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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Hollywood Bowl (1970 -1982)

2301 Highland Ave.

Hollywood 

Opened 1922

Capacity 17, 256

Ever since the Beatles played the Bowl in August 1964, the Hollywood Bowl has become the ultimate venue for rock bands all over the world to play. 

Sampling Rock/Pop presented Under the Stars at the Hollywood Bowl  (1970-1982)

1970 

In 1970 the Hollywood Bowl underwent a visual and sonic overhaul. The acoustics were redesigned with the help of Frank Gehry. The amplification system was replaced by a highly sophisticated sound reinforcement network. The playing area was moved forward. New sound system and acoustical stage enclosure. 

The Band, Miles Davis JULY 10

Blood Sweat &  Tears, John Hartford filled in for Gordon Lightfoot JULY 17

Tom Jones JULY 25

Judy Collins, Arlo Guthrie JULY 31

Peter Paul & Mary with Poco AUGUST 14 

Frank Sinatra, Ricardo Montalban, Jose Ferrer, Jack Webb, Glenn Ford, Eddie Cano  AUGUST 16

Deep Purple w/ L. A. Philharmonic  AUGUST 25

Committee to Combat Huntington's Disease Musical Tribute to Woody Guthrie

w/ Joan Baez, Odetta, Richie Havens, Arlo Guthrie, Country Joe McDonald, Pete Seeger, Will Geer  -   SEPTEMBER 12

Chicago SEPTEMBER 18

Sweet Water, Canned Heat, Iron Butterfly (benefit for So. Cal. Free Clinic) NOVEMBER 22

1971

Joan Baez, Everly Brothers, Country Joe McDonald, The Association, Earth, Wind & Fire (benefit the Free Clinic of So. Cal.)  MAY 1

Canned Heat, John Lee Hooker, War, Sugerloaf Nitty Gritty Dirt JUNE 30

The Carpenters  JULY 16

Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Humble Pie, Edgar Winter JULY 19

The 5th Dimension AUGUST 6 

Jackson 5, The Commodores  AUGUST 22

Evening of Stars Benefit for Nosotros w/ Lennon Sisters, Sergio Mendes, Ricardo Montalban, Lucille Ball, Anthony Quinn, Rudy Vallee  AUGUST 27

Chicago SEPTEMBER 10

James Taylor SEPTEMBER 27

Festival of Stars w/ Frankie Avalon, Connie Stevens, Four Freshmen, Rudy Vallee OCTOBER 24

1972

The famed Hollywood Bowl pool was eliminated to make room for additional boxes.

The Bowl developed a more flexible seating program that no longer requires the full 17,200 seating capacity for all shows - by blocking off rear seats. 

Grateful Dead, New Riders of Purple Sage JUNE 17 

Legends of Rock & Roll w/ Bill Haley & Comets, The Coasters, Sherrills, Chubby Checker, Del Shannon, Freddie Cannon, Danny & Juniors, Bobby Rydell The Penguins JUNE 30

Steve Stills Manassas JULY 16 

Burt Bacharach JULY 21

Alice Cooper (on a camel, a helicopter dropped thousands of paper souvenirs onto the crowd), Jo Jo Gunne JULY 23

Isaac Hayes JULY 28

Allman Brothers Band, Loggins & Messina AUGUST 6

Nosotros w/ Bob Hope, Henry Fonda, Desi Arnaz and Desi Arnaz,  Jr, Vikki Carr, Eddie Cano AUGUST 11

Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie  AUGUST 18

Rod Stewart & Faces  AUGUST 25

Tony Bennett w/ L.A. Philharmonic  AUGUST 30

Jefferson Airplane, Poco SEPTEMBER 3

The Doors, Frank Zappa  SEPTEMBER 10

Black Sabbath, Gentle Giant   SEPTEMBER 15

Pink Floyd SEPTEMBER 22

Joe Cocker, Mark Almond Band SEPTEMBER 28

1973

Stevie Wonder, Staple Singers JUNE 23

Gladys Knights and Pips, B. B. King, Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Mann, Charles Mingus JUNE 24

Tony Bennett JULY 20

Seals & Crofts JULY 22

Sid & Marty Krofft H 'n' R Pufinstuf Show JULY 29
Merle Haggard, Marty Robbins  AUGUST 3

Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Stan Kenton AUGUST 17

America, Jackson Browne AUGUST 26 

Elton John SEPTEMBER 7

Procol Harum SEPTEMBER 21

So - where's the pool?

1974 

Four Tops, B. B. King, Bobby Bland   JUNE 15

War, Rare Earth JUNE 29

Sly &  the Family Stone JULY 12

Grateful Dead, Maria Muldaur, Commander Cody JULY 21

Earth, Wind and Fire, Graham Central Station, Staple Singers JULY 24

Henry Mancini JULY 26 & 27

Aretha Franklin AUGUST 2

The Guess Who, Flash Cadillac AUGUST 9

Ray Charles, Quincy Jones AUGUST 25

The Carpenters SEPTEMBER  6

Olivia Newton John  SEPTEMBER 15

1975

Yes JUNE 21

Stephen Stills JULY 25

Earth, Wind & Fire JUNE 29

Gordon Lightfoot JULY 11, 13 & 14

Bob Hope, Vikki Carr, Glen Campbell, Danny Thomas, Freddy Fender JULY 20

Stephen Stills, Elvin Bishop JULY 25

America, George Martin conducting Hlywd Bowl Symphony AUGUST 3

Joan Baez, Hoyt Axton AUGUST 6

1976 - 1981

From 1976 to 1981 few rock concert were staged at the bowl. There were complaints from area residents about the noise and traffic. Under new restrictions, artist who appeared at the Bowl now had to use the house sound system. This,  in effect, eliminated most rock bands since almost brought in more sound equipment. 

1976

Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings AUGUST 29

1977

No pop/rock concerts noted

1978

Survival Sunday Festival For a Future benefit show w/ Harry Chapin, Richie Havens, Tom Paxton, Peter, Paul & Mary MAY 21

Chuck Mangione JULY 16

Henry Mancini, Jose Feliciano AUGUST 25 & 26

1979 

1st Playboy Jazz Festival at the Bowl w/ Dizzy Gillespie, Carmen McRae, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Brecker Brothers Shelly Manne JUNE 15 & 16

Survival Sunday II,  Nuclear Free Future Rally benefit show w/Peter, Paul & Mary Jackson Browne,  Lily Tomlin, Graham Nash, Melissa Manchester JUNE 10

Donna Summer OCTOBER 13

1980

Architect Frank Gehry made designed fiberglass spheres that hung from the Bowl's shell to enhance acoustics.

2nd Playboy Jazz Festival w/ Dizzy Gissespie, Carmen McRae, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Shelly Mann, Roby Braff  JUNE 21 & 22 

Fleetwood Mac, Christopher Cross  AUGUST 31 & SEPTEMBER 1

Monty Python at the Bowl  SEPTEMBER 26 - 29

Henry Mancini w/ Philharmonic SEPTEMBER 5 & 6

B. B. King, Muddy Waters, Big Mama Thornton, Big Joe Turner SEPTEMBER 10

1981

3rd annual Survival Sunday Anti Nukes benefit w/ Jackson Browne, Graham Nash, Stephen Stills, Bonnie Raitt, Chambers Brothers, Gary Bonds, Bruce Springsteen  JUNE 14

3rd annual Playboy Jazz Festival w/ Herbie Hancock, Wody Herman, Count Basie Wilton Marsalis, Stan Getz, Rickie Cole, Crusaders, Dennis Rowland JUNE 19 & 20

Miles Davis SEPTEMBER 25

1982

Playboy Jazz Festival w/ Sarah Vaughan Dave Brubeck Quartet, Woody Shaw, Milt Jackson, Weather Report  JUNE 19  Lionel Hampton, Nancy Wilson, Wynton Marsalis Quintet JUNE 20

Elton John JUNE 25, 26 & 27

Oscar Peterson, Herbie Hancock JULY 7

Benny Goodman, Stan Getz AUGUST 4

The GoGo's AUGUST 29

The Hollywood Bowl is also very photogenic.

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