I have to preface this by saying I have seen so many of my favorite artists here and have many wonderful memories. This is specifically geared towards The Last Dinner Party show held 6/9/26. The band was fantastic and are up there with the best live bands on the planet right now. However, it was so f*king HOT in the venue even the band were looking out for people passing out. It's not the venue's fault it was humid, but they could have taken measures like turning the AC up or having a couple of designated free water spots. I have seen this at places like the Salt Shed in Chicago where there were ample free water stations on hot summer nights. I could feel the venue squeezing the few extra dollars out of the crowd. read more

I came here with some friends for a Houndmouth concert and I was pleasantly surprised! The venue might be small, but it was honestly the perfect size!!! You feel close to the stage but know you won't be trampled!! They even have Mikeys late night slice - delicious when youre looking for a quick bite!! The only cons are the drinks are still overly expensive and you can only bring it pretty small bags. I was lucky my friend drove and I could put my purse in her car, but it kinda sucked having to walk back to the car when my bag wasn't even that big to begin with! Regardless, the concert and venue were both great! I would totally come back if another band I like comes !! read more

KEMBA Live! - outside - Music Venues Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Yungblud- 8/2/26- $30 drinks, an oversold venue, refusal to allow people out of the pit to use the restroom or hydrate to the point there were people passing out or peeing in the pit, disorganized staff (obviously a lack of leadership/planning. as the employees were this place's saving grace), fast pass turned out to simply be a money grab, as they let everyone in at the same time. Not worth the trouble. read more

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The unprofessionalism here tonight was unreal. I'm from out of state visiting for a show and the ID checker attempted to steal my home state-issued license and accused me of having a fake ID in front of the crowd and staff. She almost didn't let me into the venue with her to have someone else scan it. She told everyone on the way in that I had a fake ID when I am a 27 year old grown adult woman. She was "unfamiliar" with the license, even though I'm from Kentucky which is the state below this one, and tried to confiscate my property. She also did not apologize for being incorrect when someone else was able to help me, did not offer me my well-earned drink bracelet and was still difficult to give my license back. She could've stranded me in this bum town because she couldn't do her job correctly. I will never be back. I will never spend money here again and I will make sure no one else does either. This was a complete embarrassment for me and this venue and everyone involved should be ashamed. What a joke. read more

This was the 1st for our Church . Our SING annual worship out grew our Church and we chose Kemba and what a night it was. Skies were beautiful, temperatures were great and the STAFF was amazing . Everything went off without a hitch. It was FREE to get in and still set us back $40 to Park and have 2 slices of pizza. $48 for a whole pie. Ouch. $22 to park Ouch. Memories -Priceless read more

KEMBA Live! - Grace Fellowship Choir - Music Venues Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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The stage is lower than the seats and standing area so you can't see a thing... you only can see heads. It could be a cool spot, but that was definitely a stupid design flaw. The floor was sticky from old shows. There is only one small entrance, so it bottle necks to get in so it takes a while. There is plenty of parking near by. read more

Good place to see a show. Parking can get pricey for big events. You also may get stick in bad traffic if there are multiple events going on in Arena District at the same time. Also, don't forget to leave your pocket knives in the car. One of the employees helped me hide mine in a bush in the parking lot and it was gone after the show. Otherwise, a good venue with many bars generally friendly employees. Really tough to beat an outdoor concert on a nice night. read more

KEMBA Live! - One of the many bars. - Music Venues Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Nice venue in the heart of Columbus. Sure, it's a corporate place but sight lines are good. Really enjoyed seeing Devo rock the joint!

awful. this venue is over crowded, oversold and understaffed. i honestly don't know how anyone enjoys standing for 4 hours shoulder to shoulder with strangers Without being able to get a drink. I would rate lower if I could. read more

I went here a few years back to follow a band that was opening for a main act. I became very attached to this band as they travel the country performing barbershop quartet, with a hint of a Jamaican influence. I used to have a huge crush on the tall one that would always wink at me. I gave him the nickname Gravity cause everytime he would glance at me I would fall down to my knees and begin my Moroccan mambo mating dance, (I know he liked it!). Anyways the place had a really cool vibe and made it really easy to see the stage from the bar. This is a huge plus for me as Chevius lives in the bar... usually!!! I've been trying to limit my drinking this year but it has been really hard since the barbershop-Jamaican quartet band that I adored so much, decided to stop touring since the lead guys dog got diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. I just feel overwhelmed right now. It's like "ahh why'd you stop touring... Jamaican-Me crazy!!! read more

Just another bar music venue with nothing special. The structure of the building makes it obvious that it wasn't built with the intention of being a good music venue and that the owners have no intention to make it better. The pit is in the middle of the audience area, and the camera people made it impossible for me to see. There are also pillars in the middle of the standing area and no designated line areas for merch. I have never seen such a disorganized line for merch at a concert. They allow way too many people for the capacity of the venue. Thankfully, I was able to get somewhat closer, but the crowd was as far back as the entrance, right outside the security check. The security is also over the top and rude, taking away people's fan made glow sticks, even when they said they wouldn't light them if it meant keeping them as a keepsake. It's cute that they made drinks The Rose themed, but one of them was very bad. Better off just serving regular well drinks that the bartenders know how to make. (No hate to the bartenders though, they were understaffed for the turnout of the concert.) Lastly, the bathrooms! The women's restroom is actually huge with at least a dozen stalls in a line. However, both times I've been here, the MAJORITY of them are out of order or otherwise nasty. I would come back here for an artist I really love, but otherwise I would steer clear. read more

KEMBA Live! - themed drinks for The Rose! - Music Venues Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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I have never dealt with a staff this painfully rude in my life. The workers here act like they hate their jobs, hate the guests, and honestly hate the idea of basic human interaction. Every question I asked was met with attitude, eye rolls, or straight-up ignoring me. It felt like I was inconveniencing them by simply existing. The venue itself? Mid. The staff? Easily some of the worst I've ever encountered at any event, anywhere. read more

So they measure bag size and if it exceeds you have to leave it at the door, unsupervised till the end of the concert even though it is completely empty. Yet they allow lawn chair bags which are twice the size. Please make it make sense SOMEBODY?! read more

The venue itself is pretty nice with good acoustics. However, they falsely show their seating chart. I purchased tickets for an indoor concert. Having never been there, I checked out the 360 degree view of the venue on their website. Upstairs, you can see nice, theater style seats and bleachers behind them. I bought what was called Platinum seats, assuming I was in those theater style seats. When I got there, the seats I was given were behind the nice seats, at a long, bar height, long narrow table on stools (at least they had backs). I was told the nice seats were sold to local businesses for the whole year. This is a deceitful process. The unavailable seats should still show on the seating chart and be marked as already sold. We spoke to 6 other couples at our show that had made the same assumption. read more

KEMBA Live! - Music Venues Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

So I generally like this venue but last couple shows the alcohol selection has sucked!! I like crown royal , and absolutely NOTHING SIMILIAR to this!! How about Seagrams, Captain Morgan's , but instead Jim beam or Jack:( yuckkkkkkk!! Had one drink I could barely get down. read more

KEMBA Live! - Music Venues Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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It's been a minute since I visited Express Live... for obvious reasons. However, I was finally able to go for a show post-ish COVID. All Promowest venues require vaccination and I love that this one is a beautiful, not too big and not too small, outdoor venue. I saw Porter Robinson and for that show, the attendance wasn't too crazy (I imagine due vaccination requirements). I actually liked having a little space to dance. Staff were all wearing masks, for guests it was optional and encouraged. Bathrooms were clean and there wasn't a line out the door. Major Score! Overall, I think they're doing a great job handling the live music scene in Columbus right now. I love the variety of artists that come through here and the health and safety measures are very much appreciated. I'll be back soon! read more

KEMBA Live! - LNS always good - Music Venues Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Went for the Avatar concert. The place seemed over sold for the show. The pizza was not worth 8 dollars. Staff was overall friendly. Have an area for individuals who can not stand and no one was monitoring it and people were standing in front of them. This was not my first visit but it will definitely be the last!!!! People were rude and disrespectful due to how over crowded it was. This was definitely the worst experience!!!!!!!! read more

I've been to a few different concert venues and I was a little worried it would be dirty, messy, etc. However, I really liked the set up of the venue with a pit and lawn hill for everyone. There are a few different vendor stations to grab a beer, I didn't see any food so eat before! Had a great time! read more

KEMBA Live! - Music Venues Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I've been here a few times for their outdoor concerts and overall a great little place to feel almost like a mini festival. There's plenty of parking lots around the area. The lines for security is always long, but it tends to move faster. It takes longer now that they have to check for covid vaccine cards and negative tests. They have a few bar areas to order drinks and those lines take a loooong time to move. There's also the bar kind of attached to Express Live and honestly there's barely ever a line! Go grab a drink there. Mikey's Late Night Slice tends to be there as a food option. They have porta potties outside or there is an indoor bathroom. I have been inside of Express Live for an indoor concert. It's just a normal concert hall with an upstairs which is nice for small people like me. Try an outdoor concert here if you can! read more

KEMBA Live! - Music Venues Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Was at the Russell Dickerson concert last night. Actually a cool venue right in the middle of a lot of bars and restaurants. We were side stage probably 40' from the stage and we couldn't hear a thing!! When he would talk couldn't hear at all. A few people around us went to tell anyone to crank the vocals up! Worst sound at a concert I've ever been to hands down. Maybe the middle is better but if on the side don't bother going. read more

KEMBA is a solid music venue with plenty of space. I saw Dayglow here, and appreciated that he chose a venue that would accommodate his popularity while also honoring his indie fan base (choosing to not host his show at the Nationwide Arena, for example) and choosing a more intimate setting. However, the venue itself is nothing special and the sound design is somewhat lacking. Still a great spot, though. read more

KEMBA Live! - Dayglow - Music Venues Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

This review is mainly to help those with accessibility needs as I rarely see info about this online. I went to see Gregory Alan Isakov outside on June 18, 2024 and bought two seats in the accessible section. I had emailed ahead of time to make sure I could bring medical necessities, including a small snack. There was no issue at all and they were super accommodating. I also wore my neck fan because it was 90 degrees. They had one section dedicated to wheelchair users and their companions and I was so happy to see it was a great view and in the upper center. The restrooms were very near this area and while most are the trailer-type porta-potties they had two large wheelchair accessible ones. We were in the accessible section that was not for wheelchair users and it had several benches. We sat on the front bench so we had a good view as well. Everyone was really nice and accommodating, and at one point I noticed a medical emergency happening and the staff handled it quickly and quietly and efficiently. If you want merch you will have to brave the steeply slanted walkways down to the lowest level, but otherwise bathrooms and water and drinks are all available on the upper level where the ADA seating is. They were also allowing people to bring their own water bottles in as long as they were sealed and "cracked open" in front of them on the way in, FYI. I hadn't been to a concert since my brain surgery two years ago and I have a lot more medical needs now and was really nervous, but the whole experience was fantastic. The sound outside was great as well, and I think it helps that GAI always brings out a really respectful crowd. Would definitely go again! read more

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What I love about Kemba Live is that the event can be either inside or outside. I prefer going to events outdoors. I find that Kemba Live indoors can tend to be humid, unorganized, crowded and chaotic. I enjoy Kemba Live as an outside venue. Entering the venue is usually much more orderly and fair. Our most recent trip was on the most gorgeous Fall evening. The weather could not have cooperated more! We were able to sit back in the lawn area and enjoy the music and the evening. This particular evening really made me enjoy this venue even more. Which is why I am reviewing it now. I'm certain that the particular event you are attending skews the persons view of the venue. We happened to have a great night with a great show. Thanks Kemba Live! read more

Train wreck and wont go back. Staff is clueless and lost. Bar is outrageous, $12 for single jack n coke, and no cash. I boycott places that don't take legal tender the US dollar, i was unaware going in. Screw convenience and pushing for more 'automated' tips. Seats were VERY small and VERY close together. Not sure of capacity but only saw one set of restrooms, which or course were busy and needed cleaned and refilled by intermission. Show, light and sound were all decent but the venue overall is a bust. read more

This is the smallest outdoor venue ever been to. It has a little lawn that can hold maybe a few thousand people and then the pit area is teeny tiny. If there's a super popular artist playing here... Get ready but I think that this venue is much better if there's a very low-key artist that you wanna go see! read more

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No stars if I could. Poor communication from a venue who did a rain delay with little updates leading people on for 4 hours. They announced people could come back when the venue itself would have been closed and past noise curfew for Sunday. No response from the company. Hundreds of deleted tweets and messages. I've never seen a company make so many poor choices in the name of greed and calling it "safety". A day later and there's not a whisper of an apology or refund. read more

I attended the tame impala concert on 5/26/22. This whole event was unorganized, confusing, and terrible. No one knew what was going on, when the doors were actually opening, when tame impala was going to begin, if the concert was going to be delayed again, or even cancelled. Tickets stated "rain or shine" at 5:30 pm the doors would open with the assumption that tame impala would go on around 8:30-9pm. People were lined up way before 3pm throughout the horrible weather, including thunder and lightning. They did not communicate to the people in the line if it was delayed or not while they stood hopelessly in the rain next to metal barricades for hours. Some people stood outside all day long in hopes for a front row spot. As time went (6-7pm ish) on they finally told of a few delays and then at 10pm they decided on 10:30pm for start time of the main act, way later than anyone anticipated. I joined the line at 8:30pm and got in at 10pm, which would be considered a very short wait time in comparison to others. During my wait time in the line the openers played as people slowly got in the venue. I finally made it to the entrance at 10pm where my ticket was scanned and I went through ZERO security. After a tragic mass shooting I was on edge about being around 10,000 people. I also heard of people getting in without any tickets. The show was decent, but it was unfortunate still raining and everyone was cold, soaked in their clothes & wearing ponchos. A few people near me passed out as well, which I assume is due to waiting outside all day or how packed the venue was. I was physically touching everyone I was standing by. The oversold venue did not do a good job communicating updates at all and did not use any security to ensure safety. To add, the concert was on a parking lot, not the lawn due to weather/size of concert. This experience was not fair to the fans and gives a very bad reputation to the venue, especially for playing loud music over the sound limit where there are apartments nearby. It lasted 10:30-12:30am with loud music. Overall not pleased with how the venue responded to the weather conditions, lack of security, and could've been more professional. read more

KEMBA Live! - Line in the rain - Music Venues Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

My Friend Kurt and I saw Primus here (covering Rush) and we had a great time. I like the layout and ability to move around. It was easy in and easy out... convenient for drinks, bathroom, and not over-sold so plenty of room to move around. They do a good job here. It's a quality venue. Sounded good. Good over-all management. Post-show we went out in C-bus and got completely hammered. Later that night I fell flat on my face, bled, starting puking all over-myself and ended up calling nine-one-one for assistance... they checked my vitals, and the fire department was so pleasant they tucked me in for night-night. I woke up with a different T-shirt on, blood all over it wondering what the h*ll happened. It was a delightful evening! read more

Going to a show here kind of feels like attending a festival organized by the TSA. And by that I mean, you will stand in a long line to get in; you may need to show some ID and proof of vaccination; you will have to go through a metal detector; you will be confused about what you can and cannot bring into the venue; and you may find yourself stashing a too-big purse underneath the metal staircase next to the entrance and hoping it will still be there when you get back. (It prooooobably will but definitely take your valuables with you if you are forced into this situation. To avoid it, don't bring anything bigger than a wristlet, unless it's clear, in which case it still needs to be smaller than 14" across. Also I guess blankets are not technically allowed, so you might want to bring a "scarf" ;-) or a sweatshirt you don't mind getting grass-stained if you want to sit but not directly on the grass. I know, I know, just go with it and you'll be rewarded with outdoor live music.) ONCE YOU'RE INSIDE, it's great. There are concessions near the entrance and in back. There are easily accessible bathrooms. There's really no bad seat anywhere on the lawn , and they don't sell it so full that you're on top of other people either. read more

Very expensive drinks.. a tall boy Busch light for $15... it's a venue I get it. I saw Mt Joy here tonight and very disappointed in venue staff. if you tend to overheat or get claustrophobic this is not the venue for you. There is no way out if you are in the pit. Passed out and medics/staff were mostly rude as though it was my fault... I couldn't get out fast enough because the place is so full and no one's kind enough to let you pass by. Ensuring that there is enough room for people to emergency exist should be a priority as a handful of people passed out and had to be PULLED out of the pit. Very dangerous... not to mention the capacity seemed to overflow the venue. Maybe separate lawn and pit tickets so we can control the number of people so they don't get trampled. read more

This was my first time attending this venue this past weekend and I really loved the whole aesthetic! I'm from the Cleveland area so I usually attend Blossom Music Center for outdoor concerts and I'm not a huge fan of the chaos there. KEMBA was so much better! You could see the stage really well from any spot in the venue, it was easy to get in and out of the venue and there is cheap parking that is directly across the street. As far as food goes - the only thing that I saw was Late Night Slice pizza. It was good pizza. Definitely very thin New York style pizza. There is the option of pepperoni or cheese for $6.50 per slice or $38 for an entire pie. The drinks were about the same price and selection of any concert venue. As for staff - they handled the crowds of people very well and kept everything running smoothly. While waiting to get into the venue the line was pretty long but the staff was able to split the line in two and open a second entrance at the back of the venue so they could filter everyone in much more easily. The staff at the drink stands were not paying attention towards the end of the night and I encountered many of them on their phones and not paying attention to people waiting in line. The only reason that I am giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because of the restrooms. It's very deceiving when walking to the bathroom. It looks like they are typical restrooms until you walk around the corner and there are only port-o-potties. They had a single outdoor sink type deal that didn't work very well and that was out of soap so you couldn't wash your hands after using the restroom. Improvement in that area would absolutely make this a 5 star venue! Also - I didn't have an issue as I was wearing a cross body bag but you are NOT allowed to have a backpack style bag regardless of the size. If it can be worn as a backpack then they will make you return it to your car. So just be aware when attending a show! And they are also a cashless venue which was kind of annoying just for the simple fact that they expect you to tip 20% on every drink purchase. Most people don't tip more than $1 per drink at a typical bar. read more

KEMBA Live! - View of the stage from the very back of the lawn. Still an excellent view! - Music Venues Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I LOVE LOUIS AMAZING VENUE AMAZING EVERYTHING. everythjng was set up really well here and i will definitely be returning if an artist tours here again read more

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Columbus should remember to enjoy this local fun spot! We were able to visit Friday night to see Train's benefit concert for Nationwide Children's Hospital. The venue is amazing here. Train not only played their top tunes, but did covers all night from Queen to Led Zeppelin. There is not a bad seat in the house and facilities are everywhere. Go early to get a good lawn spot and avoid the line that always forms near concert time, but rest assured there is always a line that wraps around the building - don't worry it goes fast and is just part of the experience. From Food, drinks, and rest rooms - it is well organized and the open lawn seating is a blast! Their staff is also very friendly - bartenders, pizza team, and even the people welcoming you (ticket team). Go when you can - you will not be sorry. read more

KEMBA Live! - But late night is always amazing. - This is from back row!! - Music Venues Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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What a great live music venue! We saw an indoor performance that was as general admission. It was very enjoyable and we were standing toward the back. Only one set of bathrooms on each floor (upstairs is VIP and where the only seats are). Still didn't have any issues with waiting in line for them. Bar service was quick! I drive from out of state to see this show and was not disappointed-would travel to see a show here again. read more

I was in attendance with a group of friends for the Tame Impala show last night on 5/26. The artist put on a great set, with that said.. I have never experienced something so unorganized and so incredibly stressful at another venue including large festivals, in my life. Because there was only 1 entrance for 10,000 people: We waited 2 hours in line, missed the opener, delayed the main show due to this mess of letting people into the venue. There were no bathrooms nearby or even accessible for anyone in line, people were urinating on the street! If you anticipate bad weather, you should plan accordingly. More than 1 entrance is a must. If you're going to advertise this as a "festival stage for a sold out show of 10,000 people. More than 1 entrance is a must. If you are going to have 2 lines MERGING into a small area, with NO exit possible, with a crowd pushing to get into the venue because we all have been in line for an extended amount of time in the rain. This then became a safety issue. Tensions were high and people were anxious in a claustrophobic maze, that you tried to sell as a structured line. More than 1 entrance is a must. This was the biggest let down I've ever experienced in music, and whoever is in charge of these large events and planning, needs to step down as this was a huge disappointment to this city. Promo west and Kemba Live completely dropped the ball on this event. read more

drink prices were outrageous $5.95 for a single 16 oz bottle of water and $13.95 for a 24 oz can of bud light should be illegal to charge such prices, overbooked the venue they left the outside doors open in the middle of winter so it was freezing cold inside read more

Cool place for a live show. There are bars upstairs and downstairs and plenty of standing room. I've seen a couple artist here most recently Giveon and Thundercat both great shows!! read more

KEMBA Live! - Thundercat - Music Venues Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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I recently came here for the Maggie Rogers concert in September 2019. Given that it was an outdoor venue, I was a bit hesitant as it was in the middle of summer and hot/humid out. Luckily, this wasn't an issue for us. I live in Indy and go to many concerts. This place reminds me of a smaller the Lawn at White River State Park venue in Indy. It's outside, but it's small enough to be intimate at the same time. We waited in line and were lucky to get fairly close to the stage. There was ample room on the lawn where you could also enjoy the show while sitting or hanging on an elevated area to see, even with it being a sold out show. The bathrooms were all very clean and the drinks were incredibly priced for a concert venue. I was pleasantly shocked. Great venue - had no issues during my time seeing Maggie! read more

KEMBA Live! - Maggie Rogers - Music Venues Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Styx...Chevelle...Just to name a couple. I have been here more times than I can count. Which means that my man has been about a hundred more times than me. He is a local musician, so he is always taking in shows and going to see people/bands he has not heard of previously. I was just here last night for the Blackberry Smoke show. Of course, my man scored some free tickets...so. I did not know a single song but everyone seemed to be having a great time. One guy even tried to light a cigarette...security was on him like.... I had a good time and it was not very packed so I did not have any anxiety attacks. I know I will be back not sure if it will be this week or next but it will be within the next month. I do want to let all the women know that they are checking purse/bag sizes. If it is not a clear see through bag it will have to be 5" x 8", and they will measure it and if it is not the right size you will have to throw it away or take it back to the car. read more

Used to love this place when it was LC Pavilion or Express Live. Have seen probably close to 50 shows here over the years. The current management is nothing short of terrible, and will risk the lives of the audience to make a buck. Long waits to delay during a severe lightning storm (and nowhere to go for shelter), lies told to patrons about cancellation and refunds, and when they did delay, a show that starts 4+ hours late after nearly everyone was told it was cancelled and left, just so they don't have to refund. Hard to say if it was poor communication among the workers, or a direct and planned deception. Nonetheless, it was awful. A word of warning... You all have probably seen the options for "front of the line" or "skip the line" ticket add-ons on Ticketmaster or AXS. Well previous management would honor these as they were sold and let those people in before the other gates open, a full 10 minutes before the other gates opened. Now - and this is multiple shows because we thought the first an anomaly - they have people stand in long lines at three entrances, front, back, and side of the property. The side entrance is for those who paid $20 extra per ticket to get in first. Problem is, the crotchety old bag running the place (or maybe the security) has all the gates open at once, screwing you out of the ability to get close to the stage. I talked to her twice about this, and she told me that it was my problem and I shouldn't believe everything I read. Well, that's not very nice, and honestly is false advertising and could be construed as theft by deception. Despite their numerous shortcomings, the location is nice and easy to get to, parking in the garage is right across the street, and the Columbus crowds at these shows ALWAYS show up and show out, and are some of the highest energy and friendliest of the crowds I have ever had the pleasure of being a part of. I see a LOT of concerts and prefer outdoor venues. I'm also not from Columbus, so it's not a bias... Columbus concerts are the best! If you don't mind lighting storms, and don't purchase the front of line tickets with the expectation that they are worth anything, and can avoid talking to the grumpy management curmudgeon, then it's a 4-star venue. Best of luck! read more