Toyota Pavilion at Concord — Attraction in Concord

⭐️⭐️ 2 stars — and that’s being generous

First, let me be clear: this review is only about the Toyota Pavilion as a venue, not the performers. The artist and musicians were absolutely incredible — a billion stars if I could give them that.

Unfortunately, the venue experience itself was very disappointing.

I purchased Premier Parking ($75), but when I arrived, staff directed me into the General Parking area instead. I tried to resolve this in several ways:

1. Contacted Ticketmaster — they said no refund was possible and that I should contact Toyota Pavilion staff directly.

2. Went to Guest Services — they told me, “Sorry, we can’t help you. We don't carry cash here. Go to the ticketing area.”

3. Ticketing area — they couldn’t help me either and redirected me to another area near the entrance.

4. At the entrance — I was told I wasn’t eligible for Premier Parking because I “should have arrived earlier.” I explained I had tried to go to Premier Parking but was incorrectly directed by staff to General Parking. Still, no solution was offered.

At other venues I’ve been to, if a refund wasn’t possible, staff at least tried to accommodate me (better seats, partial refund, or some type of alternative). Here, there was ZERO effort. I paid $75 for Premier Parking and received nothing for it.

I’m still trying to contact the venue for a resolution, and if they make this right, I’ll update my review. But as of now, I cannot recommend paying extra for Premier Parking — you may end up in General Parking with no help.

Food & concessions:

I ordered the chicken tenders and fries, and to be fair, they were better than expected. However, the wait times are extremely long. Another visitor told me they waited more than 30+ minutes for food earlier in the night. Because of that, I held off and ordered closer to the end of the concert so I wouldn’t miss the performance. If you plan to eat here, be prepared for long lines.

Additional notes for first-time visitors:

Traffic is awful getting in and out. I’ve been to big-city venues in San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose — all busy areas — but Toyota Pavilion has been the worst parking/traffic experience by far. Another reviewer said, "Parking was a mess." They are absolutely correct.

The General Parking lot is poorly maintained: no lines, uneven pavement, and little organization.

I recommend parking off-site in the neighborhood or just using General Parking instead of paying extra for Premier Parking.

Leaving after the concert is stressful — either leave before the encore or wait until the crowd clears.

I saw many people (myself included) wandering around after the show trying to find their cars. Take a photo of where you parked.

Overall: I paid $75 for Premier Parking, didn’t receive it, and got no help from staff. Food was decent but lines were unreasonably long. Very disappointing experience overall, and I won’t be coming back anytime soon.

Toyota Pavilion, I kindly request a refund for the Premier Parking that I paid for but did not receive. At the very least, please consider refunding me the difference since I had to use General Parking instead. I hope you can resolve this issue. Thank you.

—

Update: I originally called both Ticketmaster and Toyota Pavilion regarding my issue. Both said they would escalate it and get back to me. In the end, the refund came through—but it was from Ticketmaster, not Toyota Pavilion. Ticketmaster delivered on their word and provided great customer service, which has earned my loyalty. Unfortunately, Toyota Pavilion never followed up or issued a refund, which was...

The venue had exceptional acoustics, and that evening the sound system delivered a clarity and vibrancy that enveloped the audience in a full range of auditory bliss. As the music swelled, the seating, which was designed for minimal comfort, could be easily folded away, transforming the aisle into a decent dance space. It was a thoughtful design that catered to both the reflective listener and the spirited dancer. The seating did lack cup holders and seat identification is painted on the concrete on the ground below the seat. The cleanliness of the venue was evident, with bathrooms maintained to a high standard, a welcome sight for attendees, and the lines were refreshingly short.

While the food and beverage offerings didn't stray from the expected fare of a large venue, they provided a familiar comfort to the guests. However, the pricing of these items was steep, a common trend in such establishments, which did little to dampen the spirits of those who came prepared for the experience. The entry process was marred by a slight inconsistency in the enforcement of baggage rules, causing some confusion among the guests. Yet, the availability of lockers and the option to purchase small, transparent plastic bags offered a solution to those in need of storage.

The staff, a crucial aspect of any event, were the unsung heroes of the night. Their pleasant demeanor and helpful nature contributed significantly to the positive atmosphere, and it was clear they were there to assist rather than to assert authority. A member of the exit staff even volunteered to take our group's picture. She was incredibly friendly . I believe she knew that if she helped us take our picture we would leave more swiftly as we were struggling to get the best angle. Parking, often a concern at large events, was surprisingly ample, and ingress was a breeze. However, as the night drew to a close, the exodus from the venue was a test of patience, with bottlenecking at the exits being an inevitable reality. Yet, this did not detract from the overall experience, which was remembered as a night of auditory, visual and social delight. The venue had once again proven itself to be a place where memories were made and the essence of music was celebrated in...

My girlfriend and I went to a show at the Concord Pavilion last week and had a horrible experience. For the regular person, this venue appears to be fine. If you're a person with disabilities, AVOID this place. I'm not disabled, but my partner is and I'm pissed.

After a considerable wait to even park at this place, we were told the ADA parking section was full and would have to park on a hill. As we drove up this hill and looked down on the "full" lot, we noticed there was only one lane designated for ADA parking and the rest of it was almost entirely empty. This venue decided it would be best to shuttle people with disabilities down a gravel hill on a golf cart instead of expanding the parking. My partner has a degenerative spine disease. It was painful for her. I was also at a loss for words when we parked and saw a van with a wheelchair lift. It sucked for us, but this place didn't give a damn about that person's dignity.

Once we were inside, she asked about accessible bathrooms. The first employee we asked directed us to what I'd guess is a guest ambassador? That person directed us to another, as none of them really understood what accessibility is and just said to try the "regular" bathroom.

The seating is the REAL kicker. I bought our tickets through the artist pre-sale. Best I could get. There are four rows of ADA seats in this venue. As we found out, two of them are elevated and have great views of the stage. The other two are not elevated and have ZERO visibility of the stage once the crowd stands up. We were in the "unfortunate" seats. I paid full price for us to go to a show that my partner could not see. Her experience was nothing but the sounds of the show and looking into peoples' backs hoping they'd lean once in a while.

For as long as this venue has been operating, it clearly must be aware of this issue. I'm in the process of writing a detailed report for the ACLU. I won't be able to sleep at night otherwise knowing that these people are fine with taking money from the disabled, possibly causing them pain, and selling them a show...