Basically going to repeat everyone else's reviews and brag about shows that Ive seen here. Â Beautiful waterfront setting. Â Sure drinks and food are pricy, but you can pregame, problem solved. Â Not a bad seat in the house. Â 20 bucks and a little walk for parking, not bad. Â The worst part is making your way through the phlanx of d-bags with too much cologne and smokers in the new neighborhood. Â This place was made with Guster in mind. Â Seen such bands as Radiohead in 97, Tenacious D, Foo Fighters/Pete Yorn, Raconteurs, Ben Folds, My Morning Jacket, Wilco, New Order, Beck twice, Billy Idol, This place would be perfect for the Bosstones and/or Social D but I don't think they have been there yet.
Review Source:Great place! Check on the time of the band you're going to see cuz they might not actually go on til like an hour or two after opening act. Almost anywhere is great for a seat if you just want to chill and have a good time, you'll meet people and make new friends out in the drinks area. Â but the front sections are pretty amazing if you really love the artist and you can't get up there without a ticket. GO!
Review Source:Gorgeous venue. All the seating provides a great view of the performances. It's near the water. Just a lovely atmosphere. I couldn't think of a better place for a summer concert.
Food and drink are expensive, but as everyone else has noted, just come prepared. They don't check bags too thoroughly, so you could sneak in a snack!
One of the vendors is a phone charging station. You leave your phone for 20 minutes and it's almost more than half charged. Not a bad deal for when you want to record every move that the Backstreet Boys do on stage.
Hypothetical situation: you find out that one of your favorite musical acts are playing at this venue. Â You are within a reasonable traveling distance from Boston.
My advice? Â Get yourself some tickets and go to that show. Â You'll be glad that you did. Â Bank of America Pavillion, formerly known as Harborlights, is a fantastic place to enjoy a concert.
I recently drove 2 hours from Hartford to see Beck, and it was a wonderful time. Â I'm sure that I would have liked Beck's performance no matter where he played, but the location and venue really contributed to the magic of the evening. Â
The venue is literally on the waterfront. Â Like, the stage is right in front of it. Â This means, a beautiful view of the water and boats at sunset, and a nice ocean breeze. Â In the concourse area, there are counters where you can order pizza, burger/ fries type food, and beer/wine. Â The stage and seats are covered by a big dome/tent thing.
A few things:
-Several reviewers have mentioned $13 beers. Â That is what they charge, for a large size decent beer like Harpoon. Â But the beer prices have a range, so you can actually get a small PBR for $4.
-The wine was $9 for a really pathetic pour of a wine I've never heard of.
-I brought a flask in my purse, which was not noticed during the quick security check at the entrance.
-The security staff and ushers were all fine.
-$5 slice of cheese pizza
-Since it is an outdoor venue, weather is a factor. Â If its a hot/humid evening, that's what you're going to get (although being near the water makes things a bit cooler).
-Aside from a few small issues with feedback, the sound was great.
-I saw the no smoking policy being enforced, although I smelled *ahem* other kinds of smoke in the crowd during the concert, and no one seemed to care.
-$22 to park in the lot across the street. Â Easy in, easy out.
-$4 water.
I would definitely make the trip back up if another one of my favorites was playing. Â Food/drink are criminally expensive, but that is to be expected at a music venue in a major city. Â This was as close to a perfect concert experience as I could hope for!
I've been here before and it was okay, so I won't completely trash the place. Â
But I was stuck in town with my car and had to drive there. Â OMFG. Â At what point did Boston become Branson?? Â You have to inch along in streets *packed* with fat tourists in shorts searching for a lot that isn't full and will accept the crazy rates they charge. Â I finally just GAVE UP and went home with my $75 New Order ticket unused in my pocket.
I was here on consecutive nights in July 2013.
It's on the waterfront in Boston a little out of the way from downtown areas. But there are lots of decent places to grab dinner and drinks before or after a show.
The place itself is a giant tent with seats under it. Most seats are traditional theater-style with cup holders though some seems to be folding chairs. In the shows I was at the folding chair "box seats" were mostly empty while the place was pretty full else-wise.
I had dinner before both shows at nearby restaurants so I didn't buy anything at the venue but in reading the reviews here and talking to people at the shows apparently the prices for beer and food are pretty obscene so be advised.
Since its really just a big tent it's mostly waterproof in the event of rain but if you're sitting along the edges and there's wind you could get wet.
The biggest surprise was the quality of the sound. Probably the best sound I've heard at an outdoor venue. Then again during both shows I was about 15 rows away from a giant bank of speakers so I'm not sure what it sounds like sitting in the back row.
I think I paid about $50/ticket for each show which I think is fair but I'm sure the prices vary by the artist.
Overall a decent place to see a show.
Definitely one of my favorite places to see a show in Boston. I've been here for numerous concerts (including Ray LaMontagne, David Gray, The Flaming Lips, etc.) and always have a blast. Love that it is an outside venue, on the water and small enough I haven't found a bad seat yet in the house... please note though this applies more to sections 1-6 and not necessary concourse a and b because those are the table seat areas. Oh yeah, and they have Regina's pizza and Harpoon in a can to keep you full and hydrated, for much more than you would pay at a regular bar of course.
But luckily there are so many fabulous restaurants in the waterfront, you can plan to have dinner and drinks before the show if you have time or after too. I recommend that you head to <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Flivenation.com&s=5501f14f23ad5d230d1d31edfd71ad857643b21e53232b67f455d82a62977dbb" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://livenation.com</a> to see the shows that will be there this summer, and pick up some tickets to your faves pront! I know I did.
The BoA Pavilion is absolutely not the most convenient place to get to, and once you get out here be prepared to pay amusement-park prices for food (slice of pizza: $20. Â not really, but close).
If you go in knowing that, tho - perhaps you hide yourself a flask and fill up on some real food for the same price beforehand - on a beautiful night there's not a much better way to see a show. Â I do recommend trying to get under the awning, tho - on a rainy night it's fine seeing a show in a poncho, but seeing a show in a poncho from 30 rows back? Â not quite as fun.
BoA: solid.
Went here to see Yanni with a Groupon. All in all it was a pretty good experience. We had read some reviews before going and people complained of high priced drinks so of course we did the highschool thing and brought in a little something of our own. But, in reality domestic drafts were only four bucks which is pretty standard. They don't check your bags either/
Sound was good even though we were more towards the back. We didn't have anyone seated next to us which was nice. It's right next to the water so you have a little bit of a view.
And I would say the best part, even though not part of the venue was the old folk dance party that erupted as Yanni neared the end of his show. You couldn't help but want to join in.
As far as parking, there is some right across the street but it IS Boston so it was $20.
The sound here can be tricky depending on where you're seated, and the drinks are WAY overpriced, but it's probably one of the more laid-back venues in Boston. Great view, seats, room to dance, outdoors...who could complain?
Tip: Sit in the middle section, if possible. Sound gets muffled (specifically vocals) when you sit on the sides. Sound is great from the concourse too!
Four stars for good sound, and a cool venue near the water.
Minus one star for a THIRTEEN FUCKING DOLLAR BEER. Â Obscene. Â
Minus one star for severely grumpy ushers who, when (before the actual show) we had the audacity to walk partway down the aisle to say hi to our friend, told us to go sit down. Â They also were strangely insistent on stopping us to check our tickets and point us to our seats. Â Uh, got it, already been to our seats three times, thanks, and we couldn't have gotten in if we didn't have tickets, so cool it. Â And, each time someone made the logical choice of exiting the middle of the row through the (empty) VIP box section, the craziest grumpiest usher of all RAN over to yell at them and made them GO BACK TO THE ROW OF SEATS THEY CAME FROM and climb over 20 people to get out. Â All this bullshit actually put a huge damper on my concert-going experience. Â Pretty impossible to have fun when you have overzealous playground monitors treating you like you're five.
Went to Carnival of Madness earlier this week. And this was my first concert here. Being an outdoor area I had my expectations low, really low. Lots of seating, check. Stupidly expensive concessions, check. Swanky bathrooms, yeah, that was a surprise. It's been a while since I've been to a bathroom at a concert or a club that didn't look like I'd get an STD from touching the bathroom door. I was seriously impressed.
The great thing about large open outdoor venues is that you don't have the body odor that comes with a group of folks packed in a dense space. And those moments when I got a whiff of a bit of someone's BO the wind carried it along.
Now this is also a No Smoking venue which was awesome to know but near the end of the show pretty much useless. I think when people see there's a smoke machine on stage means it can hide their smoking. And it sucked that the folks behind me pretty much lit up half a pack of nasty smokes during most of Evanescence's performance, but to be fair that wasn't the Pavilion's fault. All the bands were excellent. And the acoustics, not surprising were great. There's less of that ringing in your ears and mildly going deaf feeling, but I was 5 rows from the stage so that didn't apply to me.
BoA Pavilion is a self contained park filled with overpriced fast food, pouring all your booze and music that carries no matter where you're sitting.
One of, if not the best place to see a summer concert. There is not a bad seat in the whole place! If you are worried about rain, grab a seat under the tent but they also sell tables in the back that still have a great view of the stage.
I have seen a ton of shows here and always have a great time. Once the sun goes down, the back drop is the Boston skyline- a great compliment to live music.
They have also really built up the area around the pavilion as well so there are more choices for bars and restaurants for pre and post show adventures.
The only reason I'm not giving them five starts is because their drinks are completely overpriced (i.e. 13 dollars for a beer!)- I would recommend having a few drinks somewhere else before the show!
I'll definitely be back to see more shows in the future!
If you're lucky enough to be here you are at, hands down, the best concert venue in Boston. And you're probably seeing an awesome act, they bring in all the best shows here!
It's fairly conveniently located on the silver line, with ample parking for $20 in a series of small lots surrounding the venue space. The waterfront location is highlighted by the design of the vendor space around the seating areas. There are plenty of concessions to choose from at not-atypical spendy venue prices. Â Get there early, grab a snack and a drink and walk down to the wide open waterfront space to enjoy an ocean breeze as city lights start to wink on. I do recommend avoiding the frozen margarita/daiquiri/whatever mixes - they are neither tasty nor alcoholic enough to justify their extra cost, stick to beer or wine. Â Or even better buy a large soda and mix it with, hmmm, whatever you can find in your bag that was not inspected or peered into at the entrance.
Whether you choose traditional seating options or gather a group to reserve a table with, you'll be covered in case of rain. Your concert will sound fabulous from any section too. I know because I've been in that section you're sitting in. The crowds are mixed and differ from show to show, if you're really into the opening act sometimes it's actually better to hang back along the railings or on the water while they are playing; it seems to me that there are more 'fans' here who don't care about openers and you're actually more likely to be surrounded by chatter in your assigned seating.
Bathrooms are *clean* (you all know how that matters to me)! Parking lots are *easy* to get out of at the end of the night, but be prepared for a little bit of a wait after the show if you're riding the silver line home. Alternately, take a short walk to a waterfront establishment and enjoy another tasty beverage before heading home; it's okay, you're taking public transit.
I think this is an enjoyable place to see a rock concert. I went a month or so ago with some companions to see a Peter Frampton performance. His execution was rock solid.
All of the seats available for purchase are pretty close to the stage. You can't really be too far away. The pavillion is on the Boston Harbor, which is great because everybody loves bodies of water.
A bottle of water is $4, and a 16oz can of beer is $12. You won't find many penny pinchers buying beverages, but the prices didn't surprise me.
Since it was Peter Frampton, me and my conpanions were about 30 years younger than everyone else their, which was hilarious. We got plenty of comments from drunk dudes being like " Heyyy Kidss were YOU even bornn  whenn this allbum came outtt??!!?!"
Bank of America Pavilion annoyed me. Despite the easy walk from the Silver T stop and the excellent acoustics, I absolutely can't stand price gouging, and this place had the worst markups I've ever seen. NINE DOLLARS for a large soda? You have to be kidding me. Six dollars for a slice of pepperoni pizza when you can buy a whole pie for 10 elsewhere is also fairly "redonks," as my cubicle neighbor is fond of saying.
In addition, our group had reserved table seats at the back of the venue, and that entire setup was kind of confusing -- the first usher we talked to didn't seem to know where to put us, and once we got to the right area there wasn't much space around the tables to dance, so we kind of clustered in the back.
But from a non grumpasaurus point of view, the BoA staff didn't check my bag, so the price of my soda included contraband whiskey nips. I suppose I could have snuck in an entire pizza with enough forethought. The venue is clean, easy to navigate, and the waterfront location is hard to argue with.
If you're into watching the sun set and listening to a nationally touring band for a decent price, this is the right spot. And if you happen to be catching, say, Huey Lewis and the News, watching middle aged women get drunk off margaritas shaped kind of like guitars (but more shaped like penises) is pretty priceless.
Since my invasion of Boston, I've spent a couple of nights jamming my face off at this venue.
The outdoor pavilion, from what I recall, covers almost all the seats in the house, except for the concourse areas in the very back I believe, so if it's rainy out, no worries! The acoustics are great and both times I've been the bands I saw sounded amazzzzzing. The refreshment selection is good...beer, wine, mixed drinks, soda, water....beware of the big 24oz brews though...those bad boys catch up to you quickly. Don't ask me how I know x_x. Food is your average mix of stuff....burgs, dogs, friedeverythingdelicious...
Restrooms are a short stagger from the seating area, and they are legit bathrooms, not the "porto" types ***Jumps in air with joy***
See a concert underneath the Summer stars. Watch the dimming twilight and the rising glow as the sparkle of the city lights turn on behind you. Enjoy the crispy sound system, the stadium-style seating and the fresh air. There's really nothing like it in the city and for it's function, design and generally really nice staff (from the ticket folks to the beer man), the pavilion is worth four solid stars.
Be forewarned that everything is very obviously and ridiculously overpriced, that the table seating is like watching the concert from your living room (read: the stage is a mile away) and it's 5,344 times more expensive and no where near as comfortable.
Some sound savings advice: Eat beforehand at Salvatore's and grab cocktails afterward at Drink. Both food and drink will be less expensive and significantly more delicious at these establishments.
I am going to explain how to get to the Bank of America Pavilion via the Silver Line. It was my first time using it, and I saw lots of confused people.
Take any subway, etc. to the Red Line to South Station. Then follow the signs to the Silver Line. You will not need a transfer of any kind, and you will stay underground. Either bus (SL1 or SL2) will take you to the pavilion. The bus will be underground on electric power, and it will stop at the Courthouse Station and then the World Trade Center station. Next, the bus will emerge from the dedicated tunnel and will stop at Silver Line Way to disconnect the electric and start the diesel engine.
Get off at this Silver Line Way stop and face the harbor. You will see the giant pavilion tent. It is only about 100 yards away.
To get back to South Station, reverse the process and go the the Silver Line Way stop (a small shelter) just outside the tunnel. All Silver Line buses will take you to South Station. There were many people after a concert trying to figure out which Silver LIne bus would take them to South Station. They all do. (It is best to have a ticket or Charlie Card.)
I hope this helps.
Oh my........
This place is far superior to the Comcast Center in every way possible. Â Yes, you do have to walk a small bit from the various T stops (Aquarium, South Station, Haymarket) but the walk is good on a beautiful day. Â We walked down the various areas by the water and ended up walking through a 5-star outdoor restaurant. Â I didn't feel out of place of course, because there were no velvet ropes preventing me from just leisurely waltzing through. Â Remember, I am the boss.
So we get there and I end up being more bold and drinking an entire bottle of Jagermeister with Mountain Dew and Captain Morgans and Coke. Â I am completely feeling nice. Â Until I saw the prices of drinks there. Â No worry though. Â This concert is for Beth-Ann's favorite band, so costs are trivial.........plus I'm drunk so money means little at the time. Â $10 for a draft beer sucks, but whatever. Â
I got to catch a drumstick off the forehead from the drummer of Halestorm............3 beers earlier and I would have so caught it. Â The lead singer was trying too hard but their drummer was awesome. Â He obviously threw the drumstick to me as I was cheering him on......but I was pretty intoxicated and stupid. Â
I also got to see Chevelle which was cool, I always liked them. Â They sounded excellent here. Â I figured the speakers here would be weak, but they were actually pretty good.
6 beers later, and alcohol induced vomiting, I was up and having a good time listening to Staind. Â I didn't eat enough and drank too much. Â It was the first time I had ever gotten sick from alcohol on it's own. Â All the other times were from some psycho driving while I was drunk or getting on a rollercoaster at Canobie Lake Park drunk.
The police and security here were VERY relaxed compared to the Comcast Center. Â No padding down, no strip search, no being yelled at. Â I didn't even get carded after the first round of beers, but I ended up being stopped by the police and 2 security separately after the 3rd round. Â I guess some people think I look young?
Overall, this was an excellent venue. Â Due to my decreased wallet size, increased weight and inability to act normal........I'll be going alcohol free here from now on. Â Which should save me considerable money. Â I do wish though, that some other big groups come here instead of Comcast Center. Â It's an easier trip and less hassle than Mansfield, MA.
5-stars!
If you want to experience Boston in the summer, you have to catch a concert at The Bank of America Pavilion. Â Sam Adams himself would attest to that statement.
Last week, Heather O. and I made our yearly pilgrimage here to see an 80s band. Â On tap this year was Poison, Dokken, and Sebastian Bach. Â We actually got 6 other people to come and it was the best concert of the year for all of us. Â After heavy pregamming and double fisting the huge But Lights at the Pavilion, we were ready to sing about those thorny roses and "Something to Believe In." Â
One of the best parts about the BOA Pavilion is the people watching (which is totally due to the bands that we go to see). Â Lots of tats, black clothes, big hair, and drinkers. Â The Pavilion actually ran out of Bud Light during the concert. Â I was glad to be a part of such a powerful group. Â On top of that, there is not a bad seat in the house and there are TVs near the beer/food lines, so it's hard to miss any of the hair and pyrotechnics. Â The sound was awesome and the ushers were more than nice. Â Can't wait to see what next year's concert line up will bring.
Here's a hint: buy your tickets at The Orpheum Box Office. Â You save on those crazy fees (they were going to be about $10 each ticket in our case). Â You also get the best pick of the seats as a real person is there to help you out.
I've been to quite a few concerts in my life, from huge arenas featuring 100,000+ spectators to small ones in venues like the Middle East and even a couple of private shows featuring under 25 people. I can tell you one thing. I love the BoA Pavilion.
Despite it's not so convenient location, the place has a very intimate feel with a pretty good sound system and a friendly and tight security. Food at the stands is expensive so I don't recommend trying those but overall I thought that it was awesome. It's covered despite being outdoors and is by the bay, it's almost magical and way too overlooked by artists in my opinion. I'd much rather see a band there than at the TD Banknorth Garden for example. Another neat thing is that because it's not enclosed, just covered, there's a nice breeze that shows up occasionally which is also refreshing; nothing like fresh, ocean air!
That aside I had a great time seeing Aberdeen City opening for one of my favorite bands, Snow Patrol! The seating is first come first serve and on a nice summer day, this is the place to be!
I have mixed feelings about open air facilities. Kind of makes you wonder why tickets are $50 when you're not paying for air conditioning or anything..
PROS:
Lovely breezes.. especially since this place is by the water
Awesome sound
If you've got a bad seat.. there is room by the side of the right orchestra where people stand/dance. Not a great view but definitely an improvement from the back.
Pretty accessible with the handy dandy silver line or a nice walk to South Station
Cup holders at the seats
CONS:
Waiting for the breezes to hit
Mosquitoes making out with your calves
Bathrooms kind of narsty
$4 waters.. double that for beer
Some folding chairs (would you pay $50 for a folding chair?)
Inconsistent rules about what you can bring (like at the show we went to we weren't searched at all.. other shows you get a full on pat down.. could have saved some money if I brought my own water)
I'm pro small intimate venues, but I think this place would be great for a full out rockin' dance in your seat kind of band. D'ya think if I just hung out by the water I could hear the concert?
This is such a great venue for a concert! It's semi-outdoor so things can take place rain or shine, but I can see how this would be closed in the winter (it must be Arctic-freezing out here next to the water when it's below-zero out!)
The staff are pretty nice - from the ticket people to the security check at the door... which was barely a security check. I stuck out my arm blindly thinking they wanted to scan my bag or something, since I'm so used to that from concert venues, and the guy started joking about how worried he'd be if I had a bar-code imprinted on my arm - he just wanted to scan my ticket to let me in that was all. Doh!
Drinks and things can be a ripoff, but that's expected at a concert venue... $4 for Dasani water and $5 for soda, $8-9 for a beer, but it happens at so many venues that it hardly makes me bat an eyelid anymore. There were all sorts of vendors around though, from aforementioned drinks to crushed ice cocktails even, pizza and croissants, etc. too.
The sound carried out pretty well - for the concert we saw, the opening act didn't fill up the space too well but the main act was great and the sound was fantastic. It must be pretty cool for those walking on the Harbor area nearby and picking up the sounds too ;) And the place is surprisingly bigger than it feels - it gives off an intimate sense but can actually hold a pretty large crowd.
The view is absolutely lovely from the water, and you can walk around before the show starts or between acts (or to take a break if you want) to dance, frolick or just stare moonily at the skyline and open waters if you wish. It's really lovely. And the feeling of live music playing, a festive feeling in the air, gazing out over the water with the breeze ruffling your hair is a pretty amazing one. Even the seats were pretty comfortable, and though our view wasn't as good as we'd hoped, it was still pretty cool. I really loved it and would be thrilled to come back here for another equally fantastic experience.
One word of warning though - since it's outdoors, if you're watching a summer concert here, do not wear perfume! Unless you want to be bitten to death by mozzies, that is. Damn mosquitoes. Guess they needed some concert-going snacks too.
Ahhh, now I see where all hidden charges in my checking account go. The BoA Pavilion is one of the best venues I have been to. The GF bought us tickets to the True Colors Tour and I can't imagine spending 5 hours in another Boston venue and having such a good time.
Before we went we did a little reading on what we could bring. Interestingly each person can bring one clear gallon bag of food with them. So obviously we injected oranges with tequila and camouflaged the boozy fruit by adding 2 bananas and a bag of granola. We figured if our bags were inspected we would just look like lesbians.
And boy was that a good idea. Bravo for them letting you bring your own snacks and drinks which reduces the lines at the booths and the cost if you're thrifty. We got one of the big margaritas to split which absolutely sucked and I'm pretty sure didn't have any booze in it at all. But we busted out the oranges and everything was fine. Plus having a Regina's Pizzeria is probably the best idea they ever could have had.
There are huge paths between the seating which make it easy for the ridiculous amount of people to move from their seats to the food stands and back without a hassle. And if you do get stuck in line while you're getting food or have really crappy seats, you can always stand and watch the concert on the wide screen TVs out back.
What surprised me was the crowd control. There was no stage rushing, body surfing or even anyone standing in the isles. And yet there was no security check, only Human Rights Campaign volunteers giving away free iTunes cards and looking official.
We were half way back from the stage and still had a great view. When the crowd stood up the incline allowed us to see the stage and the video projections even though both of us are on the short side. It even started pouring and thundering at one point and it didn't affect anything!
To the BoA's bastard step child, I give 5 stars. I'd go again in a heartbeat.
Lets just state the BASICS on why if any band you like comes to town and plays this venue, you should be there!
EVERY SINGLE SEAT has a great view
For a "big" venue" it feels very intimate
Great food options (for a concert venue)
Decent Beer selection $7 for a small bud $9 for a large Harpoon (expensive, but cheaper than other large venues)
Gorgeous views of the lights of the city from the water
Great acoustics
SUPER easily accessible by T, or car
(parking ranges from $11-$20 and you never deal with a packed parking lot and line to get out)
Just please please remember to bring a sweater even if its a bit cold. Since its RIGHT on the water, take whatever the temperature is in the city, minus 15. The cold air blows right off the water and can TOTALLY ruin your otherwise great night!
***This is the only place I have EVER seen the main act booed! Death Cab for Cutie tried to tease the audience about green Red Sox hats with shamrocks on them and they legitimately BOOED him! Honestly, it gave me more respect for Death Cab, but it was pretty crazy because I have never seen that happen before!
A really great outdoor venue for shows in Boston. Better than the Hatch Shell in everything except for location. Â Great lines of sight from anywhere in the pavilion and good sound overall...it gets a bit echo-y on the sides.
One of the best nights of my life was here...Bjork and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs got moved from Suffolk Downs (!!!) to play here. It was wonderful!
The "box" seats around the edges are actually ideal, but they're exposed to the elements. God help you if it's windy out. Note to people with lots of hair: wear a hat or tie it down! Bring a sweater too....the breeze off the ocean can get cold!
Beer is ludicrously expensive, as are most snacks. I'd advise eating before you get here and save your money for a brew or two. Beer and snack selection, however, is excellent.
Parking is convenient at local garages and relatively cheap for most events. Â Best of all, one doesn't have to deal with the same Tweeter Center style parking nightmares.
Iiii aamm am am goo inng inng tooo givevvve itt tt-t-t threeee sttttaaarrzzzz assss assss itttttt getttssss reaaallllyyyy chilly y y ly ly sommmmm e e nighhtttzzz.
Or else, I would give 5 for the ocean view, and the harbor and 4 overall. But 3 stars to attract your attention : especially in the fall, be careful what you wear at night.
Decent acoustics. Not too small. No bad seats. Sometimes you can just go to the seats in the back, put your feet up and enjoy the show. I love walking around the pavilion at times. It feels free. Even when walking around, I can follow the stage via the large screens on the sides. A definite fresh breath from all indoor concerts.
I LOVE catching shows here!
I find that it is really, really easy to get to with PLENTY of reasonable parking. $12 to park in a garage the night of the concert is not expensive AT ALL. SO if you're thinking of either driving or taking the T, DRIVE!
The food is not ridiculously overpriced. I love the fact that this venue has actual brandname food like Legal Seafoods and Sbarros. I was able to get two GIANT pieces of pizza and a soda for $9.
The seating is great! I've had a chance to sit in a few different places at this venue and no matter where I sit, I'm comfortable and the acoustics are great. The staff is friendly.
It feels intimate without everyone sitting on top of each other. The tent is a really interesting structure and the ocean breeze is definately appreciated on a hot and/or humid night.
This is by far my favorite place to catch a show!
"Phenomenal [concert] powers! Itty bitty [seating] space!"
The Powers:
Amazing acoustics, beautiful lighting, large video projections on either side of the stage...I could go on and on. It truly is a wonderful outdoor venue. It's such a shame that the only space you can really appreciate that this venue is on the water is in the VIP section. Yes, the seats are plastic folding seats...but guess what, this isn't a year round venue. And at least chairs are provided unlike a lot of other venues in town. Need to go to the bathroom?? You'd be hard pressed to have to wait in line, even in the women's room. There are sooooo many stalls! Good work, BoA Pavilion!
The Seating:
It's so small. I don't think there's a bad seat...and even if there are a few less desirable places to sit, they're not nearly as bad as some seats elsewhere.
...Wait, it has a seating capacity of 5,000? For serious?? Because of the layout and probably some other design techniques I didn't bother to pay attention to (for once), they can afford to book slightly larger names without having a nose-bleed section. I much, much, much prefer this place to the TD Bank North Garden. And what's more? The prices aren't ridiculous.
This really is one of my favorite summer venues in Boston.
I would definitely recommend this great venue. To skinny people.
The seats are about as big as those mini-folding chairs you get from the wedding rental stores. You know the ones... They barely fit a 7-year-old, much less a full-grown adult. So, I was sandwiched between my husband (who is quite large) and another large, tall gentleman. I had to stand sideways. Sideways! And, dancing was definitely out of the question.
I would also recommend bringing much warmer clothing than you think you'll need. I was there on a breezy fall day, and I had on three layers - a cami, long-sleeved shirt and a zip-up sweater. It still wasn't enough (although, if I had just brought a windbreaker, that would have done the trick).
Otherwise, it is a great venue. Good food options, nicely laid out, well situated, and great accustics. Also, there is some relatively cheap parking nearby and it's easily accessible via the Silver Line.
Saw Wilco here last night, for my first show at the BOA Pavillion. I loved it, the key points are.
- Great food and beer selection (though beers were pricey - $9 for a 20oz harpoon)
- Open air on the sides, but covered above. Rain is a non issue.
- RIGHT on the waterfront makes for a nice breeze and atmosphere on a summer night.
- Folding chair seating is lame
- Good sound for someplace that seems like it would have bad sound.
- Two jumbo screens abutting the stage show live footage of the show, so you get a nice view of random things on stage even if you are far back.
- No real bad seats, we were pretty far back and it was fine
- Big and clean bathrooms
great in the summer.
good sound, atmosphere, bathrooms, food, assortment of bands etc. I've only done two shows here, one with Lou Reed and one with Elvis Costello, and they were some of the easiest staff to work with.
For some reason I have been here a few too many times at the end of the season during a cold rainy night with the beginnings of the flu, and I still find people to help me out with hot water for my own tea.
oh, and I always can see and have a good time.
I can't hate it if I tried.
This is my favorite place to go for a summer show, and here are my reasons why:
+The seating is good and angled and there's not a truly bad seat in the house.
+It's all covered and I've seen once of the most beautiful shows when it was raining like hell all night (Elvis Costello and Allen Troussiant).
+I won box seats by putting my name in a drawing last year, and we ended up having VIP seat roped off for The Stokes and Wolfmother.
+Good drinks/food options.
+It's easy to get to, via MBTA, foot, or car.
+YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE TO SEE AN AMAZING OUTDOOR SHOW! Â I've driven and been stuck in rush hour traffic to get the other venues, and none of them compare to good old Harbor Lights.
It's almost the time of the year for good shows to come rolling in, and I am crossing my fingers some of my favorites play here.
There isn't a better place to see a show around these parts. Â The Pavilion is an amazing open air venue that sits right on Boston Harbor. Â You get to watch the band do their thing as the sun sets and it's true, there really isn't a bad seat in the house.
I also enjoy going to shows with different food and drink vendors to visit and this place has that going for it as well. Â The ticket price is a bit higher than your average club -- but I really can't complain because it's money well spent and I'll gladly invest in keeping this place's appearances up. Â I'm even considering seeing shows here that I normally wouldn't go to (Willy Nelson's playing here in a few weeks? Â Heck, why not?) as it really is just highly enjoyable to hang out here. Â Top honors.
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