Radians Amphitheater — Attraction in Memphis

I saw the Goo Goo Dolls there last night. They were amazing. I was on the pit at the front of the stage, but this is a review of the theater.

It's a really nice place and my experience was outstanding. However, I paid for the pit pass not knowing if the lawn space would be close enough. Walking through the place, I was so happy I paid more. The level of disappointment I would have felt being as far back as the lawn is for a concert I really wanted to see would have been immeasurable. The setup is like this: The pit, which is fairly small (maybe 500 people), is right in front of the stage. Behind that is this HUGE area with at least 100 very big tables that hold around 10 people each. It feels like such a waste of space. They could eliminate those tables, replace them with chairs only, and make more use of the space. Then, waaaaaaay behind that is the lawn area. It's so far back that people are rushing in when the gates open to get a place to sit. You're pretty much watching on the monitor and sitting on the ground unless you brought chairs.

They have three lines when you get to the gate. There are two for each of the different table sections and another for the lawn and pit area.

Google Maps takes you to the first area that's blocked off for some kind of restricted parking and a shuttle. If you don't have whatever pass gets you in that gate, you need to keep going to find the free, open parking. That's the better place anyway if you're going to the lawn or the pit because that's the side where the lawn and pit line starts.

We were some of the first in line when we got there at 4 for the Goo Goo Dolls. After about 5, the like built up quickly. Once we got to the pit, it was pretty empty until right up to the up to the time the Goo Goo Dolls started. I'm saying all this to give you a timeline since I had no way of deciding when to get there. A more popular band would probably have a line a lot sooner and I'd bet the pit would be full sooner.

You can bring coolers and bags, but you can't take them in the pit. You could leave your cooler somewhere on the lawn and go back and forth to it. Lastly, they have portapotties there, but there are really nice air conditioned bathrooms...

I don't know how the show is because I haven't gotten in yet, but the absolute traffic nightmare they have created is the most absurd ill thought out ludicrous mess I have EVER EXPERIENCED IN MY LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can only make a right into this place PERIOD. No lefts allowed so traffic is blocked up for MILES!!!!!!!!! Then we finally get to the end of the line and guess what? This entrance is not or me! So we have to mak another block and wait in another line that stretches FOR MILES and there are ZERO signs or directions any where. Even better the "general parking" is only accessible through southern which is one lane. So it makes it significantly worse, because there are a ton of people not going to the show stuck in traffic. I checked the website and there is absolutely no information about this parking nightmare anywhere! We made it to the general area at 7:40PM it is currently 8:20pm and I'm still in a huge line no where near the entrance. I'm so livid. I would rather sit in rush hour traffic than deal with this horrendous debacle. They've been putting on these shows for years now plenty of time to figure this mess out! Even better just got to the Southern Entrance and was told that's not my enterance either!!!! I'm seriously about to throw these tickets out the window! This is the most maddening ill constructed mess I have EVER had th displeasure of being caught in and I paid for this mess!!!! What is wrong with me?...

Great venue...and so nice to be outside and listening to "live" music again with real people around you!!! Event staff pleasant and efficient...no outside food or water allowed at this point...and they check! Seating currently is at half capacity...which is cool. Food trucks and 3 bars that i noticed (limited drink menu but covers the basics with one "speciality" drink)...event could benefit from a little more food truck variety in the cuisine-last night there were 3/4 "mexican variation"...nothing really "lite" plate... minimal if at all, veg or vegan. Soundcheck...we were "front row"...a little too close to really be a valid judge...it was great...but vocals sometimes got lost in the instruments from where i sat - not an accoustic critique at all so you know. Parking was the bomb...honestly, i was having heart palpitations driving over...been to these things before where you cannot get out sometimes until "everyone" leaves and its dark thirty and your car finally frees up...NOT the case here...beautifully executed...in and out was easy / breezy!! Music there has a hard stop at 9:30...its an enjoyable early summer evening of entertainment and fresh air...in "the garden". So plan ahead...Great Summer line-up, get your...