The Pacific Amphitheatre is an

amphitheatre An amphitheatre (American English, U.S. English: amphitheater) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and ('), meani ...

Costa Mesa Costa may refer to: Biology * Rib (Latin: ''costa''), in vertebrate anatomy * Costa (botany), the central strand of a plant leaf or thallus * Costa (coral), a stony rib, part of the skeleton of a coral * Costa (entomology), the leading edge o ...

, Orange County,

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. The amphitheatre is located on the grounds of the OC Fair & Event Center. It opened in July 1983 with

Barry Manilow Barry Manilow ( ; born Barry Alan Pincus on June 17, 1943) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer with a career that spans over sixty years. His hit recordings include "Could It Be Magic", "Looks Like We Made It", "Brandy (Scott ...

as the first performer. The venue currently operates from early July through early September, predominantly during the annual Summer Concert Series at the OC Fair. Since reopening in 2003, the venue has been independently managed and operated by the OC Fair & Event Center. The Pacific Amphitheatre is regularly ranked in the top 10 of international venues in

Pollstar ''Pollstar'' is a trade publication for the concert and live music industry. The publication was purchased by Oak View Group, a venue consultancy founded by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff, in July 2017. ''Pollstar'' holds an annual award ce ...

's third quarter Worldwide Ticket Sales chart. The fairgrounds are surrounded by dense residential developments and the amphitheatre was the focus of numerous noise complaints and litigation from local residents resulting in its closure in 1995. After almost a decade, it was reopened in 2003, in conjunction with the annual OC Fair. As part of an agreement with local residents, the venue operates with a reduce capacity and with strict sound monitoring. In 2013, the venue underwent major construction reshaping the existing berm, reducing capacity from approximately 18,500 to 8,200 and creating a new lobby entrance from the inside of the fairgrounds. Notable performances include the final concert by

Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gaye Jr. (; April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and soul singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He helped shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player an ...

on August 14, 1983,

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...

on September 8, 1990,

Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, film producer, model, and philanthropist. Commonly referred to as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the Voice", she is List of awards and no ...

on May 17, 1991, during her '' I'm Your Baby Tonight World Tour,''

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...

on July 28, 2003,

Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her autobiographical songwriting, artistic versatility, and Cultural impact of Taylor Swift, cultural impact, Swift is one of the Best selling artists, w ...

(opening for

Leann Rimes Margaret LeAnn Rimes Cibrian (born August 28, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She originally rose to success as a country music artist at the age of 13 and has since crossed over into pop, contemporary Christian, and o ...

) on July 31, 2007,

Selena Gomez Selena Marie Gomez ( ; born July 22, 1992) is an American actress, singer, songwriter, producer, and businesswoman. Gomez began her career as a child actress, appearing on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004), a ...

on July 24, 2011, and Trevor Noah on July 16, 2022. On June 30, 1984, a performance at the venue by

Jefferson Starship Jefferson Starship is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1974 by a group of musicians including former members of Jefferson Airplane. Between 1974 and 1984, they released eight RIAA certification, gold or Music rec ...

was broadcast live nationwide by the ABC Rock Radio Network.

References

External links

OC Fair & Event Center website
{{Authority control Buildings and structures completed in 1983 Amphitheaters in California Music venues in California Buildings and structures in Costa Mesa, California Tourist attractions in Costa Mesa, California Theatres completed in 1983 1983 establishments in California Event venues established in 1983

See also

References

External links