Universal Amphitheater

The Universal Amphitheater is a well-known movie theater located in Universal City, California. When it was originally built, the amphitheater was an open air stadium. However, recent renovations covered over the stadium and added extra seats. Reviewers regularly laud the amphitheater's acoustics, and tickets for headline acts at Universal generally sell out quickly, sometimes within hours of going on sale at the box office.All told, the amphitheater seats 6,300 people. Some of the biggest and most highly reputed bands in show business history have played the amphitheater. Acts have included Peter, Paul and Mary, Elvis Costello, Engelbert Humperdinck, Sinead O'Connor, Johnny Cash, The Cranberries, Motley Crue, Elton John, Ringo Starr, Oingo Boingo, and dozens of others.The Universal Amphitheater also hosts musicals and touring shows. Tickets usually sell for prices between $30 and $250. The good news is that every seat in the house experiences great acoustics. When timing out your trip to the Universal Amphitheater, remember that you have to walk through the Universal CityWalk to get the theater, and the CityWalk can be crowded with tourists on weekends.The Universal Amphitheater is located in the Valley, right off the 101 freeway. Be aware that traffic congestion tends to get extremely heavy on the 101, particularly during rush hour (which, in L.A., extends from 3:30 PM until 7:30 PM). You can stay tuned to local AM radio channels to get regular traffic updates. Don't go by MapQuest driving times. A trip to the Universal Amphitheater from Beverly Hills--only 10 miles or so--can take as long as an hour and 45 minutes in rush-hour traffic. Amateur collectors often gather the ticket stubs, ephemera, live recordings, and posters left over from Universal Amphitheater shows.