RICHMOND, Va. — Dave Matthews Band fans shared their feelings after the band took the stage in Richmond, Virginia, Tuesday night at the Allianz Amphitheater.
It was the band's first concert in Richmond in nearly 30 years.
While the performance received rave reviews, attendees had mixed feelings about their experience at Richmond's new music venue.
Here’s what concert-goers shared on CBS 6's Facebook page:
Tammy A.: "Dave was Dave. Great energy. Good vibes always a good time. And man, what a set list. Looking forward to tonight’s show. But I agree with the concerns and issues. Don’t get me wrong it is a beautiful venue but they’ve got some tweaks and kinks to work out. Also was surprised by how many people were able to watch the concert for free by sitting just outside the gate, with their own lawn chairs sandwiches and snacks from home, sitting under a shade tree… and I paid how much?"
Lee G.: "Phenomenal show. Exiting was a nightmare. The bottleneck problem needs to be resolved with more exit options throughout the venue."
Melissa G.: "Building another set of bathrooms on the opposite side would come in handy! But great concert!"
John H.: "At those prices, you'd think the Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront could afford air conditioning in the bathrooms!"
Neffie C.: "It was AWESOME! We noticed when walking up to the bars that the lawn is a bit muddy for those sitting up there. I would suggest renting a chair or bring a small waterproof blanket."
Kathryn M.: "The venue for sure has lots of kinks to work out. We were very frustrated at the staff lack of knowledge on where certain tickets were allowed early entry. We got sent to three different entrances and staff were telling people to go to the places we were sent away from. Also very frustrating that they just allowed people to fill in the aisle both on the hill and around the whole walkways. People were just standing and dancing in the middle of the main side walks. This venue was not made to handle the DMB crowd!"
Jaimie A.: "The venue was incredibly small. They had no ADA parking. They had no air conditioning in the bathrooms, and when you went to leave, they had people literally camped out in the roads in lawn chairs, so you had to drive through crowds of people to try to exit. Dave was good, but the venue was horrible."
Bobby C.: "Too many lawn chairs for the confined space. Bar access was great. Parking was a pain. The venue needs better defined walking lanes. Near the rear fence it was hard to move around and a few arguments happened. Other than those little things it was a decent venue. Looking forward to more big names."
Robin W.: "The actual show was great. The venue is shiny and new, but whoever planned the layout apparently didn’t intend to ever go there as a guest. One area only for bathrooms and they’re located at one end. It was a nightmare getting to them and making our way back to the other side. As others mentioned, no AC. Really, whose brain child was that? The exit on the opposite end of the bathrooms was blocked until the band buses left the venue. It created pandemonium because the staff standing at the locked gates didn’t bother to tell everyone to just wait a few minutes to let the buses leave and then they would let us through. I paid $22 for ONE beer. That is absolutely ridiculous! We had read reviews that the F&B was high, so we made sure to eat beforehand. Lots of work needs to be done at that venue to correct all the problems. I hope the folks in charge can get it right before another potential great thing for RVA goes down the tubes."
Dave Matthews Band returns to the stage Wednesday night for its second of two sold out shows.
This summer's concerts were the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band's first shows in Richmond in 30 years.
After getting their start in clubs and parties in Charlottesville, the band once held weekly concerts at The Flood Zone in Richmond in the early 1990s.
While Dave Matthews performed an acoustic concert at the Siegel Center in Oct. 2008, the Dave Matthews Band last played in the Richmond area at the Classic Amphitheater (now Virginia Credit Union Live) in April 1996 and June 1997.
The band also performed with the Richmond Richmond Symphony in Feb. 1995.
Watch: Dave Matthews Band performs with the Richmond Symphony
The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024.
Red Light Management, which manages Dave Matthews Band and is one of the forces behind Richmond's new venue, also manages acts like Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, Chris Stapleton, and Phish.
What did you think about the music and venue? Email the CBS 6 Newsroom.
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