Blue Hills Bank Pavilion

If I could give this place negative stars I would. Which is a shame, because it used to be good back in the day. I saw Widespread Panic there last summer — typically these types of shows have a mellow crowd and no one is looking to cause any trouble. Sadly, the people who work here are on a total power trip. It’s a widespread show — look the other way if someone lights up a dube…
I felt really bad for the cigarette smokers — they were treated like criminals — not even allowed to smoke outside the venue, which by the way is OUTSIDE. Crappy beer costs $ 12 and the worst part is you are not even allowed to dance. You are basically told to stay in your seat and stand still by the power tripping people who work there. Ended up leaving halfway through the show — couldn’t take it anymore.

overall, a pretty great experience! the location was rather convenient, as you could take the silver line to reach the venue. the sea breeze and view of the harbor just added to the experience!
when i read that this venue was only seats, and that other concert-​goers weren’t allowed to stand up at all, i was admittedly worried. i saw twenty one pilots, and they were full of energy! at my show, everyone was allowed to stand up and there was no problem. i was even able to touch the lead singer as he ran though the aisles. the one annoying thing was that security had to keep checking your ticket anytime you left the seated area.
i had a bit of a sour experience with buying merch, though. this wasn’t necessarily the venue’s fault, but it still sucked that i missed the last song of the opener, the ENTIRE second act, and both intermissions between the acts in order to buy a t-​shirt.
yet, i still had a great time! i’d recommend the place, but stay clear of merch until the end of the concert.

Just went there for the first time to see the scorpions show last august. I was in a hotel in Dedham (hotel prices in boston are Double) got a über ride to the show so i dont know about parking. going in is the usuall pat down here, give your ticket there, get your drinking wristband over there ritual. Plenty of places to drink and eat, bathroom wasnt a problem i think i fits 20 guys at once peeing there. Anyways finding my chair wasnt a problem cause thei had about 10 staff members just to help you with that, and from my seat (which was a vip box) i could see everything. My dad decided to go last minute, got a seat on the last row and he could still see the show. the sound was amazing. This was an overall great experience.

This has become our new favorite venue to see and listen to concerts. Tonight is our last concert of the summer season. We decided to go to the VIP tent for the first time for both of us. We were greeted by 2 very lovely ladies and then greeted inside by a fantastic older gentleman named «Joe». He was helpful and patient in explaining where we could sit, what was available to eat and drink. We ended up sitting there for the entirety of the show. The bar staff was attentive and prompt. Overall, another great experience.

Worst venue I have ever attended. Santana concert. Could not see the screens nor the performer because the concert attendees were standing which is to be expected at a live concert. At the very least there should be additional video screens for those of us seated in rows midway up from stage and back.
Cannot recommend the location.

Seen a few shows here and it’s a great venue for outdoor smart concerts. All seats at this venue are good seats.
Decent beer selection but I didn’t see any cider :(not a very good food selection. Some vendors ran out of things by the time the main act began.

Great small venue to see a concert. We’ve been here many times and always enjoy this place. We saw Cheap Trick and Peter Frampton a few weeks ago, which was a great show. Bought VIP seats for my wife’s birthday, which ended up being worth it.
Here’s the negative (absurdity) part. We were only allowed to take pictures during the first three songs. After that, the Live Nation security staff went on the lookout for photo violators. They even had a security guard behind the front barrier, pointing out people for other security staff to go after. Having them point flashlights or even go into our section to stop people was VERY distracting. Security is there to protect concert goers — not be a nuisance and spoil a show. I highly recommend they do something about this. I didn’t pay $ 200/​ticket for that BS.

Went to the Faith No More concert, definitely pre-​gamed earlier because like hell I’m going to pay their ridiculous prices for drinks. Caught the entire Refused set but during the change-​over I sat down in my seat and nodded off a little. I hadn’t been getting a lot of sleep the past couple nights and yes I had alcohol in my system but as far as I can tell, there’s nothing against venue policy when it comes to falling asleep in your seat. According to two security guards, I had nodded off twice and that was enough reason to kick me out. Nevermind that I wasn’t hurting anyone, nevermind that I was minding my own business, and nevermind the fact I paid good money for my seat when tickets first went on sale. Apparently Blue Hills Bank Pavilion security are absolute pricks. From the other reviews I’ve read, I’m not completely wrong in making that statement. Never coming here again, ever.

When I heard Rob Thomas was in town I had to go and see him no matter where he played. I’ve never been to the Blue Hills Bank Pavilion before and did not know what to expect. When I went online and tried to purchase tickets, I reviewed the seating map and going off on it I thought the place was a huge stadium. I was pleasantly surprised!
When I arrived, I saw the actual size of the venue and was relieved. I have been to stadium concerts as well as small and intimate ones and I’ve always been a fan of the latter. This seemed to be a happy medium between the two. I liked that no matter where you sat, you’d be able to see the performer clearly. The seating was fantastic. I loved how much leg room you had and could easily move around. I would still suggest an aisle seat though for anyone who is antsy and needs to stretch their legs often.
There were a good amount of food kiosks too but man oh man were the prices atrocious. A 24 ounce can of beer will run you 14 dollars. A bucket of popcorn is 10 and so on and so fourth. I’m glad I didn’t go there for the food since the prices were abysmal but it’s good to know that there are choices if you’re hungry and it’s easily accessible from the seats. The views of the harbor were fantastic. I was blessed with great weather tonight and the breeze was just right to where even in the summer and with a large crowd, I wasn’t sweating like a pig. That’s the plus side of an open-​air venue.
There isn’t much parking outside but it’s such a short and brisk walk from South Station that I really can’t see there being a problem. It will take 15 – 20 minutes of walking to get here from SS so the commute isn’t all that bad. I’ve read other reviews about security being strict with checking tickets and what not but I have to say, though they were highly visible, they kept to themselves.
The only downside of the whole experience was that the sound wasn’t all that great. I had some trouble understanding some of the lines being sung because it came off as muzzled a bit. But besides that, the venue itself is great and I will be checking to see an updated list of performers so I can come back again.

This was like my third time coming here a couple days ago, I walked into this venue, the ocean breeze was blowing nicely, the familiar concert energy buzz was in the air, the scents of a concert was present, I can’t describe it but you all know what I mean. Our seats were great and the staff were very helpful. I saw zero of what a few others complained about. The sound from this concert and the couple others I attended prior years were absolutely fine. I can’t wait to return here for Das Scorpions! in Sept. I will say the food really is sub-​par and over-​priced but. does anyone come to a concert venue for a 5 star meal? Just plan to eat somewhere else prior to the show. I give this venue a great endorsement. It’s a gem compared to dealing with the TD Garden or Agganis Arena.

To previous reviewer. Not sure if you’ve been to Harbor lights (the pavillion) or not. The courthouse silver line is not the nearest subway station, the world trade center station is right across the street (silver line way is also closer I believe but wouldn’t make sense to go to). Also, 10 minute ‘walk’ from south station will get most people to around a street or so. Meaning, they still have another 10 minutes to go.
Venue itself has always been good, no matter the sponsor name. Good sound. Good semi outdoor setting and concourse.
Loses a star for shows being over by 11. Recently saw flogging Molly and faith no more (separate bills). Both bands with plenty of catalogue to go well over 1.5 hours.
Can’t be the neighbors complaining about noise. No one lives down here yet.

Went to the Faith No More Concert last night, 08/​04/​2015.
I’d read the Unilocal reviews prior to purchasing tickets to see Faith No More at Blue Hills Bank Pavilion and realized it would be a roll of the dice, experience-​wise. It seemed like a hit-​or-​miss type of situation, where either we’d have a great time or be miserable.
Most of the other reviewers go in to detail, so I’ll just hit the main points.
Step 1: purchase tickets. I’d advise sitting toward the BACK of sections 1, 2, or 3. Best visuals + acoustics of the house. I’d also STRONGLY suggest getting an aisle seat, or close to one. We were smooshed in near the soundboard and had to walk past 25 people just to get out. Annoying for everyone.
Step 2: plan your pre-​game/​arrive/​pre-​game. Parking seems to be a pain (we got lucky and had an «in» for parking nearby). And, as lots of others will tell you, Blue Hills Pavilion charges and absolutely insane amount for beverages and food. Plan on eating and drinking ahead of time. There are plenty of restaurants and bars nearby, all within walking distance of the venue. Just for a price comparison, a slushy 16oz Bud Light Raz-​ber-​rita (can be purchased at gas station for $ 3) was $ 16! WHAT?! and it wasn’t even strong. I’d recommend Harpoon Brewery for drinks and pretzels. More substantial meals can be had at Yankee Lobster, Legal Seafood, pizza shops, etc. Make sure you use «the facilities» before heading over to Blue Hills.
Step 3: don’t bring a bag/​purse/​anything. Security does do a very thorough check.
Step 4: find your seats. Don’t buy a beer. Don’t buy anything. (Buttttt… if you want to buy merch, it seems there’s only one kiosk for that. The line is super long between sets, so plan on going in the middle of a set if you really want something).
Step 5: enjoy the concert. The sound isn’t that great: the first songs of the set were way imbalanced and quiet. All of a sudden, someone turned it up to 11 and it felt like my eardrums were being blasted out. It stayed this way for the whole show. The visuals are OK, I was a little disappointed that the projector screens they had on the sides were really only see-​able by those who already were close to the stage. Light show was awesome and dramatic. Most notably, the setting is quite nice, right on the harbor. But we didn’t get ANY of the nice breeze other reviewers mention. Note: it was very warm and humid, no air movement. Dress accordingly, think tank top and shorts.
Step 6: wait for everyone else to leave. The crowds are a bit intense getting out of here. Surprisingly, traffic wasn’t that bad getting back on to the Mass Pike, lots of patrol cars in the area though, so you’ve been warned. Don’t drink and drive.
Blue Hills is one of those places that you keep in your back pocket in case that one band that you really love comes to town. But for most shows, especially rock shows, I’m not sure that this will be at the top of my list.

Perfect venue for rocking out with Bryan Adams on a steamy summer night. Sat in Section 2, 15 rows back, aisle seats and he never sounded better! Staff was helpful with seating. Concessions had a few beer options to pick from, one being a generic can of beer for $ 4; how refreshing! I don’t know what kind it was as we opted for the $ 9 Bud Light Draft. Go early to stroll through the Seaport area; lots of nice restaurants and views of the harbor.

Went to see Elvis Costello/​Steely Dan (I know — weird) last night with at Blue Hills Bank Pavillion.
Bands good, sound good, venue itself very pretty. Food is stupid expensive and bad, but that’s kind of normal. Finding parking also takes forever, but that is to be expected as well. Starts exactly at the time on the ticket — 7pm in this case. Traffic was bad, so getting into the venue at 7:15 meant we missed half of Elvis’ set. Again… okay — ticket says 7pm which usually means doors open at 7 and band starts at 8, but now I know.
The crowd was super calm – geriatric even.
And each and every one of the venue staff was super hostile and twitchy like the place was filled with skate punk hip hop tweens on Meth. Not one smiled. Not one. It was so bad, that that multiple strangers around me were talking to each other about it.
They jumped on everybody there for anything and everything. Moving. Standing. Saw them repeatedly yell at old people if they stopped in the aisle looking for their seats.
And god help you if you were a smoker.
They «checked you out» of the venue only during intermission to go smoke on the way side of the pier in a pen. After that if you went out to smoke you couldn’t go back in. And they were very angry when you asked why. Very angry.
These are not cheap tickets. And the whole point of going to something like this is to relax and have fun. The staff treated the crowd like we were going to start wilding with our canes and walkers. For me, it’s not worth the money and trouble for any band if they are presented in a venue like this.
Not going back there. Shame.

There is so much to like about the Pavilion — that’s how I like to call it since the sponsoring business keeps changing ever so often. It has been a landmark much before the Seaport district became all hip and happening. I have some of the best memories of this arena. All those amazing concerts, summer nights, the mugginess, the rain, the heat waves, being all hot and sweaty with tank tops on, and then comes in the cool sea breeze, right off the Boston Harbor, beer tasting so good no matter how expensive it is…
If you are not local, and it’s your first time going here, here are some of my recommendations:
— It’s best if you can avoid driving here because parking lots can be expensive. Still, if there isn’t an option, there are quite a few parking spots near the arena.
— Off street parking is limited and metered. If you can walk from the design district, there are more street parking spots than near Northern Ave
— If without a vehicle, Courthouse (Silver Line) is the closest subway station
— South Station is a brisk 10 minute walk away. That’s my go to option — to keep that step count going on my health walk. 10 minutes — about 1583 steps. Not bad at all.
— Eating options: Like a billion of them. From the most expensive and fancy steak houses to seafood places galore. A cool tequila bar with spectacular views of the harbor and more…
— If you can time things right, a tour of the nearby Harpoon brewery before a concert takes care of pre-​game drinking rituals.
Inside the pavilion:
— plenty of beer /​booze stands to choose from. Expect prices be equivalent to a ball park
— Don’t think I remember any food options if memory serves right (I bet there are food stands but I have never eaten here)
— plenty of rest rooms that usually are crowded as expected during breaks and right at the end of the concert
Overall, such a great concert arena. The biggest open air arena being miles away in Foxboro, this one is an absolute boon for watching some of those great intimate concerts right in the middle of the city, by the ocean. What more can one ask for!

In any other musical setting, I would have found this venue to be a wonderful choice… but not for metal. Not at all for metal, folks.
I came to the Rise Against /​Killswitch Engage /​Letlive. show in late July and was immediately disappointed with the bolted-​down seats. At metal shows, mosh pits and standing is just «what you do»: Sway side to side, jump around, smash your sweaty body into other sweaty people. Here, that would not be possible. As a joke, the Killswitch Engage guitarist suggested we all arm mosh, which would amount to swinging them around so violently that you mimic the Whacky Waving Inflatable Tube Man in front of car dealerships.
I can say with confidence that I’ve never felt so caged and confined by chairs. No, not even comparable to elementary school days. Come here to see Journey or Yanni, just not a metal show.

Best outdoor venue in Boston! Beautiful harbor views on warm summer nights! Love this place!!!

I went to see Rise Against, Killswitch Engage, and Letlive here last night. I have been to many hardcore, heavy duty, thrash fests in my day and with Killswitch and Letlive opening the doors for Rise Against I was sure this was going to be a show to get some fists flying in the pit. This was not the case. The sound in the pavillion has no acoustics so all you hear is the bass and drums travel. No words. No screaming guitar riffs and no screaming Jesse leach. Despite awesome set lists from all three bands and not without amazing effort on their part (the guitarist from Killswitch advised «Seat pits») to get things pumped the sound was awful, we were stuck in our seats the whole time, and water was 5 $.

This venue has a series of instructional signs indicating the behavior rules that apply. Since it hosts a variety of Boston/​Irish bands, the most relevant prohibition is the one on punching people directly in the face. This rule is expressed in the form of two-​sided pictogram: one side has a guy punching another guy in the face, and this has the universal circle-​with-​line NO symbol over it; on the yes side, a dude high fives his bros.
So take note, people. I have reviewed a variety of other venues in the greater Boston area that permit punching people in the face as a concertgoing activity. They include Lupos, where it is encouraged, The Sinclair, where it is permitted but discouraged (being Cambridge after all), and both the Paradise and the House of Blues, where it is tolerated but frowned upon. At the Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, punching in the face is banned, so don’t do it here.
I can see why you might want to though, as the venue is pretty nice, and you might get excited and overwhelmed. We went on one of those foggy, humid, cool New England nights, and it was pretty great. A foggy mist engulfed us, and I felt like I was right in the middle of capital-​W Weather. The crowd was an awesome, copacetic mix of older punks, people from Everett, Revere, Quincy, and Malden, and entrepreneurs. Everyone was game though, dancing and singing along to the extent permitted by the rules. And there are tons of rules: not only about who you can and cannot punch in the face, but also about where you may and may not stand, what may or may not come in with you, and so on.
They have A LOT of rules around alcohol consumption too, and the alcohol is very expensive. Everything is very expensive here. Eat before you come.
We were also assaulted by scantily-​clad dancing Bud Light women. After we dispatched of them, we went over to the designated driver table and attempted to be recognized as designated drivers. Because we wore yellow «booze» wristbands, we were rejected.
Whatever! I’m unmoved by MADD and their neo-​prohibitionist rhetoric. You can drink one or even two beers over like 3 hours and be the DD.
Anyway, I liked the venue, the location, and the ease of getting here. The setting is quite nice, a fun place to take in a show. But I really bristle at all those rules. Leave me alone, man. I’ll punch in the face whoever I want.

Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, formerly known as Bank of America Pavilion, is one of my favorite concert venues in Boston. There are no bad seats, and I’ve never had to wait for a bathroom. The Pavilion is also convenient to several places for pre– or post-​concert food and drinks.
My only complaints are that getting here could be easier (but hey, it could also be harder) and damn, but the drinks are expensive. The best deal is probably the $ 36 750mL carafe of wine (equivalent to a bottle) but it’s not very nice wine. I feel like they could close the gap just a little between the alcohol price and quality and still make a nice profit.

I never thought I’d find a place that makes drinks at Fenway seem cheap, but they do a «nice» job of that here… $ 11 for a 24 oz. Bud Light? It doesn’t matter — I didn’t come here for the drinks, I came here for a concert, and the harbor view enhanced that as well.
I’ve been to several concerts here, both acoustic and techno, and I’ve sat in a number of sections. There’s no bad seats when it comes to acoustics. The view of the stage is okay, but I wish they had more or larger monitors. The white dome both adds to the acoustic properties and provides a good backdrop for laser light shows.
In good weather, it is worth arriving early to stroll the grounds and get a view of the harbor. You can find food and drink here, it’s your call whether you want to spend the $$$ for it, the hazard of not being able to leave once you get in.
It’s a bit of a walk from the closest T stop (Broadway), so if you use mass transit prepare for a walk, or try a bus. If you’re driving, it is well worth paying for parking in one of the nearby lots.