Santa Barbara Bowl — Local services in Santa Barbara

I saw a show here recently and I had no idea what to expect. Please read until the end, I wish I had known the information before hand. Pros: the venue is Beautiful and the view of Santa Barbara from the top bar area is Amazing! *I spoke to the venue after the show and they made the below right with me, so I was impressed with their customer service so I raised my star rating.

Cons: Not friendly to people with any mobility issues! I was with a Senior Citizen and I wish I had known this! Once you get into the venue, you have to walk straight up the hillside, you can take the trolley up however the climbing doesn't stop there. Once you get to the top of venue, you have to climb straight up stairs made of rocks to get to the seating areas. I did not know this and would have opted to pick seats in the front or not come at all. The person with me had a hard time climbing the stairs and so did almost everyone who came by us, regardless of age! Once there, if you want to go to the bathroom you have to climb straight up even further or go all the way back down. People can stand up in front of you and completely block your view of the show and the ushers will not help, they said they are allowed to stand even though their website specifically says people should be respectful of others and not block their view. I know it is common to stand in floor seating areas but shouldn't be allowed in grand stand seats! It blocked us and the people behind us. The food was not edible, it was dry and hard, cooked many hours before and sitting under heat lamps so eat before you get here! Tips: arrive early so you can park nearby, parking is $20 at the high school and the walk is not too far. Don't eat the food! Leave before the last few songs so you can get the trolley down the hill and walk to parking, otherwise it will be...

Very disappointed in this venue. One of the worst venues that I've ever been to. Drove 3 hours, through Los Angeles traffic and Santa Barbara construction zones to arrive at venue that makes you park 3 blocks down the road, for a fee. Then have to trek up a curvy incline, to arrive at an area where they sold food, which was a very small area. To get to the seats, there are stairs that seem to be needing repairs. They are not stairs one should attempt to run up or down. The steps within the aisles are long and taller than usual, requiring use of a handrail, which bytheway a handrail that thousands have to touch. During COVID times and no hand sanitizer anywhere. Sitting all the way in top section is by far the worst. The sound was lacking, as there weren't any additional speakers in the area. The seats themselves are uncomfortable and do not accommodate people of extended widths. Also, the ushering staff don't know how to use their flashlights properly and they stand directly in your way of seeing the stage. It makes it very difficult to try and record because people cannot find their seats and are aimlessly floating around stopping in direct blocking of said recording and it was just really frustrating that the view of the stage isnt great. One would also think getting a view of the ocean would be cool, but that was also lacking the wow-factor. It was very, whats the word, uninspiring. Overall, this venue is a terrible choice and I probably won't ever go...

The Santa Barbara Bowl is definitely one of the best venues I’ve been to for a concert. It is easily accessible and has a really good sound system that is not too loud or too quiet.

I was able to park close to downtown and walk to the venue, it was only a 20 minute walk too, so if you don’t mind walking, this is the way to go!

Getting inside is also pretty easy and straightforward. No long lines or anything like that. Plus the ushers are all really kind and welcoming. I was greeted multiple times as I was directed to my seat.

Upon sitting down, I realized that the seat I picked was in a good section, not too far back or too close. I was worried it would be too far back and I wouldn’t have a good view of the stage but it was perfect!

The opener, John Carroll Kirby was awesome. Usually I don’t care much for the opener when I go see a show but this time, I was so happy I got to see them. Him and his band were sensational, with the flute player being a big standout.

Khruangbin, who came on at 8, were simply amazing. I enjoyed every single second of their set! They sounded awesome, I would say even better in person than on recording, and they had the whole crowd cheering and dancing along to their music.

Overall, I couldn’t have asked for a better band to see for my first time at the Santa Barbara Bowl! I am already looking forward to coming back next year and...