Lots of reviews on Yelp so I'll just write some tips for the FIRST TIME visitor.
NOTE: Â Official rules and these observations may change based on event so take this with a grain of salt.
1) Southbound on Rt. 8, you'll see "Blossom" signs on the highway for 3 different exits. Â Wait till the 3rd exit (Steels Corner Rd). Â The 1st 2 might save you up to a mile in driving but we've found, even with traffic, the approach from the 3rd exit is faster.
2) When it involves lawn tickets, you're already "late" if you show up an hour before the concert starts. Â Most lawn patrons arrive 2 hours early and make a pre-concert picnic out of it.
3) The asphalt parking lots are the most convenient and typically are pay or for full-price ticket holders. Â Of them, Lot "A" is the closest, most expensive, and advanced pre-pay but is great for guaranteed parking if your plans can't avoid being a last minute show. Â Keep in mind grass parking is plentiful but a considerable walk especially if you're running late.
4) Consider wearing insect-repellent clothes or spray. Sure there are thousands of targets other than yourself but thousands of mosquitoes know this about Blossom and subscribe to the concert schedule as well. Â Besides, it would suck to be that target wouldn't it?
5) RELAX on your way out, go with the flow. Â Stay in your lane and follow the signs. Â Mostly everyone is headed toward I-271N regardless of which route you end up on. Â There is no wrong way out. Â Again, just RELAX - follow the traffic flowing to the highway.
Blossom is a clean, well-maintained outdoor musical arts venue that offers traditional seating indoors (pavillion) and grass outdoor seating (lawn). Â A very professional operation they run a little tram service to get you to/from your car a little easier. Â It hosts everything from classical to rock to country concerts every year. Â It serves as the summer home for the Cleveland Orchestra and their summer line-up including Mozart Under the Stars, musicals, and Independence Day fireworks & concerts. Â We've enjoyed our first season here and plan to come back next year.
Went to my first concert there last night to see Zac Brown Band. Â Not only was the band great, but I thought the venue was very nice as well. Â We had seats in the pavilion and we had a good view of the stage and the sound was perfect. Â Beers were $10 for a man can, but that's pretty much to be expected these days. Â I would definitely go back!
Review Source:Ive seen everyone from Devo, Motorhead to Snoop Dog and Wu Tang here throughout the years. Â I just went to a metal fest here a few months back and have to say this place still blows. Â Granted it was about 90 digrees out so I hated life anyway. Â The venue is always crowded and no matter what show I go to there are always white, smelly hippie types here...WTF? Â Is there a college close by or something?! Â I guess it must be the lawn/outdoor atmosphere. Â There are always mile long lines for the pisser and the beer lines? Â Dont get me started... Â The ticket prices are always so high that people always buy the lawn seats and the pavilion seats are barely half full. Â During the show, like clockwork the security d bags will let people fill the seats in...only after the headliner is half way through. Â Sweet...thanks.. Â Another thing for me is that this place is in the middle of nowhere and the local Barney Fife cops just look for shit while your trying to get back on the freeway. Â Next time a band ya wana see comes through check Pittsburgh or even Columbus venues. Â They are cheaper and better run. Â WU TANG FOREVA!
Review Source:I hadn't been to Blossom in, no joke, 24 years. Â But the Motley Crue and KISS concert proved too tempting and I broke my 24 year dry spell. Â First off, the parking. Â Nightmare. Â So spread out in the grass. Â And plan on walking a mile to get to the pavilion. Â Second, acoustics with lawn seats. Â Suck! Â The sound is very muffled so that was disappointing. Â The screens are small and placed under the pavilion so you really cannot see. Â Many people on the lawn still stand, so if you are interested in a night of sitting on the grass and enjoying the concert, nein, that won't happen. Â I'm sure it does when the Orchestra plays but not a bunch of 40+ clubbers, reliving their hard rock days. Â Blossom is 100% 80s...including its sound system and food vendors, both of which need serious upgrading.
Review Source:I love going to blossom. Truly I do. But I was so disappointed with my most recent experience there. I felt that the staff was rather rudely enforcing regulations which are not clearly delineated on their website. Just to clarify for future concert goers: for any concert aside from the orchestra concerts, you cannot bring any outside food unless it is in a one-gallon clear zip lock bag. No beverages except for closed water bottles. I'm not opposed to these regulations, I just found it frustrating how they were strictly enforced even though they're so unclear on the website. Â Here's hoping that their website gets fixed.
As long as you're aware of these rules ahead of time, it's a very pleasant experience. Be prepared for a great concert, preceded and followed by so much traffic. But it's worth the trip :)
I love going to Blossom. Â The grounds are always so nice and the concerts nicer!
While I do think the Cleveland Orchestra crowd / staff is still a little stiff & strict on entering after the concert has begun, overall this is a very enjoyable way to see the CLE Orchestra. Â
Grab your picnic basket and enjoy the concert on the lawn, or pre-party on the lawn & move to your seats.
This is a great summer venue. Parking can be a bit daunting but if you get there early and park far you will both get a good seat on the lawn and get out of the parking lots sooner. For the length of time that it takes to get out of lots closest to the gates I don't recommend the parking pass.
One thing to note is that the rules are different for concerts versus the orchestra. For concerts you cannot bring in tall backed chairs - for the orchestra you can (this means you probably want to bring one because if you are on a blanket behind a tall chair you won't be able to see). For the orchestra you can also bring in food and wine.
I do prefer the lawn as I find it a more fun experience. I have had pretty good luck not getting caught in rain. For the orchestra there are general admission pavilion seats in the back on each side of the pavilion you can go in if it rains. Being in the pavilion does make a great difference in terms of being able to see the performer(s) - those seats do get you considerably closer.
My only con about the orchestra show (which isn't an issue in other concerts as the sound is louder) is that there were kids running around in the back on the lawn which made it kind of hard to hear from the far back of the lawn. So just arrive early (gates open 2.5 hours ahead of show).
I really enjoy seeing concerts at the Blossom. it is a great venue. Again, for your Yinzers, it is very comparable to Star Lake, with the lawn being a bit shorter. If you are in the lawn, I recommend sitting smack dab in the middle, as the view is not as good from the sides. The sound quality is excellent, and I say that with extremely high expectation. I love that the parking is free and tailgating is a lot of fun here.
Having seen many shows at this venue, I have had many different experiences with trying to leave afterward. The first time we went we waited for 4 hours to leave...I swore I would never return after that...I am glad we gave it another shot, with the second experience only taking us 20 minutes to get out. After that we have had moderate waits, never as bad as the first, and ranging between 40 minutes - 1 hour - not so bad.
I would recommend you check out the Blossom. It is very close to Pittsburgh and another surrounding cities.
I've been going to Blossom for a long time. Â I can't even count the shows I've been to.. from my first: Â Barry Manilow on the lawn with my family as a kid, to MSB in my teens to Radiohead in the pit just a few weeks ago. Â
It's not until you've seen what passes for facilities of this type in other cities, do you really appreciate what you have there in Cuyahoga Falls. Â It's a GREAT venue, with sound that you just don't get anywhere else. Â The grounds are gorgeous, the staff is friendly. Â The people around you are nice.. It's Ohio!
Sure, it takes a while to get out of the parking lot, but so what! Â Well worth it and the same thing happens wherever you go. Â
All I know is I'll be back, even though I live a long ways away.
Blossom is a great music venue besides one thing that could honestly keep me from ever returning again.
And what is that thing? Exiting traffic that literally makes you want to rip your eyes out, punch the person sitting next to you, throw huge boulder at the flailing idiots in the cars in front of you and drop-kick babies all at the same time.
Picture this, you just saw a great show, had about 3-4 tall boy beers at $10 a pop (holy wallet rape), you're exhausted and it's about midnight. Once you've waited for your entire group and DD to meet up at the car, you're finally ready to get on the road.
Access Denied.
Instead, you'll sit at a complete stand still while hoards of drunken idiots ride on top of their cars around you, almost falling off. And you'll sit there for at least an hour. Not. Moving. At. Effing. All.
But, other than being trapped in your car in the middle of Cuyahoga Falls at midnight for 2 hours, it's pretty great, hah! The venue is perfect for seeing shows and I love the freedom of sitting on the lawn! You can rent chairs, but a blanket and/or tarp will do you just fine for sitting. You can also bring in a gallon size zip lock baggie full of snacks if you're not down for spending $10-$14 a drink. Honestly, I've sat in the pavilion and on the lawn numerous times and I'd still rather save my money and spring for lawn tickets. I'm not a big acoustics buff, but the Radiohead show sounded awesome and the light show could've been seen from outer space.
I did notice that the crowd tends to be on the younger-side, even for bands who've been around since the 90's. My guess is that the older fans are too smart and easily annoyed to deal with the tragic exiting traffic at Blossom--and I'm starting to think I might need to know better myself. Â
As a venue, it's gorgeous with plentiful bathroom options around. This past visit was unique because it was the men's bathrooms that had the long lines. Hell, I can't complain about that! There are also lots of food vendors to choose from, but it's your typical carnival foods--don't think you're getting something gourmet. And get some cash out beforehand, unless you want to pay a $4 fee at their ATMs.
Overall, I like Blossom, a lot. I just hate (to the core of my being) the exiting traffic build up. I'm thinking it's probably best to invest in a parking pass next time to skip all the hassle. Maybe then we'll go for 4 stars!
P.S. The Radiohead show was totally worth the frustration!
Blossom is the best venue I've ever been to, hands down. It's a treasure to attend a summer concert there.
The sound is superb - it's crystal clear. We just recently went to see Radiohead and they have an incredibly intricate sound, which can come off not so great. Not at Blossom. You can hear fine from the back of the lawn, but it's not overly loud. You can tell the sound is a point of pride and it shows.
The view is usually pretty good. The lawn can get crowded, but not so bad you can't see. Sometimes you might have to take a step or two to get a good view, but it's bigger than most lawns so there's usually plenty of room.
Beers and food will be expensive. $10 for a 24 oz beer is a lot, but at least they have some good options like Becks or Yuengling. I don't recommend drinking too many of these because the bathroom lines can get nasty between sets. Â If you want anything nicer than that, it'll be $13.. that's crazy. But that's concerts today I suppose.
The only other complaint is obviously the parking. If they offer the $20 VIP parking, it's worth it. Otherwise, you either need to hustle to your spot, or wait 30-40 minutes (visit the merch stand, hit the restrooms, etc).
Oh such horrible reviews...I guess I got lucky. I went for the first time this past weekend to see DMB. I had read the bad reviews about parking, so we decided to arrive late to avoid traffic and we got right in. No traffic what-so-ever (concert started at 7pm, got there at 7:30pm, Dave went on at 9pm). Yes, there is a nice little walk to get to the venue, but it was beautiful out, and what's better than walking with thousands of other Dave lovers on a sunny summer night?
I didn't have high expectations for this venue (based on reviews), but I personally thought it was beautiful. The grounds were clean and well-kept.. People were friendly! We sat on the lawn for awhile waiting for the show to start and thought it was a nice atmosphere as people were not sitting on top of each other.
Concert was amazing - had great seats in the pavilion. The night was topped off as we were walking out to our car, and heard a police car/SUV honking incessantly. We turned around to see them escorting six busses, the first of which was carrying the one and only Dave - - - front and center in the passenger seat grinning ear to ear. It was awesome. Since our car was near the entrace, we followed the busses out and did not sit in traffic at all.
Wow, some harsh reviews on Blossom! Not deserved at all. Okay, it isnt the Hollywood Bowl (another place I have had the pleasure of going many times, since I now live in LA) but still. I've seen some great concerts here--Pretenders, Elton John (back when he still rocked), Lollapalooza, Ringo Starr and yes, the requisite MSB concerts, including one of the four sold out nights back in the early 80s. Not to mention the excellent Cleveland Orchestra. Blossom is a great place to take in a concert, to either lounge on the lawn or dance on your blanket. Yes, the parking situation is horrible (I remember just turfing across some field as I tried to escape that whole mess after a concert) and God help you if it rains, but still, a beautiful place to party.
Review Source:Back in the day Blossom WAS the place to see a show, these days it isn't the destination that It once was. Your drive in to the venue will include being watched by police hiding in trees and bushes and the military state once you enter the parking grounds...DO NOT bring games like cornhole, horshoes, frisbees or even hackysacs because the police will be on you like a cheap suit and either force you to stop or arrest you for disorderly conduct. Oh but wait! It gets better!!! Even before entering the ampitheatre the fun gets started with what is almost a full strip search with a bonus exploratory cavity search!
FUN!!!
No but really...Any hint of contraband and you can expect to be hauled off and spend the night in prison...
Also...The mountain of coolers there? thats because you are NOT allowed to bring ANYTHING in the show...Back in the day coolers were allowed but of course they wised up and realized that a captive audience will HAVE to pay $8-$11 for a beer if they aren't allowed out once the show started and their cooler was confiscated...
I'm kinda an older dude and back in the day we would clammer to get to Blossom because it was SUPERB...These days I stick to the smaller BETTER venues like the Beachland, Peabodys and Brothers Lounge..And HOB on occasion...
Poor Blossom is such a shell of it's former self...
*sniff*
Found a faster route with no traffic at all to the venue. That deserves an extra star. But seriously, your event staff could be much better and less rude to some of the patrons. Yes, i'm going to single out one dude because he took things way too seriously that even the other event staff crew told him to calm down. I'll probably go here one more time, just to see the Cleveland Orchestra.
Review Source:LOVE Blossom! We are so lucky to have this place here. It is such an awesome time to go for a nice chill picnic, drink some wine and just sit on the grass and listen to the amazing Cleveland Symphony on a warm summer night. Awesome spot for 'regular' concerts too. We saw Tom Petty here once and the experience was equally great.
As good a venue as anywhere I've ever seen a concert although it's smaller than many amphitheaters as others have said. But I kind of like it that way - it's more intimate - like this awesome symphony is just playing for you and your peeps. Plus it's very affordable especially for the lawn seating which is the best place to sit at an amphitheater anyway. Also parking is FREE except for the close up reserved lots.
A symphony concert at Blossom is a must-do for a proper Cleveland summer.
I love Blossom! Â I've seen many shows there since I grew up and it still is an awesome place to see a live show. Â Most recently saw Phish there the past 2 years, 2011 and 2010. Â The place was crowded and the band was on point. Â The parking lot is hectic, but just be patient leaving.
Review Source:I love blossom!
the fact is, you know what you're getting into when you go to blossom, it's in the middle of a park, that's it's appeal!... Â my favorite blossom experience had to be seeing kiss/aerosmith play together, prolly like 10 years ago now. Â They had a second stage that they brought along with them and set it up in the lawn so for both band's second sets they were right there, it was wonderful. Â Now that I've been to see more shows i've realized what you go to blossom for. Â Blossom was built as the summer home for the cleveland orchestra, and is best suited to them to this day. Â Bring your own bottle of wine or 6 pack, snacks to have during the show, where else can you do that? Â I just ordered tickets for september and I can't wait to surprise my boyfriend with a picnic in the lawn hearing his favorite piece, it's what blossom is all about.
There is so much room for improvement but I doubt it'll ever get done. Â
It's not a horrible venue but you can definitely do better.
Like any outdoor venue its nice except during late fall and winter. Â The seats are not comfy nor spacious. Â
And the parking.... Ohhhh my!!! Â It is the WORST parking set up ever. Â It took us 2 1/2 hours to get out of the parking lot. Â At that rate I could have parked 6 towns over and still gotten there faster. Â It was a mud pit and I watched cars head up the slight hill and slide back down. Â They had two lots and one exit on each lot. Â After the 2 1/2 they opened a second exit that leads you towards the other lot. Â It was about as dumb as can be. Â Based on that experience I refuse to go there again.
Woohoo, outside pavilions!
I got a great discount with working at the clinic. The Cleveland orchestra has GREAT sound... sadly, I don't think the theater has the acoustics to complement their skill. I saw the Disney classics performed by the orchestra here, and loved it. The pavilion's small- much smaller than Detroit, 5 times smaller than the Hollywood Bowl, but still, for the price of the tickets and the quality of the show? So worth it. I kind of wish I had gone to the John Mayer concert the week prior here. Â
Even if you got lawn tickets here, it's still good seats! Definitely small and hidden away, out in the boonies of Akron (definitely got lost trying to find this place), but still, a cool place with great musical acts that come and perform here....for cheap! So worth it to go!
ok, even though a lot of frequent yelpers out there have given it bad reviews, I HAD to do the Blossom experience at least once since I just moved here and everyone in my department said that I had to go because it was so amazing. Â So, Zac Brown Band was in town last night (I kind of equate them with Georgia's answer to the DMB....with beards).
Driving down there - used my trusty iPhone to find mad directions (was told to avoid Route 8, glad I did) and was taken by a bunch of really cool areas that I will be back to check out (Szalay's sweet corn farm, a covered bridge and the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, I know they may be old hat to you native's but for someone new they look like a bunch of fun!). Â Didn't really mind the 45 min trip from my apartment but that's probably because where I'm from the nearest other major city is a 3 hour drive away, lol
Parking - confusing, I had no idea where I was going or what lane I was supposed to be in and the teenagers who were too young to have driver's licenses themselves were not really that good at flagging vehicles. Â So, I wound up in the "pay $20 extra for closer parking" lane, which kind of meant, "you get to give us more money so you can still walk a long a** way to get to the entrance". Â And it was so fun to try and get out of there, especially with a limo and a Hummer trading honks and cutting other people off to try and get ahead of the other. Â Oh, and the massive old army truck filled full of drunken 20 year-old's, one of which was trying to jump from the back of the truck onto the hood of the vehicle behind them made for an entertaining time leaving.
The Walk - this should have been my first hint at the night that was to come, ZBB is a country/folk group and ALL the white trash and hicks were out for this one and it seemed like everyone pre-gamed for this show too. Â I've never figured out how cutoff shorts and no shirts for guys became stylish...and really, I'm ok with it if you have a great bod, but the majority of you should be putting a shirt over those beer bellies.
Bathrooms - Since everyone said how gross the bathrooms were, I decided to preempt it by showing up early and hitting the loo before everyone else messed it up too much. Â And to be true, they were fine before the concert, but I definitely wouldn't have wanted to see them afterwards.
Concessions - good thing I was the DD, holy crap expensive....I'm not paying $8 for a single small adult beverage
Seating - I had a pavilion seat, center stage just behind the box seats, great view. Â The lawn looked super crowded with trailer trash, I'm glad I had a seat next to a nice family. Â However, the drunk blond hick Cougar sitting next to me did not increase my entertainment. Â Look lady, I don't want strangers shaking their a** in my face at a concert, I go to strip clubs to get that kind of treatment, and those a**es are in much better shape than yours....
Concert - amazing, they played for 4 hours, some truly incredible musicians up on stage, probably the finest live-fiddling I've ever heard, Charlie Daniels would have been proud...
Crowd - well, aside from the 40y/o Cougar next to me, about 80% + of the crowd was annoyingly drunk and causing a ruckus. Â I'm not sure how these people were getting home because I did not see enough sober drivers in the crowd.
Overall - I enjoyed the concert a lot, I'm not sure if there are too many acts that I would put up with all of the annoyances in order to go see them at Blossom, but there may be a few. Â I'll probably try and get to an Orchestra showing here before the fall hits as well, or maybe I'll just dress up and see them at Severance Hall instead. Â Good to experience at least once for sure!
I love when I get jolted into reviewing something from someone that I don't agree with at all. Positive and negative either way I will chime in when I feel the need to correct a right to wrong or wrong to right. That being said Blossom Music Center absolutely blows. The last concert I went to at Blossom was Radiohead for the Hail to the Thief tour. So it has been a bit since I have been back. In that is the problem.
I could write this review today or I could have written this review in the 80's when I saw countless bands from New Order to INXS to Roger Waters. Blossom has and always will be a pain in the ass to drive to. You get stuck in the nonstop traffic of the one lane road bullshit that is Cuyahoga Falls for miles, minutes and hours. They have never changed, never widened the roads, never done jack shit to rectify this situation. Going home is the same nightmare as getting there.
The parking: oh my the parking. Where did I park? I have no clue because everything looks the exact same from the entrance of the parking lot to the bridge before the venue. Did I turn left, did I go right? Where the hell is my car? This has also been an ongoing issue since the 80's as well, nothing has changed.
The entertainment. Who the hell comes to Blossom really anymore? It used to be the hip place to see shows. Now it's pretty much loaded with classic rockers beyond their prime, country bands, and one hit wonder bands trying to make a comeback with other one hit wonder bands. Too small to fill the Q, too big of egos to play a decent small venue on their own so they have to team up with clone bands of themselves to draw a crowd.
Blossom used to get me excited to see shows there. The big alternative festival types back in the day, but now all it makes me think about are bands like Creed and Kid Rock and Dave Matthews and the Barenaked Ladies. You know, your basic throw away garbage music? I shudder to think what the beer prices or any prices are inside the venue now. They serve what Coors Light and MGD or some other hillbilly options at $12 a cup? I wouldn't go to see a concert here if I had a freakin' helicopter that landed in the middle of the dirty scumbags that can only afford lawn tickets. Thanks for the memories but someone put this dinosaur out of it's misery already.
***Had to add the following because I missed a couple points. Â (1) The Sound...the sound is horrible. Â Unless you go to one concert a year and don't know what a decent live mix sounds like, are tone deaf, or are just really silly you can't seriously think this place sounds good can you? Â Really? Â Seriously? Â (2) Â The bathrooms are disgusting, no matter what the show there is usually someone peeing in the sink because the lines are so long or this is just common practice for drunk hillbilly folk. That was another poor planning oversight of Blossom. Â (3) The Orchestra, yes seeing the orchestra is a nice experience out on the lawn, sitting on a blanket, sipping wine or whatever. Â So there is the one star I am allowed to give. Â The orchestra is possibly worth seeing here. Â However, not for me. Â I don't like sitting with uncultured hicks on the grass listening to classical music while they clap along like it is some hillbilly jamboree. Â It's an orchestra, sit there and shut up, it's not a hootenanny. Â The 1812 Orchestra wasn't made for you to dance a jig and clap your hands along to.
Ahh, Blossom. You could be a lot better. But I think you have way too much against you and it would take miracles to fix your bad qualities.
Getting there sucks. It's pretty far from Cleveland. It's far from the highway and you're bound to get stuck in traffic. No matter what.
Leaving there is even worse than getting there. It's just a total cluster fuck of cars. When the concerts over, all of the employees must jet out of there because there is never a soul in the parking lots to help direct people out. It's always a horrific mess. There is zero organization and it is just maddening -- especially to someone who just paid a hefty chunk of change to see a band play.
The sound sucks.
You wait forever to take a piss. I once ended up with poison ivy on my ASS from not being able to wait any longer and just going in the woods. That was really lovely.
Like a lot of fellow Yelpers, I have some fond memories of Blossom. But those fond memories don't outweigh the negatives of Blossom.
I will say this... if you do go to Blossom to see the Cleveland Orchestra, then forget everything I said above. It is the one and only saving grace of Blossom -- and the only reason Blossom gets 2 stars from me. It's a completely different experience seeing the Orchestra here. The parking isn't bad at all, it's easy to get in and out and it's never sold-out. The best part is that you can bring a blanket and pack food, wine, beer or whatever you'd like. Sit on your blanket under the stars and enjoy the lovely sounds of the world famous Cleveland Orchestra -- the only reason I'd ever go to Blossom again.
I wish the Orchestra would just start playing at Cain Park. Much better venue and closer to home.
As a native of northeast Ohio who now lives in Columbus, I had not been to Blossom Music Center in more than 20 years. I went to numerous concerts there in high school and college, and always enjoyed the scenic setting with it's mature trees and green grass. So, when I accompanied some friends back to Blossom for Lilith Fair, I wondered "Would it be the same? Would it be run down by the cuts in upkeep expenses that seem to plague lots of corporations And make no mistake, Live Nation is a corporation.
I was pleased to see that it was indeed still the pleasing venue with the lovely outdoor setting I remembered. Many of the other reviewers complain that this venue is too remote and far away from the freeway, restaurants, etc. Having lived through the colossal blunder (and ugly concrete monolith) that was Polaris nee Germain Amphitheater in Columbus, in the heart of a major business and shopping interchange, I can tell you that remote is the way to go. If this venue were any closer to those amenities, the traffic would be even worse than it is now. It also would not be nearly the enjoyable experience that it is in its serene setting. It might also suffer a lot of complaints/lawsuits/attempts to shut it down from neighbors, like what happened at Polaris.
In general, I do prefer the lawn seating experience. That said, I'm not one that goes to the shows that have a lot of mosh pits, metal, binge drinking, etc., that may happen at other shows. So, for the people that had poor experiences on the lawn, a large factor may be the act you are there to see. My friends & I sat on the lawn for the first three main stage acts, then upgraded our tickets to pavilion seats to see Mary J Blige and Sarah McLachlan. Both viewpoints were enjoyable; I don't think anyone would have enjoyed the show less from the lawn, except obviously our view was better. So, my advice would be this: if you *really* love the act you're there to see, buy a pavilion seat. If you're going because you think it will be fun/it's somewhat casual, go for the lawn.
Parking and Traffic: Blossom now offers guaranteed close-in parking for a higher fee of $15. Since we were there all day, we got one and it was worth it. I don't think I'd pay that just for a 2 hour Tom Petty show or the like. As far as traffic, Cuyahoga Falls residents clued us in that when you arrive at Blossom, there is hardly any traffic when you come down Steels Corners form Akron Peninsula Road. When leaving, staff are stationed at the exits to direct you to your lot, and the Cuyahoga Falls police and Blossom have outbound traffic down to a science. While traffic was heavy, it was continuously moving and we got out of the concert pretty quickly.
I would give this place a two if not for some fond memories made here.The sound is terrible most of the time. The facilities are pretty gross for a place with this kind of stature. The accessibility from the freeway is a JOKE! The acts that play here all suck.
Yet, when i think of my first ever show, Santana back in  the late 80's, i get all happy. It was a family thing to see Los back then. My uncles and my dad were way into him, so the whole extended family went. This was before he made duets with Wyclef Dirty Jeans or that guy from House of Pain. Back when he rocked the long hair with the bald patch in the middle and not one of his now signature hats. The vibe was always so fun and festive. You could wander around and see everyone getting high or dancing. They threw out beads way before it was the thing to do at every fake Mardi Gras event. I still have mine.
But when i went to shows as an adult, i was less enthused. Radiohead, PFunk, B52's-Pretenders were all okay shows, but not worth the above hassles. I could see myself having fun there again, but they really just need to book something really outstanding or actually put some money into the venue.
I've been here a few times for rock shows, both as a VIP and a non-VIP. Â This is basically a large outdoor venue with all the usual accoutrements - overpriced food and beer, a pavilion, a lawn that costs less to sit on than the pavilion, picnic tables, etc. Â The sound is OK (I think Merriweather Post's is better) and the location is pretty. Â
However, there are some minuses about this venue compared with other outdoor venues. Â First off, it is way out in the middle of nowhere. Â Restaurants, etc. Â are a significantly long drive away from the venue. Â There isn't a mall or a place to kill time close by, and the roads are not well marked. Â I've managed to get a bit lost each time I've come in and out of this place, especially exiting because there is one turn off to a major north-south artery that's only marked with one tiny sign and if you miss that you have to drive all the way around the venue again - in the dark. Â Also, for much of the last two years the area surrounding this place has had a lot of roadwork going on with orange barrels everywhere. Â This is not the venue's fault, but adds to the confusion and congestion, especially when leaving after a show.
Location aside, the venue is also hard to navigate once you've found your parking area and gone in. Â There are a lot of exits and if you go in one and then come out the wrong one, it can be VERY hard to find your car. Â It's extremely dark, and again, walkways are not well marked. Â The last time I went I could not find my way back to the car afterwards and there was no one around to ask so I found myself navigating all these annoying, slippery, muddy pathways. Â The only good thing that happened was I found 20 bucks that someone else who was probably just as confused as me had dropped on the path. Â The time before that I likewise had trouble finding the car and was just lucky enough to stumble upon it way sooner.
Driving out after a show takes a very long time as the roads in and out of this place are quite narrow. Â Given that this venue has been in this location for a very long time, one would think they'd have done some road improvements by now, but no.
Aside from these logistical issues, the bands themselves sound OK and the shows are cool and all that, but the headaches getting in and out just make me wish I was rich enough to hire a limo or bus driver to mess with it for me so I wouldn't have to. Â And don't get stuck down here - a cab back to civilization is not cheap from what I've been told by other stuckees. Â As others have noted, this is a big place as outdoor venues go, and the sightlines from the lawn here and even from some of the back pavilion are not great, so if you want to see the band and not just hang out, drink and listen, buy tickets for up front.
My VIP experience here was just sorta lukewarm. Â We were told to show up at a certain early hour to get admitted as a group and do our pre-show VIP merch shopping. Â When we got there, we found the parking lots were not open, so soon there was a long line of VIP cars just parked along the road side in the middle of a forest for a half hour, waiting for the staff to get it together to let us into our parking lot. Â When we finally got in and parked and over to the entrance gate (Still a dern long walk even with the close-in VIP parking!) our hostess was nice, and the complimentary alcohol was reasonably flowing, but the only food we got as VIPs consisted of chips and dip. Â This was our dinner folks...chips and cheese dip. Â Yuck, especially since this area is not rife with places to eat pre-show, so between that and the arriving-early business, I was hungry! Â The people who'd done VIP for the same tour in other cities reported that they'd gotten much much better food at other shows. Â Our seats and access also were not quite as good as the VIP package ads led several of us to believe, though I did have a good time at the show. Â I don't think I'd spring for a VIP package here again.
One of the few truly great things about Cleveland is the Cleveland Orchestra. I was sad when the annual program ended a few months ago, but then I found out about the summer concert series and there was hope again! I was skeptical about the location, though. (Grass, bugs, and outdoorsy stuff never appealed to this city girl, especially in the muggy Cleveland heat.) Still, I was willing to brave it for one of my favorite pieces of all time, the Rach 2.
The evening started off a bit rocky because this place is HARD TO FIND coming from Cleveland. The freeways split at unexpected times and this caused us to take a few detours. Eventually we arrived (late), and luckily parking wasn't too hard to find. When we headed toward the gate, I could hear the sweet sound of the piano playing and while it was beautiful, I was disappointed that I missed a big part of the Rach 2. Our seats were all the way on the left, so I walked slowly by the massive grassy incline where many folks had set down towels, chairs and coolers. I saw couples of all ages, families with children; some people were sipping wine, others were reading books. Quiet chatting was not too disruptive.
When I headed down toward my pavilion seat, a security guard or whatever suddenly stopped me and told me I could NOT sit down because we were in the middle of the piece. I stared at him. This was MY piece- the Rach 2- and I had already missed some of it because I was late and now this SOB was making me listen to this piece from an inferior position? Let me say that there have been FEW times in my life I have endorsed homicidal ideation and this was one of them. It took a lot of self restraint not to strangle the guy and jump down the stairs. Of course I knew these were the rules, but c'mon...!
Grudgingly, I headed back a few steps to the grass where I was now relegated. By this time the piece was a few minutes to ending so I told myself to forget the anger and just enjoy the music. This was not too hard to do. Even though there were speakers, I could still make out the true sound of the orchestra and piano from the stage ahead. As the piece swelled to its dramatic climax, I felt myself sinking into musical bliss. Then the pause in the last two minutes before the orchestra took over the melody opened the floodgates for the sweeping, unapologetically romantic closure. It was a transcendent experience. I wanted to laugh, cry, and make love to the world but all I could do was speechlessly hug my friend beside me. He asked me if I was tearing up and I guess I didn't realize I was.
It would seem to me that most of the reviewers went to Blossom for rock music. Â That would tend to yield one sort of experience. Â Being the somewhat out-of-sorts guy that I am, I went with a friend to hear Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto number 2 being played. Â
It was, in a word, sublime.
The Pavilion is a warm wood toned structure, shaped like a great shell. Â The open structure allows viewers sitting on the grass a view of the stage, which is lit by warm incandescent lights that suffuse the environs with an almost golden hue.
In the starlit night, it's reminiscent of a fay sort of scene; something out of the Lord of the Rings -- particularly when the sounds are something a bit mellower.
Drawbacks would include the use of area mics to pick up the sound and pipe it to the grass seating. Â Speakers always degrade the sound of a live orchestra. Â I suppose it is part and parcel to rock bands... but it intrudes on the purity of sound and resonance that I love about places like Severance.
Parking is a bit of a bear... and so is the walk... but if you regard it as a walk in the park, you'll find it much more to your enjoyment.
Make sure you stop a moment to enjoy the view of the stage in the night. Â It's breath taking.
I particularly liked seeing the entire orchestra in a summer white tuxedo motif, which positively glimmered under the brilliant stage lighting.
Next trip out, I might have to try sipping on some wine on the surrounding patios, before heading in for some sound under the pavilion's portico...
i do love blossom. Â i don't go to the big shows very often anymore, but if i have my choice, i much prefer the blossom experience.
in the summers, you can bring your hunnybunches of oats, sit on the lawn, and listen to the orchestra play romantic interludes as you feed 'em cheese with his wine.
you can bring a big ol' blanket and rock out to a hair band of yesteryear with all your friends, laughing at the irony of acid washed jeans and the big open spaces echoing pour some sugar on me. Â
or, if you're lucky, you can sit in the pavilion and enjoy any, all, or something else.
i recently headed back to blossom this week to catch the radiohead show. Â i really love this space. Â we didn't have to deal with all the walking and parking miles away since we had the vip passes (awww snap is right) but even if we had, i wouldn't have been complaining.
the set up of blossom is great. Â surrounded by trees, strategically placed bars, booths, and merch stands, and enough space for a bunch of people. Â i mean, even with a sold out crowd at the radiohead show, i was still impressed with the joint. Â great acoustics. Â
it's your summer cleveland concert experience.
love.this.place.
actually, my first concert ever was here. Â back when i was eight. Â lawn seats. Â the beach boys with the 'rents
hell yeah.
I've gone to Blossom for many-a-show going back to Dave Mathews and the Horde Festival in the late 90's. Â Unfortunately, though, I'm kinda over it. Â
Really, I don't mind the drive down there. Â I don't mind walking from the grass lots next to Steels Corners to the venue. Â I love the surroundings and look of the structure. Â It's a lot of the other stuff I could do without.
I was just at the Radiohead show Monday night (awesome band, great set, 2 encores) and I left with a bad taste in my mouth; possibly, in part, due to the wasted teenager that choked on his cherry coke and spit it all over my back. Â
We were on the lawn but the place is noticeably quieter than in years past. Â I like to attend a concert and FEEL the music, not just hear it from afar; something lost this time 'round. Â
The big problem is getting out. Â We didn't pay extra for parking but I would encourage it. Â Like I said, we parked immediately next to Steels Corners so I anticipated a speedy egress. Â Unfortunately, it took 1.25 hours to exit the lot. Â This was due in part, I surmise, to the Sheriffs letting paid parking patrons leave in a perceived 10:1 ratio to grass lot patrons. Â That's fine for the concert goers on summer vacation but I gots to work. Â
We didn't drink, but the beers are $10. Â That's cool as long as they infuse it with some of the prodigious amounts of KB on the lawn, but, methinks they do not.
Moral of the story: Â If you want a great concert experience there, pay extra for the pavilion and paid parking. Â They will search bags but not frisk for most shows. Â If you are on the lawn and it rains, the place drains well but gets messy.
I'd still go for an orchestral concert but I much prefer an Agora, Beachland Ballroom or even Wolstein Center show for my concert experience. Â Or maybe I'm just getting old and the age of 28.
I've been to well over 100 concerts in my years but only two at Blossom. Â With that said, both of those concerts rank in my top 5, all time. Â REM '03, Radiohead '08.
Incredible acoustics, a great wide-open lawn, free parking, and a quiet surrounding that is peaceful and gorgeous.
One star off for the horrible traffic flow (both foot and car) when trying to leave, but that is the price you pay for the beautiful isolated surroundings. Â Love it.
Serene beauty coupled with loud music and occasional vomit. Â Who could ask for more?!
THE UP-SIDE: Â In order to attend a concert at Blossom Music Center, most people are going to have to drive for about 45 minutes. Â And that, is one of Blossom's strengths; it's removed from the city life. Â When you attend a concert here, you feel like you're "going somewhere." Â It's nice.
The facility itself is 100% pleasing to the eye. Â Like a giant seashell radiating music, the pavilion sits at the bottom of a scooped-out, grassy, seating area. Â Music and nature; a great mix.
THE DOWN-SIDE: Â The pavilion is THE place to sit for a show. Â It offers a far superior view to the grassy seating area. Â However, the slope of the seats is nowhere near what it should be, and leaves one struggling to see at times.
The grassy seating area is great if you're not "that into" actually seeing the band perform. Â If you're on the lawn, you will hear the band, but the acoustics kinda stink a little. Â Plus, the lawn is rife with drinking and carrying on. Â This is great if it's what you came for; however, it's not why I attend a show. Â
And if you chose the lawn, watch out for puke. Â (...I'm just saying.)
THE SUM-IT-UP: Â Attending a concert at Blossom is like a Cleveland/Akron area rite of passage. Â It can be a great experience. Â If you're super-interested in the band, sit in the pavilion. Â You can always go to the lawn if you're bored and seeking more "entertainment." Â However, if you don't give a crap about the band, and care little about the possibility of getting rained on, go for the lawn. Â It can be fun there. Â You just gotta be in the mood for a little random craziness.
To have the best experience at Blossom, heed this advice. If you actually want to see the band/group/person, purchase tickets for the pavilion. They/he/she won't be just a dot and the acoustics are worth it. If you want to save money, don't have back problems and being up close is not priority....purchase tickets for the lawn. I'd recommend enjoying the sounds of the Cleveland Orchestra out on the lawn. It's fabulous and completely relaxing. One other thing, if you're seeing a sold-out show, be prepared to sit sit sit in the parking lot.
Review Source:I love seeing concerts here. This is an outdoor venue in Cleveland. Blossom has tons of different kinds of concert including all mainstream bands along with orchestras. Back in the 1960's you could roll a keg in here with you and drink thoughout the performance. Obviously now you can't bring in beer or anything but they do sell it and you can bring food in. There is two sections to the venue, one is the lawn where you show up and bring blankets and hang out on the lawn (my favorite) and the other is seating.
Review Source:Ayyyy, ohhh, way to go Ohio....Chrissie Hynde worked the concession stand here, at Cleveland's beautiful answer to Tanglewood and Shoreline Amphitheater. Â Chrissie was a bored, tough girl with a dream. Â Off to England, she founded the Pretenders and became the first kickass female guitar goddess, and then returned to headline Blossom in triumph. Â I've seen Chrissie and her Pretenders here along with every other big name in 80's music. Â Even the lawn seats are great at Blossom, but not as great as the memories.
Review Source:
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
