Visited the first time for the Billy Idol concert and overall enjoyed our experience. I was not impressed with the ticketing process. .The box office did not have any seats together, but the secondary market was full of them at a huge mark-up. The venue is small enough that any of the seats actually provide a decent view and sound. The sound system was good enough to hear clearly. The video screens are small but big enough to see the performance clearly. Security staff, ushers, and food vendors were professional and courteous. Parking was free and easy to access, and after the show, it was easy to exit. We would see a show there again if it was somebody we liked. read more

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AVA has a capacity of 5000 people. It has reserved seats and open lawn seating. Lawn seating is a really good price if you are on a budget but it comes with its gotchas. First of all, you can only bring a cushion of blanket or just sit on the grass. Speaking of sitting, that's only temporary anyway because once the show progresses everyone will stand up. The policies for what you can bring in on are the AVA website. They are very strict as I saw several people getting turned away. They do allow you to bring in a sealed water bottle. I'd suggest you read their list of prohibited items ahead of time so you don't have to make multiple trips to the car. Speaking of which, parking is completely free which is great but plan for a little time to find a spot. For lawn seating get a spot on the hill halfway up and not in front of the sound booth. Be aware there are both people smoking cigarettes right next to you and also vaping pot. That is common thing these days at any outdoor music venue. Also know that people will encroach your space both in front and behind to where they are 2-3 ft from you. Having said that, the location is great as the evenings cool down and the sun sets. 75 F evenings are perfect. You can spend time before or after the concert in the casino either for dinner or drinks and some gambling. They also do hotel + concert combo packages. The price of food, I thought, was reasonable for a music venue. I've seen much worse. Lawn seating had at least one bar available for people but also concessions coming around in the lawn area. You need to get a wristband for alcohol which you can do once you get in. read more

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Not a bad seat in the place. We saw Alice Cooper and it was a great experience. Parking was easy, entry was fast. All of the employees were very friendly. If it weren't for the drunk couple right in front of us, falling into us, making out hardcore... it would've been a perfect night. (Obviously not the venue's fault for that). read more

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The AVA is a nice place to experience a concert. It is easy to get to, the system is easy and clear. I saw quite a few people having to return to their car to store a purse or bag that was not within the size the venue allowed. I just read the rules for the AVA, and brought a little clear bag to store a few things. I was second row, and security did a great job making sure not a million people were crowding the stage. The first two rows got colored wristbands so security could easily tell who had tickets for that area. Plenty of places to get a beverage and a lil snack. The prices are average for a concert venue. (that means you will pay a HIGH markup for most items). The sound was excellent and Shiela E as the opening act BROUGHT IT! Chaka was the main event and to be 5 feet from her was AMAZING! read more

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I recently attended Banda MS concert and they performed nicely and they gave a great show. My bestie and I attended the concert this past Friday. I loved the weather and there was even a cool breeze. I enjoyed Banda MS so much and so glad I got to see them as i missed them when they came to phoenix. Also it's nice they give a military discount. We were able to secure a discount bc my besties son is in military. read more

AVA Amphitheater - Banda MS 9/30 - Performing Arts Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Great place to watch an event! The fresh air, fantastic sound system, clean and big bathrooms, easy parking, decent prices make for a super cool place to enjoy a concert or show. On the grounds of Camino Del Sol hotel, which is a nice place to stay, I might add. I'd definitely take advantage of the 80s Hair Band nights again, plus any other band that piques my interest. Very happy with my experiences here. Thanks and CHEERS!! read more

When the summer heat retreats and the fall evenings are ushered in by earlier sunsets and cool breezes, the AVA shines as one of the best venues in the Desert Southwest to catch a show. Get a meal before at the world-class PY Steakhouse inside the Casino del Sol! And when it's time to leave, exit by driving behind the Amphitheater. It's usually much less backed up read more

AVA Amphitheater - a stage with people sitting in chairs - Performing Arts Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I know I'm not the smartest bulb in the box, but I'd imagine that if you're constructing an outdoor theater in Tucson, you would at the very least put out some fans. Seeing a show here was a satanic nightmare. Everyone was so visibly uncomfortable from the heat. I was so distracted from how much I was dripping sweat that I couldn't truly enjoy the show. Even the comedian, Jim Jefferies, made a comment about how he couldn't take being there. read more

Nice amphitheater, but absolutely ridiculous venue policies. Prior to attending I had searched the website for items I could and could not bring...website states you can bring a small clutch, so I brought a clutch and was turned away at the gate. Okay no big deal, but then I had to go back again for bringing an instant camera when the site states they only prohibit professional cameras...I come back again and now then they tell me my belt isn't allowed in...insane! read more

First off, free parking right up front, what venue has that nowadays. Easy in and out too. I saw Alice Cooper there in Oct. and the weather was great, laid back crowd. Only holds about 5K, so even the grass has decent views. read more

This nice place to hold a concert very big. There bathrooms are great on both sides and we were sitting middle very nice seats and they big tv to see better read more

AVA Amphitheater - Performing Arts Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Went here for Rick Springfield concert. He was awesome but OMG it was sooooo HOT! I think for the comfort of the patrons AVA should at least invest in a couple of big ceiling fans to circulate the air outside. Other than that the concert itself was great! read more

I came here a few months ago for a music venue for a EDM DJ. The strange part was, the printed ticket I had, the people at the gate didn't really go in a verify anything. In all honesty I could have bought one ticket and had 10 copies and everyone would have gotten in. The lines: Just to get in took a while. So unorganized and slow. When we got to the front, it was just for security check, and there was one line for females and one for males, but no one had said anything. With the carelessness they were handling the tickets, you would think the lines would speed up. Security: could have been better. I say this because as I was washing my hangs in the restroom, they followed a drunk woman into the men's room and she was kicking in stall doors. They just watched her go in, yell at people, kick in doors, and walk out. How are you not going to get rid of her. Other than that part of it, they did a good job Seating: The way it's set up, its a typical amphitheater, front stage is a standing area, then the seating spreads back. Then there is a grass area in the far back. Overall it is a little on the smaller side, but I think you can get decent views from just about any angle. Thats the perk of a smaller venue. It was pretty well organized. I had a good time. I would be willing to come back if the right musical performer was there. read more

This is a pretty good venue for some of the "smaller" acts that come to town. There's basically no bad place to sit, you'll have a decent view from just about anywhere really, even on the grass, since it's not terribly large. Of course, it's outdoors, so it can get hot out there sometimes, but it is what it is when you're in Tucson, AZ. The parking is very accessible and easy to find/navigate, and the venue is very close to the parking. Nice big spots too, so your car shouldn't get dinged up. It's a bit far from town, but I kinda enjoy the drive to it, so it's no big deal for me if there's an act I want to see (which isn't really that often, sadly). And it's a great excuse to indulge at the buffet in the casino, too. read more

I've been to the Anselmo Valencia Tori Amphitheater (commonly known as AVA) a number of times and have never been disappointed. Ample parking, an easy online ordering system and decent prices make AVA a great concert venue. The line to go through the security check and enter through the gates moves pretty quickly and the employees do a good job of moving people along. The prices for beer and food aren't any worse than any other concert venue. I prefer to get my beer at the Beer Garden over the regular concession stand. Better beers, better selection, liquor, friendlier people and a happier vibe than standing in a line with people dribbling nacho cheese all over my pedicured and sandaled feet. Because AVA is a smaller venue, lawn seats are an inexpensive alternative to sitting on hard seats and sharing an armrest with that hairy guy next to you. But then again, I may still be seeing the world through youthful and slightly buzzy eyes since I was 17 again on Sunday night as Peter Frampton kept wanting to "Show Me the Way." read more

I really like coming here for events. I've seen everything from comedy shows (Fluffy) to concerts (John Legend back in the day) and it's ALWAYS a fun time. I'd recommend sitting on the lawn in the summer because the heat seems to be trapped under the awning while your sitting in the chairs. Sitting on the lawn also gives you more leg room and the ability to get up and down as needed. The beer and other drinks seem to be like double the price they are in the casino just a few feet away. But being outside gives the venue a cool vibe and I like it! Highly recommend if you've never been there! read more

AVA Amphitheater - Us on the lawn at the Ava! - Performing Arts Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I went here for a Rob Zombie concert. The sound quality and the lighting were excellent. I had lawn tickets so seating wasn't an issue. Drinks and stuff were pricey but not bad considering it was a concert. Ticket prices were very reasonable. 35 bucks for a lawn ticket. That probably depends on who is performing though. Either way, it is definitely a place I will be going to again. read more

I'm a little perplexed by the bad reviews about this location because I attended an event here for the first time last night and was very pleased. Maybe it was because it was a smaller event, Jim Gaffigan's comedy show, but everything about the evening went very smoothly. Quickly parked, and very close to the Amphitheater I might add, then got in line and picked up my tickets from Will Call in less than 3 minutes and then got in line to go into the amphitheater. There was a separate line for guys and girls, which I always find silly, but understand there are women out there that feel violated if it's not a female feeling them up. They briefly looked in my purse and let me in, whereas my husband got a thorough pat down and checked every nook and cranny. Ha! Can't help but laugh that only part of the population was really checked...what a load off my mind ; ) I didn't really know what to expect about the amphitheater, such as how big it is or if grass seats would be a major letdown. I can assure you that since the amphitheater is so small (at least compared to what I'm used to) I felt very close to the stage even in the grass, and hey I got to layback and relax. Quite a deal for $20! Better yet they offered military discount for all ticket prices and the service charges weren't astronomical like most venues! Beer averaged $6, which I was pleased by, and kettle corn for $5. Needless to say my stomach was happy and I enjoyed lots of laughs. I am looking forward to my next event there in a few weeks. As a heads up, blankets and seat cushion are allowed, along with rain ponchos (no umbrellas) and one unopened bottle of water per person. Pretty awesome if you ask me! read more

I love the venue, but it's time to jump into this century ecologically. How about spreading a few recycle bins around & show you care about our planet? They refused to reuse my plastic cup too. read more

If the weather is good the lawn is a nice option- the stage isn't so far away that you won't be able to see anything. The last time I came we got VIP Box tickets which are pretty nice. The main issue with the box seating is that they are not tiered, so if you're not front row it can be a bit hard to see. They always have two huge monitors up for shows, so you're able to see everything up close and personal. I did notice though at the last show that the people directly front and center (like first row) were unable to see the monitors, because the performer asked them about this as he was trying to show a movie that went along with the act. Beer is crazy expensive..something like $7 a bottle if I remember correctly...I would recommend doing what you need to do in this regard over at the casino prior to the show. They offer monthly drink specials at killer prices. Well worth the walk over. read more

So many great concert memories here!! They need to bring more 80s metal bands here and lower the pricing a bit.

Anselmo Valencia Amphitheater, or 'AVA' (really wouldn't it be AVAA [and isn't that itself preposterously redundant?]), is a small, impressively very forgettable amphitheatre nearly in Mejico. The lines at the box office are historically unbelievable long. The lines of sight from the lawn are uniquely piss poor. And it is hot as fuck, but you are in Tucson in the summer and hearing what one hopes is good music so why dwell on the negatives? The box office employee overcompensated me in change when I purchased a couple of tickets in cash, more than likely because of service fatigue as well as simply rushing in a vain attempt to get through the obscenely long line she was facing, but I am no dick so I ran back and gave her the excess amount. Concert attended: Incubus, tour opening gig in 2007. Avoid if at all possible; this is no Red Rocks. - E read more

Terrible design... if you like your hearing this is the wrong place for you. They don't have a soundbox in the audience to correctly adjust individual sound levels during a live show . The solution? Turn up the volume to the point your paying customers' can't distinguish one sound from the next, and their ears ring for the next 3 days (also reasonably sure their are some blown speakers in the house p.a.). To be thorough I should tell you that they do have a soundbox on stage, for those of you not familiar with sound waves lets just say; you wouldn't have your stereo setup so that it sounds best behind the speakers. Which is effectively what this does, by putting the one person to make all the sound choices for the show away from the audience, you insure that the audience will have terrible sound at every show (brilliant). To top it all off, the chairs are uncomfortable (seriously prepare for lower backpain if you are sitting at any point). read more

Very clean very nice place for fun, outdoor concerts! I have been to one completely packed and one not completely packed and both have worked for me. Both times I went the staff was nice, the place was clean, and I was even pleasantly surprised with my lawn seats! Only complaint is the lines. For instance when I entered the facility I did not have a purse so I went to a line that I assumed was one without purses. I was alerted that it was a line for the men and I had to go to the line for the women (and all their purses). Super lame! I will be back! read more

The venue is the perfect size for a show. At this time of year be prepared to sweat while the sun is out, just standing. The only reason I'm giving Ava a three is because the water fountain didn't work!!! In the desert this is insane! The workers were all really nice though. At some of the concessions they needed more than one person because I had to stand in line for probably 15-20 minutes. And I don't think the show started on time at all. They've got some things to work on if they want to call themselves a premier site for events. read more

AVA Amphitheater - North side of the stage. - Performing Arts Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

It is a great place to see a show, a little far out, but what the hell. Sitting on the grass a great way to go. i don't go very often because mos of the programming I don't want to go to. It is what it is, if there is something you want to see go. read more

Attended recently for a show (Boyz II Men!) and was super impressed. Entrance, seating, parking, and exit was a breeze. Compared to other venues I've been to - and I've been to a LOT - this was all SERIOUSLY easy! I utilized the free parking garage behind the casino and there was plenty of parking available. AVA utilizes a "clear bag" policy and advertised this well ahead of time, which makes security go quickly. Snacks, beer, and drinks are all right outside the arena, and the arena is a nice size - hard to imagine there'd be a bad seat in the house. Sound and production was pretty good, and the overall experience was stress-free and fun; I look forward to returning again in the future for more live music! read more

We are from Phoenix, came here for the show... Peter Frampton, BB King, and Buddy Guy. It was pretty warm out and sticky. Once the Show started, everyone didn't care about the heat, everyone had a really good time. We are glad we came, we had excellent seats. Very clean very nice place for fun, outdoor concerts, we look forward to coming to this venue again. read more

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AVA has always been a fine venue for shows and comedy acts I've seen. Lots of room to move around, though usually I'm up on the grassy area. Everything has flowed well in every show, from seeing Cheech and Chong to Tears for Fears, I've had good quality shows, access to the beer gardens and bathrooms, and good loud sound and room to breathe and relax. I've never had a bad experience here and I love the proximity to the casino! read more

Wonderful outdoor amphitheater combined with the casino. We went recently for the Marc Anthony concert. The location is a bit outside of down, and some of the roads the GPS took us on were small, roads, but you could take the exit off the highway and drive a bit. Parking was descent arriving, but challenging leaving. The amphitheater was large and had a good amount of seating plus the lawn in the back. We were up front and had an excellent view of the show. Many people walked down to try to get up close, but security did a good job of sending them back to their seats. It was an easy walk from the parking lot to the seats. I would check out other shows here in the future and maybe stay at the casino. read more

Our group of friends recently attended the Journey concert at AVA Amphitheater and sat in the lawn. Love the lawn ! Brought our blanket and an unopened bottle of water - better off not bringing any bags/purses. Check their website for entry rules - alot of them ! Place was packed that evening, but the concert was great. Arrive early for any concerts at AVA due to all the security prior to going in - long lines, slow moving. Concession prices are high, but that is normal for any concert. If you have plenty of time before a concert, try one of the many food choices in the casino. read more

Best theater in Tucson for concerts, as they get some pretty decent bands to come and it is not even pricey to get a seat. I would definitely recommend to not get the lawn seats, as it can get kind of tiring to be standing an entire concert. I also love that they get Tejano concerts here frequently and being from Texas I always try to come out and listen to them. read more

I attended a recent mariachi concert with my husband at this venue. The seats were comfortable, we had a good view of the stage (Row Q), plus the large screens allow you to see close-ups of the performers. However, it was exceedingly too loud most of the time. The amps are huge! Maybe it's great for people in the rear sitting on the grass, but eardrum shattering for those sitting closer. What made us leave early was when the stagehands turned the monitor speakers, which the musicians use, toward the audience. It was too loud as it was, turning the monitors made it worse, and I was fearful of permanent hearing damage. I would not attend this venue again without earplugs. You can bring in a bottle of water, but you cannot take it home with you. I entered with a full bottle of water, drank half, and intended to drink the rest on the way home. Staff makes everyone throw away their bottles before leaving the venue, so don't bring a bottle that isn't disposable with you. The first half hour of the concert was pleasant, but then the wind picked up and maintained itself for hours. It was not only chilly, but threw dust into the air. Those are the vagaries of an outdoor theater. We had a hard time finding the car when leaving. On the way in I looked for signs with numbers of rows or something, but I saw nothing. We tried memorizing where the car was in relation to the entrance, but we were directed to exit from another location so it screwed that up. There should be large, visible signs so people can find their cars again. I've been to large parks like Disney and AS RennFest, and that is what they do. Overall we were not pleasantly impressed with this theater. It's too bad because they have some good acts, but having trouble with excessive loudness and finding the car were turn-offs for us. read more

We were at the AVA Amphitheater for a concert Saturday night. We had all-access, as we are friends with some of the bands playing, and security was exceptional all night. We stood side-stage, and when we would come and go from the stage area, the staff was always friendly with a nod and a smile. The concessions were reasonably priced, and everyone was helpful. read more

Went to see the Jeff Dunham show and we had a great time. The people there were very helpful in showing us our seats. The only strange thing was getting in to the amphitheater they divided the people up into male and female to check what you were bringing in and your tickets check. read more

Over it! The only thing that saved two stars was the performance of Pat Benatar and Cheap Trick. This was my third show this year and the same thing happened at all three. Amphitheater usher staff are completely lacking personality and having the ability to use common sense. The venue's policy of not filling in vacated seats, especially when the concert is 3/4 the way over, is absolutely ridiculous. As long as your respectful to others, not a jerk or blocking someone's view, and you paid the same amount as everyone else in that section, you should be able to move up. Plus I'm tired of Tucson SITTING through rock shows. Come on people! Stand up! It's Rock-n-Roll! read more

We've been to this place twice for a concert & quite frankly, going forward if the artist/band is playing in Phoenix we will drive up there for the show instead of seeing them at this venue (we live in Benson, AZ). The concession lines are very long (20+ min wait). The staff that walks around there are so annoying. We had 8th Row for Sammy Hagar & The Circle on 6/10/16. We continually watched the staff allow their friends to get into the front row for pictures while if we barely stepped into the aisle we we're "scolded". The first time we were there was in Aug/Sept 2015. We had lawn seats for Great White, Night Ranger & Loverboy. Loverboy was a No Show! We wanted to bring in our beach chairs (we need back support lol) & they were not allowed... WTF?! The lawn seats at this venue suck! If you ever see a concert here, get assigned seats. We won't be going back here anytime soon. read more

they need more bartenders and bars set up ! to long of a wait . But I like the venue for concerts .

Went to see Tony Bennet last nite.A good show and entertainer.The people at the entrance were less than civil after standing in line like cattle,paying 100 dollars for 2 tickets,asking us to empty our pockets and discarding my bottled water which i opened there.I am sureTony Bennett will not return to this establishment.People were rude showing up after his performance began,making noise and creating distractions,and he knew it.This man is an icon having been around show business for more than 60 plus years.What an absolute disgrace that AVA has employees that are not trained to have the utmost respect for the people that are PAYING their wages ,to say nothing of the patrons who pay top dollar to come and see and listen to top name entertainers.Other employees were pushing carts around after the show began making noise and other extraneous sounds coming from workers folding chairs in ear shot of Tony Bennet.I know he was perturbed.I worked for the American Broadcasting Company when we produced EPIC tv productions and variety specialsAlso after living in NYC for many years and attending numerous BROADWAY(,I know what i am talking about.) Shows,the employees at this theatre need to be taught some class in dealing with the paying customers.Most of them did not or do not know what they are doing.Very unprofessional! Once again,Tony Bennett will not return HERE,and neither will I. I will make damn sure of it ! read more

"Jeff Beck/ZZ Top Concert Ava Amphitheater Tucson Az 2014" 2 of 5 stars Pending review I purchased two Meet and Greet VIP tickets for this show for 710.00 dollars. While the performance of these two great bands was really good the VIP was NOT worth the money! My photo with ZZ Top was taken by a less than amateur photographer. My photo is barely in focus. There are people in the photo -OTHER than the band members and myself, which I felt "diminished" the value of the entire photo. (I did not want a photo of myself with the employees of Ava Amphitheater) . It was called a "Meet and GREET", but was actually a "meet and see", as no hand shaking was permitted, nor were autographs. - ( I normally shake hands when I GREET someone).. This was an additional disappointment to the limited "2 question" Q & A session. (Only 2 questions allowed from a crowd of approximately 25 VIP ticket holders???) The disappointment of knowing that I may never have the opportunity to experience a "Meet and greet" session with ZZ Top again, adds salt to the wounds of injury. While I stand by one of the greatest bands of all time, and will continue to do so, I will think twice before paying out $710.00 for "meet and see". I think this band truly cares about it's fans, and is probably unaware of the "less than dignified" way that some of their greatest fans were treated. I sent the people in charge of the show. FUTURE BEAT. a letter and of course they are doing nothing about it. Here is what I sent them. Here is my photograph along with a photo captured by the same photographer. As you can see the photograph is not in focus and open doorway was also captured. Ava amphitheater employees have also been included with ZZ Top and I along with half of a strange woman in the doorway that I had never met before.In this image the most colorful thing are the employees bright red attire which is where my eyes go when I look at this image. The color of our black pants merges with the black table we were standing in front of and this has created the illusion that we are all wearing capes. Curiously, I checked the date and time embedded into the photo wondering what time it was when I met ZZ TOP. After checking I realized that the photographer did not have the time set correctly in the camera. According to the photograph I finally met my heros at 11:58 pm, when I was already at home telling my wife about the night's events. Aside from that the copyright says 2009, not 2014. After I realized the photo that was captured of my friend James was in focus and mine was not I felt strongly that I should express my concerns with genuine sincerity . I feel the culmination of all these things speaks volumes about the level of care taken to really give a dedicated fan his or her money's worth and capture a once in a lifetime memory. Given what I pointed out, I think many people would have rather had this experience documented with more professionalism. read more