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Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
Rating Details »
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Sat, Sun
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking:
- Yes
- Coat Check:
- No
67 reviews for Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
We attended the Jason Mraz Concert at the Cricket Wireless amphitheater last week. Great prices ( 5 dollars for 4 tickets) and it was nice that they offered free parking for the carpools.
Concert: Very entertaining, the acts were great and it was a nice show.
Vendors: Awesome, great food/beer/food/beer..and did I mention the fast service for food and beer?
Swag shack: Great prices, they had every thing at half price for the concert, but the people working the swag shack were not well organized. This was crowd based mayhem and it was really the most aggressive and large patron winning the swag. Small people need not apply.
Finding your seats. This was another challenge. First there are the odd people that direct you to travel way far away from your actual destination and second the seat numbers are all worn off so you can't figure out where to sit. OY!
Finally. my beef about live nation/ticket master ( the unholy alliance )
I bought my tickets in the 200 section. When the transaction e-mail appeared I was in the 300 section. Hm. Bait and switch anyone?
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I fell in love with the girl at the rock show
She said "What?" and I told her that I didn't know
She's so cool, gonna sneak in through her window
Everything's better when she's around
I can't wait till her parents go out of town
I fell in love with the girl at the rock show
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Our hero was quaffing Southern Comfort as fast as possible to avoid paying $9 or more for a beer once inside. Traffic police be damned, but in the back seat of a tinted car is the best place to carry out such activities. What else are you going to do while waiting in the mile long parade of cars on the way to a Blink 182 and Weezer concert?
The parking lots are huge, not paved, and poorly directed. However, the upside of this is that there's very little security and many people are busy drinking and smoking wacky tobacky by their cars before concerts without being hassled by security.
Inside, prices are high for food and drinks, so pre-drink and eat ahead. The venue is huge, with a large lawn at the back for standees. Sound is pretty decent, with loud speakers spread throughout the venue so that even the back sections can hear. Two LCD screens to the sides of the stage allow a close up look at the band. Lighting effects aren't too shabby and stage set up between bands is fairly efficient and well timed. Our hero had to endure the constant smell of weed and cigarettes, but it's pretty much unavoidable at such concerts.
Oh, and the lines getting out are ridonkulous. If the parking lot was your digestive tract, it would be like eating 20,000 burgers and trying to squeeze all that out of your anus in the next two hours. Yes, it's THAT BAD.
TIP: Bring your own flasks in and booze it up discretely. Security is pretty lax at the gates.
PROS:
- The biggest concert venue in the greater San Diego area: 20,000 people can fit here.
- General admission lawn tickets run pretty cheap for big name shows.
- Acoustics are fairly decent for an outdoor venue.
CONS:
- The worst parking situation ever. Good luck getting out in under one and a half hours if you leave after the encore.
- Pricey alcohol at $9-13 for beers. It's up there for food as well.
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Most people have a love/hate relationship when it comes to the Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre (CWA formerly aka Coors Amp...). If you are from the South Bay, then you know the best and only way to get here. I am not going to give you that secret, but with any musical event you must arrive early.
And with early, I mean chill in the parking lot early. Parking is usually added to the ticket or free here, expect for the VIP section. Handicap get to park here too, but there's no charge. If you have limo, then by all means roll right in but if you are not special or serve no purpose to be on stage then either park with the general public.
Great, you beat the rush but plan ahead where you park and exit will be. I always go South to the last lot. There's a temp. rod that is chained, but security will always remove it after a show. Man, why am I giving you these tips?*
Don't arrive with bottles, use cans. The cops cannot do anything if you are behaving and smoking isn't a problem either. Don't climb up the hill in the back fields to take a piss. Keep mind of both sexes draining the excessive alcoholic urine, but don't be a perv either when you see a female doing her thing.
Great, you are buzzed now dodged he the cops and ready to go in. It's a little walk http://www.yelp.com/bi...
but if you have lawn section (no seats) then you should stand in line. I always see those brave souls drinking in line, so just be discrete and you can get your buzz on too.
Remember they have young security guards and you have no choice to surrender any containers in hand. Check with their website if water bottles are permitted for handicap. But since you just walked in, you should of been buzzed and not pay for a $9 beer or something to that effect.
This venue has been home to a variety of artists, which I recall Santana, Mana, Jane's Addiction, NIN, Coldplay, No Doubt, Blink-182, P.O.D., The Police, Audioslave, Incubus, Dave Matthews Band to countless others.
Form the lawn section, it is it's own little self-contained world. If I have no choice, I usually stay here until the concert starts getting into the mix. It is easy to blend in the crowd to the other sections, but it's a matter of jumping the seats and getting down quickly. I have successfully made it down to the VIP tables in the "100" section many times sitting with others that did that same thing.
Corporate seats are not normally filled up. Or the party already took off to avoid the traffic. *Shortcut to Cricket Wireless Amp. is Heritage Road from Brown Field. Either way, the audio is pretty decent. I could see why some hate being outdoors, while the rest love the outdoors and cool nights it brings. So bring a blanket to cuddle up with your loved one.
The fat: Box office is open Mon, Wed, Fri 12pm to 6pm, which you can get your tickets here free of fees.
The skinny: Cricket Wireless phones suck!
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No doubt the worst thing about Cricket Wireless is that they usually force you to park where they want you to park, but other than that I have no major complaints about this venue.
I've never had major issues with the sound or video quality here, and the video screen a huge--bigger than a lot of other venues.
I rarely drink once inside the amphitheatre; it's expensive, and I don't want to have to go to the bathroom during the show anyway. Arriving early and tailgating in the parking lot is the way to go.
As I noted above the major downside about Cricket Wireless--at least when you go to leave after shows, anyway--is that they flag you from the time you enter the vast parking grounds until the time you're settled in a parking space; you can't really get away with ignoring the flag people here the way you can at other venues. If you're not parked near an exit with the front of your vehicle pointing towards the exit, then you're looking at a long wait to get out of the chaotic end-of-night parking lot scene.
Don't wash your ride right before you hit up a concert here; the parking lot is sand/dirt/mud depending on the recent weather.
WARNING: I don't know if MapQuest has since updated its directions, but when I 1st moved to San Diego and went to this venue for the 1st time MapQuest lead me in the complete opposite direction when I got off the freeway! You need to just (A) follow the other cars once you exit the freeway or (B) turn around and drive in the other direction if the venue is nowhere to be found!
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I came here to see No Doubt. I waited til the day before to get tickets so the best we could find were in the 300 section. Needless to say those seats sucked ass. That section was at a slope which made it really hard for me to jump up and down while singing along to "I'm Just a Girl." The sound quality was good, even back on the grass from what I remember. Sucks if you get seats behind either of the tower things.
And what is up with Wienerschnitzel not having any chili cheese fries?
I was forced to buy $7 nachos, yeah I said $7!!! Next time I'm going to sneak in some Jack in the Box tacos.
Traffic is a mother, both to get in and out of this place. However, parking is free and they have plenty of it.
Be prepared to pay top dollar for some decent seats and unnecessary snacks or else try to avoid this venue altogether.
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Whenever I hear "Cricket" I think of the Producer.
[Anyways-Please-Don't wear the T-shirt to the Concert.]
I believe in "Making the best of everything & the Law of Attraction".
I like Cricket. But-then again I don't complain much. I just like to have a good time. The parking is a little weird, but otherwise the sound system is pretty decent. [There's nothing like Beer in plastic cups & empty bathrooms]. That's my kind of venue!
I saw Poison/Def Leppard last night. The venue was practically empty-but that didn't stop me from ROCKIN' OUT-YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH !
Every Rose has its thorn.
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I don't understand why the reviews are so bad. I don't know, I sat in section 103 for the Incubus show. It was amazing. Typical overpriced alcohol, typical bad parking lot situation, but this is the norm at just about every venue I've ever been to. Maybe this one sucks because it's in Chula Vista? I don't know. Seemed fine to me!
People are complaining about ticket prices, but the prices are based on the artist you're seeing. I got 7th row from the front for $64 (after Ticketmaster charges).
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Why I had never seen a show here, I do not know.
This place is the epitome of what a concert venue is supposed to be like. I saw Coldplay last night and was possibly the most amazing show I have ever been to. Thanks to the amphitheatre's crazy space and seats that allow a view to the stage, the show brought amazing things that reached every single person at the show.
From crazy lasers and light beams, billions of multicolored paper butterflies blown from who knows where, cellphone light wave across the audience, gigantic yellow balls transmitted throughout the masses, this venue allowed for the impossible to become possible.
ALSO, their kettle corn, funnel cakes and raspberry lemonade are great for a warm evening. Overall, a fantastic experience and a $130 ticket, as in my case, is totally worth it for a seat here :D
On a last note, the exiting after a show here SUCKS! Although I am sure if you park closer to the entrance you are guaranteed a quick and speedy exit.
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cricket wireless amphitheater was surprisingly painless. getting into the parking lot was pretty easy and getting out didn't take much time. i'm quite impressed. o yea, seat numbers are on the white circles on the arm rest! took us forever to figure that one out. boo to faded #s. not a big fan of the drive down here and the fact that it's in the middle of nowhere but anything for jason mraz!
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Whatever... it is an enormous amphitheater. I wasn't expecting too much and I got what I expected. I'll go back.
I thought this place was great. Me n my boyfriend sat in the 300 section after we upgraded our tickets from lawn to actual seats. Handy.
The food was pretty good. The chicken fingers n fries are good according to Evan. I had a pretzel, can't go wrong with one of those. It was about $17 for the both of us to eat n share a drink. I would've brought food with me but you have to throw out your food/drink before entering.
You can text the big screen! It displays anything you send it hahaha definitely fun to read all the text messages display at the bottom of the screen while we wait for Incubus to start.
It was my first Incubus concert n certainly not my last. The performance was awesome n the amphitheater was comfortable.
No complaints! Though the smell of marijuana came n went haha
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I'm rating this update a 3, would have done 2.5 if I could, but cant.
I generally like the venue and the shows there. I just hate the steps I have to take to assure that my night isn't a total bust.
Reason why I'm updating is because I guess you can get hit or miss.
I went to see No Doubt last night and there were a few thing's we did to make the experience better than before.
1. We left very early. Show started at 7:30, officially but we arrived at 6PM. I think the trick with parking is getting to a spot right next to the entrance or leaving quite early, which is what we did, 30 minutes to be exact. You will be missing on quite a bit of the show but at least we could still hear the music somewhat while we walked to the parking lot, so we kind of only missed maybe 20 mins of the show. where you parked will also affect this of course. We parked on the side behind the stage.
2. If you have lawn, I would definitely try to get there early to get your spot in the lawn. Bring blankets to mark your territory even if you don't plan on using it, people may be thinking bad thoughts on you for reserving so much space, but at least they don't say anything.
3. I noticed during our show, the lawn didn't fill up until the second opener came up. People generally don't want to even listen/see the first opener unless they're die hard fans so the lawn is, for the most part, open still.
4. Most people only know of the big main entrance, there's also a side entrance, on the side where seatings 103, 205, and 305 (see seating map for reference) is at. This side is pretty empty. Concessions aren't as crowded, lawn fills up slower on this side.
5. Leaving quite early guarenteed headache free departure. And while you're walking to the car you can keep through the gates (depending on where you parked) and see the crowd at some angles. It's pretty cool and gives you a fraction of how it feels to be a superstar!
Your show may not produce the same outcome. Good luck and rock on!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/6/2009
Oh boy...
Things that start with "Oh Boy" usually never end up being good.
Loved this place when it… Read more »
The parking lot here is the most mismanaged, maddening, incompetent, ineffective thing i have ever seen. Shame on cricket wireless for letting it get that bad. Is there really only one exit to the lot? what if i had an emergency? how would i get out quickly? how would an ambulance get to me? what do people who need to use the restroom do??
I just saw No Doubt on sat, 7/8, show was awesome, beers were overpriced. After the last song, we went to my car, got in, and proceeded to sit in the same spot for 2 hours while waiting to exit the lot. HORRIBLE! my girlfriends and I ended up falling asleep in the car because it took so long. If i drive all the way to chula vista to see a show, i do NOT want to end up sitting in traffic waiting to get out a the parkng lot till 1 am. I will NOT be going back here or recommending anyone in their right mind goes to cricket amphitheatre
I've come here for fireworks, which was amazing. And I've came here for concerts: All-American Rejects, Flo Rida, Soulja Boy, and Black Eyed Peas - all which I had a lot of fun at.
The lighting and music was great. We kinda got cheap seats and other times I've gotten the grass section, but whatever. If you can get as close to front row as possible, get them. If you can't, don't worry about.
Parking is absolutely the WORST ever!!! It's as if they only made one way to get out and in. So, hundreds of cars trying to get out of one place .... eh .... I'll let you see for yourself.
During at least half of the NIN set both big screens on the sides of the stage were inop. Which was odd to because when the opening band was playing, both screens were on. Janes set had no issues at all.
All three bands were great by the way even though I felt that NIN played too many mellow songs. I'm sure Trent has his reasons for not doing the song " Closer ". Hes probably just sick of singing it. Janes did " Mountain Song ", which is one of my favorites by them so I was happy about that.
Well, what else can I say.The place is big and spacious.There are plenty of bathrooms, especially for the ladies and parking was not an issue. The sound was good and even from the lawn area you can still feel the bass and hear all the highs.
Id say my biggest gripe is the sky high prices for everything and that fact that its cash only for all of the vendors. I wont go into details as Im sure most people who have been here are familiar with the outrageous prices and mark-ups.
We saw a grip of people smoking out and even witnessed a bag of weed being confiscated. I had one drunk chick come up behind me, brush into me, fall down and looked up at me like I did something wrong. I quickly check to see if my wallet was still in my pocket. Yep. Still there.
I believe my small group witnessed a guy proposing to his gal, as she started crying and hugging and wouldnt stop hugging him. Apparently I missed the part where he got down on bended knee. Sucker.
To the guy and gal that I saw walking into the bathrooms with bare feet, you're idiots.
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Ok Idk why they had to change the name of this place from Coors to Cricket, its so retarded!! I have been to this venue for a number of events, like the channel 933 concerts, gwen stefani, paramore & no doubt(it was yesterday, pretty good show)!! The seats that I really recomend are the 100 & 200 sections & the 300s and im pretty sure the lawn suckss!!!!
I sat in the 300 section and it sucks ass cuz u can barely see the ppl performing and it sucks when they don't show the performers on the screen, sometimes they do and sometimes they dont. The parking traffic is horrible, I was in traffic for an hour, this one time after a show and it was horrible cuz i was starving! So overall the venue is OK but if u want 2 actually c the performer like close, get orchestra pit or 100 section tickets!
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The remote location and terrible traffic are enough to make going to a show at Cricket more trouble than it's worth.
San Diego is not the boonies, it's a major urban area... so why the hell would we place our premier concert venue so far in the suburban outskirts? With only a long two-lane road as the access route from the freeway? What committee of development experts looked at this plan and said, "Looks good to me!"
Of course this was all just a money thing - the city of Chula Vista probably gave the developer a sweet deal on land and taxes to put the venue waaay out there, rather than somewhere closer to where everyone in San Diego actually lives (namely, San Diego). Then Chula Vista probably decided to save some cash and skip the whole infrastructure-improvement thing that would normally be required for a large public facility.
So now we're all stuck driving out to BFE with 20,000 other sheep in order to see any major band, because Cricket is the only music venue in the whole goddamn county that can hold that many people.
Granted, the venue itself is okay. The sound is particularly good.
But once you've driven over an hour to get there, spent a half hour watching monkeys guide you into a parking spot, shelled out $10 apiece for Coors Lights, and found your way into the show - you're pretty much tired of it all.
But just wait till afterward when you're trying to leave!
Why would Cricket Wireless invest in such a crappy venue? No one really liked this place when Coors owned it either. It is one of those things where if I really want to see a band and I have no other options, I will go. But I go with great reluctance.
First, it is in the middle of nowhereville, a.k.a. deep in the bowels of Eastlake/Chula Vista. SO. FAR. INLAND. Naturally, it is a one/two lane road getting in and out, so it makes for great traffic.
Next, I suppose it is to be expected that you will have to pay a mint for some cheap beer, but it still makes me cringe. $10 for a Coors Light and $14 for a Newcastle. Man...I will stay sober and then get hammered at a dive bar afterward. NOTE: the high school kids who enforce the traffic do not give a crap if you are drinking in the parking lot, so come prepared, kids.
Also, isn't there a curfew too? Shows have to start and end early?? Booooooo....
I will say this...the closer you can get to the stage, the better. The audio is much better. If you are on the lawn, it will suck. Second, they did a good job on putting about 1000 stalls in each ladies' room. Very necessary. Plus, I went about 1/2 way into the whole show and they were still pretty clean by concert standards.
One last con - I think bugs attacked me. Because of our tardiness, my friend and I had to park in the middle of the dirt parking lot near the water park. We had a couple beers before heading in and that is when they silently attacked. My lower legs look like a case of the chicken pox. Nice.
BTW, the show I speak of is the Nine Inch Nails show. It was amazing!!!!! Trent - do not stay away too long. The music industry desperately needs you back.
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Just got back from the NIN/JA show (which was great btw). Some MAJOR improvements since my last visit. Not perfect, but a world of difference. Hard to believe I actually like this place better than Irvine Meadows (aka Verizon Wireless Amphitheater).
A few notable facts: traffic both in and out now flows easily, unlike past experiences, where you'd be stuck for at least an hour (or longer). And free parking is almost unheard of at a concert.
Concessions now take credit cards (not all, but many). So now you can charge that $10 domestic beer or $14 margarita (I did notice MANY people drinking in the parking lot, in front of the cops, who didn't seem to really even care). FWIW, there are at least two additional ATM's (which are hardly used now that they accept credit cards). The lawn area was spacious and pretty well maintained, plus extra restrooms and concessions in the immediate area.
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2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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7/1/2008
Looks like they added an extra ATM or two... but now parking sucks more than ever. Oh well... Read more »
11/2 to get in the parking lot, and another 1 1/2 to get out! It drives me nuts...
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I know, every other reviewer has already commented on the parking, but......wowsers. The parking is completely insane. Entering takes a long time, but leaving is insanely mismanaged (actually not managed at all). We witnessed 3 roid/drunk rage accidents, about 50 near misses and waited 1 hour before any movement was seen at all. Finally someone moved a barrier somehow and people started making a new exit. Absolute chaos. The location also makes it impossible to take any other method of transportation, so they really need to do something to improve the situation. You could drive home from other shows in Anaheim or LA in the time it takes you to exit!
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Unless you are in sections 101, 102, or 103, do not purchase tickets, do not waste your time driving to Chula-juana. The acoustics are horrible and they have not made an attempt to make the sound actually carry to the other sections than the ones mentioned above. Buy the CD of who ever you want to see and purchase good headphones and sit at home and listen. If you are going for the "experience," what experience? Unless you are in 101, 102, or 103, one cannot reasonably hear anything or see anything. They can keep on changing the name of this place, but it still is lacking on many points.
Ruggy means well but he is being WAY too harsh on this venue. It seems like Cricket's TRYING to do a good job and present good shows and that IT DID last night with the amazing Coldplay concert which sent fans of the band into the ether with Kurt Cobain's stolen ashes! ANY limited problems or hassles melted away with the most magical show of musical dextrosity. I will give you some hints that might make your concert stay a little more pleasant:
1) If you possibly can-GET THERE EARLY! Go hang out over at the Water Park-if it's open? You can chill out over there and work on your tan. Also get to your seat early-PARTICULARLY if you're on the lawn. Otherwise-like my unwise daughter last night at Coldplay-you will be relegated to the BACK of the lawn area with the REAL drunks and talkers!
2) Get a doctor's note that says YOU MUST BE SEATED in handi-capped seating! My friend I took actually has a handi-capped back, but she got us upgraded to HANDICAP STATUS and I was then accorded a direct sight line to divine Chris Martin! Also I was right behind the machine that spits out the butterflies during "Lovers In Japan" song and I got blasted with beautiful, colored strobe-lit butterflies! it was a Turn-On!
3) Forgo the over-priced merchandise sold and hope when you exit, there is a low-life in the parking lot pushing $10 shirts that seem just as good as the $45 ones back at the venue!
4) Bring your own booze and huff it in the Water Park parking lot-(park free after 7 p.m. there)-thereby saving you getting a VERY EXPENSIVE beer buzz on inside the gates!
5) If you're a girl, wear low-cut attire and flash your best assets at the roadies and security guards around the tour busses. If you seem "friendly," sometimes you can go "inspire" the bands in their busses!
Thereby getting "the BEST seat in the house!"
6) Yes- do leave around the encore, even if it means dragging yourself away! I couldn't leave Brandon Boyd & Incubus like this, but I paid the traffic price by getting stuck in the funeral procession out to the freeway exits! Last night at Coldplay, my friend and I tore ourselves away when Chris was singing the encore and we got back to OB in 20 minutes!
I hope that these tips will help you enjoy your concerts at Cricket and I am surely looking forward to my next concert: The Pot Festival..I mean the Slightly Stoopid concert at the end of July! SMOKE ON!
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We should title this -How to F'up a Jimmy Buffett Tailgate Party-;
Lets start with; $60-80 RV Parking. What's up with that? How do you have a range of prices? Ok, so I am willing to pay...now I have to wait in line for hours while some guy tries to figure out how to park RVs of various sizes. What do you mean my GF can't park in the same lot as me??? Shae can pay $60 and get in the same lot but not next to me..or park for free in a lot a mile away? This doesn't make any sense.
Have you people at Cricket ever heard of Jimmy Buffet??? Do you know what goes on there?? I thought not.
Next time (if there is one), why don't you just let the RVs and cars park themselves. We are adults you know, we don't need to be segregated. If my Winnebago and a Cadillac mingle, there's little chance we will have a bunch of illegitimate Hondas running around! Geez!
The killer was...after all of your futile efforts at organizing chaos, you ended up with two completely empty parking lots! You pissed all over our party and for naught!
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Ugh, this place is pretty weak. It's unfortunate that Cricket Wireless has to receive the negative attention, as it's not their fault the facility blows, they just have the naming rights.
First off, the traffic is always a pain in the ass. Remember that Police/Elvis Costello fiasco from a few months ago? Yeah, it's not that bad... but it's still painful. I made a careful observation, and it looks as though they're hiring remedial class freshmen from local high schools to orchestrate the mass exodus. I swear, I've got pubes older than the two kids in reflective vests waiving flashlights at me last night. It was ridiculous. They would let roughly 25 cars exit from the lot closest to the amphitheater, then another 25 cars exiting from the water park side... then three cars driving down that street between the two lots. Seriously? Who organized that? Oh, yeah... the two kids who grew up on Spongebob Squarepants Yu Gi Oh cards.
Rewinding just a bit, every beer I ordered was warm. If I'm gonna drop $10 on a C-minus (Coors Light), I'd at least like it chilled a wee bit. When Coors removed their name from the facility... did they take their refrigerators with 'em?
Also, the staff on-site seemed utterly confused. I was sitting in the 101 section, so I walked straight to the sign that read, "Section 101." I took out my ticket, showed it to a man whom I assume is an elder founder of the NRA, and expected to go to my seat. Well, apparently the signs were old (that's what he told us) and I had to swim upstream back to a different portal to get to my seat. Not an easy task when double-fisting $20 worth of warm brew.
On the upside, House of Blues produces the shows at Cricket and the sound is always spot on. They do a good job there. It's also the only venue in San Diego that accommodates 20,000 people... so it really doesn't matter how much I bitch. Oh well.
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I went here for the Radiohead concert, and OMFG IT WAS AWESOME!!! I love love love love L-O-V-E Thom Yorke! :) Seriously, YOU ALL MISSED OUT!
As for the place itself, it was pretty decent. The Cricket Wireless Amphitheater was clean when we got there, and everyone conducted themselves accordingly. There weren't any drunk guys touching girls or making lewd comments, and most people were just happily blazing or smoking cigarettes. There were plenty of restrooms available [including portapotties] so there was never a line for those who desperately had to go pee. Acoustics were decent, and considering that I was sitting in the lawn area, it was actually pretty good.
The only issue here is parking, which can be a MAJOR pain in the ass, and the traffic after the concert. Leave before the last song - you can save yourself an extra 30 minutes of being stuck in horrible traffic. Also, if you're sitting in the lawn area, prepare to be surrounded by drunk people who talk in the middle of songs. [*grinds teeth angrily]
Other than that, it's alright. :)
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After all the reviews I was scared of going to the venue but the parking was not bad at all. Do yourself the favor and save the 20-40 bucks in VIP parking and park in general parking for free. The restrooms were clean and rarely a line. The beer, well it's 10 bucks for a large domestic and 12 bucks for imported. We left before the concert finished to avoid the long line and it worked out perfect. Great outdoor venue overall.
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Good sound in many areas of the arena.
Ladies: if you're going to a concert here, do yourself a favor and wear gender-neutral clothes and when you need to use the facilities, opt for the men's room. No one will say anything and you'll save 15 minutes waiting in line for the women's loo.
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Dear Cricket Amphitheatre,
We have a lot of potential here, but how you conflict me so keeps me wondering about you.
There are a few issues we need to talk about that need addressing post-haste, if we're to continue spending time together:
1) Alcohol: prices for beer border on ridiculous. How can your venue staff be surprised that people choose to pre-party in the parking lot when you're charging near $10 for a simple beer?
2) Parking: why did you decide it was a good idea to task a group of high school kids with traffic control after a major concert?
I won't deny, though, that some of my more memorable experiences as an adult have been in your company. I would even go so far as to call them religious experiences. I remember every note...every sight...every smell...every sensation of those nights. I can even tell you the specific days:
Saturday, August 11th, 2001: Depeche Mode. Exciter Tour.
Wednesday, August 27th, 2008: Radiohead. In Rainbows Tour.
You have a lot going for you, I'll admit, but you need to work on yourself some. I'll keep my distance for now. I may only run into you every now and then with friends, but our times together will last me a lifetime.
Maybe see ya soon, Cricket. And thank you. Really.
-Edgar
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I have been to coors/ cricket to see a variety of shows, and I am coming back in August to see Radiohead. The only reason this place has business is because Sports Arena sucks ass, and die hard music fans will endure just about anything to see their favorite bands.
The facility itself isn't bad. It's big but not huge. The lawn seats are a great option if you are on a budget, $25 tickets. The sound quality is decent and I enjoy the fresh air, especially on a nice summer night.
Of course there are the shitty parts, like any other big venue, $10 for a coors light, etc. There are minimal bathrooms, which is really bad for a venue, because they get seriously swamped between bands. But don't worry, there are like 43 beer vendors, so you can get wasted and pee your pants. It happens. Also, location = BFE.
My biggest gripe is the parking situation. After a show, its complete and utter pandemonium. There is no order, everyone is just trying to get out as fast as possible, cutting people off, threatening to hit you, etc. After waiting for a good 25 minutes and literally not moving at all, my friend got out to scope out the best route. Just as he got far enough away for us to lose sight of him, we saw it - a hidden escape route through the bushes. I call him and tell him to book it on over, he literally sprints to the car just as we pull into the bush-hole. Then the parking attendants (who don't do their jobs or help the situation in any way) discover our loophole in the parking system from hell. "Go! Go! Go!", the entire car screams. Ahhh, we made it.
Another huge gripe, will call. What. The. Fuck. If i ask you if I can leave a ticket for someone, shouldn't I be able to trust that you will be able to competently do the following seeing as you are a (presumably) trained employee:
1. not lose the ticket
2. not send my friend to other will call centers when you can't find the ticket that I JUST gave you
3. not be completely useless
Guess that is asking for too much, at a venue where the white trash flock and the crack heads pee in line, more than once.
Good luck on your adventures, you're gonna need it.
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Journey Concert (with Cheap Trick and Heart) - 5 stars
Traffic/Parking - 1 star
Venue Average - 3 stars
The Good:
Great accoustics, great view from most points in the audience, outstanding draws and acts. They serve beer and wine.
The Bad:
Terrible traffic control (Main street becomes a narrow (bottleneck) pathway for thousands of cars), a navigational nightmare, be sure to ask a friend to drive, lousy crowd control at exit, all shows and acts must end by 11pm because of the nearby housing (noise control). They serve beer and wine.
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I have been to Coors? Cricket? Ampitheatre ONCE in my life. Had no trouble with traffic per say, and it seemed like a nice venue to see a show... Tom Petty to be precise. However, I also witnessed a propane tank blow up on an employee whose only crime was to sell Kettle Corn to concert go-ers... and to this day we don't know if he lived or died.
I honestly can't think of a band out there today that would lure me back after that. :(
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A fun venue to go to for some cheap seats on the lawn. If you can get past the hordes of loud, smoking teenagers there, you might actually enjoy the concert.
Big Ups to Live Nation for the quality of shows this year. I've seen more shows that I've been interested in this year than in past years.
Food and drink prices are ridiculous, but I like that they have free parking. The traffic can get pretty bad, but just make sure to plan ahead. I hear there is a secret back entrance that can save you time, but have yet to torture it out of my Chula Vista friends who claim to know of it.
Oh well, it's not like there are a ton of options for concerts of that size, and the detractions are really not all that bad, so I'm a fan....
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Okay, so... the drive in and out of this place is kinda painful. Well, the drive out is. I went in through the hills instead of through Main St. and I think that helped. Leaving was horrible BUT honestly, not as bad as I expected it to be after reading these reviews.
My other complaint is the "pit" here is WAY over-sized. I had a 10th row seat and felt like I was sitting in row 35 because the "pit" is so damn big. People next to me had binoculars! And we were in row 10!!!!
Another thing that was distracting a bit was most venues have large black cloth covering the side-stage where all the gear and cases for the gear are. This place did not have that so it was kind of weird looking at a stage with a band and also having tons and tons of equipment cases up there.
But, it was nice to be in the open air. Actually, I'm going to drop this down to three stars instead of four because I wouldn't ever go out of my way to come here. I live in Long Beach. I went to see Radiohead. I think the great performance left me with a better opinion of this venue than it really deserves.
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When did this place rename itself from Coors Amphitheater?? Anyhooz, 5 stars for Coldplay in concert - saw them here a few years ago and they were phenomenal!!! It seemed like there wasn't a single bad seat in the house. I liked the layout. It was hidden up in some mountain away from the city and traffic. The music was literally bouncing off the mountains around us!
The drive there and the parking sucked like no other though. It's suuuch a far drive from the freeway and there was only 2 lanes to get there the whole way up! My friend and I played Sequence in the backseat of my car until everyone finally left because there was just no sane way of getting out of that madness. The congestion was such a headache!
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First of all, I am disappointed in all these f***ed up reviews I saw because it almost discouraged me so much to the point that I was not going to go.
Friday, June 27 [2008], I went to see 311 and Snoop AND AWESOME BAND FICTIONPLANE at the CWA and the trip there was phenomenal. First doors opened @ 6:30, show started @ 7:30, so I left at 5:20.. I arrived around 6 from San Marcos. There were a lot of vehicles on the highway but we were all going at a great rate. Thankfully no tailgating, no accidents, and no Highway Patrol. Even getting off the highway and driving on Main St. was smooth sailing. Parking was well organized and quick [and free!!!] We were inside the CWA in no time.
The seating was great, concert was amazing. 4 stars ONLY because of the prices.. M&M bags and Kit Kat bars for $4 and water bottles for $5.
ANDTHE WAY OUT!! I was already prepared for the hours and hours of waiting to get out. Okay 10 minutes was NOT bad. And as soon as I got on the freeway, it felt like I was the only one driving, not a car in sight!
Yay! I'm a fan.
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the first thing people need to understand is you are trying to pack over 20,000 in one space, so yes, things can get crazy. especially the parking, which is a nightmare. so let me give you all an insider tip to having an awesome time. if you are a drinker get a designated driver, get there early. traffic, especially from the 805 is crazy and pray there are no accidents. tailgate, i know firsthand the cops don't hassle you unless you are acting like a tool, soooo... don't act like a tool. hang for awhile meet like minded people who you know like the same music as you. the doors open a hour before the show starts so you have time. eat before you go or while you are tailgating, you can bring a barbecue. you are under no obligations to buy food or drinks. if you need cash, the portable carts don't take cards, go to the atm early. the lines get long and they have run out of money. it can get chilly at night so unless we are under a heat wave, wear sleeves. for things like the warped tour bring sunscreen. i know it isn't 'cool' but i have seen some epic sunburns. enjoy the show, rock out, do your things. now, the traffic after the show, tailgate some more. this is where you d.d. comes in handy. please remember something. the musicians set the price of the tickets and a corporate office sets the price of everything else. the employees you are complaining to do not. there you go, enjoy folks.
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TERRIBLE! Doesn't deserve a single star. They have no concept of traffic direction at the Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre. If you go to any truly big show here, you will be listening to it from your car on the road that wraps around the venue. The roads in and out are too small and lack of traffic direction turns them into a parking lot. The actual parking lot is a big unfinished dirt field with big plants growing in it that scratch your car when you go past.
If you'd like the worst concert experience of your life, including missing the act you paid to see, by all means, try this venue.
I hope this place gets blown up by terrorists (while no one is in it, of course), then none of the good bands would be able to choose to play there.
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First of all, very few women seemed to realize that there were two lines for the same set of bathrooms just inside the main gate. The men's restroom is situated next to the second line and makes it seem as though there was a small line of women waiting to use the men's room. Really though it was for the same ladies room and those few ladies were able to get in and out a helluva lot faster than everyone else. I blame the lack of proper signage.
Next on sh*t list? I paid $17 for the worst margarita I've ever tasted. Not even my deliriously drunk friend (due to the beer, not margaritas) would take the thing off my hands. I swear they scrapped up freezer burnt Otterpop goo from the bottom of a funky old fridge and let it set into a rock hard mountain before trying to pass it off as a drink. What the eff Cricket? You'd think for nearly twenty-bucks the wannabe slushie would at least TASTE good, even if they forgot the tequila. Simply shameful.
Now up this point I could forgive Cricket for a bit of bad luck - I was there for the concert after all, not the booze and bathrooms. But what made this a truly crappy experience was the lack of music! For the first time since attending this venue I opted to get lawn seats... I sat midway between the fence and back wall, facing the stage at dead center - yet I couldn't hear a damned thing during no less than a third of the concert. Oh and the side screens are basically useless from the lawn, they were distinctly faded and fuzzy. Luckily the band had their own wide-panel screen situated behind them on stage. At least I could see them playing even if I couldn't hear them! Oh wait, what about the people dancing all over and shoving their way past/into/through me? Oh yeah, they tend to hinder the view bit.
Lawn Seats for the FAIL.
Lessons learned: Bring your own booze (unless you dig beer), look for short bathroom lines and shell out the extra cash for decent seats.
Redeeming points: Beautiful star-lit night sky and previous experiences with actual seats rather than the miserable lawn fiasco.
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Journey with Heart and Cheap Trick last night, a great show. This venue has great acoustics and great views through most of the seats, with the exception of those blocked by the lighting towers. Beer, wine, margaritas, and snacks are available I make most of my runs during the opening act or between the opening acts in this case. Prices are steep for the drinks, but aren't they always. Bring cash!! Don't try to tailgate, CV has a city ordinance against booze in the lots.
Traffic control is bad here, but it doesn't bother me too much because it's avoidable. I always avoid taking Main Street, that's a waste of time, I come and go the back way and get there in 5 minutes, bypassing the hoards on the right and shooting straight into premier parking (well, if you want to shell out the cash)... Not too many people take the back way, i must be the junk yards, lack of lighting, loose gravel, abandoned feel? I dunno...
Wait 20-30 minutes after the show ends, in the parking lot or browsing the swag shops and you can exit the venue quite quickly. Well, if you take the back way.
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