Zellerbach Hall

I’ve been here dozens of times for concerts, lectures and live performances. Admittedly, I am a little partial to this venue as it is a prominent location at my alma mater. That aside, I appreciate the decent size seats, the ability to see the stage with ease from any seat (I generally have main floor seats) and the quaint eatery accessible during intermissions. The ticket prices are reasonable, concert subscriptions are available, and students and alumni members get discounted prices.
Make sure you check out the free public/​community events and the occasional open rehearsal/​meet and greets. Parking is a bear, but the new parking lot should be complete very soon.

Love the great service here! The people are so kind and always down to help! :) they are super

I came here for a friend’s graduation ;) and the hall was very accommodating for everyone. I love how it is 3 stories because everyone can still get a good view of the stage some any angle. I though the lobby was clean and spacious and the free food after the ceremony was a +! of course, during graduation, there are hundreds of families but I was still able to get out in a quick time: p

Saw The Berkeley Symphony 4÷30÷15 here, performing choruses from Adams’ Klinghoffer opera, and a Mozart Requiem. The performance was fabulous, but Zellerbach’s handling of online ticketing, including through Goldstar, Groupon, and Amazon Local (my ticket, bought ³⁄₂₄) was a fail. I arrived a half-​hour early. After I got through the Will Call line, I was told they had not printed our tickets in time, so we’d all have to go through the Ticket Office line. How did they not have enough time to print the tickets? Apparently they also didn’t have time to send a notification to all the online-​bought ticket holders. I asked the young lady at the Will Call table if they could at least make a sign or an announcement so everybody wouldn’t have to waste time in the wrong line. «Um, no, I’m just an employee.»
The Ticket Office line eventually snaked around the plaza and down the steps, extending to what looked like about 200 people (I was about 50^th in line). At some point, a guy came along line, writing people’s voucher numbers on the back of an envelope, «to expedite printing out the tickets». His chatting a while constantly didn’t seem to contribute much to the expediting process. With the regular staff of two handling the Ticket Office desk, I finally got to my seat in 45 minutes. To accommodate this ticket problem, the concert was delayed another 15 minutes, but I don’t know if the 150 or so people behind me were taken care of. So. MUSIC: 5 Star. VENUE: Not So Much.

This is a review for one of the ushers at the Jessie Ware concert. She was on the right side of the venue in the lobby checking tickets near the backstage entrance and the entrance to the Tier section.
I walked over to her to show her my ticket so I can go inside and immediately she said I can’t go backstage my ticket isn’t valid. I wasn’t even trying to go backstage. I had a tier ticket to go to the tier section. I explained this to her and she still continued to say that I could not enter this way and I had no business in this location. Even though I was directed to enter this way!
I ended up walking away and I attempted to enter through the mezzanine section entrance and the lady gladly let me and my roommate inside. During the show my roommate had a phone call she needed to take so she left to the lobby area where the usher lady previously was when she denied us entrance. She ended up denying my roommate entrance back into the show saying «no in’s and outs, you have to leave the venue now» WHAT THE HECK? She just went to the lobby… what if people have to use the restroom? They can’t leave to the lobby area to go pee?! I am so confused… Anyway, my roommate ended up walking all the way back to the front of the lobby to enter through the way we were allowed in the first time with no problems, and had to walk all the way back to her seat. It was an inconvenience. I don’t know who hired her, and I really wish I got her name but I don’t even think she would give it to me.
Other than that the concert venue was cool, reserved seating was not fun but Jessie Ware made the whole experience a lot better.

This place teeters beyond 3.5 and 4 stars for me.
I’m a Libra, so I like to keep balance most of the time. I’ll give you the pros and cons…
PROS
–Lots of old charm in this venue, it’s a beautiful building
–It’s an auditorium, so don’t come expecting the Fillmore (or something like that). It’s laid out differently and SMALLER
–Parking awesome, use the city lot across the street from the campus
–Staff was polite
–Have a drink on the balcony
CONS
–Bars are laid out poorly.
–You can’t take your drinks in with you to the show (I get it is an auditorium, but I digress)
–It is old auditorium seating, so depending on who you see — if you are in the front, people will turn it into GA (which means you are standing next to randoms who didn’t get good seats you).
I saw Jessie Ware here and it was an amazing show.
But depending on who was playing, I’d think twice about going back again.

I missed Fiona Apple, but I saw Aaminah!
It’s a strange old place with lots of character. I really want to see a concert here. Or a dance troupe. The balconies look fun. The fuzzy walls look gross. Sometimes I love gross.

Went to see Kodo: New Earth, the Japanese drummer event.
Lovely venue, efficient, polite, and down-​to-​business. LOVE the Berkeley campus, have since my post-​doc. The show was amazing, though that’s not really what the review is for, I suppose it’s the venue, but credit where credit is due, Cal Performances booked a really cool act.
I plan to return next year to see it again.

In spite of the traffic alerts due to construction, we had a smooth sailing and parked at the garage for $ 10 with a special events pass.
Event staff dressed in green jackets were helpful in directing us to the theater.
We saw the Peking Acrobats and it was an amazing show.
I give kudos to those who worked at the venue for giving us an entertaining show.

What a great experience. We had mezzanine seats and I think they were probably the best in the house. Looking down on the stage and orchestra was perfect, being able to see EVERYTHING! The sound is fabulous. The seats are a little close to the row in front, so don’t expect a lot of leg room. It would have been more comfortable if they could have squeezed in an extra inch. But all in all, the building is beautiful, the experience was priceless and to have such a venue so close to home is wonderful!

Zellerbach Hall in the UC Berkeley campus is one of the venues for Cal Performances, hosting theater, dance and musical events. The hall seats about 2,000 people in its orchestra, mezzanine and balcony levels. Was here recently for Audra McDonald’s concert and in prior visits for John Maklovich’s, The Infernal Comedy, and a night of comedy by Seth Meyers. Having sat in all three sections, all provide great vantage points, but I probably prefer the mezzanine level.
Overall, a nice venue for live performances.

Came here to see the Australian Ballet on a Friday night. Employees dealt really well with the long lines on the will call it was fast and effective. The actual hall is well suited for performances, there’s ok acoustics and due to the small size good viewing angles from different places.
The small bar was also efficient and surprisingly very cheap I got two bottle water, a juice and three cookies for less than I’ll get a cookie and water at the bar on the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco.
All in all its a very good venue that offers a wide variety of different shows and performances.

A nice venue for a high school graduation. My nephew’s high school class had raised $ 7K to rent the hall. The hall was designed with the recessed seating, where the rows seats get a bit higher the further away from the stage to offer everyone a good view. There were also balcony seats. I’m not quite sure how big that floor was.
Parking may be a challenge, but that is typical of Berkeley. We used the closest lot off Durant (I think), but you’ll get better prices if you don’t mind the walk.

Zellerbach Hall. Home of Cal Performances and many departmental commencement ceremonies.
The last time I was here was when Harry Connick, Jr. (still-​a-​star-​on-​the-​rise) gave a talk here in 1991. I remember it was classic orchestra seating in the lower level. I had a front row seat on the far right in the centre section near the stage though there was not much leg room. Meh. Whatever.
2014. I was walking by Zellerbach Hall, and ended up watching the Film & Rhetoric Department newly minted bachelor candidates walking into Zellerbach Hall in anticipation of conferment of their graduate degrees. I ran into the Film Undergraduate adviser outside. I conveyed my regrets not being able to volunteer to help with the proceedings yet hopefully next year when somebody I knew of was going to get their doctorate. Well, it turned out this somebody was finally going to get their doctorate. Wow! What the hey?! The UMA told me something about a mix-​up or something. Wow! Finally, this person was at it for quite some time, almost ten years. I wanted to get a programme and I also ended up getting a free ticket. I was not too pleased to find out that my seat would be in the balcony section, having to walk two flights of stairs. Well, at least it was open seating.
I see the Zellerbach Hall orchestra level underwent some renovations some time ago. The front row was pushed back and there is more space to pass through.
My argument is for better security procedures at Zellerbach Hall. Check people for bringing in their own drinks, even though it is clearly stated on the signage that there is no eating and drinking allowed. If there was more security checking guests’ bags and purses for food and drinks. There were some guests who had tickets, and they were rather chatty and noisy. Me and a few other guests in the area looked at them to be quiet. We were acknowledged politely and they lowered their noise level. For a short bit, and we had to look at them again. They got quiet. However, they brought in their own drinks, and they were cheering and talking as if they were at a sporting event. I got really uncomfortable and moved myself to another seat putting eight to ten rows between us. At one point, I saw one of the male ushers politely informing these guests to please be quiet. These guests were cheering the professors and the student speakers when they were introduced with a whole lot more acknowledgement than necessary. Their conversations amongst themselves got really loud and people on stage and in the orchestra level could hear them. I was immediately concerned when I saw one of my professors on the stage look up towards the balcony area with his famous glare. I could not take it anymore so I left. On my way out, I saw a couple of ushers heading up another set of stairs. I was informed they would be asking these folks to leave. I informed the staff there I would be leaving because of these hell raisers. Forget about seeing this person getting hooded and conferment of their doctoral degree for me.
Graduation is supposed to be a positive, memorable milestone – especially for the graduates, their families, and their friends. And one would think guests would know better in how to comport themselves. Not sure I want to participate in future commencement exercises, and especially when it is my time to graduate. I do not want to subject my family members and friends on what is supposed to be a memorable milestone for all of us if there are going to be people there who do not know how or even a clue on how to comport themselves.
When the opportunity presents itself, I am going to have a chinwag with the undergraduate adviser about this unpleasant experience I was subjected to.
And yes, I did come back in time to see this person getting hooded. And then I left.

Came to Zellerbach Hall for the 1^st time to see Yo-​Yo Ma & Kathryn Scott
Getting to the Hall is an extremely pleasant walk through campus & the entrance to the hall is very inviting
There was no sound system in use that evening & I thought the music was too quiet at times & could have benefited from some amplification.
Sightlines were nice & the seats were comfy w/​plenty of legroom
I really enjoyed seeing such a musical legend in an intimate venue & would certainly come back to explore more music!

This building is rather old, but in a good way. It is a classic building that is a historic theater with a rich history on the U.C. Berkeley campus. Momentous occasions including concerts, graduations, comedy shows, and dance performances have taken place at Zellerbach Hall.
Zellerbach is the Bay Area venue for the legendary Alvin Ailey dance troupe every Spring. I have sat in every section from the front to the rear and can say that there are not really any bad seats in the house.
Please give yourself extra time for parking as it is located near Bancroft Way and Telegraph and the parking can be a challenge.

Really what is there to complain about?
Do bring binoculars if you are sitting up high, super worth it — not required, but better.

Very funny, those memories… memories of going to the RSF in my lycras and watching hordes of concert-​goers in my way. It was like Frogger. Or the queues for March Madness basketball on the steps of Harmon gym, again… passing all the throngs of Zellerbach-​bound patrons. And now here I am!
Many a time I have come for convocations and concerts: this week, it was Chinese Yo-​Yo Ma and Polish Emanuel Ax performing on cello and piano. The pure sounds of the two rich instruments, taking turns playing off melodic themes.
My Ukranian teacher Yuriy used to tell me, «Dynamics!» There was no shortage of that when getting lost in the talented performance of the duo on Wednesay. The phrasing was so tender, so lyrical at times that it made me catch my breath. One of the last pieces by Brahms, in F Maj, even brought tears to the forefront. It was that otherwordly.
The amount of passion and the idea of journey, angst, anger, happiness, and melancholy always shine thru in classical music; perhaps why I am so drawn to it! even today! when I am no longer forced to practice hours for competitions.
The ventilation lacks in here. Altogether too warm inside, and bit hard to be comfortable. But amazing amazing. Just loved the night; inspiring and seared my soul.

It has been years since I’ve been on the UC Berkeley campus. Finding Zellerbach Hall was somewhat of a challenge the other day. We took BART Daly City to the downtown Berkeley station. It’s a very short walk to the UC campus. But which way to the Hall?
Take Center Street which is perpendicular to Shattuck. Walk up Center Street. Cross the street to the campus. Keep right and walk to Bancroft Street. Then make a left on Bancroft. Walk up ½ mile. You’ll see an entrance for both the stadium and the Hall. At this point follow the signs.
The Hall itself was very conducive to the International Taiko Dojo festival.
We sat in row O center. The seats are staggered so no big heads blocking the stage.
After the show it was about a 15 minute walk back to BART.

Zellerbach Hall never fails to impress. I’ve been coming here for my entire life and I have always left inspired. They bring out exceptional musical, theatrical, and dance talent, showcasing them gracefully. I’ve seen countless acts here but some of my stand out performances are Mariza, Audra MacDonald, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and the Smuin ballet. It’s also a little tradition of mine to see Mark Morris’ The Hard Nut around Christmas time.
The hall typically has great sound, the seating is reasonably comfortable, and the crowd is very mellow. The interior isn’t what I would describe as picturesque but it has never detracted from the show. Though it seats roughly 2,500 people, it still has an intimacy to it. It’s easy to emotionally connect with the performers.
Food and drink wise, there are vendors that provide a decent selection of beer and wine along with an assortment of snacks. At intermission time, the lobby turns into a bit of a frenzy. The only complaint is that there can be lack of efficiency directing concert goers to their assigned seats. Sometimes it can get backed up, making it hard to locate a free usher. The best way to avoid this is to plan ahead for parking and show up early.
In terms of seat selection, I prefer to sit in the middle of the main floor as centered as possible. The mezzanine level is so far from the stage and the box seats are pretty isolated. Maybe I’m weird but I like looking at the expressions of the people around me after a WOW moment.
If you can, save yourself some strife and buy your tickets online. If you’re really committed to expanding your cultural horizons, season tickets are the way to go and you save a bunch.