Really pretty outdoor venue with nice landscaping and a water feature. Everything was clean. There were no lines for the restrooms. The size of the Pavilion is a lovely smaller size so that you could see the performers very well. After reading about parking, I arrived a little bit early and there were lots of free parking which was a very, very short walk away from the entrance so it all felt very safe and pleasant. All of the volunteers were friendly and helpful The concert had booked half a dozen oldie groups. Gosh, that brought back so many memories. read more

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staff and fellow patrons are rude AF will not be giving this place my business again and I live in the area. they also are poorly managed when it comes to a place to sit/stand. Jodi, David, and John. read more

Nice venue for events.. festivals concerts and shows. We have went to several things here over the years. Some parking and some events we have had to park across the street ... i think its a school. Very nice peaceful safe area. read more

Fraze Pavilion - Arts & Entertainment Near Me - Dayton, Ohio

Attended a concert there with second row seats under the premise that the seating charts indicated their was an isle in the center between the two front sections. There was not. I use a cane and suffer balance issues. We're an emergency to arise there would be no escaping this seating in a timely fashion. And, more over seating was a horrible experience with many attendees arriving early, just as we did. We had to physically climb across chair seats to get to ours. Departing was almost as ridiculous in that some attendees thought by just sitting there the crowds would disperse. While in reality they were creating a crowded backup and n one was directing them to move. If you choose to go here be aware that the seating charts are inaccurate and the first several rows are more than likely situated against fire code. read more

We went to see the Ringo Starr All-star. Band tonight and was supremely disappointed. We had terrace tickets, and our view of the stage was completely blocked because people stood at the back of the lawn. Though a number of people complained to Fraze ushers, we were told there was nothing they could do about it. So the price of my ticket gave me almost nothing! Never again! read more

I love this place for all the obvious reasons. I lost my iphone here and they held it in lost and found. Thankful for the honest person who turned it in and the honest employees that kept it for me. read more

We have been to two concerts here so far and really enjoyed both of them. We have splurged by paying for assigned seats but have talked to others who have said that they have enjoyed sitting on the lawn. There seem to be many options, depending upon your desired comfort level and desire to spend $$. The only real concern that we have had so far is what happens in the event of inclement weather since there are no covered seats. We were told of an occasion when a show had to be canceled after just a few minutes when storms rolled in. So far this has been a very convenient place to go for a show. No charge for parking; you can park in their lots near the pavilion or we used a nearby high school parking lot. Everyone is friendly and helpful. There are beer and wine sales onsite, with your usual selection plus a few "craft" beers. Overall a very pleasant experience. I imagine that we will see many more shows I the future (we just moved to the area). read more

The Fraze Pavilion is a pretty good spot to come and check out a concert! We came here to see Andy Grammer and Gavin DeGraw. Getting to the Fraze was super easy. We even got to stop by KD's Kettering BBQ beforehand to have dinner before the concert. There were tons of street parking in the area (if you come early), but they also have free parking in nearby lots. Lucky for us, we were able to find street parking close by and walked to the venue. Overall it took less than 10 mins to get there. Ticketing to get in was super easy. They set up the venue so that there were multiple entry points for the venue so the line to get in was short. It took about 3 mins to get from the entrance to our seats. Being an outdoor venue, I was worried we'd be swarmed with mosquitoes but I didn't see any at all. Also the weather was nice so we were thankful. Sometimes when it rains, they'll postpone the concert or cancel it altogether. Overall the concert was fun. Although depending on the type of concert you're seeing, you' could either be sitting or standing the whole time. The rules for The Fraze are that you remain seated but they'll make exceptions based on who's playing. For Andy and Gavin, the crowd pretty much stood from 7pm-11pm. SO if you plan on wanting to sit, you're better off sitting in the lawn area if you find yourself a good spot. Or in the bleachers behind the lawn area. read more

Fraze Pavilion - Arts & Entertainment Near Me - Dayton, Ohio

Recently attended a concert at The Fraze - absolutely love this venue! Great size, solid prices on concessions, and not a bad view from anywhere at the venue. And The Fraze employees/volunteers are so friendly and helpful! read more

Beware if you're sitting in the ADA section D or A Orchestra. The 6 foot triple speakers are just a few feet away from your ears and I literally had to put my hands over my ears because the sound was too loud. 2 weeks later my ears are still ringing! I contacted my doctor explained what happened. She says I now have Tinnitus! read more

Well we are at the Fraze tonight to hear Little Big Town and despite the fact I paid for great seats in the orchestra section, we are not sitting there. The base for this show is cranked up so incredibly high/loud that we could feel our internal organs jumping! Truly. My husband has a pace maker so the extremely loud deep base had us concerned. So we are sitting outside the arena listening to the music. Even way out here it is is so loud, but not as loud as being in our paid for seats in the orchestra seats. The moral of the story is to only buy bleacher seats and sit as far back as possible if you are sensitive to very, very loud deep base. Another problem we noticed tonight is incredibly long lines at the concession stands. This is our 20th year of going to The Fraze. We have never seen it this bad! Are they cutting back on staff? Not good folks. read more

This is a great out door venue. On line we purchased 2 concert tickets, two seat cushioned recliners for the grass seating area and 2 snack boxes all for $101.00 dollars. Every seat is a good seat. The crowds are always happy and the staff is always friendly. read more

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Fraze needs to take lessons from the Rose in Huber how to treat their guest. We had third row seats and about eight seats in. All the folks had to get out of the row so we could get into our seats. Needless to say we set for two hours and never got back up.Space the rows so people can walk between them!!! Going through security check point you feel like you are at an airport, understand precautions but wow. My wife and I are in our mid 60s, they made us show IDs for wrist bands.....treat your employees like they have some common sense. read more

Easy for me to give Fraze a great review! I've been there for two memorable concerts--both during perfect June weather. Do your homework! Checking the weather and reading their rules (e.g., sizes/dimensions of purses they'll allow) is a smart place to start. Get yourself a dose or two of reality: Drunk idiots abound and sometimes they abound with lit cigarettes in hand--sometimes these cigarettes burn a hole in your favorite blouse (You know, the 94% polyester, 6% spandex top that looks fresh off the rack, despite having been crumpled up behind the cushioned storage at the foot of your bed for the last two weeks! Magic!). You've gotta get over it and pray for them, as they're likely self-medicating and never imagined ruining someone's favorite athleisure. Additionally, you must make peace with, then internalize the fact that no one could be so wrong, so much of the time, and still keep their job, like a weather forecaster! Expect the worst; hope for the best! Caveats aside, it's worth the drive from Cincy. Acoustics are the best--even for those who choose to hang around, outside the venue (Toe-tempting fountains galore!! Oh my!). My last visit was 6/12/22, for Kenny Wayne Shepherd's Birthday party. If you must work on your birthday, do it like Kenny! He chose Fraze for good reasons too. If I get my way and continue seeing legends like KWS and the Steve Miller Band, I'm definitely coming back to the Fraze!! It's the cherry on the sundae of your favorite ear candy. Trust & believe! read more

Had a great time! Small venue, but these are the best to experience live music. Food/beer booth was decent. Good choices of beer offered, pizza from Marion's. read more

Fraze Pavilion - Arts & Entertainment Near Me - Dayton, Ohio

Attended the Boney James concert on 7/23/23. Beautiful venue & great parking. Compared to the Rose Music Center in Huber Heights however, Fraze is seriously lacking in patron satisfaction issues. For a 7:30pm show we arrived at 7:10pm and stood in a long winding line with hundreds of patrons for 25 minutes. We were still waiting to enter when the the first band started. There were no Fraze volunteers around to explain why the long line existed, as many patrons wondered about the delay. When we finally arrived at the security gate, the delay was due to only two gates available (for 4,500 patrons), checking all the purses and bags, validating ID cards to ascertain age and then issuing wrist bands to enable the purchase of alcohol. I told the rude, inconsiderate, Fraze security officer that I did not intend to purchase alcoholic beverage and he insisted I needed a different color wristband anyway. This "entry process" is slow, inefficient and wasteful! The show was good, but compared to other venues, Fraze needs to reengineer it's entry and concessions process to eliminate wasting the time of its patrons. read more

This venue is overflowing with middle-aged drunk concert goers. The constant drunk-chatter is louder than the actual performance you paid money to see. This is a poor atmosphere for individuals seeking a musical experience. This is a fantastic atmosphere for individuals reacting to their 3/4 life crisis that do not respect musicians. read more

I had heard a lot over the years about how much better Fraze Pavilion was than Riverbend. When a friend offered her B-52s/Go-Gos tickets, we took her up on the offer. On the plus side, like Riverbend, parking is included in your ticket price and you get a slip with your tickets that tells you which lot you should park in. They have a much more adventurous beer selection than Riverbend (though it could still be better). The pre-purchased box lunch selection was a really nice option (though some tables would have made it even nicer). If you buy lawn seats, they rent out padded seat backs. Most the staff was very pleasant. On the down side, the seating areas are not covered. This is a problem when shows are rain or shine. We ended up leaving after the B-52s because of the rain. Also, something that we were warned about and experienced ourselves, there seems to be a tradition at Fraze for most of the audience to stand through much of the show. As my husband cracked, they could have saved a lot of money on the seats if they'd known everybody was going to stand instead of sit. All in all, Riverbend, especially with the additional of the PNC Auditorium, is looking much better for this northern Kentucky resident. Now to get them to add some better beer choices... read more

Worst place ever- wasted $70 on tickets to be told that we couldn't get into a concert. Unbelievablely bad- last time I got chiggers there so maybe this is a blessing. So bad! No wonder the Rose is eating their lunch. Will never be back- will be an outdoor pool before long. Bad management! read more

Absolutely the best outdoor concert arena in the Midwest. This gorgeous mini-sized amphitheater is in a suburban wooded community with a mix of residential and light commercial (office buildings here and there). However, the Fraze is so private and so intimate (lots of massive trees and greenery hugging the actual Fraze site) that it seems you're far, far away from the rest of the world for a few hours. Best part may be: if you get there 90 minutes early you likely can park within a hundred yards or so of the venue's entry point. The Fraze is a small amphitheater, maybe 4,000 capacity, yet brings in shows every year like Sheryl Crow, legendary jazz bands, and worldwide tours of hard-core rockers, yet offers a lot more than the usual: huge serene water garden with lots of Quality vendors surrounding it, and most of all a cool relaxed vibe that you must experience for yourself. Sit on the lawn in spring or summer and watch the stars (and the stars) shine. Fraze is a treasure of Kettering and Greater Dayton. We live in Cincinnati and would rather see a show at Fraze than any other outdoor venue in the immediate (100 mile) vicinity. Get thee to the Fraze! read more

1st visit tonight It's pretty with the fountains. I was surprised that the parking isn't dedicated for the venue like in neighboring cities. Concession lines long with no dedicated no alcohol lines. No liquor, beer wine & premixed margaritas only. No covered seating, all open. The only reason to visit this amphitheater imo is if the act you want to see isn't going to another city close by. read more

Fraze is in the heart of the west side of Kettering with surrounded by park with condos, apartments and Kettering government buildings around the venue. During summer season feature national acts on the main stage as well as themed festivals. I've gone to a few shows here through the years, the seats in the venue are just right, nice small lawn area, but the terrace seats are the worst, hurt your legs & don't have a back to them. I went to The Romantics, Night Ranger and Rick Springfield show as part of Mix 107.7 summer fair, friends had an extra ticket, we had good seats in row C on the end with great view of the stage. Beers are $8 each, a friend had a Mike's Hard Lemonade frozen lemonade. Restrooms always a line & wow the water to wash your hands is hot, nothing like other venues I've gone to shows before. Wow is Fraze Pavillon really 25 years old? Now I feel old, as this place opened when I was in high school. read more

We saw the Menus there a few nights ago. I think the Fraze is a great place to see a show. The venu is small and intimate yet it provides the feel of a larger show. Get the box dinner from Grinders. It was fresh and delicious. read more

This venue seats 4300 folks and they mix it up with a wide variety of musical acts. The acts I can remember seeing over the years include Al Green, Dr. John, Robert Randolph and The Family Band, The Avett Brothers, Umphreys McGhee, and Darius Rucker. One of these things is not like the other. The Fraze also offers a variety of free festivals throughout the summer typically featuring a theme i.e. Swamp Romp, Bacon Fest...that bring out food vendors from Dayton. It's always a good time at The Fraze Pavilion. read more

Worst venue in the area. They do not have consistent policies. They pick and choose who to enforce the policies they claim. They will let many people in with large bags and even back packs, but will then decide to stop people at random to decide a bag is too big. The staff is unprofessional. They intimidated my pregnant wife, and put their hands on her. Unprofessionalism at its finest. I'll never set foot in this place again. I suggest you don't either. I've heard many horror stories at this point. The staff has a major power trip issue, and it starts with their operations manager Rachel Sherwood. read more

I saw Jim Gaffigan and it was my first time Fraze. Here were my takeaways - The Good: The venue is very nice from an aesthetic standpoint. It is also clean. The orchestra seating was nice with cupholders for each seat. The Bad: It's an outdoor venue. I realize this is known going into it, but it is a major flaw when you have to plan something month's in advance and then it rains. Our show was delayed 90 minutes due to the storm. The venue asked that we all return to our vehicles, but hardly anyone did. Unfortunately, because of the delay, the show was drastically shortened. Jim did his full routine I believe. The Ugly: These items I didn't use in my rating but are noteworthy - the staff was quite rude during the rain out demanding that we go to our vehicles and not stand around. I realize this is a safety liability thing, but they made no attempt to enforce this unless you happen to be in their way. Also, they shut down several of the drink tents before the show had even started, which made all of the other lines really long. Bottom line: Nothing wrong with the place, but just know what you're getting yourself into. read more

The Fraze Pavilion is a toss up for me. It is a good venue for concerts if you have children (it is not rowdy and adult like some other venues), however, their concessions leave a lot to be desired. I attended a show there this weekend and they have the normal soda, ice-cream, etc. Their beer selection though, wow, terrible. They offered the normal bud & coors but their "craft" selection was 3 Yuenling and a Sam Adams....not much variety there. I have been there in the past when their craft selection was much better, not sure what happened there. The show was enjoyable though, the staff is very helpful in finding seats and crowd control. I was not bumped or shoved once and have plenty of room to dance with my son even though the show as sold out. Overall a good concert experience!! read more

Amazing outdoor venue! Everytime I go I ask myself why I don't go more. Last night we enjoyed the Boy Band Review for $10. I love that general admission allows you to go wherever you feel comfortable. Thank you to the Fraze for bringing great live entertainment to Dayton!! read more

I really like Fraze Pavilion. Last night we saw Elvis Costello and it was a great setting, even though its outdoors and uncovered and we got rained upon. We weren't drenched, just wet and it cooled off the hot temperatures a bit so no problem. There is plenty of parking nearby. The venue is not too big so, although we had good seats, I think every seat would be a good one. The other benefit of the smaller space is that the crowd cleared out smoothly after the show without bottlenecks or long lines out of the parking lot. I love this because I have little patience for crowds. I didn't try any of the food or beverages so I can't address the quality. One tip: if you use Google maps, put in the address or it wants to direct you to the Fraze box office which is in a nearby shopping center. Also, make sure you don't follow directions to The Fraze Pavilion which is actually someone's house. read more

last nights Bowie tribute was great despite the rain but the people checking bags/purses were confused. They were checking bags which they always have and told my significant other she could not come in with her purse?????? they said no bags. they made her go all they way back to our car to out her purse back in. all the while people were coming in with krogers bags,,,,,,,Meijer bags,,,,,,, purses . if they are going to change policies ( as they said they did this past sunday). they ought to let people know on their web site or in the store. Not cool at all in a very cool place to see a show. Management wake up!!!! read more

This is an interesting venue. My first visit was last night for the Weird Al concert, and prior to this show I didn't know much about the place. It's in a neighborhood, and it's more like a park that happens to have a small amphitheater. Because of this, it's really pretty and shaded, and makes for a nice stroll to the show. Here are the things that make it kind of 'weird': 1. You can hear the music just outside the ticket gates, so why not just enjoy the concert for free? If you didn't want to actually see the artist close up, you could totally just mooch. If I lived nearby I would do this all the time. 2. The parking is at the nearby high school. Bonus points for being free, but kind of strange that it doesn't have it's own dedicated lot. Leave about 10 minutes earlier to walk into the event. Took at least a half an hour to get out when it was time to leave. 3. The show starts RIGHT ON TIME. I thought that the time on the ticket was the time the 'doors open', but they were prompt. We were walking in ten minutes after the ticketed time, and he was already on his second song. 4. No one was standing. Seems like in other reviews there is a mix of people sitting and standing on the lawn, but no one was for this show. I prefer to be able to stand up or dance, but this seemed out of place. We got there and it was FULL. We found a seat along the edge railing. I cannot stress this enough... GET HERE EARLY! Otherwise, this does make for a more intimate outdoor event. Depending on the artist, I would come back for another show. I think a quieter, more melodic band would fit well in this space. I didn't have time to check out the concessions, so I can't speak to that. Leave plenty of time to get here early, and you will enjoy your visit. read more

Prior to the recent Sheryl Crow concert, I called the office asking about taking photos with a cell phone. It was suggested that I ask the ushers on the day of the show--which I did....3 times. I was told photos COULD be taken during the OPENING act, but not for Sheryl Crow. So...I took photos of Mallary Hope. At one point--in the middle of a song--an usher embarrassed me in front of numerous spectators by scolding me for taking photos. I called the office on Monday to complain and got the usual runaround: (1) the supervisor isn't here and (2) we'll call you back (but they never did). read more

I've never been treated worse in public. They over sold lawn tickets for ZZ Top and thus there was no where to stand unless you were standing on the concrete. This in itself wouldn't be a problem, me and both of my brothers had no problem standing on the concrete. The staff there thought otherwise. We were told to "move onto the lawn" or find a better location to stand 6 times. We asked them where we should stand because there was absolutely no room on the lawn and we were either told "it's not our problem" or "you just have to keep moving". People around us were even commenting to staff that no one else was being told to move but us...even though there were hundreds of people standing on the concrete. We asked multiple times where we should move and were not helped at all. Fraze should hire a responsible and professional staff instead of relying on incompetent volunteers. We missed half the concert due to being harassed by staff while others standing in the same exact area were allowed to stand wherever they pleased. We were obviously singled out. We were refused a refund by the box office and I will NEVER be going back again. A waste of money a waste of time and absolute unprofessionalism. AVOID AT ALL COSTS. I'll be going to Riverbend from now on. Fraze will never get a penny from me in the future. read more

The treatment of their patrons is in unimpressive. I was told that I was not able to park in handicap parking and also was told that my husband would not be able to pick me up. I recently had hip replacement surgery. The parking is horrible. The venue is very nice but they need to have a closer parking available read more

This is a very relaxing setting, the grounds are well kept. The seats are hard plastic but comfortable enough since you are standing for much of a concert. I am not wild about the food and drink options but they have sufficient options. I wish they could draw a few bigger names and I would go more frequently. read more

Great place for summer concerts. The restrooms are a bit of a hike to get to other than that I've always had a great experience there and with the staff. read more

This is my first time coming to a concert at the Fraze and I was delightfully surprised! It was a nice quint place with a nice area set up for the food and beer vendors. I definitely want to check out next summer's events and concerts to come back! read more

Great place to take in a concert. And they've got some great ones coming up! Check out this webpage for a list of upcoming performances and some other great things to do with the family http://www.dgmslaw.com/blog/bid/44952/Summer-in-Dayton-s-Not-Over read more

Saw Steely Dan at the Fraze last night. Loved the setting and the easy access and parking. We sat in orch A section about twenty feet off stage left with huge speakers about thirty feet in front of us. Music was great, but could barely hear Donald Fagen. Left early and on the way out noticed a huge difference in the sound in the middle of the pavilion - Fagen sounded just like I remembered when I first played my Aja LP in 1977. Will skip the expensive assigned seating and sit on the lawn next time. read more

I read the other reviews and have to wonder about the really negative ones. I suppose if you don't know what to expect, but some live in Dayton and should know. Yes, the concert venue is an open-air amphitheater with no roof. Yes, if it sprinkles or rains, you get wet. I leave my watch and electronics in the car and dress for the possibility of rain. Actually, some of the best experiences I've had there were when it rained a bit and everyone was up dancing or whatever. I'm sure if it were a monsoon, it wouldn't be so nice. I usually sit in the lawn area, bring my own concert-type chair (check the internet -- your chair can't have legs and must sit on the ground) and it is first come-first served, so get there 30-60 minutes before show time. Yes, people often stand for the show, but that is what it is. I eat before I go to the concert, so I get what I want. If the show is sold out, staff will prompt you to squeeze together on the lawn, but otherwise the staff has not been ugly to me. Come prepared and come early, and don't mind getting a bit wet, and you should have a good time. read more