The Mann Center

I’ve been coming to the Mann since I was just a teen and my Dad made me and my girlfriends smuggle soda cans in our pants because he didn’t want to spend outrageous prices for drinks. True story. I believe my first show here was the first ever Y100 Feztival. For those who grew up in Philly in the 90’s, you know what I’m taking about. Luckily, I’m a big girl now and I’ll (somewhat) gladly pay $ 9 for a 16oz craft beer. Nevertheless, a fun story to tell.
The Mann is the man. It’s honestly awesome! Located in gorgeous Fairmount Park, nestled between trees is this smaller, more intimate wooden amphitheater with incredible sound and a great view no matter where you are seated, even on the lawn. Don’t miss a view of the sun setting over the Philly Skyline from the Skyline Pavilion!
There are a few entrances including the lesser known and used one up top! So for those who aren’t lazy and want to make the hike up, you’ll rarely have a wait up there!
You will be frisked and your bags will be checked, but I find the employees at the Mann to be the most friendly of any music venue around. You are allowed one unopened bottle of water per person.
The alcohol selection is on point. Awesome, unique crafts brews are a favorite of mine here and change with each show. You will still have all the usual suspects and there’s margs and wine too! They are all separated by kiosk which is so nice for those who know exactly what they’re looking for which is me :) There are many, many places to grab a drink here so don’t feel obligated to get yours at the one near the main entrance as that will always be the most crowded. There’s never a wait up top of the lawn! They take cash and have tablet card readers as well! Tip your bartenders! I was one here! It was fantastic!
In addition to a variety of food options the Mann offers such as tacos, BBQ, even Thai food, you will find delicious, popular food trucks lining the top of the joint. They change depending on shows, but I’ve seen Scratch Biscuits up there almost every show. Some of the trucks only accept cash. Vegan and gluten free options are usually available!
There are restrooms both at the top of the lawn and near the entrances at the bottom of both sides of the pavilion. Surprisingly the ones at the bottom are the least crowded. The one to the right bottom when facing the stage is always empty. I don’t think anyone knows about it!
The Mann offers special sit down catered dinners as well as a variety of shows besides concerts. They have yoga festivals, orchestra performances, theatrical shows, even FREE cultural performances for children in the summer. This diversity is also what makes the Mann a truly unique, special venue. It’s really a place for anyone and everyone!
There’s a Septa bus that drops you off right out front as well as cabs that line up right outside after the show. Parking is never an issue however. I have NEVER paid for parking at the Mann. There is tons of FREE parking on Parkside Drive between 50^th and 53^rd streets which is located on the street right next to the left lot when facing the venue. Your car with literally be parked a sidewalk away from those who spend the $ 20.
There’s a $ 2 charge per ticket when using a credit card at the box office, so bring cash if you are buying in person.
All kids under 2 are always FREE! All kids over 2 need tickets to all shows except orchestra performances when you sit on the lawn. You will however need to pick up their FREE ticket the day of show at the box office for them to attend with you!
A few bands request seated only intimate shows so check up as lawn may not be an option, meaning that your show may be a tad pricier as actual seats are your only option.
The Mann is truly a special place to see a show. The earthy locale is a breath of fresh air from the usual concrete jungles where most Philly venues are located.

Less a concert venue than an almost religious re-​acquaintance with the magic of Philadelphia. It’s run impeccably, with plenty of options for food and drink (it’s expensive, of course — but what venue like this is cheap?), and all the seats back to the rear of the lawn have terrific views. I’d come here to see almost anybody. Okay, maybe not Creed.

Saw Paul Simon there on Saturday — we had a great time.
The staff were all pleasant, comfortable seats, great sound system…
We took a cab and they allowed drop off right at the door.
Loved it.

I went to the Paul Simon show on ⁶⁄₂₅ and it was completely oversold. I purchased lawn seats and couldn’t find a single spot to sit other than near the top concessions (not lawn) where I was unable to see the act. I tried sitting on the LAWN area to the left of the stage and was chased out by the ushers/​security. I tried standing in the main corridor, which didn’t block any seated patrons view, and was asked to move. One of the ushers was very rude and followed me.
I used to really like this venue. But, I will not be going back. I’d rather spend me money elsewhere.

Really, this is a 4.5 star review, and I’m writing it because I scoured the internet trying to get info about the Mann before buying tickets for a show. Now it’s my turn to share.
Terrace seats. Yes, they’re good. I wasn’t sure if they would be. Higher up in the terrace you can see the lawn screen. I was in the first row, so I couldn’t. The sightview is good. You are up high enough that people standing/​dancing on the walkway in front you are not much of a visual interference. One issue is that, at my show anyway, people from the lawn area wander down and stay there to get a better view. The security team works hard to stop this, but it doesn’t work very well. While they’re trying, the sound of them shouting is a little disruptive, but it’s also kind of entertaining. I know people just want to cut loose and enjoy themselves, but it IS distracting. At times I did feel like screaming, «Stop smoking and go back to the lawn, hill people!» At other times, their ridiculous hippie frolicking was kind of fun to watch.
The venue is smaller than I imagined, based on photos and maps. I figured it was all sprawled out, but it really isn’t. It’s only a short walk from the gate to the food trucks at the top of the hill. You’re not far from anything. And it’s lovely. You park in the grass, so don’t wear heels and do wear bug spray.
Beer is pricey. I knew that going in. But you get a much smaller cup of beer than you get at Wells Fargo, for example. The lines for drinks isn’t bad, but the lines for food are long. So long, in fact, that people waited for 10 – 15 minutes only to abandon their place in line and give up. This explains all the tailgating in the parking area. Having a bite to eat and an affordable drink before the show is not a bad idea.
Parking. We arrived a little over an hour before the start of a sold out show and had no idea if that was early or late, as far as a good parking spot goes. Turns out it was pretty perfect. Granted, we left during the encore (so rude, I know, babysitter emergency) but we got out of there in four minutes. Had we stayed to the end… Eesh. I can imagine the place is a total mess to exit, even if you’re in a good spot. And they tell you where to park. You have no say. So try to get there early.
I would say if you want to feel close to the performer and have that immersive, no-​distractions concert experience, spring for covered seats. If you want a festive summer concert experience with great sound, gentle breezes and great people-​watching, the lawn or terrace is for you. The sound was great everywhere. You could actually hear what the performer (in this case Paul Simon) was saying when he talked, which is pretty rare at a concert.
All in all, it’s a great venue and I hope to return again soon.

Outdoor music venue with decent sound and seating located on a hill that provides a nice breeze to cool you off while enjoying so many good artists. Getting to the Mann is a traffic challenge but isnt that true of anywhere in flufya? The lineup is always great and once your here its relaxing and fun. Ticket prices are (oui vay) what can i say. Come and enjoy a show in this classic stage…

I was really excited about the seats I got for a concert I saw this past Saturday, but they turned out to be a nightmare!
I bought tickets for seating on the terrace — the first row back from the «indoor» seating. It was perfect because we were up higher than those inside, so we had a clear view to the stage, but we could also see the two screens on the outside of the building which gave us an even closer, clearer view. I did NOT want to sit on the lawn, and paid for the more expensive tickets to avoid it. However, once the show started we quickly realized that we were in a really shitty spot because we could hear both the live music and the delayed music coming through the speakers pointed toward the lawn. It was unbearable, so we had to leave our dry, comfy seats. We walked back to the muddy lawn and sat our asses down so we could actually hear the show.
After a little while we ended up getting up and just standing in the aisles under cover. This was totally annoying because I paid for seats, was obstructing the view of the folks behind me, and was constantly afraid I was going to be told to go sit back down in my designated seat (we were told to do that, but then no one stuck around to see if we actually would).
On the upside, there are plenty of bathrooms. Normally the lines at venues like this are super long, but because there were several bathrooms located at various places, I didn’t really have to wait too long. On the downside, the bathrooms ran out of paper towels. I’m not sure how this happened considering there was a damn attendant in the bathroom the whole time…
The parking situation here leaves a lot to be desired. You pay $ 20.00 cash to park on the grass, far away from the venue, which can suck if it’s muddy and rainy like it was last weekend.
As for concessions, everything is overpriced, the lines were outrageous, and the $ 10.00 glass of wine I received was in a cup that was wayyyy too tiny. Dollars worth of wine would splash out with every step I took back to my seat. Either invest in some bigger cups, or charge less for the tiny one.
Overall this is a really beautiful venue, but I think you need to pay for more expensive indoor tickets so you avoid the acoustical nightmare that we endured on Saturday.

There are some nasty people who go to this venue. And the venue is gross for the amount I paid for tickets. First time here and I’ll never be back.

I’ve loved the Mann Center for a long time and have seen many bands and artists play there. I love it, except for my recent experience has me really disappointed and probably ready to stop going there completely.
Parking is ridiculously expensive and they only take cash. Annoying, but not a complete deal breaker.
My most recent experience was when I went to see an artist and got to my seat with my friend. The opening act was still on, and was playing an acoustic set, but wasn’t incredibly quiet and intimate. I was chatting with my friend (not loud, mind you, as I have a filter and can tell when the volume requires me to be quiet) and the staff lady who was in front of us sitting in the blocked off row right behind the sound guys literally SHUSHED me. She came up to us, shushed us, and told us to please stop talking. I was shocked because truthfully we were not obnoxious or chatting too loudly at all. I’m pretty self aware and pride myself on not being obnoxious like most of society. AND It was a concert for christsake! a quieter opening act, but not one so quiet that you have to be fkn silent. So that was the first thing.
Then when the headliner came on (Brian Wilson) it was pretty obvious that it was cool to stand up and dance around. And the lady came back and asked me to sit down. I was pretty ticked off about it because 1. I’m a super fan of Brian Wilson. 2. I’m not some obnoxious jerk who doesn’t care about people around me. Other people were standing and dancing, why am I being singled out for it? 3. I paid a lot of money for these seats. I’m going to dance. Especially because the dude and the band are encouraging it! Sheesh.
Anyway, that was that. Lady finally realized that everyone else is dancing so she shut up. She just didn’t like me for whatever reason.
I wrote to the Mann about it and expressed my concerns and never heard back. I also responded to the survey they sent me after the show and expressed the concerns there and asked to be called and received no contact from them.
I’m pretty disappointed in the fact that I reached out about a situation twice, and have never heard back from them.

I have a soft spot in my heart for the Mann because I’ve seen many wonderful shows here. We looked forward to seeing the Drive ByTruckers and Alabama Shakes last night. Wow! the nostalgic bubble has burst!
First of all: $ 20 parking on grass? That’s really high. You pay $ 26 to park in center city in a parking garage. The physical venue is okay. The place is clean. I didn’t use the rest rooms but others in my party did and nobody complained. My first gripe is the antiquated sound system. Could not hear a word of any song or barely anything spoken by the performers. We were sitting in «the circle» under cover but towards the back. A friend sitting closer to the stage had the same complaint: muddy sound. I’d guess that the antique speakers are original. Then the exit. The Belmont Avenue exit was inexplicably closed but there was no attempt to direct people not to go in that direction — only a person standing there with a barrier making people take uturns. There was no traffic direction nor police. Multiple cars coming from multiple directions all aiming for the same single exit. Rogue cabs were scooting around cutting into the lines of traffic on the diagonal. I’m sorry to say that this venue on my «no go» list along with the monstrosity in Camden. Very, very sad.

Summer means a lot of things, but it means especially outdoor music concerts at the Mann. The venue is spacious and intimate both at once, and even with a packed house it never feels crowded. The views from almost all areas of the interior are very good, and access to bars and restrooms is well thought out.
Sound is always very solid. Grounds, seats are clean.
Of course, like all concert venues — the food is absolutely abysmal. The veggie burger I ordered did not come with any of the toppings as listed, and was barely edible. Variety of beers available could also be seriously improved.
Lastly, being able to reach the venue on public transport is one of my few laments. Driving to and fro isn’t too horrible if you park as far as you can from the venue and are able to slip away after the performance.

I love this venue! It is so nice to have a concert with an outdoor feel. I enjoy being able to pack a picnic dinner to enjoy before the show. I had tickets for the Ingrid Michaelson concert on the skyline stage, but rain drove the concert under cover. Because it was then just general admission, we chose to forgo the concert. I was also at the Pokemon Symphony, which was so much fun, and look forward to the upcoming Zelda Symphony.

The piano guys show was great, perfect venue for summertime shows and great acoustics

Great place to see a concert bring a picnic basket, and wine on the lawn before the show

Parking extraordinarily high ($ 20.00), and the lot is dim (It’s actually in the woods) During a recent flash flood, several cars had to be towed out of high ruts. Several others were stuck in an ersatz flood plain. Be mindful of where you park, as there are no direction signs or parking area indicators– and, on a dark rainy night it’s quite easy to get disoriented. I counted 6 couples that had just «lost» their cars.
Funny that there were many folks available to take money at beginning of show– yet so very few people at end of show to help lost souls.
Additionally, there are incredible traffic jams coming into and leaving the venue. Police traffic assistance? Shoddy at best. Given that the Mann (Robin Hood Dell West) has been around since the late 70’s– One would think these issues would have been solved by now.
FYI– Add one hour to any car based plan to come here.
For any MANN center stakeholder than comes upon this–
A simple solution– A safe, well lit remote lot serviced by some Nat Gas or Hybrid Buses. (This would be a great 2^nd/​after hours use of the Philly Flash)

This place is fantastic! Our first event was the wait wait show and our lawn seats were great. People brought picnic baskets, food and wine, which was very different from where we came from (Florida) where people usually smuggle pot in! Great crowd, very clean place, average prices for foods at the concession, liquor can be pricy but the craft beer selection is pretty good for a concert venue too!
Parking seems to be hap hazard, they were directing the line of cars for parking around a circle and back through itself, why not just have the line of cars just turn right? Someone needs a trip to Disney world to see how parking should be handled.
Can’t wait to catch more shows at the Mann center!

Great venue. Good music and cool breezes. Easy to get around and get to your seats. Seats are wide with plenty of leg room. Consessions and bathrooms are close and not too crowded.
Only drawback is parking. You’re in the mud if it rains, but still, all in all, I’d call it a great night out.

Sound: The Mann Center has a nice sound system. In the seats the bass can be booming. But on the lawn it’s well balanced.
Comfort: The seats are fairly comfortable and the lawn is great in the summer. Just bring a comfortable blanket.
Food/​Drink: They have a good variety of beers and the food trucks at the top of the hill make the food selection great. Skip the concession stands near the stage.
Overall: I really enjoy coming to the Mann Center. It’s easily accessible and the parking is good. Great experience when they have a full day event.

I was here with the Philadelphia International Music Festival a few years ago and loved it. It has a nice outside arena for summer concerts. Great for kids and teens.

The Mann is one of my favorite outdoor venues in Philadelphia. I attend a few concerts here each season. I prefer this venue to the Dell East because it has partial covering in case of poor weather. My last concert was Frankie Beverly & Maze & Patti Labelle. The sound and lighting for the stage is great, no matter what seat you may have in the house. I always try to sit half-​way (near The sound board) — The costs for those seats range from $ 65-​$ 90 — well worth it! When the Jumbo Screen is on — you can view that — but you can see the talent pretty good too. If you can’t swing those prices — check out the lawn seats — the acoustics are so good that you will still have a great time.
My tips are: eat before you arrive — the food is expensive — you may want to get a snack while there — but keep it to that. LOL
If you arrive early enough — you can find on-​street parking — now you may have to walk a block or two, but it will save you some money so you can buy a drink or two.

I recently saw John Legend perform at the Mann Center and we had a great time in this clean and spacious outdoor venue. Despite the hall being an open outdoor arena we felt the sound carried pretty well where we sat in the right orchestra. We noticed a lot of people bought tickets to sit on the grass and that actually looked really cool as groups of people kind of camped out and watched the concert on the large screen at the back of the hall.

Pokemon Orchestra!
A good amount of lawn parking.
Watch out for birds that will poop on you during the show!
We sat in the B section even though it’s undercovers. Everyone was wondering if people were throwing things or what was dropping during the show until intermission.

Absolutely eat before you come here. I just paid $ 12 for a $ 2 cafeteria lunch of chicken fingers and tatter tots. The chicken tasted like giant chicken nuggets, all fat and gristle. This is the worst concert vendor food I have ever tasted. I have been to many concerts in the Philly and NJ area both indoor and outdoor. The tatter tots were all blended together in the fryer so it was like eating a unshaped hash brown.
The jumbo screen was not on during the concert. It instead played commercials during the breaks. We had lawn seats and could not see the face of the artist. I have never been to a concert where they don’t have jumbo screens working, I mean it’s 2014.

Fairmount Park has much to offer, and among its jewels is the Mann. Indeed, the Mann is one of our favorite music venues during the summer. The acoustics and sound system are terrific even if you are seated outside of the pavilion. On a recent visit, we saw Josh Groban – OMG, what a talent – and had such a thrill stargazing as he sang «Vincent» («starry, starry night»). The views of Center City skyline are not half-​bad either. If you have not ventured here for a performance, do yourself a favor and give it a try.
P. S. If you arrive early, you can snag free street parking.

Went there for the Star Trek: Into Darkness concert. The Orchestra was wonderful, the ambiance of a hot, sweaty audience was not. I’m sure it’s for acoustic reasons that there’s no fans under the roof, but I never saw so many well dressed sweaty people before.
Parking is 15 bucks, the largest drink they have is 16 oz, and even if all you want is a cup of ice, they’ll charge you eight bucks for it because they ‘account for the number of cups sold”. The ATM charges a $ 4.25 service fee.
I couldn’t bring my tablet in because the Orchestra prohibits photography. So back to the car or to the Visitor’s Center to get it locked up. Never mind all the cell phones I saw being waved around taking videos. The park says that cell phones are a necessary thing and cannot be prohibited. I dunno if I would have been escorted to the Visitor’s Center to actually drop it off or if it was an honor system. I was just too annoyed to find out.
I might have felt better sitting on the lawn and bringing my own food and drink in, but reading on the website, supposedly you can’t bring in a full sized lawn chair. I’m guessing that there isn’t wheelchair access to the lawn, either.

I attended my first concert at the Mann Center last night. I was extremely confused about how the set up would be so I thought it would be important to mention this first. There are two stages: the main stage and the Skyline stage. Even after asking friends and reading reviews, I was still a little confused about how everything would be set up.
As I learned yesterday, the Skyline Stage is a totally different stage within the Mann Center. It is general admission and «standing room only». Rules may vary per event, but for the Sara Bareilles show no chairs were allowed. There are not seats, there were never seats. The seated concerts are at the main stage only. The lawn in front of the Skyline Stage allowed patrons to create their own scene. While some folks, myself included, rushed the stage to get into the front row, the majority of people brought blankets and lounged on the lawn. I like that you had the opportunity to pick your pleasure. Now I’m assuming by the time the main act went on that most people were standing, but if you had the blanket space you could probably remain seated if you were interested in watching the show.
This has been said before but while the Mann Center is a venue it is also located in Fairmount Park. Bug spray would be a wise choice.
The rules for this vary as well but sometimes you can bring outside food and beverage but for this particular show, it was one unopened bottle of water per person. I didn’t eat while I was there but Local 215, Mamma’s Meatballs and the Farm Truck were all on site to sell food. There was a craft beer bar all the way back by the bathrooms and the main stage. I didn’t take a look but at point my husband came back to our spots with a Dogfishhead 60 Minute IPA that only cost $ 8. I don’t think that’s too horrible.
The acoustics of the Skyline stage were pretty good. Sometimes you get a blurred sound up close, but the entire concert was crystal clear. The security man working the rail was also pretty chill.
My only grip was with my pre-​doors experience. An organized line had formed starting at the gate, stretching down to the close edge of the parking lot and then made a turn towards Parkside Avenue. I believe it looped and stretched pretty far out. About 15 minutes prior to the doors opening, everyone got up and rather than staying in line, the single file line fell apart and people moved into multiple lines. I ended up much closer to the gate because of the newly formed multiple lines, but it really wasn’t fair to the people who were there before me. However since no one was playing by the basic rules of lining up, I wasn’t going to be the one person to regulate a mob or follow the rules. During our wait in line, different door opening times were floating around the crowed. The staff didn’t seem too well informed about the times either because we got multiple answers for different staff members.
The Skyline Stage is a great place to see a concert and I look forward to returning someday for another show.

I love the Mann. As summer approaches every year, it has become a tradition that I immediately check out the Mann lineup desperately hoping there are shows I want to see and thrilled when there are.
Things I love about the mann
1. Great food and drink options
2. It’s not dirty
3. It’s an open air amphitheater
4. Has a great lawn where for certain shows you can bring your own picnic including food and drink.
5. One of the best views of the city from the top of the hill.
If you’ve never seen a show at the Mann, do yourself a favor and go!

I am in love with this venue. It has such a perfect atmosphere: open air, old fashioned architecture, and a beautiful wooden dome. Getting here may be a bit difficult for those in the middle of the city, but I think that really adds to it’s charm. It’s in West Fairmount Park and surrounded by greenery and beautiful views of the city.
Sounds quality is great here considering the dome structure of the venue. Allows for great sound transference. I saw a festival style concert here last yr and was entranced! Lawn stages and the main stage being the dome.
Would love to come here again and definitely plan on it!