Greek Theatre - UC Berkeley

I've seen at least three concerts here, the last of which (Regina Spektor) had to be cut short because heavy rain and whipping wind made it dangerous for the musicians to continue to perform. Regina felt bad about ending the concert abruptly, though, so she came back out and performed two songs by herself.I'm bringing up bad weather at the Greek Theatre because despite being wet and cold and disappointed that I didn't get to see an entire Regina Spektor concert--and despite the fact that I slipped on the wet stairs running to catch a BART train and hit my head in the process (but still made the train)---I was still as happy as a clam to be at the Greek Theatre. Yes, Regina Spektor almost made it all better, but the beauty of the venue and its historic nature and the purple-light-clad trees and seeing all these other strangers listening and grooving to and loving the same music and songs I love just makes me feel different. It's one of a very few non-sports venues that fill me with tingling happiness when I arrive.I've never sat on the lawn, so I don't know how awful those "seats" are. The actual amphitheater has amazing acoustics, even without electronic amplification. It's amazing that something that was built so long ago still works, but you'll realize rather quickly just how old the amphitheater is. The concrete is old and wearing away, so it's gritty and bumpy and uncomfortable. I'm fascinated by the shells and stones they used to harden it; unlike modern concrete, you can actually see all the different-sized objects they put into the mix. I don't remember whether you're allowed to bring your own cushions, but if you are, bring them.I'm a super cheapskate when it comes to paying for parking, so I prefer to walk all the way up the hill from the BART station in Downtown Berkeley, but when I brought my dad to Elvis Costello, I knew he wouldn't be able to climb the entire hill, so I sprang for parking at the Stadium Parking Garage (under Maxwell Family Field) a little bit to the south of the Greek Theatre.The location is a double-edged sword. It provides a beautiful backdrop for a concert, but it also makes the theater difficult to access. Even the parking structure isn't *that* close to the theater.I would love to see a graduation here or even a concert or show by an artist or comedian I'm unfamiliar with. Typically, I don't go to random shows, but I would at the Greek Theatre. It's a breathtakingly beautiful place, especially if the sun sets during the show.

I go to the Greek Theatre at least once a year. The last show I saw was Sarah McLaughlin last May. I brought a small backpack and it wasn't event checked. But I saw ladies with their small purses being checked. I could have easily snuck in alcohol but didn't. There are several booths inside to buy alcohol and snacks from although it's pricy. Since last year they have improved the lawn seating area. It used to be just one big slope downhill but they have broken that up with rows of concrete. You can still bring blankets to lay on the grass but you could also choose to sit on the concrete. However you will be blocking the view of someone behind you. If you are on the glass you still find yourself sliding down but not as much as before. If you can get there early enough, the last row in front of the retaining wall is great because you have something to lean on and you can even stand and not block anyone behind you. The bathrooms on top of the hill have also improved. They are outdoor stalls now with flushing toilets! No more porta potty's! Also near by is the smoking area. The only thing I would like to see is a water fountain up there too. If you are catching Uber home, you have to go down to Hearst Ave and La Loma Ave. I didn't see any signs directing ride share pick up though.

My husband and I came here the other day on our 25th wedding anniversary to see Beck! It was our first time at this iconic outdoor theatre, a Berkeley landmark that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Beck played with the Berkeley Symphony and was fabulous! But this is not supposed to be about him so let's get back to the theatre! While it was a packed house, the friendly staff made entry and baggage check a breeze. We had seats at the farthest end if you faced right from the stage. I'm talking the very last seats in our row (though not the last row - we were about midway in Section 10). The cement seating was not nearly as bad as I imagined. Some around us had brought cushion seats and I can see how they would make the experience even better. But I expected poor views from our perspective and was happily wrong-- I don't think there is a bad seat in the house! Also, the sound was great! We could hear all of the instruments and Beck's vocals perfectly well! We did not get anything to eat here though we did share an expensive beer. But they allow you to bring water bottles here and have refilling stations. The bathrooms were maintained well with the lines moving quickly. Overall, it was a beautiful evening and we had a very fun night!

A wonderful experience at Greek Theatre. Enjoyed the celebration for Maynard James Keenan 60th birthday: Primus, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer. Rotating sets. Absolutely amazing.Great crowd, comfortable seating, food & snacks easily available. Restrooms clean.Merch lines were way too long.Lovely evening. Glad I brought jacket & a blanket to sit on.

Officially "The Hearst Greek Theater" this venue built on University of California Berkeley's campus in 1903 remains an iconic space thanks to stellar acoustics, easy parking and the sort of crowd one might expect in an affluent liberal area.Hosting two shows by Vampire Weekend the weekend of 6/15/24 and 6/16/24 both the lawn and floor were packed as the band ran through 36 songs including a karaoke-by-request encore in just over two hours.

Is it petty to dock a star because I just don't like the college crowd here? Lol. Some of these kids just squeeze themselves into any space expecting you to accommodate for them (no way, I was here first!!). Also, there were two really snotty girls who walked and stood in front of me blocking my view.....I tapped one of them on the shoulder saying that I can't see and she just glared at me lol. Geezus. Well, fortunately these girls later left my sight as they pushed themselves toward the front of the stage even more as if the world revolves around them. /end rant------------------Anyway, about the venue itself. Pretty good sound quality though if you're standing really close to the stage, earplugs are highly recommended (I saw a girl covering her ears during some songs, poor her). All of the lower half ends up being a purely standing area and the upper half is for those who want to actually stadium-sit during the show (and not deal with a fussy crowd).***Parking*** I've read about parking at the nearby garage being pretty pricy when there's a concert so I decided to just street park. An hour before the show there was some hourly metered street parking available within 15 min walking distance from the venue and the meters end their payment window time at 6 pm or 7 pm depending on the meter. Just gotta be a little vigilant on finding a spot. I also was able to drive out of the area pretty quickly after the concert as I assume that there would be a caravan of cars trying to leave the parking garage, which has only one exit lane from what I saw.Eh, overall not one of my favorite concert venues because the vibe was a bit of a buzzkill, but if I *really* want to see another band that just so happens to have a concert here then I shall return lol.

#Weezer last week was epic! Such a great band in a wonderful outdoor setting! And tonight #Band of Horses Yes!!! So excited Ok the Greek, not a bad seat but the concrete bench's are tolerable but not optimal. Restrooms are ample, food is not great. My #hotdog at Weezer was terrible, a $9 disappointment. Parking and traffic are difficult at best. $30 at the closest garage but worth it if your not inclined to hike!But again not here for the food or the hassles, it's just a great music venue .

This was our first time visiting this venue for a concert. It's located at the UC Berkeley campus. There is a parking garage near by, to the right of it, if your facing the venue. Make sure you pay for parking before you get back to your car so avoid the long lines at the end. We arrived early so we toured the whole venue to get an idea of seating. It was a pretty good view, even from the top since the seating is pretty steep. The seat are cement so I recommend taking a seat cushion. It really helps. There are bar post and food post at the way top with no lines. The ones closer to the entrance had lines.The venue is feels big but it is relatively small which is great for concerts because you feel so close to it!

Cool venue with great acoustics. It's an old venue dating to way back. The seats as concrete but you can bring a cushion to soften the blow. Limited selection on food but plentiful beer and wine options. It's really a memorable place to see a show. Highly recommended.

I want to preface my review by saying that I have gone to some really awesome shows at The Greek Theatre and would absolutely go again, but there's some room for improvement on how the venue is managed and I hope it's considered because I think this is otherwise an awesome venue.Pros: great sound, great visiting acts, not really a bad seat in the house, easy enough drive for Bay Area and Sacramento folks, lots of cool spots nearby to visit before or after the show.Cons: parking! Sure, my last visit was for a sold out show but the two nearby parking garages were completely filled and closed off. I get that colleges like to encourage folks to bike or take public transportation but when you host a big act, you have to expect people to visit from out of town. It seems silly to me that the two nearby paring garages can't accommodate a show's visitors. Seems like poor planning and something that could be potentially remedied by building up. I'm not an engineer but there's a solution here that's certainly not being considered.Bathrooms: not the best, not the worst, certainly outdated. Could use a facelift and I think having some out of order urinals is not the greatest look. Benefit of a doubt - the urinal broke that day. Otherwise, the cost of getting a plumber out and fixing this would've been a very small amount of ticket sales.Seating/standing: my biggest pet peeve here. I don't know if the venue was understaffed or what but we found a spot to stand and were later told we couldn't stand there. No problem! We moved to an area where we could stand. We then proceeded to watch people go in and out of the area we were. Some watched for a few songs, some were told to immediately move. There wasn't much rhyme to reason and I watched some folks stand in the area for the better part of the last half of the set. This could have been remedied with some caution tape or more staff members or better signage. Heck, they could've just placed a few trash and recycling bins there. But if you're going to tell me to move, don't let other people go stand where I was and stay there. Especially when it's directly in front of where you made me move to.Not going to stop me from coming back as long as they keep putting on good shows but seriously, figure out the parking and standing issues.