Boy George 9/6/26 This was a really fun experience. My husband got us great seats and paid for the premium parking. Staff working here are very nice and informative, directing you where to go. We didn't buy snacks, drinks or merch so I'm not sure how those operations function. Boy George puts on a great show. He didn't have multiple outfits like when we saw him at Hollywood Bowl, but it was very entertaining. Our seats were so good that we didn't have to stand the whole time and could still see. Which was quite nice since I'm old now and like to sit. :) We haven't seen a show here since pre-covid so I forgot what a nice place it is. Next year we'll be sure to get show tickets during the fair. read more

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It's my 2nd time being here for a concert. The first time, it was part of an OC Fair day, while this time it was as a stand alone venue. Both times I really liked the venue. Parking was easy breezy and reasonably priced. After a pit stop and goodbyes to our friends, exiting was equally smooth as most of the crowd had already left. This venue has an intimate vibe with seating being greater than The Greek Theater but much chummier than Hollywood Bowl, when comparing outdoor venues. Its seats were a bit snug, but does that matter if you're up on your feet dancing? What's a little hip bump amongst friends? Sound was great! Full and balanced, it didn't get washed out as it filled the outdoor space. There are some food and beverage vendors, but likely because it's attached to the fair with its gajillion food options, not a wide selection. But, certainly enough to energize you through a concert. Wrist bands are given once your ID has been checked. Interestingly, medics were routinely seen patrolling the walkways while the concert was going. Most of the crowd was...ahem...of an age, so, yeah, I guess this made sense. Even though always available at any venue. I'd just never seen it so readily apparent before. When the concert was over, there was a noticeable police presence inside the venue at exit points, congregation points, and at the gates. This was not a rowdy crowd, so taken altogether, all I can guess is that they take safety and security of their patrons very seriously and in doing so, guard their reputation as a safe and desirable venue. I appreciated the cleanliness of the place. The aisle ways, the walkways, and the restrooms were debris-free and clean. As I mentioned above, we made a pit stop before we hit the road. As anyone who's seen a women's room line knows, it might take a minute. Even with the quick turnover (there are plenty of stalls) a female employee came in with a PE locker room voice loudly saying for us to "hurry it up! Let's go!" A little comedic to us actually, but found impatient by some guests, who shouted back "I'm trying to!" and "Give me a minute!" Pacific Amphitheater, I like you. I'll definitely be back. read more

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First time at this Venue! Nice, small and intimate venue vs the Hollywood Bowl It's close to home and an easy to get to. Lots of parking. It was quite a lot of traffic getting on to the lot and after the concert was over, a major jam getting out of the lot. Def should have had police controlling traffic as you see at other venues. In addition, to auto traffic, lots of pedestrians concert goers) walking to offsite lots. When we first arrived there were plenty of food and beverages vendors. With the parking traffic, we just made ot to our seats as the concert started (start time 830pm, started at 845pm). When there was a short break just after 930pm, we decided to get drinks (Espresso Martinis) but found everything shut down! Very surprised as were many other patrons looking for snacks and drinks. Many Yelp comments stated you could bring in your own food and drinks but the venue's website states outside food and beverages are prohibited. Then the concert ended promptly at 10pm. Not sure if other concerts offered here start earlier? We heard that concerts had to end by 10pm at this Venue. The tickets were inexpensive in comparison to other venues. Fun venue and would go again. read more

The Pacific Amphitheatre - Music Venues Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Great venue. Every summer we catch a concert or two at the Pacific Amphitheatre. The parking is close and very reasonable (actually cheap!), the acoustics, seating, concert selection,.... are all great. We've sat far, close, left side, right side, and the view is always good. If you go while the OC Fair is in progress, entry to the fair is included. There are drinks and merch for purchase. read more

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I've seen 3 shows at Pacific Amp altogether and they've all been great. First was The Green in 2023 then it was Tribal Seeds in 2025 and more recently in 2026, we saw Iration. These were all the headliners but it was amazing to see Mike Love, Hirie, The Expendables, Skip Marley and Niko Rubio all as openers. The sound has been great for the shows we've seen. Pacific Amp is like a baby Hollywood Bowl to me although the sound is better at the Bowl, acoustically. Concessions are decent, drinks are pricey. Kettle corn is $15 for a big bag. Not cheap. Staff has always been friendly & helpful. I did notice an increased presence by OC Sheriffs this recent Summer, even with K-9s in tow inside the amphitheatre. That was a first. All the shows we've seen have been during the OC Fair season so just know that your concert ticker allows you into the fair as well. Good times, good tunes, people having a good time... Cant ask for much more. Parking was impossible this time around. We had to park across the street in the pay lots by city hall & CMPD buildings. Made for an even longer walk. We survived. read more

My first time at The Pacific Amphitheater and I enjoyed myself. I went to attend the Nelly and Too Short concert during the OC Fair!!! OMG what a time we had!!! The seating is amazing, wherever you sit is a good view. They have really good handicap accessible seats and ramp for those who are disabled. The process to get in is easy and it's many ushers there that will help you. It's really organized and has food and good beverages to get. A good perk is that you can also bring your food or drinks inside from the fair. The ticket to the concert also included admission to the fair. It's easy access to exit and no hassle!! Five stars all around for me. Cannot wait to attend the O'jays and Patti Labelle concert this week. -Marshay D. read more

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Horrifically, uncomfortable seats! Horrifically! Security is fantastic, such an intimate venue. Reserved parking is totally worth it! The lines moved fast. Available drinks and food were what you would expect from fairgrounds. I was here way back in the early 90s for a concert and Pacific amphitheater still really understands how to put on a show! read more

The Pacific Amphitheatre - Boy George, beautiful inside and out! - Music Venues Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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It was an incredible time at her Pacific Amphitheatre show. Despite a light drizzle, Boy George sold out the house, and we had a fantastic time! read more

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We went here to watch the Kolohe Kai Concert. Hirie opened for him. It was our first time here and i gotta say there really isn't a bad spot to watch an act in this amphitheater. Our seats were in section one, row J. And if you're further up there's two screens beside the stage. The seats could use some WD40 though. Had a hard time putting it down. Workers are all helpful if you need assistance on where to be seated. And it helps their mood when it's Island music playing too. At one point there were cops next to us watching the crowd, making sure everything and everyone was alright. As for food & beverages, you can bring a water bottle in or food from the fair (if it closed). There's snack options (popcorn, cotton candy and more) available as well and beverages (beer, soda, water) available inside the venue. Bathrooms are located behind the stage or right when you enter the venue. I'd watch more concerts here. It's better than the Greek theater in LA. Easy in and out whether you are coming from the OC Fair or just to attend the concert. Shout out to the peeps in will call, they were able to seat us together with my two separate orders. read more

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Went to see Nelly, and Tshort, and another day Pattie Labelle and the Ojays. Two nights of bliss. This theatre is amazing it's very clean the seats are good and they have a nice amount of food and drinks to choose from. The service is great. All staff are friendly and helpful. read more

The Pacific Amphitheatre - Music Venues Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I have attended many concerts here throughout the years. Although its not my favorite venue, its still a fun place to catch a show and enjoy the fair. I recently had a great time at the Sugar Ray/ Smash Mouth/ and Tonic concert. You can bring drinks in from the actual fairgrounds or purchase drinks at many of the drink stations. The bathroom situation sucks, as there is ALWAYS long lines. Overall, I will keep returning to watch shows here. read more

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Great venue and easy to fine and huge parking lot since it's also right next to the OC annual Fair playground. The venue is small and all seats are with good view of the stage and if you been to the iconic Hollywood Bowl then this would be 1/3 or almost 1/4 of its size. Sounds are great, plenty choices of foods and drinks, not long line at all and they even have it inside. Bathrooms are clean and big. Inside is very comfortable and imitated. Been here a handful of time and if you're here during the OC Fair period, your ticket is included entrance for free. The only not so great thing about this are: 1. Concert must end by 10pm (this concert started at 8:45pm therefore it's a shortest concert I ever attended), 2. alcohol selling is stopping at 9:30pm, and 3. getting out, the lights turn into 4 ways stop so it's slow and no staff guide for getting out. read more

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07.29.2026 Attended the Cypress Hill concert at this location. This place is spacious with nice clean restrooms. There is a lot of adult beverages being sold at this Amphitheater, one in each corner of the venue. The vibe was good. First time here and the place did not disappoint. Big Screens to see from a distance. Workers are attentive and respectful. They greet you and direct you to your seating area. This is all is asked for, someone to be nice with a great attitude. I will be coming here more often to watch some concerts. Being part of the OC Fair is a plus. After the concert you can go back to having fun inside the fair. Great Venue and good first-time experience. read more

So easy to get to. Parking is great. The outdoor concert venue is lovely. I definitely recommend..

We went to see Rebelution but The OC Fair is still open so it was jammed packed parking. Traffic was bad around the fair grounds. We parked at a think it was college campus. We walked 10-15 minutes cz there were lots of people walking to fair grounds, read more

I attended my first concert at this venue and I was impressed. Everything about this concert experience was positive and fun. From the parking which was seventy-five steps to the main gate (we arrived two hours before show time), to the smooth entrance via the X-ray machine, the friendly employees, the easy access to the restroom, snack bar, souvenir booth and finally to our seats inside the venue. Everything was a smooth as can be when attending a concert. We only had kettle corn and even that was delicious. The sound here is AMAZING!! The view was perfect and the seats though hard, were comfortable. 8,000 seat venue is the prefect size to catch a concert and my family and I will definitely be returning here in the future read more

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This venue is very spacious and we enjoyed our concert. This was our eldest daughter's first concert experience and it did not diss appoint. Aloe blacc + Fitz and the tantrums are who we saw. Both acts were so entertaining, especially the gracious and very kind aloe blacc whom we got to meet afterward. I'd come here again for another concert! read more

The Pacific Amphitheatre - Music Venues Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I'm always looking for an experience, and I'm happy to say I officially kicked off my summer at the Pacific Amphitheatre with UB40. I've been listening to this band since the '90s, so hearing them live was such a fun nostalgic night. Of course everybody gets older, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that... let's just say maybe Dispatch should now be called UB80. Bad joke, but it had to be done. let's face it. That's the dream to do what you love till you're dying day. I'm down for that. I'm definitely that girl. I'll go see you No matter what age if I love you! I love this outdoor amphitheater. The tickets were very reasonably priced, the atmosphere was relaxed, and it felt like the perfect starter concert to set the summer off right. I'm already planning my return for Sugar Ray and English Beat on July 23.A little tip: if you drink, the venue advertises cocktails, but it's mostly canned beverages. I'm sober so it didn't matter to me, but good to know ahead of time. Also bring cozy clothes because it definitely got chilly once the sun went down.Overall, such a great summer vibe and an easy five stars from me. read more

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Went to my first concert at The Pacific Amphitheatre and was pleasantly surprised. It was much easier to park and leave, compared to other outdoor venues like the Hollywood Bowl and the Greek Theatre. Parking is $15 on the fairgrounds, but you can also park across the street at Orange Coast College for $10 (pay for parking on a website or app). Considering how much they charge in LA for parking, it's a bargain. Staff did a great job keeping the aisles clear, efficiently notifying people to return to their seats. We were at the end of a row, but some of the rows are very long, which require you to walk by a lot of people. The line for the women's restroom moved very quickly and the facilities were clean. Sound was great. I guess they must have a curfew because the concert ended exactly by 10pm, with no encores. Admission to the OC Fair (if it's going on) is included with your ticket. I'm not a county fair person, but it was interesting to check out before the concert. Would happily see another concert at the Pacific Amphitheatre! read more

The Pacific Amphitheatre - Ozomatli - Music Venues Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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This is a great venue - not too big and great acoustics. The reason I'm giving 3 stars is the very poor signage and customer service. We walked into the fair area and our tickets were scanned. No one mentioned where to go for the concert until we tried to enter the door area of the venue where a guard told us to exit and go left. No where was there any signs that said no entry go to blank. No wonder I love the Hollywood Bowl. Unless some band I love comes here this is the last time I come here read more

Great venue for concerts! Been to one so far here and great sound. Love the outdoors. The restrooms were fairly clean as well. Overall, good venue. read more

Every few years I attend a concert here and remember why I don't come back more often. The sound system is not great. I will say that the sound wasn't an issue when we came to see Trevor Noah here but if you're coming to see a band it's 50/50 on whether the sound engineer will get the audio right. That being said, shows here are affordable and it's easy to get in and out of the venue. Concession and restroom lines aren't crazy long and like I mentioned in my review from 2008 the crowds are still "interesting" different from 2008 but still quite interesting : ) read more

Cool venue didnt know this was here. A good walk from parking lot to entrance. Outdoor stage area hosted cocktail hour pre show. Will call tickets were ready and waiting when we arrived. read more

The Pacific Amphitheatre - Music Venues Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I went to the Beck/Pacific Symphony concert on 6/30. The opener was like no one I've ever seen before. A professional whistler. She was great! I loved seeing something new and the acoustics are fantastic. It was so easy buying tickets, the outdoor venue has a great vibe. The rows are just a pinch too narrow to make it easy for people to walk past you (we were stepped on a few times even though we did our best to get our feet out of the way). Oh yeah! Checking in was a breeze. read more

The Pacific Amphitheatre - Molly Lewis (whistler) - Music Venues Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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We went to a John Fogerty concert a couple weeks after the OC Fair ended so I can't comment about the parking situation while the fair is going on. We had no issues getting in/finding parking but it does cost $15/car. The venue is pretty small, but that's what makes the ticketes affordable. Our tickets cost $55 off the site that pacific ampitheatre linked me to. Inside there are some tents for food/beverages and merchandise. Bathrooms are easily accessible. I highly recommend looking for tickets linked directly to the pacific ampitheatre site to avoid high resale ticket pricing. https://pacamp.com/ The best part aside from the performing artist was the farm dog who listens to the shows for free. You can meet the white labrador on the hill opposing the stage. Apparently there are goats and alpacas on top and you might see them as well! Great venue, accessible, close to the freeway and local. read more

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Had an awesome time watching the Stray Cats, a rockabilly band from the 80's. And although summer's in full swing, a huge section of seating was shaded around 7PM (in August). We were in said shade and as the evening went on, a cool breeze emanated throughout. Perfection. The Pacific Amphitheater reminds me of a mini Hollywood Bowl with stadium seating and great acoustics. Concession stands are placed throughout offering food and drinks, but expect to pay more as price hikes are typical at concert venues. Parking is within the OC fairgrounds, but when the fair is going on, the area is inundated with cars trying to gain entrance onto the property. Leave early and prepare to wait in long lines. We got fed up with those long lines and ended up parking at Orange Coast College off of Fairview Rd. and Merrimac Way. Parking fee was $5 and you pay through an app. We already had dinner before coming down, so we only got drinks here... THE DRUNK DRINKS. - Pineapple Margarita by Hella Cocktail | Sweet pineapple flavor. Nothing crazy to dote over. - Margarita by VMC | Sweet and sour flavors, but there's a creamy consistency that really elevated this drink. Huge fan, try it out! Side note, we thought our concert tickets might also let us into the OC fair, but it didn't. All sorts of barricades were up so once we exited the amphitheater, it shot us out back in the parking lot. #wompwomp read more

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So I'm at the Orange County fair, Pacific amphitheater, purchased my tickets to Oliver Anthony a month ago first row Terrace section 6, they didn't tell me my view would be obstructed... Kind of messed up! read more

The Pacific Amphitheatre - Pacific amphitheater view from my seat - Music Venues Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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We came to see John Fogerty. As soon as he started singing his hits Everyone in front of me stood up, so I had to stand in order to see anything. The air became very hazy with weed. Fortunately I had a Covid mask in my purse, so I could breathe. Other than that, it was a good concert. The first half was his sons. Would have been much better if John did all the singing. read more

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Easy to find, enter and park. Lots of seating with mostly all unobstructed view. Clean bathrooms available. Snack bar options. You can bring in unopened water bottles which is a huge plus. Great sound system. Came for a graduation but I've been here for concerts too. read more

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Decent venue. Like adult films from the 70s, it used to have a big lawn, but they shut down in the early 90s due to noise complaints (thankfully after I saw X and Primus headline a festival), reopening in 2013 with a reduction in seats from 18765 to 8000 and concerts concurrent with the fair (admission included), like when I saw Hall and Oates. The venue hosted Marvin Gaye's last concert. He went out with a bang. read more

The Pacific Amphitheatre - Music Venues Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Love this music venue! So convenient and spacious. Love that it is open and close by. Lots of parking and great acoustics. Came to see CAKE perform with Dakha Brakha (folk band from Ukraine). Got great seats and enjoyed the show! Loved the goats, donkeys and llamas grazing on the hill in the background. So fun! Come see your favorites perform! read more

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We had an amazing time at the Pacific Amphitheatre. I love the fact that the concert venue allowed you to go to the fair as well, the hubster and I truly enjoyed that aspect. Our seat was amazing and the service at the venue was great. Definitely our go to venue for concerts read more

I've seen some great concerts at this venue such as Brian Setzer, Joan Jett, Steve Miller, and many others. A couple were disappointing which I won't mention. This is a large venue and if you're older I would choose your seats carefully. The sound system is excellent and your concert tickets will get you into the OC Fair while it's going on. read more

I came here for the Cannons / XCII show tonight . Acoustics were great - even right in front of the speakers the sound wasnt too loud. Staff were friendly at box office and inside the venue. Only negative : start at 7 instead of 7:30 to give the headliner more than 1 hour ! The band Cannons played an extra 30 minutes at the Greek - I was there ! read more

The Pacific Amphitheatre - Cool Signage ! - Music Venues Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

The Pac Amp continues to deliver great music even after the fair. Easy parking, great selection of food and beverages inside. Both bands rocked it and look forward to next year's line up. Seeing Squeeze made my 80's heart so happy! PS. If you don't like to dance, sing and enjoy a good show, consider staying home and watching a concert DVD . You wreck everyone else's vibe! read more

The Pacific Amphitheatre - Boy George! - Music Venues Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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This venue is great to watch live music. We came here to see J Boog and The Green last weekend. We were sitting in Section 6, Row M, and seat 59 & 60. We had a really great view from our seats which was a plus. There are a variety of concession stands so you don't have to go outside to the fair to get some food. The concession stands are also in the same area as the restrooms. I suggest going to the restroom before a break in the set because the lines do get long. Overall, great and clean venue. Looking forward to seeing another show there soon. read more

Crowds aren't my favorite, heck I get rattled when my kitchen has more than 1 person so I don't frequent a lot of places where a crowd is present. On this night my guy wanted me to hear "our song" sung by the Turtles. So I agreed to sit through (and really enjoy) 60's bands sing and play their top hits. The Cowsills "Hair", the Association "Never My Love", and "Cherish" were the few I recognized, and "Happy Together" was of course my favorite. And hey, I learned a nifty piece of trivia: Ron Dante was the vocalist for The Archie's song "Sugar, Sugar" so it was fun hearing that hit too. All in all the amphitheater is what you'd expect; it's old and open but seats are a bit crowded and aren't set up so their staggered - invariably I'll sit in back of someone with a giant head and that's exactly what happened on this night. Sure hope they're smart because that space would be wasted it it weren't filled with brains. Gorgeous evening, and besides Mr. Big Head we had no neighbors to the left or right of us...so a switch to a couple seats down cleared my view. Didn't even need a jacket, but we did have a lap blanket. Food is obnoxiously expensive, but we had dined in Irvine at one of our fav restaurants and weren't in the slightest hungry, not even for snacks. Parking is $10 per car and DO pay attention on where to park for the amphitheater. Depending on where you enter the parking lot the theater could be either 50 yards away or in Egypt and that will be a lonnnnnng walk for you. We took our time and parked just steps from the entrance so that was a win. Friendly staff, simple to find your seats, but we had a nice gentleman walk up to us and offer to help get us to our seats. Another win! Happy Together tour isn't one I'd drop everything to see, but it was super fun to listen to the old tunes and hear our favorite song. I'm fully aware how lucky I am to be able to jaunt around So Cal for impromptu entertainment with the one I love. So happy together! read more

The Pacific Amphitheatre - Happy Together tour just so I can hear one song. - Music Venues Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

We attended a show here during the 2022 OC Fair. Tickets were sold via Ticketmaster. You can scan your concert ticket to get into the OC Fair, then scan again at the doors of the amphitheater. The amphitheater is outdoors and large! Our show was to start at 2:00pm in July so practically every seat was getting warmed up by the sun! Lots of people were standing on the stairs to avoid the sun. There are no "standing room" tickets which I personally love so I could always have a seat. I purchased tickets in the "circle" section which is one section above the floor seats. The circle section as well as the rest of the amphitheater have stadium seating, whereas the floor seats which are several rows right in the front are on flat ground. I was very satisfied with my selection of seats - the sound and view were perfect! We were able to leave the amphitheater / OC Fair and enter again later. We received a stamp on our inner wrist for reentry. Parking is a known hassle, so plan accordingly! All staff members were helpful with getting us to our seats and giving us information in general. read more

The Pacific Amphitheatre - Night view of Sammy J from "circle" section - Music Venues Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Great venue, great location! I love seeing shows here during fair time because entry into fair is included. Fantastic layout to venue and great acoustics, always make for an enjoyable show no matter what type of performance I am here to see. Also, parking for this venue is great. With the purchase of show tickets, I was able to park in the lot closest to the entry gate. Made it easy to enter/exit for the show. read more

The Pacific Amphitheatre - Music Venues Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Great Venue, came here to see Mario, Robin T. & Ne-Yo during the OC Fair. Had an amazing night with my girlfriends. read more

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