Hollywood Bowl

What is not to love about the Hollywood Bowl? Amazing venue ESPECIALLY on a cool summer night! Last time there we saw Andrea Bocelli, and it was an AMAZING night. We started with a gourmet picnic in a nice area by B lot. It was breezy and the sun was staying to set. All the people watching is entertaining and the just generally good time everyone is having contagious! It’s a classic venue, from the moment you drive up you know you’re going someplace special. We are lucky to live in LA and have this amazing venue to enjoy.
The stacked parking is the only bad part and the only reason i won’t it five stars

This is an ah– mazing and magical venue. I was here for the Sound of Music Sing Along which happened to be my first time at the Bowl. I was in section M1 which was closer to the back but I still had a decent view of the stage. I am sure being closer is better but I doubt there is a horrible seat in the house.
Sitting in my seat I could see the Hollywood sign, stars and the mountains. Pure magic.
The best part you can bring your own wine and food to some of the events.
Getting there can be a pain because traffic is crazy and you may have to park blocks away.
Tips: Bring a sweater and wear flats or wedges if you insist.

Few experiences are better or more magical than a summer night at the Bowl. The breeze, the heat, and the historic stage have always made for great memories, especially the various orchestra shows, like the music of John Williams, that include fireworks.
So many great shows, from my first «Disney Spectacular» w/​LA Philharmonic in 1990, on to Van Halen, KCRW Reggae Festival, Cibo Matto, Pink Martini, Zero 7 featuring Sia and more… but many were made better because of the Bowl: Roger Waters’ «Dark Side of the Moon» was the single best concert I have attended anywhere, especially as the Bowl filled with smoke, becoming a real bowl. The Sound of Music singalong is a super fun treat anyone would enjoy, kind of like a Rocky Hitler Picture Show, with a creative costume contest. (I saw Marg Helgenberger in a nun costume there). The director of «Flight of the Conchords» made the experience stellar by keeping one big screen on Bret and one on Jemaine, and the center screen on the duo.
PS. I left my Coachella 2003 sweatshirt there, and Lost and Found had it. Thanks!
Why not five stars, especially since they found and kept my Coachella 2003 sweatshirt until I could pick it up weeks later? Well, two problems:
1. Parking is a nightmare, as many lots are stacked… meaning you leave when the two dozen people in front of you leave. It’s why I refuse to park there– it is horrible (despite seeing a seven foot buck walk through my line of cars– part of the magic). I have a secret place where I can park, walking past the bootleg t-​shirt sellers and hot dog vendors, but I highly recommend the super cheap and convenient BUS option.
2. You better get super saver seats, box seats, or go to a low attendance event, or go with four skinny people, because if the bench seats are sold out, without fail, you will be packed in like sardines. At best, you will be shoulder to shoulder. At worst, your collective asses are being forced to test the Pauli Exclusion principle of quantum mechanics, trying to occupy the same space. Comically, the amount of space they offer on the bench seats can hardly accommodate the seat cushions they rent out for a dollar or so. (See the photo). I recommend one to help stake your claim. Either that, or fake dog doo. Or real, which is cheaper.

This is such a fun place to be! They always have super fun concerts, movie showings, etc to participate in. Definitely something for everyone.
I recommend bringing something for your bum, those seats start off not too bad, but after sitting for hours it’s kind of miserable.
There are bathrooms available on every level, so you don’t have to worry about that at all.
Trying to find your way back to your seat can be tricky by the time the sun goes down because of how dark it gets. But it’s all manageable.

One of my favorite venues. Most nights a beautiful scape of mountains & changing sky…
People watching specially on eclectic or world music nights… hard to beat the vibe.
Wonderful acoustics.
Little known bathrooms on the bottom level save ya from painful lines.
Picnic or pay! Foods good but pricy
Best advice… shuttles! $ 7 round trip from OC… cheeper than parking and hassle free!

I love the bowl. Even the seats towards the back get good sound, and it is nice to be able to picnic outside and inside. I have been coming here for decades and have seen more shows than I can count.
If you come for a lease event, be sure and check the rules for what you can and can’t bring inside, as it varies from the other events.
Also, I highly recommend taking a shuttle to and from the Bowl (bonus, if you show a TAP card, the ride is free… and they don’t check to see if you have any money on the card)

Came here for the first time to watch little mermaid. Decided to park at bowl parking. I understand their idea but I feel like it should be first come first serve. We were the 4^th car there and I think they should have made it so all the ones there first line up side to side instead of back to back… We left a little before the end of the show thinking to be courteous to the drivers behind us. BUT… we ended up waiting an hour and a half as every OTHER row got there after the show and my car was completely boxed in by 4 ridiculously inconsiderate people. We ended up being one of the last ones to get out of that lot.
That’s probably the only downside I have for the Hollywood bowl.
Getting there early is a must for parking as well as if you want to picnic. I got there around 3 and a half hours before the show started to have a picnic. We brought our own foodstuffs and the area is very nice.
They have seat cushions you can rent for $ 1. Definitely need to see how the weather is because everything is uncovered. You can bring in your own food and drinks as long as there’s no glass bottles.
Girls bathrooms were a bit crazy. During intermission the line wrapped around half the walkway entry into the seating area. I think more restrooms are a must.
I got pretty okay seats a little behind where the box seats started and the view was great… any further and you have to watch through tv screens.
Little mermaid live in concert was spectacular!

Parking is no longer an issue with the park and ride from my local mall– and thank goodness, I know people who couldn’t get out of the parking lot for hours! The busses have priority when they leave, so the only slowing you hit is traffic getting onto the freeway or on the freeway.
I wish they were a bit clearer when you purchase tickets regarding whether they are a private or public event– if it is private, you cannot bring your own wine and food into the venue, you must purchase it inside. It was clear on this particular occasion, The Cure, that many people didn’t realize that was the case. Fortunately, I know to look it up!
Some problems I have, which I hate to be a buzz kill, but would like to enjoy the concert and feel the HWB doesn’t meet expectations:
1) Smoking, and a hell of a lot of it, makes it impossible to breath if you’re asthmatic. Nobody there to ask people to step away to smoke, whether pot (got a contact high) or cigarette. Actually, the pot bothers me less. I left smelling like an ashtray and had to use my inhaler consistently throughout.
2) Cameras. Whether private or public event, that I had the option to look at the guitarist’s crotch on the screen, or the arm of the bassist, it was ridiculous. I may as well have been listening to The Cure on the radio, since I couldn’t see anything that was happening. Someone should be manning the cameras. For the amount of money poured into these concerts, it can’t be that much more to give the audience a view of the stage and performers throughout the couple hours they’re there.
3) Sound. I find that most of the sound seems to be lost in the hills. I suspect that if you’re really close, that might not matter, but the father back you get, the less clear the music is and the lower the quality. If you’re at an theater meant for musical performance, I think the sound system should be better no matter where you’re sitting.
I’d go back for less big names, but honestly, it was a bad experience this time around. The «Nightmare Before Christmas» event last Halloween from the nosebleeds was great, but that was good camera work. Nevertheless, I still left smelling like an ashtray.

What a fantastic venue! I love how it’s outdoors and we are allowed to bring our own food. Of course, it’s only nice when the weather is good too. The only complaint is the hike and also stacked parking. I guess I’ll accept the hike as my exercise for the week, month, etc. And I suggest taking a bus or Über to avoid the stacked parking scenario.
People tend to just chill, chit chat and walk around. It’s a very relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

One lesson that I learned from my recent excursion to the Hollywood Bowl. NEVER EVER EVER park at the Hollywood Bowl. I came here on a Friday night for the Little Mermaid in concert. I had read about the parking situation at the Bowl, so I decided to take the shuttle. Make sure to check the shuttle schedule on the website for your specific concert. I know that the shuttle runs through Union Station, but for my specific concert, it was not. So, I decided to park at the Hollywood and Highland lot and take the shuttle from there. Parking at Hollywood and Highland is a little expensive. (It was about $ 15) The shuttle price is $ 6, round trip.
Once I got to the bowl, they have the normal bag check. For leased events, I believe you are not able to bring alcohol. (They do sell alcohol at the event). Open water bottles are also not allowed. The security guys make everyone throw it away. Once I made it past security, I went to find my seats. My seats were in upper sections (not the best seats in the house), so it was a little bit of a trek to get there. There are escalators, so it wasn’t too bad. As I was making my way up, I saw the parking situation and I was SOOO glad that I didn’t park there. It is tandem parking, so depending on how lucky or unlucky you are, you may be able to leave or have to stay at the parking lot forever, while you are at the mercy of another parker to come out. I have decide at that moment to never park there EVER.
Although I had upper section tickets, there is plenty of TV screens to go around so that I could see what was going on. It does get a little chilly at nighttime, so I would suggest bringing a jacket. (It was BLAZING during the day that I went to the Bowl, but quite chilly at night). Next time, I would also consider just walking down to Hollywood and Highland. I think I waited about 30 minutes for the shuttle. (There were plenty of other shuttles to other locations, but for some odd reason, the bus for Hollywood and Highland took forever to come). Overall, a good way to spend a hot Friday. I would definitely come back here.

This is a review for The Little Mermaid on 6÷4÷16.
My entire family bought tickets to this event so that we could enjoy it with my 3.5 year old little girl that went dressed as Ariel. This is THE Hollywood Bowl! Our experience should have been nothing less than fantastic and it was in several ways, but there are other ways in which I’m having a hard time giving this place a 5 star review.
The Little Mermaid is a children’s movie. It’s in color so I really classify it as a cartoon. Given that this is really a children’s event, I don’t understand WHY this show started at 8pm. It was actually more toward 8:30 because Alan Menken did a pretty long song mashup, which was fantastic by the way. My daughter enjoyed all the songs, as did I, I did have difficulty trying to enjoy it while sitting behind four men that were incredibly loud and intoxicated.
The show had an intermission, which I do not understand why. Intermission was around 9:30pm, my daughter was fighting to stay awake. My main concern was making sure I had seen John Stamos’ performance by the Chef, since I’ll be a Jesse and the Rippers fan for life, so we seriously made it by the skin of our teeth before my little one had a meltdown because she was so tired but wanted so badly to finish the show.
During intermission, my husband waited in an insanely long line to get some popcorn. The popcorn was too salty and tasted just not good.
Once the Chef’s performance was over, we jetted back to our car with our sleepy daughter. We were beyond lucky that we got a spot at the very end of the stacked parking. My husband asked parking attendants if we could just back out and head down from the main lot, they said if we hurried they’d let us through, which was appreciated. The parking here is horrendous and it is what will keep us from doing anything else at the Hollywood Bowl. My other family that stayed for the end of the show didn’t get home until midnight because parking was so horrible.
Improvement needs to be with parking. Find other lots to park in, find closer shuttle lots. I find it hilarious to charge $ 25 for stacked parking. What if there’s a serious issue and someone needs to leave right away? It’s a fire hazard and if anything horrible did happen, people wouldn’t have the means to escape correctly. Traffic enforcement also needs a refresher course in time allotted for certain flows of traffic to go. We waited for 15 minutes at one point trying to come down Highland.
This was my first and probably my only visit to the Hollywood Bowl. I’m only giving this 3 stars because the show and music was fantastic. Rebel, YOU GO GIRL!

Preparing picnic basket, parking and opening wine bottle with the Swiss army knife,
these are the things (maybe not so much parking part.) we like at the Hollywood Bowl!
Next table people wearing long red hair wig and fish legging wanted to borrow our Swiss Army knife to open their wine.
Yeah, we are here for the Mermaid!
On this special occasion we couldn’t bring wine or beer bottles inside of the Bowl!
Wow!
Everyone’s having a good time at the picnic table at the parking lot. ($ 23 cash only)
Hollywood Bowl is one of the best thing LA has! Even sans wine or beer bottles.
Imagine beer lines inside the Bowl! It was far longer than women’s bathroom.
It was a beautiful evening.

3 star venue because it’s a total pain in the ass to get to and navigate.
5 star venue because it’s a really great place to see a concert.
We were there for the sold out Little Mermaid live concert. We opted to do the Hollywood and Highland park and ride. At $ 6 per person RT, I really think that’s the way to go. Parking at Hollywood and Highland or in the vicinity will get for $ 12-​$ 25 but that’s a savings from parking at the bowl. Also a savings on your sanity. Looking at the way they stack cars gave me anxiety. My heart rate was elevated. No joke. And if you can manage to get out of the bowl quickly, park and ride has to be the quickest way out.
There are so many awesome food options at the bowl but the hubs and I ultimately decided that picnicking (BYO or preorder one and pick up at the bowl) has to be the way to go. We waited 40 minutes to get a turkey sandwich, wine, and cookie. No joke. This was the least sexy of the bowl’s food offerings but also the shortest line. Hunger is the best sauce because I mauled that turkey sandwich with great enthusiasm. It had peppercinis on it and a nice grain mustard. The kettle corn was super bomb. The cookie was good but I think Costco has better chocolate chip cookies. Don’t hate on Costco – it’s probably my favorite store of all time.
What is fantastic about the bowl is that you can buy a bottle of wine or a glass. Obvi went with the bottle due to the lines. They pour it into a soda cup and voila you’re back in high school hiding booze in your Del Taco cup except here it’s encouraged! Wow. The 16 year old me was tickled by this. For our first bottle (your choices are white, red, or rose) we went white and it was a light crisp white. Not bad at all and not a bad price at $ 38. They gave us two plastic wine cups and we went to town. For our second bottle, the hus decided to forgo the wine glasses and just pop a straw into the cup. Ghett. O.
The concert was phenomenal. We had great seats, right behind the box seats. I don’t think I’d want to sit any higher. The sound was fantastic and the Hollywood hills behind the bowl make for a cool experience. I will definitely come back to a concert here but I will bring my own food. That’s a given.

Would it be presumptuous for me to say that the Bowl is the best outdoor venue for live music in LA, if not all of California? I don’t think so, because not only is it a Hollywood icon, the structure is perfect for acoustics. I haven’t been here in ages, but I have fond memories of going here for their 4^th of July Firework Spectacular. This time, I was here to see a lease event– Above & Beyond Acoustic.
PARKING: Ok, the parking at the actual venue is horrendous and expensive. Friends paid $ 23 for stacked parking, and by the time we got on the freeway, they were still stuck trying to get out of the lot. However, we parked in a FREE outside lot and paid $ 6 for the shuttle to drop us off at the top of the hill. Much more convenient, and you avoid the headache of driving in that nasty traffic by the entrance. Of course, public transportation is also an option.
FOOD/​DRINK: You can actually pack your own picnic! I think this is awesome and a major plus to seeing a show here. You can even bring unopened wine/​beer UNLESS it is a lease event. Of course, they also sell food and alcohol, but aside from being a bit pricey there are also huuuuge lines for them before the show and during the intermission.
Another thing, remember to bring comfy footwear for all the walking you’ll have to do, and warm clothing or blankets for if the nighttime chill sets in. Don’t miss an opportunity to see a show here, it’s a fantastic experience!

Came here for above and beyond’s acoustic show and it definitely did not disappoint. The venue is beautiful and you even get to see the Hollywood sign.
I decided to park at the Hollywood and highland structure and take the shuttle there. It’s 6 $ round trip but never once asked for our tickets. Parking in the structure is maxed at 15 $ but there is another public parking next to it for 10 $.
My only complaint was that the beer line and the merchandise line took forever! I kissed 35 mins of the show waiting in line for a beer and they cut off all alcohol lines by 915.
I gave this venue 4 starts solely for the view.

I recently was at the Hollywood Bowl to see The Cure, one of my very favorite bands of all time. Through the years, I have seen Depeche Mode, Arcade Fire, and a few others there. I love the Bowl itself, but find there are a lot of challenges to going to a show there.
In the past, the Bowl was much more relaxed. They used to let you bring in your own food and booze. I remember years ago, bringing in our own picnic and sangria (not having to hide a thing). Now they look through your bags and you have to buy your overpriced, poor-​quality food and booze at the venue.
There are a couple restaurants where the food may have been a little better, but the wait was so long we would have had to miss the show. Instead we went to the counter and ordered chicken sandwiches and wine (no hard liquor at this venue). When we were in this line the first time, before the opening band started, we had only about a 10 minute wait. Too bad the food wasn’t any good, not that we had great expectations from a fast food counter.
After finding a table to sit down to eat our meal, we decided to get more drinks. All of the beverage carts and drink lines were overcrowded, so we decided to head to the wine bar, overcrowded as well, but we hoped, with more options. There definitely were a lot of wine options… ranging from $ 36 to several hundred dollars! And, since you cannot bring glass into the Bowl, they pour the fancy bottles into plastic cups. We opted for a cheap bottle… and drank it with a straw (see photo)…after all, it is served in a plastic cup!
As far as the Bowl itself, it is really beautiful with great acoustics. Our seats were about halfway back. The sound was amazing, and it is just a nice place to sit outside.
Now, after the show, things got kind of crazy. I felt like I was walking out in a stampede, even outside of the venue, all the way down the street to our hotel. I was glad our car was at the hotel and that we were walking, as I have NO idea how any cars would have made it out of those crowded lots, especially with pedestrians filling all of the roadways.
All in all, the Bowl is great, but they need better crowd control, as well as better food, and better booze for the high prices. It probably is a nice place to go for a less popular, less crowded show… but I wouldn’t drive all the way to Hollywood for a show that is less exciting.

This was my first visit to the Hollywood Bowl for the 5÷23÷16 Cure concert (which was awesome). The band did an incredible job. I was in section N1 and really wish I had better seats because I could hear everything perfectly, but I couldn’t see very much.
I didn’t like that the cameras that were broadcast on the big screens were mounted in place — one aimed at the guitar player, and the other at the keyboard guy and bass player. None were pointing at the most important member of the band, Robert Smith.
Secondly, what is up with all of the pot smoking? I called security on someone two rows ahead of me and nothing was done. They weren’t the only ones, when the lights hit the audience I could see puffs of smoke coming from many, many patrons. I don’t understand why the Bowl just looks the other way when it comes to illegal substance use.

Every time I watch an event here my heart lights up just a little brighter. So many wonderful memories flood through my mind. One of a few nostalgic locations in The city of Angels to enjoy a concert and seriously chill.
A perfect 5 star review for the Hollywood Bowl and all its magic.

Went to see The Cure and loved it! However parking was absolute nightmare.
Never park in parking Lot C or else you’ll regret! It’s stacking parking and it literally took me at least an hour just to get out of the parking lot. Thank God no one in this parking lot got arrested or drunk and passed out… or else stuck longer! Only God knows when.
Check the sign or ask before you park! $ 23 to park.
Parking lot D seemed to move fast.
The Twilight Sad band did the opening for the Cure. The Cure started the show around 7:15pm.
Expecting the show to end BTW 10:15pm and 10:30pm.
Food line was super long, even BTW break time. Best to eat early dinner elsewhere b4 you come here.
One hot dog stand after the show by parking Lot C. Hot dog: good

Anyone who gives the bowl a negative review is batshit crazy and needs to re-​assess their life.
If you’ve never been, read up before you go so you don’t fall into the trap of stacked parking and such. I mean come on.
I’ve been coming to the bowl for ages now. Today, we lined up to get tickets for the 2016 season. If you don’t know about the lottery system, get familiar. It’s totally worth it. I spent less than $ 400 for 18 tickets to 6 shows. Do the math. I saved a ton.
All of the times I’ve been here have been amazing. I’ve done the different ways of getting there. Parking up front at Lot B, lot D, taking the bus from Chatsworth and parking at the BLVD complex where a friend lives. If you don’t want to be stuck, don’t do stacked parking. Obviously, you have to wait for the others to leave so don’t do it. I’ve never minded stacked packing mostly because I’m too tipsy to care. If you want to avoid the crowd, park at the Hollywood/​Highland parking structure. It’s cheaper and you can take a shuttle to the bowl.
Bring a picnic basket and pregame outside. I always come just in time for the opening act and eat/​drink while we wait for the main act.
Some of the best concerts I’ve been to were here. To name a few — Kylie Minogue, Maroon 5, Adele, Chaka Kahn, Sound of Music Sing-​A-​Long (annual tradition), M83, The Xx, Phantogram, Rent and Kelly Clarkson.
The staff are always awesome. There’s someone available in every area if you have a question.
I’m super stoked for this season.

Concerts here are always memorable. This venue never gets old and I wish more performers would have their shows here. The perfect time to see a show here is on a mid-Summer’s night. Wear comfortable shoes too because of the walking you’ll have to do on the stairs and the hills. I look forward to the next event that I go to here so I can have a 5-​star experience.

Love this venue, their seating set up is great especially in the summer! Nothing better than rocking out under the stars :-). I can’t speak for the nose bleed seats because I like to be able to see. And when I do purchase bad seats, its usually for Playboy jazz where I mostly come to socialise and only hear the music. I really enjoy the concerts here when you’re able to pack a picnic basket full of food and drink. Most venues do not allow you to bring in outside stuff and with the ticket costs usually being high, seeing a concert can get really expensive– Love that extra Holly bowl perk! Down fall is the stacked parking — ie once you park you can’t leave until the concerts over and the people parked around you leave! So make sure its someone you wanna stay til the end to see, take public trans, have someone drop you off & pick u up, or the buspool situations that they have leaving the vet building (they have them in several places check their website-it’s like park & ride) Note, I never stack park, its a nightmare! oh and comfortable shoes! You gotta walk up hill to get to the venue and once you get in, sometimes the escalators are crazy crowded or not working. And most of all if you bring a basket, pack light or make sure it is a rolling ice chest! Carrying heavy things up hill is not fun!

I love this venue. I was here last year for the Death Cab 4 Cutie concert. Thanks to Unilocal,I got free tickets for the practice run! The show must go on either rain or shine. This past Sunday it was raining. Here are tips if it rains at HWB:
1. Pick up a poncho before the concert. We were happy we stopped by Orchard Supply Hardware, and we stayed dry. They didn’t sell any at the venue and many people were asking us where we got ours. Also, umbrellas are not allowed.
2. Bring a towel to wipe down the seats, which I noticed a few people packed instead of wasting stacks of napkins.
3. Have fun! An outdoor concert with summer rain or sun is still fun especially when you’re dancing and singing along.
Parking is $ 30? Parking was not as bad as it was since I wrote my last review. Although parking is stacked, it was unbelievably slow — Über people.
Great Date night with my babe!

The Hollywood Bowl is world-​renowned for being a premier outdoor music venue. The Bowl is host to a wide variety of musical genres from classical to reggae and jazz to swing. I have gone to several performances (Smokey Robinson, George Benson, Empire of the Sun, and the music of John Williams)
The acoustics are simply fabulous. Ticket prices range from $ to $$$$, but the great thing about the Bowl is that the shape of the amphitheater allows folks with the cheap seats to get the same if not better musical experience as folks who shell out more cash.
You can even bring your own picnic basket or food from your favorite take-​out spot and enjoy a picnic under the stars while listening to great music. Parking at the venue is a nightmare so I suggest to park at a satellite parking site and take the shuttle to the Bowl for a nominal fee.

I love the Hollywood Bowl. I’ve been in the section X seating (all the way in the back) and had a good experience. I’ve also been in section T (I think). It was a bit closer, but not by much and I also had a good time there. My favorite experience was when I saw Josh Groban for the Fourth of July special with the LA Philharmonic and fireworks! If you get the opportunity to see something at the bowl… do it!
Also, if you would like a good workout before the show, may I suggest that you walk to your seats at the top of the bowl instead of using the escalators and moving walkways? It gets me every time.

My favorite venue in LA.
The National. Duran Duran. Hot Chip. Royksopp or Blur — regardless of genre, performer or night, evening or season — this is a phenomenal place to see a show.
Yes, the traffic is a nightmare. The parking, troublesome…
There is just nothing that beats a sundown in summer or a cool fall night listening to the worlds best performers while drinking ice cold beer in the atmosphere only being at the Hollywood Bowl provides.
There is a reason it is an icon. Its timeless.

I’m spoiled. I live next to the best outdoor amphitheater in the world: Red Rocks. Sadly not all bands play the greatest stage on earth, so I recently made a pilgrimage to see one of my favorites, blur. They only played the Bowl and MSG on this recent tour and I picked the Bowl.
Parking was nowhere near as bad as I anticipated. We got in and out easily (lot D) despite stacked parking. There are benches, refreshments, and bathrooms accessible before you officially enter the seating area. That was quite nice since we arrived early. Bathrooms were great, period. I didn’t wait in line once and that’s amazing as a woman. And they were clean. Only concession we got was popcorn and it was good. We were in the box seats and there are servers who will bring you what you’d like. We brought our own beverages in so didn’t use that service. The only thing that was a giant cluster was buying tour merch. Probably the most disorganized set up I’ve seen and it took forever. But, great show, great weather, and all around a great experience.

I have to say, I’m pretty disappointed with my visit here last night for the CBS Radio, «We Can Survive» concert which included: 5 seconds of summer, Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas, Sam Smith, Calvin Harris, The Weeknd and surprise guest, Rihanna.
When you look up the venue in Maps, it may look like it’s right off the 101 freeway, but there’s multiple streets that enter one intersection which makes it a complete cluster f/​ck trying to get in the venue. Once we exited from the freeway, it took over an hour to actually find a parking spot and park.
Once we finally located the box office for our tickets, the one entrance where they let people in was extremely unorganized and packed.
Finally in the venue, we came to find out that they don’t offer an actual full bar but only serve beer (Heineken, Bud Light and Coors-​water beers) and also have a few wine stations in the concessions area. Apparently one of the workers said they don’t have a full bar on the premises because they don’t want people to turn up and be all crazy??! WTF, okay– let me step outside to the parking lot and pregame/​tailgate before the show. Most concession stands take card but bring cash to make your transaction quicker.
When we finally found our BENCH seats, (Section M2, row 21, seats 110 – 111), the view was pretty good. The only good thing about this venue is their stadium seating so essentially where ever you sit you’ll get a view but the biggest DOWNFALL about this venue is that the sound quality is terrrrrrrible!
I kept waiting to see if they would turn up the sound depending on the artist performing but NO. The sound quality was very low and it was hard for me to get in the zone when the sound and bass wasn’t helping. Very disappointing, it looked like they only had speakers on the stage and not throughout the venue like the Greek. The concert would have been better if the sound quality was there.
Leaving the Venue was a sh/​tshow. They set up the parking so that cars are parked one behind the other. Which is soooooo stupid because if you were the one of the cars in the middle (like ours) you ultimately have to wait until the outer cars arrived so you can get out. super lame. I would have to say it took us almost an hour until we were able to get out of our parking space and another 30 minutes to actually get out the parking lot and onto the freeway. FYI: parking is $ 25, cash only.
My party and I totally prefer The Greek over the Hollywood Bowl, any day.

The Hollywood Bowl is my favorite place to watch a live performance! The outside setting is perfect considering nearly 100% of the time it’s gorgeous in LA.
For orchestra or the like events, you’re allowed to bring in alcohol and food. For any other event (most concerts), they only allowed food. If you’re unsure, I’d recommend calling beforehand so you don’t have to drink a bottle of wine before entering the place like what we did: P We could bring alcohol for Empire of the Sun but not Florence and the Machine — random.
I highly recommend taking an über to the Hollywood Bowl. Parking is ridiculous and expensive and it’s not that near Hollywood Blvd. if you’re trying to park in one of the lots there and walk up. There are free shuttle services if you do park elsewhere. We took an über to the event venue and the took a shuttle to Hollywood and Highland were it was easier to take an über back home.
You must see a performance here if you’re in LA!

Amazing venue. I came here recently for the Kanye West — 808s and Heartbreak concert. This was my first time at the Bowl and I really enjoyed it. First of all, its an outdoor venue so you get to enjoy the perfect LA weather. Second, if its a LA Phil event you can bring your own food and drinks (yes, alcohol too!). However, if its a Lease event you cannot bring alcohol. The sound system, lights and screens were great.
I really enjoyed coming here. If you park at the venue, be ready to wait to get in and out of the parking lot since there is thousands of people. I parked at the Hollywood and Highland Mall. Got my parking validated for 2 free hours so ended up paying like $ 8 total which is great. We passed by lots charging $ 35! Crazy!
All the staff was friendly and the venue is well kept.

Review in #Haiku:
An awesome venue
Experience music with…
…Dope atmosphere too

As a native Angelino, I cannot believe my first time visiting the Hollywood Bowl was on Saturday. This place is a beautiful venue with so much history. I love how it’s dead set in Hollywood but that it feels so lowkey and serene inside.
Beers and wine is pricy just like any other venue but I heard you can bring food and drinks. Security was scarce and I liked how this place didn’t feel crowded. Kanye West was only on for about an hour but he was amazing! Very theatrical with surprise guest Kid Cudi. I really enjoyed the fire works as well. My boyfriend and I are coming here in October for Florence and the Machine so I can’t wait for that! With just one visit here, this place has become my favorite venue for concerts.

Now, for my 400^th review, it will be on a historical landmark in Los Angeles. A venue that has much history in itself. Yes, I am talking about the Hollywood Bowl. And I still cant believe it took me 29 years of existence to finally experience this venue!
Located right in the heart of Hollywood, the Hollywood Bowl has stood the test of time. Countless performances have been staged here. The LA Philharmonic play regularly. Now that I have had such the experience, I can now say that I will be coming much more.
The first show I got to experience here was the Fireworks Finale series that featured the Psychedelic Furs and the B-52’s. It was jam packed, considering I came on the last day of their tour. I had my seats in the F1 section, which provided a great view of the stage. They do have giant screens throughout the seating area, which allows for better viewing. The sound quality was amazing. Not too loud, not too low but just at the right volume. They do have plenty of restrooms throughout the venue, as well as vending stands for merchandise and food and drinks. Some areas of the Bowl have bench style seating while others have seats. For only $ 1 I believe, you can purchase a cushion like padding for a more convenient seating experience.
I have to give props to the Hollywood Bowl on one thing-​so far, this has been the only venue I have been to where they let you bring outdoor food and drinks. I dont think however that they let you bring alcohol from outside! That is just amazing! Security does do a routine check upon arrival. On my visit, I was able to bring in some Subway, which was a few blocks away!
Now for the parking issue! This would be a reason to knock off a star from my review. It is stacked parking. What this means is that you cannot exit until the cars around you have. Had I known this, I would not have parked here. But I had luck on my side. I only waited less than 10 minutes to get out. Prices may vary. I paid $ 20 for this stacked parking. There are other alternatives. Try their shuttle, which you have to pay for separately I believe. You can Über it here too. Or even the Metro can be an option. The Metro Red Line on the Hollywood Highland station is your closest stop here. Getting out can be quite the mess. Please use the other alternatives that I just mentioned if you want to avoid a serious traffic jam. Patience, in this case, is a virtue!
Overall, I had quite the amazing experience for my first Hollywood Bowl show! I couldn’t have asked for a better experience! Yes, the parking situation was horrible. The overall experience itself made up for it. I do believe everybody, local or tourist, should check this place out at least once. So much history to it-​such a magical experience overall. Plus, the outdoor night view of the stars just makes for a lovely view. Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a better way to jam out to the Love Shack!!! Enjoy!

Had the most amazing time here for the E.T. event.
Everyone that works here is amazing. They are so good at crowd control and keeping lines moving, shuffling people (and cars) in.
Even lines for the bathroom (although looks daunting), moves incredibly fast. The bathrooms themselves were nice and clean, and for the womens restroom, there were endless rows and rows of stalls. Food is pretty pricey, but looked pretty good. Luckily they are really cool about letting you bring in whatever you want… seriously…whatever you want. We saw one family bring a rotisserie chicken and another family with like 5 boxes of pizza (why didn’t we think of that?!)
We had seats in Section E, row 10 (near the aisle) and our seats were as good as you can get without buying the box seats. I will say though, that next time we will bring cushions. After 2 hours, I was shifting around a lot in my seat cause the wood benches eventually start to dig in. If you have bench seats… bring a cushion or rent one for $ 1!
The venue itself is absolutely beautiful. If you have a chance to see the LA Philharmonic perfo

I love the Hollywood Bowl. Perfect for a date night on the cheaper side or a night out with froends5. There are a lot of interesting, reasonably priced concerts during the summertime and even in the super hot cali summers, in the evening it feels so nice!
The best thing for me is the fact that you can bring in your own food and drink as long as your cooler is not too big. Last time we went to TJS and picked up some crackers and cheese, beers. Hummus and pita chips, fruit and snacked all night. It makes it easy to have a night out while still keeping a budget.
The biggest issue I could see someone having is with parking and traffic. I now use the park n ride service and I’ll never again drive to the Bowl.
There is some walking up stairs, but also provisions for those who may not be able to. There are hills that you can either choose to walk up or use the people movers to get up and down from the top.
I go to the JVC jazz festival every year. Next summer I want to try to go to several events. There were a few on the list I would have liked to catch but I was too late in looking at the schedule.
I definitely recommend coming here if you live in the area!

I strongly believe that one has not truly experienced Los Angeles and Hollywood until they have been to the Hollywood Bowl. I’ve been to many concert venues and this has got to be THE best one!
I went with my sister to see Fall Out Boy and Wiz Khalifa for their Boys of Zummer tour. For some reason the tickets weren’t sold out when I purchased it the day before the show; was able to get it at $ 36 each in the U1 section. We also used the park and ride option to save gas, the parking cost (which can range from $ 18 – 50 depending on the parking structure), and save me from the inevitable road rage from driving there. The park and ride is $ 7 per person round trip if you buy it online. Our pick up location was at Wilson Park in Torrance. When you arrive, they will give you directions on how to go back so pay attention.
Before entering the bowl, we ate cuz we were hungry. We ordered their staccato burger with fries. I’m not gonna lie, that burger was amazing. Get it. Seriously. I also got some Heineken beer. Not much alcohol options except beer and wine, unless there was something that I missed. Also, they allow you to bring bottled water, just as long as it hasn’t been opened.
The bowl was amazing. The seating was benches which was new to me. Kinda made me feel claustrophobic, but later on I sat somewhere else because the entire section next to me was pretty much empty.
The view from my seat was the best part (besides the concert of course). I could see the Hollywood Sign in clear view, as well as the Griffith Observatory. Amazing! Just to let you know, ALL seats will give you a good view. Keep that in mind. I doubt the people at the bottom saw the view that I had: D
I would come back here for any show really. I just love this venue. A lot.

What a REAL TREATY-​TREAT!
I have not been here in more years then I care to remember. Let’s just say I was YOUNGER and I don’t think puberty had kicked in. hahaha! And I am WELL PAST that now!
So why was I hear. To do a Sound of Music Sing-​A-​Long for the 50^th ANNY! SO COOL! One of my FAV musicals of all times! It just DOESN’T EVA GET OLD!
I didn’t know what to expect. My little cuz asked if I wanted to go and I said sure! Then life happened as it tends to do and I thought I might need to cancel but then I didn’t need to which was a DOUBLE BONUS!
She bought the tickets and told me we could bring food and eat there! So cool! I went on line a few days before and saw this place has REALLY changed and FOR THE BETTER! I was excited. This place is GI-​ORMOUS! Sort of like the open arena for the Pageant of the Master in Laguna but on steroids because its WAAAAYYYY BIGGER!
We took one of the buses up and it was GREAT and hassle free! I would TOTALLY recommend EVERYONE do this if possible. Cheaper then parking and you get in and out quicker than cars!
We walked right in and people were EVERYWHERE! The air was electric with excitement or I was just me I’m not sure! Some people SEVERAL dressed up like the Von Trapp Family members in all sorts of outfits, or they were Maria in a habit, Maria on the way to the Von Trapp’s, Maria on the hill in the opening credits with the helicopter in tow, some were nuns, opening credits, just dressed in traditional Austrian clothing of that era. VERY COOL!
We rented seat cushions and THANK GOD because all my azz needed it! Why you may be asking? Because there was this hour or more long costume parade! Yes anyone and everyone that wanted to enter could and DID! It was fun but LONG! But I must say EVERYTHING from beginning to end was orderly! NO FOOLS AT ALL! REALY NICE!
The movie started and EVERYONE could hear and see the GI-​NORMOUS screen. It was SUPER DUPER CLEAR! They had the words going along the bottom so you could do what we were there to do which was SING-​A-​LONG make comments, and have a Great time!
The bowl was GREAT! They have eating areas now and places to grab something to eat if you don’t bring anything. They also have shops to spend money if you JUST MUST buy something. Not sure why you would need to but if your money is burning a hole in your pocket then its there for you.
They have REALLY DONE A GREAT job fixing it up! Very NICE! I had a WONDERFUL TIME! I don’t always know what’s playing here but I think I will check there line up out for time to time to see so I can come back for a nice evening.

Okay, it is awesome.
I’ll focus on negatives to keep this short since everyone else has stated the positives.
Yes stacked parking does suck. And so I Ubered…
The taxi pick-​up area (at passenger underpass) is pretty bad. My Über driver couldn’t get to me because of moron taxi drivers not moving all the way up. AN OFFICIAL is necessary to be there at ALL times to help this flow and for the safety of drunk concert go-​ers who were in the street trying to flag down their Über /​taxis !!!
Beer– Need to offer more than just Bud and Heineken !!
On lease event like last night, Steely Dan, you aren’t allowed to bring in glass or booze. And so you have to buy their alcoholic beverages. Wine selection’s not bad! But the beer? No thanks.
You will thoroughly enjoy yourself here, but…
Do check to see if your concert is a lease event or not.
It makes a BIG difference in what you can bring in that cooler of yours.

I splurged and purchased a Super Seat ticket for the first time ever. I was tired of being crammed in on those benches in the past and I’m usually not willing to spring for Box Seats.
The Super Seats are the plastic seats with cup holders right in the center area behind the Terrace Box Seats. They give you a little bit of room to sit, but you will still have to get people in your row to stand up if you want to get out. It’s nice to have a cup holder, so you or your neighbors don’t kick your drink over. In the future I might try to get a seat on the aisle so I don’t have to jump over seats or annoy people to get by.
My particular seat was G1 Row 7 Seat 13. This particular section is to the right of center. Section H would be right in the center. Row 5 (two rows in front of my row) was completely vacant and this was right behind one of the little rooms with stage and sound crew most likely. People would come by and plop themselves down in that row and security didn’t seem to care. This is good to know for future concerts if you end up further back and want to move closer to the stage.
The band I saw this particular night was Death Cab for Cutie. They were excellent live, but I would have to say I was disappointed with a couple following things:
1) The opening bands were horrible. I know that’s my opinion, but I wish they would have just found one decent band instead of two crappy bands. Mikal Cronin’s lead singer has a horrible voice and the sound management was horrible. It was way too loud and if I am suffering from hearing loss today that’s the reason. Tune-​Yards were a little bit better, but not good. The lead singer is awful, but the drummer, guitarist and back-​up singers were O.K. If I want to see someone strut around in a Mu Mu I will check into an Old Folks home. Ben Gibbard raved about the opening bands. He seriously must be desperate.
2) Setlist totally took a dive for the encore, but made it easy to bail early. They stopped playing Underneath the Sycamore in 2012 for some unknown reason. That is way better then some of the other songs on the setlist.
If I ever go see them again I will arrive right before they start or just picnic through the opening acts.

Dear LA Transplant —- Take a f*cking break from being «oh so Hollywood» and drag yourself to The Hollywood Bowl. I know it’s kind of ironic and might question your social existence, but don’t worry, the Hollywood Bowl approved by any LA-​native.
I absolutely LOVE the Bowl! So many feels, oh the feels.
I have so many fond memories here. The Hollywood Bowl always has an association with that feel-​good summer nights atmosphere that I totally dig. I’ve seen very unique shows here, a couple mentioned below:
RENT — all star cast including Wayne Brady and Vanessa Hudgens
Grease Sing-​a-​long
Back to the Future — Live soundtrack by LA Philharmonic
John Williams — (*cue my high school orchestra/​band self, sobbing in musical geek-​dom*)
Dudamel — Classic. I sat in the box seats in front and everyone was 60+ and questioned why I was there, HA. Be warned.
If the event is not leased (not an artist on tour), you can bring your own picnic basket of booze and food. They also sell wine and beer (bottles, etc) along with other drinks.
Tip: Do not park near the bowl. I would park more toward Hollywood Blvd or find the designated shuttle pick-​up spots. Getting out of the parking lot after a concert is hell.
Yes, splurge for box seats because those box seats have tables for your picnic basket. The cheapo benches on top are pretty good too, the sound/​view is still decent; just watch out for drunkards who drop and shatter beer bottles on the floor (sorry JY).

O Bowl é um dos pontos de atrações mais importante em Los Angeles por onde já passaram os Stones, Guns, apresentações de orquestras com a trilha do Star Wars e por aí vai. Se você vier do Brasil pode comprar ingressos online com antecedência. O local tem bom acesso desde Hollywood desde caminhando a algumas linhas de ônibus e claro, estacionamento para carro.
Pelo tamanho menor da arena o público tem uma boa visão e som.

Ein Ort, an dem es mich in meinem Leben immer wieder hinzieht.

korean music festival por vida!!!

J’ai été impressionnée par le panorama et la taille qu’offre ce site.
Bien plus qu’une salle de concert le Hollywood bowl est une reussite architecturale qui allie respect de la nature (installé au coeur d’un canyon) et modernité.
Ce site créé en 1922 s’appelait anciennement le Daisy Dell et a été rénové tout dernierement.
Il y accueille aujourd’hui de grands artistes internationaux, surtout axés sur la musique classique et également l’orchestre philharmonique de Los Angeles.
Vous l’aurez compris toute son originalité réside dans le fait qu’il utilise la raisonnance naturelle du canyon où il se trouve pour proposer un son trés original (voir les photos).
Outré le fait de se sentir minuscule dans un paysage privilégié, c’est un lieu phare de la culture musicale californienne .
Il se visite en groupe. Cette escapade se veut sportive vu le nombre d’escaliers à gravir.

Wer in LA ist, muss unbedingt einen Besuch einplanen &, wenn möglich, ein Konzert in grandioser Umgebung geniessen.
Die Atmosphäre ist wahrhaft einmalig und unbeschreiblich

Wer in Los Angeles war und die Hollywood Bowl nicht gesehen hat, der war noch nicht in Los Angeles.
Als ich in LA war, habe ich an einer Tour durch LA teilgenommen. Selbstverständlich wurde auch die Hollywood Bowl angefahren. Was soll ich sagen? Einfach nur geil, gigantisch, super. Jedes Superlativ kann man dafür verwenden.
Wenn man dann noch ganz oben steht und runter schaut genial!
HIer finden regelmäßig Konzerte etc. statt.

Die Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles gehört wohl zu bekanntesten Veranstaltungsorten auf der ganzen Welt. Nicht weit vom Hollywood Boulevard entfernt, liegt das Amphietheater mitten in den Hollywood Hills. Erbaute wurde 1922. 1928 kam dann die berühmte Muschel hinzu, also die überdachte Bühne, auf der die Musiker stehen. Die wurde 2005 abgerissen, weil die Akustik wohl eher bescheiden war. Man baute die Muschel aber wieder nach den alten Plänen des Architekten Frank Lloyd Wright wieder auf. Jedenfalls teilweise. Auf den Bildern erkennt man allerding schon ein paar Unterschiede. Touristen wie mir ist das relativ wurscht, denn die Anlage an sich ist sensationell schön. Warum man nicht in jede Stadt ein Amphietheater baut, ist mir ein Rätsel. Man sieht wunderbar, der Vordermann stört nicht, es gibt jede Menge Platz und das ganze auch noch unter freiem Himmel. Ein Konzert kann kaum einen besseren Rahmen finden.
Die Bowl hat schon alles gesehen, was jemals Rockgeschichte geschrieben hat. Am bekanntesten sind wohl die Auftritte der Beatles, der Doors und der Rolling Stones, aber man darf nicht vergessen, dass die Los Angeles Philharmonic dort jeden Dienstag spielen (im Sommer). Uns war jedoch eher nach Rock. Durch Zufall bekamen wir über einen Bekannten mit, dass es noch Karten für das Konzert von Police gab. Satte 150 Dollar (ca. 100 Euro) kosteten die Plätze, die ungefähr in der Mitte der Arena lagen. Aber was solls — es ist (war) die (vermutliche) letzte Tournee der Band und Urlaub ist halt Urlaub.
Zum Bowl hinzukommen ist, egal von welcher Seite man kommt, relativ leicht. Parken ist dann wieder so eine Sache. Es gibt durchaus genügend Parkplätze für die 18.000 Besucher, aber man parkt die Wagen einfach hintereinander in Reihe. Mit anderen Worten — man ist vorne, hinten, rechts und links zugeparkt und wenn der Vordermann nach dem Konzert noch ein wenig länger sitzen bleibt oder langatmig Freunde verabschiedet, dann wartet man unter Umständen sehr, sehr lange, bis man wieder los kommt. Meine Empfehlung: hinter dem Hollywood Boulevard auf einen der kleinen kostenpflichtigen Parkplätze fahren. Die sind zwar nicht billig (bis zu 15 Dollar), dafür ist es vom Bowl nicht weit und man kommt schneller weg, als wenn man dort parkt. Es gibt wohl auch die Möglichkeit mit einem Bus dorthin zu kommen, aber der steht im Normalfall auch im Stau, da es keine Busspuren gibt.
Das Konzert war sehr schön, und vor allem die einzigartige Atmosphäre der Anlage war schon fast den Eintritt wert. Man sitzt relativ bequem und wartet, bis es richtig dunkel ist. Wenn die Sonne hinter den Bäumen versunken ist, dann kommt langsam Stimmung auf und das Konzert kann los gehen. Die Veranstalter weisen ausdrücklich darauf hin, dass es völlig ok ist, einen Picknickkorb mitzubringen. Man kann am oberen Rand des Theaters auf einer Wiese liegen und gemütlich auf das Konzert warten.
Wer ein paar Tage in L.A. ist, sollte vor allem im Sommer mal versuchen Karten für ein Konzert zu bekommen. Sowas macht und sieht man vermutlich nur einmal im Leben.