Gibson Amphitheatre At Universal Citywalk

Had a great time here seeing a KROQ event — the April Foolishness comedy show they host every year. We sat in the loge section & had a great view of the comedians, + the big screens helped to see. The venue is not humongous, so I think its safe to say you cant get a «bad» seat. The only thing that isnt so great is finding the venue for 1^st timers– just be sure to head to towards the ticket booths for Universal Studios & you will find yourself in the right area.

I had a great time watching Foster the People concert here.
I was lucky to sit front and center in the 2^nd row last visit, but it seemed like there isn’t a bad seat in the house. The Amphitheatre is small and acoustics sound great, seats are comfy. Its to easy to leave your seat and walk thru the aisle if you need to head to the restroom or bar.
The bar is what I remembered to be the longest wait, I only remember 1 bar with 2 tenders. They’d bank on the bar if they had more stations and people wouldn’t miss too much of the show.
The concert was so packed that they offered people to trade seated tickets to stand in the pit.

Not one of my favorite venues to see a show at so I’m not sad to see it go.
I’ve been to more shows here, but for some reason these are the only ones I can remember right now:
D’Angelo (2000, back when it was Universal Amphitheatre. D’Angelo raged on stage and smashed and broke two mike stands)
Jamie Foxx (2007)
Foster the People, Kimbra, Mayer Hawthorne (2012)
First off, the parking here is hell. It’s expensive and takes over 30 – 45 minutes to park. It’s a crawl at the entrance before you pay, and then once in, they loop you all the way around the whole parking lot (even if you arrive 30 minutes before the first act hits the parking lot is already full). It’s like at Dodger Stadium, where you have to keep going and going and going around the circle. One time they had me go so far that I went in a full circle to right behind where we entered at they put us in the Premium Parking structure at no additional cost because they were out of regular parking (minus 1 hour of my life). The premium parking if I remember correctly is about $ 30 ($ 10 more than the normal price $ 20). It puts you in a structure right next to the Amphitheatre. For regular parking you park in the boonies and have to walk through most of City Walk to get to the Amphitheatre.
Sound quality is decent. I don’t have any complaints about that. Sound here is much better than the Shrine, but not better than Nokia Theatre.
Sight lines — For a venue that holds about 6,000 seats, if you aren’t in the Orchestra section or closer, it feels more like you’re in a 10,000 seat venue. Middle Loge is not bad either, but when you get to the side Loge sections or the Mezzanine, the view is not good. Side Loge feels far and Mezzanine even farther. The sight lines at Nokia Theatre at LA Live (which seats 7100) are much better.
The venue looks aged and smells it too. They could’ve remodeled it and kept it going, but Harry Potter is taking over.
I never liked that for most shows, many of the orchestra seats were not able to be purchased, as they had been reserved for record companies, radio stations, promoters etc. I wouldn’t matter if I had a presale code, was on the fan club or whatever, orchestra tickets were near impossible to obtain for the average fan. This suspicion was confirmed when I once went to show for free because my friend’s company was a tour sponsor. They had half of one of the center orchestra sections just for them. And that was only for one of the sponsors. For shows like the KROQ Acoustic Christmas, I can understand why they hold back the tickets, because they want to give them away on their radio station. But for regular rock and hip-​hop acts… that I couldn’t understand. We all want to argue that getting goods seats to any show is a conspiracy, but at the Gibson it was always extremely hard to get some of the better ones. If you wondered why you would always pull obstructed side view orchestra or only loge or mezzanine tickets, now you know why.
When the night is over, what sucks is walking that half mile across City Walk to get back to whichever structure my car is in. Walking that much is fine if I’m going to a baseball or a football game, but it shouldn’t be happening at the cost of $ 20 for a smaller 6,000 person venue.

(Attended 12÷11÷11 SU @ 5:00pm): Saying goodbye to a treasured part of Los Angeles music history.
On the eve of night #1 of the 24^th Annual KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas, I’ve finally decided to pay a long overdue tribute to the former Universal Amphitheatre — or Gibson Amphitheatre At Universal Citywalk for the younger generation.
My last time here was for night #2 of the 22^nd Annual KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas, which featured the amazing line-​up shown below in order of appearance, and I’ve only missed a handful of this annual treat that benefited Para Los Ninos and the Al Wooten Jr. Heritage Center. The next venue to be home for these concerts has a hard act to follow.
Ticket/​Seats ($ 96.30) — Even with the various crazy fees, it still broke out to less than $ 10.00 per band, which was still a bargain in my opinion. I sat in Level 2 Section 14 Row A (don’t remember seat #) nearly center stage. And for those who’ve been here before, there truly weren’t any bad seats unless you sat along the walls on either side of the stage. But even still you had a clear view. Throughout the facility there were no obstructions and each show I’ve been to always had at least a couple screens. The folding chairs were crammed and cushioned but hardly any legroom for people to pass by.
Drinks ($ 15.00) — 24-​oz. Shock Top on-​tap which was pretty standard. I tried to baby this sucker as long as possible because I wasn’t about to buy another at that price!
Souvenirs ($ 25.00) — Not like I needed another t-​shirt, but you had to get one so you could brag to all your friends that you went!
The Concert — I’ve literally grown-​up with Acoustic Christmas as part of my life that dated back to its first show in 1990 (I loved the Trash Can Sinatras!). Here’s a quick thought on each band that played:
1. Grouplove — simply a fun local band with catching hooks.
2. The Naked And Famous — 80s synth was alive and well.
3. Foster The People — 98-​degrees but played instruments.
4. Cage The Elephant — The Pixies sound has been unleashed.
5. Noël Gallagher’s High Flying Birds — sound was heavy this night but still a music God to me.
6. Florence + The Machine — sassy sensual siren songstress showed spectacular showmanship.
7. Death Cab For Cutie — sound issues made them ugly.
8. Mumford & Sons — I liked the rocking banjo.
9. The Black Keys — Ohio rocks with this duo.
10. Jane’s Addiction — seemed old and tired; maybe some needed rehab.
Service — All the parking attendants, bartenders, souvenir sellers, ticket-​takers, and ushers did a wonderful job as usual, as many have been here for years. Excellent!
Parking ($ 10.00) — They had several onsite parking structures but it was a hike to the facility, so be prepared with a water bottle and your GPS to find your way back — seriously! In previous years I parked for free down the hill at the Metro Station and either caught a tram or climbed the hill back up. Things I did to save money.
Atmosphere, décor, ambience — The intimacy and great acoustics of this barely 6,000-seat venue were the main attributes (proximity, too) that kept me coming back throughout the years since my first concert there in the mid-​80s (Oingo Boingo). There was a large lobby inside that circled the venue, but once you entered the seating area, the décor was plain-​Jane and clean. Heck, once the lights went down and the music turned up, who cares what it looked like?! Because it was amphitheatre seating unless a giant sat in front of you your line of visual was fine. There were usually monitors both in the lobby and in the house. And who needs background music when you’re there for a concert?! Geesh.
Attire — It varied from the type of event you attended; otherwise, it was casual albeit I doubt I’ve ever attended anything in just a t-​shirt, boardshorts, and flip-​flops. I at least wore pants.
Overall, I’m saddened to see Universal Amphitheatre (aka Gibson Amphitheatre At Universal Citywalk) be replaced by a new Harry Potter World amusement ride because it was truly one of the best music venues in Southern California. It just seemed many iconic music venues have closed up lately for whatever reasons. At least I have my memories of this place. I found very good value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (total bill was around $ 146.00), but I would plan ahead and drink/​eat beforehand to get more bang for your bucks. The concessions are a bit pricey, so eat beforehand. And, they accepted my credit card of choice… AMEX!

The Gibson Amphitheater (Formerly Universal Amphitheater) is a great concert venue located within the general confines of Universal Studios in Hollywood. This place has been putting on great shows since 1972 but unfortunately will be shutting it’s doors sometime late this year. I for one will be sad to see this place go as it is one of the better indoor amphitheaters around and the shows here are incredible.
I have seen shows from Alice Cooper/​Marilyn Manson, Megadeth, Evanescence to radio shows such as KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas here and each show has sounded great and been a memorable experience in their own way. The venue itself is layed out with a small pit section, a loge, orchestra and mezzanine seating. There is typically no general admission as all tickets are assigned a seat which is a plus for most shows as it opens up better views of the stage no matter the seat. The venue itself houses around 6000 seats, has a full bar and several concession stands throughout. This would definitely be in my top 5 all time favorite places to see a show.
In the fall of 2013 the Amphitheater will be shutting it’s doors and torn down so that Universal can begin construction on the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter for the Hollywood Theme Park (as found in Orlando). Why they need to do this at the expense of the Amphitheater I will never understand as this place is an institution in the area for both old and new lovers of concerts. It will be missed by many generations of music fans. Always a sad day when all of these amazing venues are closed for new things when so much undeveloped and owned land is already available for use.

I wouldn’t even know where to start here, but since it’s being destroyed and I get to watch a piece of my history disappear, I wanted to say a last goodbye.
I remember seeing Timmy T and Stevie B here. It was in the early 90’s but it was probably one of my first shows I saw without family. I saw Keith Sweat, Faith Evans, the O Jays, numerous Old School shows featuring the stylistics, the dramatics, earth wind ans fire and many more. I sat next to Magic Johnson during a Mary J Blige concert, and met many other celebrities in this Venue. y family and I saw Chicago, my daughter saw the Jonas Brothers, my sister in law saw Nelly, I’ve seen George Lopez, Enrique Inglesias, I think I even saw Paul Rodriquez here.
There was never a bad seat in the place and it was the perfect venue to see any kind of show. I’m definitely going to miss it. If you read this, post your own memories.
Thank you, but you will forever be the Universal Amphitheatre to me, even if you did get a name change. Bring on Harry Potter World…

Went here August 11,2013 for the teen choice awards!
The venue is small which is a good thing because, you are closer to the stage no matter where your seat is. I got to meet the cast of ABC Family’s Baby Daddy.
Just disappointed they’re closing it down to build a Harry Potter attraction. who cares!!!

The Backstreet Boys really stole the show and knew how to party like it was 1999. I felt like I had been sent through a time machine back to my grade school days. I screamed like a giddy preteen and had a blast. Even though our seats were near the wall, we were still able to get a decent view of the stage. I was pretty devastated to hear that the Gibson was closing down this month. I had some great memories here.
I went to my first real concert here a few years back and I absolutely adored this venue. Every seat is a good seat because they were gradually elevated as you went backwards so the heads in front of you weren’t in your way, but the stairs weren’t so steep so it didn’t feel like you were in a nosebleed section even if you sat all the way up against a wall. You can wear your heels and not fear for your life going down the stairs. The sound systems were great, they sounded like how they would if I were to listen to them from up close. The center stage was also viewable from all angles. I’m really sad to see the Gibson leave us to become just another Harry Potter attraction.

We went there for Il Volo concert.
The Parking: Parking structure is the same as Universal Studio or Universal City Walk. $ 10, $ 20 or $ 30 (depending on how close the parking lot is)
The theater is quite far away from the parking lot. Good size theater. The sound system is okay. There are two big screens next to the stage… VERY VERY POOR QUALITY!
The cameramen didn’t do a good job at all. Either the image is way too dark and can’t see the performers or the angle is really bad.

I’m not sure how reviewing this venerable venue has slipped under my radar for so long, but it seems fitting to post one now since it’s set to be closed on Sept. 6^th to make way for… ugh, Harry Potter World. Yep, one of the best venues in So Cal (strictly from a presentation point of view) is being shuttered to make way for THAT. It’s a lame move. Even the employees admitted as much when I was at the Danzig show this past weekend. As one put it, «We tried to get Foo Fighters to play the final date, but it didn’t work out so we’re closing with Pepe Aguilar. Out with a whimper, instead of a bang.» Yikes.
I’ll freely admit to talking a huge amount of shit on this place. Driving up to Uni from Orange County sucks. The parking sucks. The price of parking sucks. The nearly-​unavoidable walk through City Walk sucks. The pricing on their shows sucks. Basically, the entire ritual process from purchase to arriving at the front gate is like a small knife in my side. Once you’re inside, however, that’s when this place really shines.
Seating is excellent, and you are assured to have a good vantage point no matter where you end up. Now, I say this as someone who is always in Orchestra and for good reason — because the seats are the best. Yes, even better than the pit because I have the high ground. The beautiful thing about this place is that you can easily walk right down into the good seats when a show starts, find any open spot (since everyone is more than likely standing), and enjoy the show from there. I can’t think of a single show I’ve been to here where I actually stayed in my purchased seat. Last night, my buddy & I commandeered some box seats way up top on the balcony, dead center, and it felt like we were getting a private show or something. The time before I walked down to front row and watched the entire headlining act. These are things I’ll miss being able to do.
The sound is incredible, too. Seriously good acoustics in here. Never muddy or too distorted, whether you’re right up front or all the way in back. It all comes through clear.
Despite the acrimonious relationship I’ve had with Universal Amphitheatre (I’ve never called it «Gibson», just like Verizon Wireless Amp in Irvine will always be Irvine Meadows), I’ll miss seeing shows here. Top acts always hit this spot, leaving them with one less option when they come through L.A. I just hope they don’t all go to Staples Center because that place REALLY sucks.

My 500^th review!
It’s pointless for me to write this seeing as how this place is shutting down to make way for a Harry Potter attraction… but i’ll still do it just because…
I saw Queens of the Stone Age here; one of the greatest rock bands of our modern era.
The venue is cool. You get to walk through city walk which is cool cause the sights are pretty far-​out there. The sucky part is you have to wade through crowds of morons.
Bathrooms are spaced out nicely and signs for your sections are easy to read.
The lights inside get really dim so if you try and look for your seats when an artist or band is playing, then you’re kinda SOL.
Exiting is bad because there’s really only one exit to leave through.
And as my review comes to a close…
It’s really sad this place is shutting down.
Walking around, you get a sense of history here. Great artists that performed here. Shame on you Universal for being a bunch of pussies and opting to sell this place to make way for Harry Potter.
That’s the stupidest decision ever. Unfortunately, people will forget and HP will make billions of dollars for this theme park.
I’m going to make sure to avoid CityWalk or anything Universal-​related in protest of these idiots killing a great music venue.

Sound was good show was good too bad universal is destroying this to build stupid Harry potter land!
RIP to an awesome venue!

History in the making… catch one of the last shows at this excellent indoor concert venue as at the end of summer it ramps down to make room for the Wizarding World Of Harry Potter which will change tourism to Los Angeles. A game changer for Universal Studios Hollywood as the park starts construction in the fall of WWOHP… I can’t wait! Although I will miss this intimate concert setting… it is the greater good to drive tourism into Los Angeles to stimulate the economy. More things for Angelenos to do, more tourism, more jobs… all good…
If you haven’t seen a concert here before… I recommend that you do before end of summer. A great concert venue with lots of history, great staff, and great amenities.
Gibson Amp you will be missed but LA is waiting anxiously for WWHOP!

LOVE LOVE LOVE IT HERE!
Hubby and I saw No Doubt here when they were in town and it’s a smaller venue which makes it so much better for bigger bands! The parking can kinda be funky since you will have to pay a pretty big chunk since it’s at Universal. We stayed at a hotel nearby and took a cab which was WAY easier.
The drinks and food here are definitely pricey. I would eat at Citywalk before hand and they just get a few drinks here. They have a couple good deals.
Ticket prices depend on who you see. I think it’s decently priced for the type of venue it is.
I want to see No Doubt again! Best concert I’ve ever been to! Hopefully, they come back here again.

This review is for 12/​28/​2012. It has been many years since I have been to Universal City’s Venue. Over the years, I still remember the place as Universal Amphitheater. I still do to this day. I received a ticket to watch comedian, Gabriel Iglesia’s at the Unive… I mean Gibson Amphitheater.
Gibson Ampitheater is located right on Universal Studios and Citywalk. General Parking is $ 10. Since I was attending a show on a Friday Night, the night life was extremely packed especially with the clubs at CityWalk. If you decide to take the free tram, do note the hours of operations
Gibson Amphitheater entrance crosses path with Waterworld’s Entrance. Just make sure you are attending YOUR show and not the Mariner’s show :) A lot of the audience that waited early, had to wait about 40 minutes before getting to the amphitheater. I wish they had heaters in line since it was like in the 50s, maybe 40s.
Once the staff scan your ticket, you have the option of getting food/​drinks inside or outside. Do note that this is not a circular venue. So, most of the vendors are located at one area. Crowding and exiting will be a problem. I got myself a Bud Light ($ 10). Yeah, almost close to Dodger Stadium prices. I saw popcorn, but I dare not ask how much they were.
The Gibson Amphitheater seems really huge to me. The seats were comfortable, but the views can be obstructed if you have a taller person if front of you. Sorry to the people who were behind me. I wish Gibson can elevate the chairs to have a better view.
Gibson Amphitheater is nice to attend for a smaller type venue that Staples Center wouldn’t seem appropriate for. Just pretend this is a bigger version of high school gym’s auditorium with a much better sound system.
Unilocal is my Review, My Story, and My Life. It’s time to share it.

I love going to concerts here!
— There really isn’t a bad seat since it so small.
— You are inside with AC/​heater, which is great for a long show like Acoustic Xmas.
— Bathroom and concession lines are relatively short and well maintained.
— Pre-​drinks and dinner are easy since you are in the Citywalk.
— The preferred parking is a lot closer to the venue (only $ 5 more)

Great intimate venue. Saw night 1 of the KROQ acoustic Christmas. Killer lineup; Rise Against, Linkin Park, Bush, and AWOLnation, they all killed it.
Why do I like this venue? All seats are descent, some are great, but all are OK. Plenty of food options, not anything amazing once inside, typical concert fare. BUT, if you get there early you can eat at one of the many restaurant choices at the City Walk.
Beers are concert priced, but they do have various options. They also serve shots, Patron anyone?! Always a good time at Gibson, they usually get great bands also.

I’ve sat front row and felt like a rock star near the stage. I’ve also sat in the very back row on the balcony level where the sound is still terrific and the view really not bad at all (and a whole lot less beans, too). I’ve seen rock, jazz, pop, latin, comedy, and even attended an MTV Music Awards a few years ago — all were great! It’s smaller than many other venues, so it gives it a more intimate experience. You may also know this under its former name, the Universal Amphitheater.
The parking is expensive but ample. The only real downside to coming to the Gibby is that you have to park far, and walk even farther. Okay for the guys, but difficult in high heels for the gals (and cross-​dressers). This the one-​star demerit.
The only real tip I have for you is park once at Universal, and make a full evening by having dinner before, or after, the show somewhere along the Citi Walk… and break up the long walk that way.

The walk to the theater sucks from the parking. The walk through Universal City Walk is fun if you don’t mind pretending to be a fullback for a small running back.
The theater is small, acoustically challenged and fun from any seat. Go when the band is not crazy famous and you will sit wherever you like.
Staff is helpful. Rules are lax. Seating is comfortable. Sound works. Bass from instruments rattles camera so the big screen is like a ride at Universal, but who cares.
Have fun and go if you can.

I’m not really a fan of concerts, but the past weekend I went to watch Roxette (yes, I’m old school), it was awesome. I was expecting an outdoor theater because of the term amphitheater, but instead it was indoor with full blast AC when the outside temperature was above 90 degrees. It just felt awesome to be inside.
The smallness of the size made the surround sound really amplified to the max. I really loved it. I paid $ 20, got a nice seat at loge 10, right in the middle facing the stage. The crowds are great, not too overwhelming, and seats are pretty comfy. I also found another fellow Unilocaler watching this concert through check-​in. Due to the small size theater, super easy to find people too!!!
I don’t mind coming here again for concerts, I’m beginning to enjoy it.