and the Old Mill District are amazing!

Very very poor communication prior to driving to bend re which chairs are allowed, and how outside food is not. And then, àfter they ban ur camp chairs, and hve no shorties to rent, there is no big screen on which you can see performers, behind the people w shorty chairs and big hats and sun umbrellas. And then we were surrounded by very loud people. who tàlked non stop. Wouldn’t go back.

Saw Michael Franti while visiting family in July… great spot, good vibes, nice people.

Needs better bathroom and vendor options, but is a great place to see some music or attend a festival.

Price = 3 (concerts are pretty expensive)
Experience = 2 (This venue is great… but, I’m very disappointed by the heavy handed approach to security. If you’re not inside the venue, the security staff blocks off public paths along the river. Are these public or not??? It’s not right to take over public paths to protect a private venue. This is the most egregious overstepping I’ve witnessed in Bend. It is not my fault that the venue’s stage is visible from public spaces… it’s not my fault the you can hear the concert from outside the venue…)
It’s classic government overstepping!!! Who gives LSA the right to do this???
Stop the harassing of visitors to Bend’s Old Mill district during concerts.

This place is a great venue, but whoever was managing the Michael Franti show in late June needs to do a better job. While we were standing in line, volunteers were coming up and measuring our chairs, putting a pink tag on the short ones that are allowed anywhere in the venue, and a yellow tag on the chairs that need to be stage left because the seat was higher than 6 inches off the ground.
When we got to the venue, they said we couldn’t take the chairs into the Venue at all and ended up having to make a scene telling them that they are going to have to deal with a BUNCH more people like us with yellow tags. They ended up letting us in, but it wasn’t a fun process.
Other than that, the venue is great and the shows are usually awesome.

Please monitor the electronic sound set ups by artists! Nearby homeowners should NOT have to endure subsonic bass vibrating into their home’s foundations!

If you ever get the chance to go see MGMT in concert– DO IT! They put on a great show!
I will say however that the attitudes & behavior of every single «security guard» literally blocking off every sidewalk was kind of pathetic. I was totally Switzerland in this whole «no purveyors if they haven’t paid” — but after witnessing last night how they are handling it. I can see a HUGE loss in ticket sales coming. When you limit someone’s access to a significant sidewalk, when they have purchased a ticket, and treat them like garbage– the word get out. You are not baby Jesus, and this isn’t the rose garden. Get over yourself.
And, I will add that the prices are high for a venue that has barely any light at all.
But, MGMT was great! :)

This s my favorite place to see an outdoor concert. The slope is good for viewing. I never feel overly crowded, even with sold out shows. They do a great job of enforcing chair height. I try to book at least 2 concerts a Season and make the 3 hour drive from Portland. This year it’s Steve Miller and Michael Franti! I would give them a 5 if only I could bring a picnic in. I still buy a beer!

I had a bad experience at LSA which was compounded by being completely ignored by the people in their office who handle complaints. I sent a short email saying I had a problem at an event which received a quick iPhone «What happened?» email. I responded with the email below, which never received a reply, despite 2 follow ups.
I won’t be back and I won’t spend any money at any of Les Schwab’s businesses.
«
Hi Marney.
Yesterday was my first experience at LSA and it’s doubtful that I’ll ever be back.
I started my day in Seattle because of work and had to drive home to Portland (where I live), grab a few things and drive the whole way to Bend for the show. After 7 hours of driving I got to LSA around 7:30 and parked pretty far away because the lots were pretty full. (Kudos to LSA for having free parking.) Having never been to LSA, I checked the website this week to see if I needed to know anything special. I was excited to find that I could bring in an empty water bottle and a „low rise“ chair.
I got to the gate right around 8 pm and was immediately told that my chair was probably too big. Without enclosing a photo, my chair is a foldable camping chair from REI. I would call it a normal-​sized chair, maybe even a bit small considering I’m 6’7″. The man at the door (#306) along with another woman, pulled out a yard stick and measured my chair and said it was too big. The back was too high and the seat was too far from the ground. I first asked why this wasn’t posted on the site and they said robotically, „Sir your chair is too big“. I asked what the back height or the seat height had to do with anything and they just kept saying „Sir your chair is too big“. No matter what question I asked, the response was „Sir your chair is too big“. They told me I could put it back in my car or leave it outside at my own risk. My chair was $ 40 and I’m not leaving it outside. During this conversation, Beck’s performance started. (Sidenote: Having worked in the nightlife & live music business for over a decade, the event staff seemed more like kids & old people willing to work for minimum wage than a qualified event staff. One guy was sitting on the curb smoking on the way back to my car.)
During the 25 minutes it took me to walk to my car and back I got to hear 5 Beck songs, including my favorite song of his. What a treat. I even left my water bottle in my car because I didn’t want to risk it being too many ounces or violating another rule that I missed and having to leave it somewhere. On my way back to the venue I counted 9 security guards that I walked by and nobody said a word on the way in about my chair. 9.
Nothing like watching the next 30 minutes of a show while being furious. It makes for a great experience. I also watched the rest of the show thirsty because I didn’t want to waste any more time trying to find a water fountain and I sure as hell wasn’t giving LSA a dime for a drink.
I’ve enclosed a screen shot from your website listing nothing specific about chair dimensions along with 2 different signs posted at the venue, both of which don’t fully clarify chair dimensions. Hopefully your web team and designers can clarify these for future attendees.
I have several friends planning trips to visit Portland this Summer and I was going to suggest some shows at LSA (Counting Crows, ZZ Top) but that won’t be happening. I won’t be back.»

I love this place. I would give it five stars but I’m taking one away because of the early curfew. I don’t think I have ever seen a show here go past 9:45pm.
If you’re looking to kill time before hand, take a tour of the Deschutes Brewery right up the hill.

great clean venue with great view of the sunset and river, but it’s pretty cold because of the draft from the river. if you are coming for a late evening summer concert, don’t forget a sweater or extra blanket.

Wonderful venue! Not a bad seat in the house (lawn), easy access and parking from either side of the river. Lots of food vendors and plenty of $ 6 beer and mixed drinks with wine prices varying by the glass and bottles ranging $ 24 to $ 45. No BYOB and the alcohol monitors are keeping an eye on it. Eat at home, drink responsibly and enjoy the show:)

Fantastic venue, with great views, reasonable prices, and perfect viewing options.
Parking is free and fairly pain free (we parked across the footbridge near the Old Mill shopping area after hunting for only a few minutes for our spot). The staff manage the entrance and exiting to the venue with ease and once you’re inside, everything is smooth sailing. There is plenty of room to spread out a blanket, or set up a few low-​profile chairs and chat with friends and enjoy the lovely Bend weather. The grassy slopes offer many great views of the stage — whether you want to be close up, off to the side, or front and center. There is also standing room up front from which people seem to come and go as their mood dictates — so anyone who wants an up-​front concert-​going experience can be right in the thick of the action.
The beer is only $ 6 — a markup for sure, but not the worst ever, and you can buy a bottle of Australia’s Red Tail wine for $ 24. Food options were also delicious and only moderately marked-​up so I didn’t mind paying $ 7 for my baked-​to-​order gourmet personal sized pizza.
Best of all, I thought the stage and sound were perfect. Not too loud and wonderful record-​like sounds quality. A fantastic venue (so cross your fingers for a rain-​free event!).

I got to see Bright Eyes and DCFC here, and aside from being freezing outside this was a great venue. It sounded amazing. Ive been to plenty of outdoor shows and had all the echoey reverb i can handle. Lots of different food and drink vendors, plenty of space and great atmosphere. Once summer rolls around this will be a great place to see a show!

This venue was a pleasant surprise for me. I’m wasn’t sure what I was getting into, seeing a Ween concert in what was described to me as a «very conservative and upscale shopping district,» in Bend, where I had never been to before. The contrast between the two scenes was too nastily delicious to pass up.
I will have to say, the venue itself was kind of hard to find. It was totally bizarro for us to park in a Gap parking lot and walk amongst some windy trails, past gazebos and streams, curious onlookers lounging by outdoor fire pits sponsored by the Newport Grill (I kid, I don’t really know Which restaurant sponsored said fire pits. I DO know that a nice number of the restaurants seemed bougie upscale with outdoor fire pits seated with uptight housewives with their silver-​haired foxes donning crisp chinos sipping Willamette Valley Reds, blah, blah blah) staring slightly open mouthed at the freakshow that was headed towards the venue.
I personally would have appreciated a bit more signage when navigating past the Valley of the Douchelords, so I can walk by with confidence and grandeur. If there is a way to bypass all that Shopping Area nonsense altogether, please clue me in.
Luckily, You can see and hear what’s happening on stage during your walk of shame, you just kind of follow the lights and hope you finally reach an entrance gate. Security seems pretty lax, and lots of people were bringing in blankets and chairs. And beer. And boxes of wine. But! If you are paranoid or honest like yours truly, you may purchase BOTTLES of wine to enjoy the show with. I like them apples just fine. GOOD beer and wine for truly reasonable prices. Also available for purchase was some sort of food, I wasn’t there to eat though. Cash only, but there are ATM machines everywhere.
The venue was much larger that I was expecting, and there was plenty of room to spare for a «sold-​out’ show. It was very pretty, with tons of greens, and trees, and a view of the Descheutes River. I felt that the sound was exceptional; the lighting too. The way that the stage was set up, it seemed very difficult to have a bad view anywhere you were standing.
It was also very easy to get up front, but watch closely when navigating through the crowd. there were a few roped off swampy areas that you definitely don’t want to step in.
I liked the organization, and it was an easy exit to our hotel. I will be glad to go back again. Viva Les Schwab!

What a beautiful place to see a concert! The amphitheater is located right next to a river bank and has a great view of the mountains almost all the way around.
Seeing Beck play in concert here in the summer of 2008 was a treat and probably the best open air concert I have seen.
The seating area is huge and most people end up getting a good view of the stage. My only compliant is that the volume seemed to be a tad too loud, however maybe I am just getting too old: P

Three words: bottles of wine. From. The. Bottle.
Seriously.
This is easily the best amphitheater in the world (and yes, I realize that aces out Greece and Italy).
But all hyperbolic statements aside, I’ve visited a lot of amphitheaters and this one is great. Beautiful views, good food and lovely beverages.
And they get a lot of good shows, too.
This place puts the Shoreline in Mountain View to shame. And it’s small enough to hear and see the stage from pretty much anywhere in the joint.
In Central Oregon, it’s just about as good as it gets.