First of all, my bad for assuming no one in their right mind would host an acoustic show, with a piano and a cello, in 108 degree heat - despite the lack of sunshine. Â They DID think to have huge generators running giant misting machines - but they didn't think about how that might affect the sound quality for the audience. Â The grass was well maintained, and the staff was nice enough, but in 2013 I just expect every single venue to accept debit / credit cards. Â I don't care that you have an ATM, it's insulting. Â Also, your parking is a nightmare. Â That is all.
Review Source:My Mom, Sister, and I all went to the Mesa Amphitheater last night to see "The Piano Guys". The facility was very nice and was able to accommodate the large crowd. All of the concert staff were very nice and helpful.  Our concert was amazing and I could not believe the level of talent on stage. We sat in the reserved seat section on the left side (stage right). It was a great view! The concert started at 7:30pm- so the amphitheater was a great  venue to have it since the weather cooled down.
Review Source:We really like this venue. It is small so there is no bad seat in the house. We had a general admission for a concert and are so glad we didn't get seats. They were crammed together in front. The lawn is tiered to you have great views of the stage. Sit on the grass and the embankment behind you serves as back support. The bathrooms are clean and the beers somewhat reasonable. Glad we ate before we went.
Dinging a star because the acoustics are not as they should be. Who doesn't love and outdoor venue on balmy spring evenings?
I am very fond of the Mesa Ampitheater on a perfect Phoenix night. It's got tiered grass, and you just pick a place and park. I like the idea of being able get as close or chill as far back as you like. There is just something about rocking out under the stars and not being all sticky with other people's sweat that I dig about it. Parking can be a little inconvenient if you show up later, having to use street parking and walk, but haven't had to walk more than a few blocks.
Review Source:There is something to be said for a venue that's big enough to actually breathe in! All of the nice grass and trees put Mesa Ampitheatre at the top of my list. You can sit if you want, or rush up to the front, mosh, and take a shower in everyone else's sweat. You can probably guess where I am. This place is awesome when the weather is nice! The shows are not the cheapest but they bring in some big names.
Review Source:I'm that girl who's super, super uptight about following all the rules...
I respect authority way more than I should, I don't speed, I'd rather be 30 minutes early than 2 minutes late, I don't text while driving and I don't ever try to bring cameras into a venue....UNLESS, the website says I can.
Now ordinarily, even when the venue says I can, I typically don't, especially when I'm going to a venue in the city I live in, however, I flew out to Phoenix to see some friends and we were all going to the Black Keys concert, so I figured I'd check out the camera policy, because this was one of those times I really wanted to document the memory. The website said as long as there was not a removable lens, the camera would be permitted. Perfect! ...Or so I thought...
When I got to the front of the security line, the lady told me no cameras. I explained the policy stated on the website. She said she couldn't make the call and I would have to hash it out with her supervisor. So I proceeded to plea with the big mean woman about what the website said and how my camera was within the limits they outlined. But she said no. Absolutely not. I argued a little with her, which is very unlike me, but ultimately I lost and I had to trek all the way back to the car, in a place I had never been to, to put the camera away. Fortunately my best friend joined me and we made it into a fun predicament.
The Black Keys were of course amazing and the venue played a big part in that. The open multilevel grass seating was a brilliant touch and I definitely loved that I could see one of my favorite bands under my favorite starry night sky, which is why I'm giving the place 3 stars.
As for the rest of it? I could do without.
Just saw The Black Keys there.. everyone who bitches about any line..get to the venue alittle earlier.. we had no lines... walked right in... bought our Tshirts, poster, no line. grabbed beers, walked around. Best sound is in the middle, on the first curb closest to the stage. Liked the fact that people let you have your space... beautiful warm night...nice concert venue...
Review Source:Black Keys=5 stars, hands down
This venue=3 stars when you enter and leave, but 5 stars in the actual venue. Averaged out, 4 stars. Weird vibe coming in. Everyone is herded in like cattle. Apparently the guy who was supposed to direct women to a separate line from men was preoccupied while flirting with what appeared to be underaged young girls, so one of the security ladies yelled at me for being in the wrong line. Â Once we got in, we waited in a beer line for at least 30 minutes, no exaggeration. At the helm of the line were 2 middle age ladies, who were super overwhelmed. We finally got our beer. A Michelob Shock Top, which was considered Premium, a joke in itself, but only $8 for 24 ounces. Once we sat down, the venue was awesome. We sat in the grass, on the side, and could see the Black Keys and the entire stage. The sound was great. Seemed like everyone was having a great time. Beer #2 only took about 10 minutes. As the show ends, more chaos erupts. The bathrooms are closed, so everyone has to be herded out and the only restrooms are in the same hallway as the only exit. Very strange set up. I will definitely return, but maybe not for a sold out show.
One of the best medium sized outdoor venues in Arizona. Â I was just there last weekend for the Mesa Blues Blast, which happened despite the cold and rain. Â There were a small fraction of blues fans that stuck through the weather, and we enjoyed a great show.
Usually, when the weather is nice, this is the perfect place to bring a lawn chair, and enjoy a daytime show. Â Or, I imagine it being a wild place to see a rock band (I think I saw Green Day here a decade ago, but it could have been somewhere else).
There is no smoking even though it is an outdoor venue, which is a good thing. Â Have you ever been in a crowd so thick it is already hard to breathe, not to mention the smoke?
Beers were pricey, but expected.
If one of your favorite bands plays here, this would be a great place to see them (i.e. the upcoming Black Keys show).
I saw the Pixies play here this past Friday. We got in around 6pm and parked for free on Center Street. Nobody in line at the security check, so we all got in within two minutes. Inside was really nice, it seemed cooler with all of the green grass. Far different than the typical Phoenix concrete experience.
Acoustics were pretty good. They had a projector playing band pics and abstract images. The dripping-blood backdrop was cool. Beers were $7.50, only Bud products though. Shock Top, AmberBock and a few others. Â Overhang of contact buzz with all of the hippies and stoners in attendance. However, when I was leaving, all of the smokers were still lit up with everyone crowded around the exit. And to my dismay, they were smoking cigarettes, not the good stuff. Not cool, one bit. Still, a worthwhile experience to see a live band play here.
Second time I've ventured up to a show at this place was for the Pixies. Â There's definitely 4-star potential. Â
But alas, there's some significant problems as well. Â Interestingly, I didn't think parking was so bad. Â We basically followed the line of cars in a little late and parked in a lot, FOR FREE, which was roughly 5 or 6 minutes walking away from the entrance. Â Then began the problems. Â The entry line was disorganized at best. Â There were two lines, one for men, and one for women, so they could be patted down (security states are always fun). Â OK, fine... but the men had more checkers than the women. Â So immediately, the wife and I are separated from each other. Â And by separated, I mean that I got in in a reasonable manner, then had to wait near the entrance for over 35 minutes for my wife to "clear security". Â Many, many other people were clearly in the same scenario as I waited there. Â Well, certainly a beer would wash away that frustration. Â OK, they want you to get a bracelet first? Â Fine, seen this before. Â But where is the guy with the bracelets? Â Ahh... there's a crowd of people surrounding a guy in an official-looking red shirt. Â No line, just join the nebulous blob of people. Â Get close enough to get a bracelet, and we find out that we need to show our ID to the guy next to him so he can scan them (again with the security state?) and ensure we aren't being shady about our age. Â Then THAT guy will tell the first guy whether or not we are cleared to move on to the next line--beer. Â Fortunately, from there on, it was smooth sailing to our $7.50 "premium" Michelob Amber Bock. Â Yep, that's as good as it gets here. Â Whatever... I wouldn't have been able to afford anything better likely anyways!
As for the venue itself, like I said, there is certainly 4-star potential. Â General admission, turfed open areas with terraced layers rising up as you move progressively away from the stage. Â I live for shows at venues with setups like this. Â As stated by some others, the air quality did seem a little off, but I wasn't sure if that was due to the smoke machines of the bands, or the smoke machines that are many of those in the crowds. Â But hey, I don't really blame them. Â Outdoor venues like this are really the last place you can light up while watching the band play to you.
Get the entry and service issues taken care of and this place will get another star. Â I'm sure some day, when there's another of those "epic" shows coming here, I'll be back to test the place out again.
I just caught the Pixies here on Friday night and forgot how much I loved the Mesa Amphitheater! Its been a few years since i've been there, in fact I think the last time I was there was the last time the Pixies were here.
One big down fall is the parking situation. Although by some sort of weasel like Magic my sister and I were able to get in the line for the parking lot and got the last spot for only $5! Score.
The line to get in was a bit of a cluster f*ck, but I ran into Dallas G. and chatted him up a bit, so that was cool.
Once in my sister and I got some pretty prime seats. We each brought in a 20 oz. bottle of water so we didn't have to pay some crazy price to keep hydrated, more venues should do this.
The sound was AMAZING!
My only other compliant is all the smoke. I get that its outside, but damn.... I felt sick to my stomach when we left. Maybe if they made a designated smoking area to keep it all in one place would be cool....but there I go showing my old again.
I have seen some killer shows here...
Great place and totally outdoors. They hold most of their shows in the fall ::::so the weather is awesome. Â If there is a band that tours here, be sure to check it out. Â I try to fly a couple times a year to see shows..... Â All ages and general admission. Â They also have a decent beer garden.
This is my favorite place to catch a show hands down. Â The outdoor venue is the pinnacle of why I moved to Arizona. Â The soft grass, great sound, and excellent bands mesh together like a mini Edge Fest. Â The only thing I could do without would be the Festival Prices of the drinks. Â Mesa Amp gets great bands, and I can't wait to see another show there soon.
Review Source:I have always had a great experience every time I have seen a show. Amphitheaters are not normally my thing but this place does its job. I always prefer indoor concerts 9 time out of 10 but sometimes I can't help it if a band is coming that I want to see. This place has always been clean and spacious. I like the convenient location and parking. Â I have seen 311, Something Corporate, Death Cab for Cutie and Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins here and have all been great experiences.
Review Source:This place holds a special place in my heart. The Mesa Amphitheater is literally 1 mile from my childhood home. I'd ride my bike daily through the parking lot to get to the Mesa Library...ahhh memories!
I saw a few bands there as a teenager and more recently, Death Cab for Cutie this summer. It's somewhat of a hidden oasis because as we all know, that area of Mesa has seen its share of better days. Yet, the inside of the Amp. remains virtually the same and very well maintained.
You can purchase tickets at the box office, free from all Ticketmaster charges. If you live in the east part of the valley, it's much better to just drive over there and pick them up instead of paying the outrageous fees.
The entire venue is covered in lush tiered lawn, making it surprisingly cooler even in the summer months. Note, it's by no means *cool* temperature wise but it definitely drops a few degrees by being so grassy. I like outdoor venues. I'd take an outdoor venue any day over a  hellish sound reverberation indoor venue. You can see from anywhere in the place and the sound is good. Because of its bowl shape, it also provides plenty of shade in the late afternoon when you're waiting for the band to come on.
I enjoy the fact that you can easily park for cheap ($5) and get out relatively easily, or park in the neighborhood across Center St., get out even easier, and pay nothing.
The only problem I had was with the security being retarded about the camera I tried to bring in. Although it's a digital SLR and fairly large, the brawny nasty security lady snidely remarked "If the camera was as big as that bag, that there was NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WAAAAAAAAAAAY I'm letting that in!" A simple, "Sorry, there's no large cameras allowed" would have been appreciated.
Don't try to bring in blankets either, for some reason an outdoor venue with grass thinks blankets are a sin.
Mesa Amphitheatre is easily my favorite concert venue in the Phoenix area. Â You can see and hear from anywhere in the place, and the grassy risers were such a good idea. Â The sound was excellent for the two shows I've been to there. Â Really just an overall nice, peaceful place to see a show and enjoy the Arizona weather. Â Parking isn't too bad and neither are the lines to get in where they check your bags. Â To top it all of, getting out of there was a breeze both times I was there.
Review Source:I thought I had written this tangent months ago. Â Why not fix that while the most recent frustration is fresh?
I hate Mesa Amphitheater.
There. Â I said it. Â I hate it. Â Hatehatehate. Â I hate being screamed at by security as I walk to the front. Â I far prefer Marquee's approach to the angry, screaming drill sergeant style security people at Mesa Amphitheater who must enjoy kicking puppies during the daytime to amp themselves up for their patrons. Â I go to various venues across the valley on a fairly consistent basis, and this is the only one that manages to make me feel as though I'm guilty of something when I'm simply trying to walk toward the security gate.
Phoenix gets a bit hot in the summertime. Â The water is extremely overpriced and the drinking fountains only work half the time. They use Ticketmaster. The grass makes me itch. Â This place turns me into an angry grump.
Most spots in the amphitheater provide a great view of the stage, it's easy to get close, and parking is rarely a hassle. Â That's the best I have to say.
Every few years a show I absolutely cannot pass up comes to Mesa Amphitheater and I face the great debate. Â It has to be someone special, though, and I give in. Â It's an odd schism; I stand there entranced by the music despite all of my irritation, thinking "I've never wanted such an AWESOME show to END NOW so I can LEAVE this place, but please don't stop playing, please don't stop".
My final complaint: Â What kind of concert venue shuts down at 10:00pm?
It's lousy to leave a concert and have the "OH MY GOD THAT WAS THE GREATEST SHOW EVAR" conversation supplimented with "OH MY GOD I HATE THAT PLACE I'M NEVER GOING BACK AGAIN."
It always takes a couple of years, but I'll be back. Â Somehow I can't seem to stay away.
I'm taking back a single star for a couple reasons:
*A 20oz bottle of water will cost ya $3.50.
If they're going to have shows in the summer, they shouldn't rip people off. National music festivals, like Lollapalooza and ACL, charge only $2.
*Crappy beer selection.
Ok, so if you're gonna drink, you might as well brace yourself to swallow swill. Best option they got, which can potentially hit the spot, is Amberbock.
Here are a few tips for ya:
*Freeze a bottle of water for at least 6 hours. Pull it out an hour before the show and it should last ya all night, since it melts slowly.
*Wear as little as possible. Think shorts, tanks, flip flops.
*Bring cash. They have an ATM inside, but the lines seem to be longer for the cash-machine than the beer. Must be the tweeners looking to buy their concert tee.
*Stock up on albuterol. If you have smoke allergies or asthma, be careful where you sit. Everyone here lights up.
In closing, Mesa Amp still gets props for bringing in Rogue Wave and Death Cab for Cutie.
While it's not my favorite place, I think this is a good venue. It's the spot of my very first big concert (New Order 1989). Since then, I've seen some fantastic shows here - Beastie Boys, Circle Jerks, Violent Femmes, REM, etc... I've even been back stage here hanging out with some of the bands.
I have good memories here, so I have no reason to fault it. The parking, the ants, the vendors, the security... I don't remember any of that. I just remember good times... I just remember the music. That's the way it should be. I do remember that they have good sound and the grounds are typically kept fairly nice.
The last time I was there was 5 to 8 years ago, so perhaps things have changed. I imagine it's pretty much the same.
Heaven forbid that any act I'm into is seeking a show palace out in Phoenix's paved over backyard, Mesa, Arizona
Short of a Smiths, one-show-only reunion, I will never venture here just to park my happy ass 3 miles from the venue, plant my ass in an ocean of unenthusiastic knuckleheads who insist on sitting on their ledge in lieu of standing, and praying for a geyser of alcohol to emerge from Mesa's rancid underground so that I may indulge in a beverage past 9 o'clock.
No proper show should EVEN START by 10pm, much MUCH less end by that time. Â WTF? Â How in the world did this venue even get approved? Â This is like getting a chance to party on the tour bus with Van fucking Halen, only they decided to reunite with Gary Cherone as their frontman and they all were experimenting with homosexuality that week and drank Mr Pibb instead of Maker's Mark. Â A freaking nightmare this place!
This is not my favorite venue by a long stretch of the imagination. Â Don't go to a summer show. Â Just don't. Â It's too hot to be alive when you're just sitting around with your friends bitching about how hot it is much less when you're trying to keep an eyes on the band you came to see while throwing elbows and boots at those who seek to dethrone you from your coveted postion in the general seating area.
Now imagine yourself three rows back with Paul Bunyan reincarnated as a sweaty frat boy assaulting you with his enthusiastic howling inspired by seven dollar domestic beer in a plastic cup while simulaneously grinding his sweaty junk into your ass cheek every time the crowd surges forward. Â The two high school girls in front of you turn around like you're the complete douchebag who's ruining their show instead of Paul Bunyan and his sweaty onions. Â It's also a hundred and fifteen fucking degrees.
On second thought, go to a summer show. Â On the bright side you will no longer fear hell.
This is one of my favorite music venues in the Valley. Â It's an outdoor grass venue that is big enough to get good bands but small enough to feel intimate. Â It's all open so you can get right up there next to the stage. Â I saw Modest Mouse here last year and am looking forward to seeing Death Cab for Cutie this December. Â Keep your eye on the concert schedule.
Review Source:
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