Universal Amphitheater

Opens 1971 (as a stunt theater)

Outdoor amphitheater 

Universal City, L. A. 

Owned by MCA Inc. which owns Universal Studios

5,200 capacity  1973 (farthest seat only 140 feet from the stage)

6,252 capacity  1980

Today it is know as the Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal Citywalk

Sampling of rock/pop concerts at the Universal Amphitheater 1972 - 1982.

1972

Jesus Christ Superstar JUNE 28 1972

1973

Grateful Dead JUNE 29 July 1

John Denver JULY 9- 15

Roberta Flack JULY 16 - 22

Johnny Mathis, Henry Mancini JULY 25 - 29

Tom Jones JULY 30 - AUGUST 4

Harry Belafonte AUGUST 5 - 12

The Carpenters AUGUST 13 - 19

War AUGUST 20 - 26

5th Dimension SEPTEMBER 5 - 9

Bette Midler SEPTEMBER 10 - 16

Englebert Humperdinck SEPTEMBER 17 - 23

1974

Gordon Lightfoot JULY 5 - 7

Diana Ross JULY 15 - 22

The Temptations, Pointer Sisters JULY 25 -28

Helen Reddy and Paul Williams JULY 29 - AUGUST 4

Loggins & Messina,  Anne Murray AUGUST 5 - 7

Joni Mitchell AUGUST 13 - 17

The 5th Dimension AUGUST 21 - 24

John Denver AUGUST 26 - SEPTEMBER 8

Al Green SEPTEMBER 9 -14

Seals & Crofts SEPTEMBER 15 -18

Three Dog Night SEPTEMBER 20 - 22

David Bowie SEPTEMBER 2 - 9

1974 L. A. Times

1975

Neighbors started to complain about noise booming into their nearby homes. MCA made acoustical modifications  such as a sound wall and stone block wall on the south side of the theatre.  More walls behind the doors, sound panels over the speakers and pads to cover empty seats. MCA worked hard to avoid lawsuits. 

Mac Davis, Captain & Tennille JULY 7 - 13

The Temptations JULY 17 - 19

Ton Orlando and Dawn JULY 21 - 27

James Taylor, Cary Simon JULY 30 - AUGUST 2

Helen Reddy, Freddie Prinze AUGUST 4 - 10

David Crosby, Graham Nash AUGUST 14 - 17

Jessie Colin Young, Maria Muldaur AUGUST 18 & 19

Paul Williams AUGUST 21 - 23

Judy Collins AUGUST 24 - 26

Linda Ronstadt, Tom Snow AUGUST 29 - SEPTEMBER 2

Seals & Crofts SEPTEMBER 3 & 4

Three Dog Night SEPTEMBER 5 - 7

Gladys Knight & the Pips SEPTEMBER 10 - 13

1976

John Denver JUNE 21 - 25

James Taylor JULY 8 - 11

Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge JULY 13 - 15

Jesse Colin Young, Emmylou Harris JULY 16 - 18

Dave Mason JULY 20 - 21

Al Green, The Miracles JULY 22 - 25

Roberta Flack, Jose Feliciano JULY 27 & 28

Gordon Lightfoot JULY 9 - AUGUST 1 

Janis Ian AUGUST 3 & 4

Neil Sedaka, Melissa Manchester AUGUST 5 - 8

Electric Light Orchestra AUGUST 10 - 12

Barry Manilow AUGUST 13 & 15

Paul Williams AUGUST 20 - 22

Judy Collins AUGUST 24 - 26

Fleetwood Mac AUGUST 27 - 29

Natalie Cole SEPTEMBER 3 & 4

Linda Ronstadt SEPTEMBER 8 - 13

Loggins & Messina SEPTEMBER 14 - 18

Frank Sinatra, Diana Ross John Rivers, Helen Reddy Nelson Riddle SEPTEMBER 19

1977

John Denver Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee benefit JUNE 18

Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter JULY 30 AUGUST 1 & 2

Chuck Mangione JULY 5 & 6

Ben Verren, Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis, Jr.  JULY 7-10

Hall & Oates JULY 12 & 13

Heart JULY 15 & 16

Joan Baez JULY 19 & 20

Janis Ian, Steve Martin JULY 22 - 24

Kenny Loggins JULY 28 & 29

Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge JULY 30 & 31

Kenny Rogers, Emmylou Harris AUGUST 1 & 2

Gordon Lightfoot AUGUST 3 - 7

Al Stewart AUGUST 9 & 10

Isaac Hayes, Dionne Warwick AUGUST 11 - 13

Dan Fogelberg AUGUST 14 & 16

Natalie Cole AUGUST 18 - 21

Randy Newman AUGUST 23

Neil Sedaka AUGUST 25 - 28

George Benson SEPTEMBER 2 - 4

Leon Russell SEPTEMBER 9 -11

Jackson Browne SEPTEMBER 13 - 18

Linda Ronstadt SEPTEMBER 20 - 25, 28 - OCTOBER 2

1978

Bob Dylan JUNE 1 - 7

Donna Summer JUNE 17 & 18

Jimmy Buffett JUNE 10 & 21

The Kinks JUNE 23 - 25

Leo Sayer JUNE 27 - 30, JULY 1, 2

America, Michael Murphy JULY 3 & 4

George Benson JULY 6 - 9

Warren Zevon JULY 11

Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge JULU 12 - 15

Kenny Loggins JULY 19 - 23

Dave Mason, Bob Welch JULY 26 - 30

Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan JULY 31, AUGUST 1 - 10

Judy Collins AUGUST 8 - 9

Natalie Cole AUGUST 11 - 14

Randy Newman, Bonnie Raitt  AUGUST 16 - 19

Gordon Lightfoot AUGUST 22 - 27

Stephen Bishop, The Crusaders AUGUST 31, SEPTEMBER 1

Peter, Paul & Mary AUGUST 29 - 30

Bob Welch SEPTEMBER 7 & 8

Steve Martin, John Bulshi, Dan Achroyd The Blues Brothers SEPTEMBER 9 - 17

Diana Ross SEPTEMBER 19 - 25

Liza Minnelli, Shaun Cassidy SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 3

1979

The Beach Boys JUNE 4 - 10

Frank Sinatra JUNE 11 - 17

Steve Miller Band JUNE 23 - 26

Robin Williams JUNE 30 JULY 1

The Doobie Brothers JULY 2 - 8

Eddie Money, McGuinn, Clark & Hillman JULY 11 & 12

Santana JULY 13 & 14

Chuck Mangione JULY 17 - 22

Jimmy Buffett JULY 25 - 27

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers JULY 28 - 29

Cher JULY 31 AUGUST  1, 2 

David Crosby, Graham Nash AUGUST 2-5

Donna Summer AUGUST 8 - 15

The Kinks AUGUST 16 - 19

Martin Mull AUGUST 21

Gordon Lightfoot AUGUST 22 - 26

Box Scaggs AUGUST 27 - 31, SEPTEMBER 1,2 & 3

Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge SEPTEMBER 4, 5, 6

Kenny Loggins SEPTEMBER 7 - 12

Kenny Rogers, Dottie West SEPTEMBER 14 - 16

Randy Newman SEPTEMBER 17

America SEPTEMBER 18-19

Dolly Parton SEPTEMBER 21 - 24

Elton John SEPTEMBER 26 - OCTOBER 6 (John collasped during one of the concerts, but returned to finish the 3-hour program)

At the end of 1979, Universal Amphitheater was at a crossroads. It was either going to get a roof, get out of the concert business are stay as it was. 

MCA wanted to bulldoze three surrounding hills for  more movie making, tram route and tour parking.  The Regional Planning Commission approved project but wanted the Amphitheater permanently enclosed. 

1980

Kenny Loggins JUNE 12 - 15

The Spinners, Phyllis Hyman JUNE 16 & 17

The Captain & Tennille JUNE 19 & 20

The Crusaders, Randy Crawford JUNE 21 & 22

Warren Zevon JUNE 24

Jimmy Buffett JUNE 25 - 28

Little River Band JUNE 30, JULY 1 & 2

Frank Sinatra JULY 4 - 9

The Marshall Tucker Band JULY 10 - 12

Chuck Mangione JULY 15 - 20

Willie Nelson JULY 21 - 25

The Blues Brothers JULY 26 - 31, AUGUST 1

Jefferson Starship AUGUST 3 - 5 

Emmylou Harris AUGUST  6 & 7 

Poco AUGUST 8 & 9

Joe Jackson AUGUST 13 & 14

America AUGUST 16 & 17

Gordon Lightfoot AUGUST 28 - 31

Bob Hope, Diahann Carroll, Les Brown SEPTEMBER 1 - 6

Santana SEPTEMBER 8 - 10

Melissa Manchester SEPTEMBER 11 - 13

Al Stewart SEPTEMBER 15 & 16

Bonnie Raitt, Sippie Wallace  SEPTEMBER 17 & 18

Paul Simon SEPTEMBER 20 - 22

Graham Nash SEPTEMBER 23 & 24

John Denver, George Burns SEPTEMBER 25 - 28  last outdoor program at the Amphitheater. 

1981 - no summer season

The Amphitheater closed for remodeling in September 1980. The facility was redesigned from the ground up. The venue is now enclosed.  The capacity increased to 6,2000, no seat is more than 150 away from center stage. Each seat has been uphostered in theatrical style and all aisles are now carpeted. Venue will now be opened year round.

A roof had to be put on the Amphitheater because of redevelopment of 70 acres on the Universal City lot eliminated three hiss that use to provide natural sound barriers. Without the roof, the theater would no longer be able to comply with county noise abatement standards. 

1982

Frank Sinatra JULY 30 - AUGUST 7

Rick Springfiled AUGUST 8 - 10

Robin Williams AUGUST 15 & 16

Chuck Mangione AUGUST 2- - 22

The Marshall Tucker Band AUGUST 24 & 25

Toto AUGUST 26

The Blasters AUGUST 28

Ricky Lee Jones AUGUST 30 & 31

Al Jarreau SEPTEMBER 1 - 5

The Doobie Brothers SEPTEMBER 4

Dolly Parton SEPTEMBER 9 - 12

Linda Ronstadt SEPTEMBER 14 - 19

Joni Mitchell SEPTEMBER 25 - 26

The Motels September 29

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