Highland Bowl Amphitheater

This awesome venue is so underutilized! One of my favorite concerts here was either in 2011 or 2012. Wilco. Lived in the South Wedge at the time and walked to the show. Great sound, Highland park, not a bad seat. Bring more shows here!

Love this space for outdoor concerts. It’s a great outdoor venue that I wish was utilized more. It’s great for shows because the stage is set down in the basin and it’s a natural grassy stadium-​style «seating» where you can see the stage well from any spot on the hill. And of course the amphitheater setup helps amplify the sound from the stage.
I’ve been here for the free movies during the summer, random walks with friends, sledding as a kid, and a few concerts — one of my favorites being the Wilco show a couple years back. The show was awesome, they had beer and food, the view was great, it wasn’t too crowded, and you could stand or bring a blanket and relax.
I can’t wait for them to bring another awesome show like that to town because I will no doubt be there! Parking can get tricky but I’ve had no issue getting spots on the side streets nearby — like Robinson Dr. If going for a show be prepared to walk or arrive early to get a good spot. Also no bathrooms nearby… Unless they have porta potties, you’ll have to walk into the park down Reservoir ave.

Beautiful grassy area that’s perfect for a picnic. They have a movie series here late summer and it makes a perfect date night. Bring a blanket, chairs, picnic, wine… and don’t forget the corkscrew!
Also a great place to have an outdoor gathering with friends. Frisbees, croquet, or just lounging in a lawn chair.

Friday Night movie night is a great date idea. I recently watch The Artist there. We were all a bit nervous of the rain forecasts. However, the organizers and sponsors waited long enough and made this night happen. They brought a large screen which needed to be secured better because it fell. We started with trivia questions which you could win prizes for answering correctly. Hint: do your research on the featured movie before attending.
Overall, the Highland Bowl offers great site lines and the crowd is pretty respectful with their noise levels. Bring chairs, picnic lunches, and a blanket next time.

YES! You’ve finally found it! A review of the Highland Park Amphitheater. Like me, you’ve probably been searching endlessly on Google for a review of this park that you’re going to see a concert at. and trust me, there isn’t much out there!
So, I guess you’re going to have to take my word for it. :)
I ventured to the HBA over the weekend for my first time to check out The Tragically Hip, a huge Canadian band. The park is located only a couple of miles from downtown Rochester, but be aware that cab fare to this location can run as much as $ 20 one-​way (we literally traveled 2.2 miles). I don’t know why this was, but it was the same fee before and after the show. The HBA is basically just a giant field, with a huge bowl-​shaped depression in the center of it. The stage is really tiny, and shaped like a half clam shell. The line going into the venue moved extremely fast. They do check your bags/​backpacks/​purses when going into the venue. so make sure clear out all of your beer before you get to the front of the line. Security was really laid back, and allowed everyone to «finish up» their drinks before going into the show. It was nice being able to pregame a bit outside of the gates before going inside to pay for drinks. You cannot bring alcohol into the show.
Once inside the gates, you are free to roam anywhere you want! There was at least 4 beer tents set up with about 5 different drafts available all at $ 4 per beer. They also had wine available, too. All of the staff was very friendly and welcoming. At the start of the show, you were allowed to purchase four beers per person, but after a while they cut it down to two beers per person/​per sale. So, basically, if you are going to buy a round for you and your buddies, they are only going to sell you two beers at a time. There was also tons of food stands set up selling hot dogs, burgers, sausages, and the works. Although this show was only a few hours long, it felt like we were at a 3 day festival.
Now on to the show! What a great venue. You’re not cramped for room at all. It’s pretty easy to get right up to the front of the stage, or just hang on the hill in the back for a great view as well. There really wasn’t a bad spot to stand in the whole place. The sound was incredible for an outdoor show. It’s also nice to be able to wander around the entire venue with your beer without being confined to a beer tent like most outdoor concerts. The park has a 10pm curfew, so whatever concert your attending, it will be wrapping up by that time.
Leaving the show was also pretty painless. There were a ton of taxi cabs and shuttle buses waiting for the crowd. Just once again, be aware of the high cab fare.
Overall, this was one of the coolest outdoor venues I’ve ever been too. Tons of drinks/​food and no hassles at all. It really was an enjoyable experience and I’d definitely check out more shows here.
*Just a little pregaming hint: pack a backpack with some brew and take it with you to the show. Before going into the concert, wander across the street from the show, and into the park on the other side of the road (it’s kind of hidden behind a row of trees, but go thru and you’ll see another huge open area). There was a TON of people there hanging out and drinking. They told us they had been there for hours drinking before the show and no one had yelled at them at all. Once your backpack is empty of alcohol, you can carry it into the show. You CAN’T take coolers into the show, so leave them at home.