Iroquois Amphitheater

I have been here for an orchestra concert with the Louisville orchestra and then again for the Decemberists. I don’t think there is a bad seat in the whole place. The outdoor setting is very refreshing

I absolutely love listening to live music. And listening to it outside at this beautiful amphitheater makes it all the more better! :)
I was recently here for the Decemberists concert. We showed up right around the time that the gates opened, since the show was general admission. It was nice being there ahead of time to grab some great seats and a couple of beers before the music started.
I wish they would allow more food trucks to be inside for snacks and such.

This is one of the best venues in Louisville! I’ve been here a million billion times and finally did a Unilocal rating. No seat is a bad seat. The sound is phenomenal. It’s one of the only outdoor venues in Louisville (which is a shame). I always, always, always have an amazing time here. Keep it up Iroquois Amp!!!

This place is super awesome. Great acoustics, cozy and feels rustic. Would love to come back for another show.

Great talent at The Americana World Festival today! Continues all afternoon and evening until 9 pm. The Horse Traders on now, next is Zim Marim… don’t miss Appalatin 7:15 to 9 pm.

It had been a while since I’d attended a show at the Amphiteatre. Childhood memories of coming here immediately washed over me; have I mentioned how 100% incredible our Louisville parks are? I think so. On this occasion, it was Wilco, a band I’ve seen several times before (1999, Headliners; 2004, Louisville Palace, not to mention Jeff T and his son 2014, Brown Theater). It was a perfect evening in just about every aspect including the great sound created by the venue, which loses nothing to the open air. If it’s an act you enjoy, recommend taking in a rock show here.

Went there last night for a free Saturday night Summer movie. Loved the whole place! Excited to go back for Brandi Carlile in June.
So my reference point for comparison is when I used to go to movies and plays in a park with an open lawn and port-​a-​potties. Iroquois has individual stadium seats with a roof over a portion of the seats. There’s easy access to permanent restrooms, even a family restroom, which is a HUGE difference. You can enjoy the open air of the park surrounding you, but still have a few comforts.
Grabbing some popcorn @ that the concession before settling in for the show made for a very enjoyable evening.
I love the Amphitheater! We’ll be back!

Went here with a friend for a concert and loved the venue. Parking was free and traffic was very minimal. There isn’t a bad seat in the entire place and the staff were all very friendly. Unlike some places, the seats were roomy and made for adults, instead of people with behinds the size of a 10 year old kid. This place gets it right!

Arrive early to park in the same zip code. Nice venue although the «Security» staff are a little over-​zealous for the situation at times.

Let’s see… how many times have I been here? Bluegrass festivals, Reo Speedwagon, Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie, Zombie Run after party, etc. I love it!
I grew up going to Iroquois Park so it is perfect for me and I feel right at home anytime I return there for a show.

One of my favorite venues in Louisville. Never had a bad seat. I’ve seen plays, rock concerts and movies here and was happy each time. The concessions aren’t the best– fairly typical though. Also about ½ of the amphitheater is covered, so it is usually a good venue even in rain.

The variety of shows here is outstanding enough to garner Iroquois five stars.
So their greatness could just start and end with booking awesome groups like the Shins and Edward Sharpe at affordable prices, showing free movies on Mondays in the summer, showing more free movies with their «Movies Under the Stars» summer series, hosting festivals like the bluegrass festival, and even live theater performances too.
But it doesn’t.
This is a venue that makes a performance. The natural beauty of the park’s trees, hills is seamlessly integrated with the amphitheater. If you’re up front the covering makes it feel like you got to crawl inside a cave and be taken away by the music/​show. Being farther away from the stage allows you to really take in the natural surroundings. Win-​win wherever you end up sitting.
…except for the movie series. Don’t get there late cause you’ll have a tough time hearing in the upper level. Saw Lincoln there recently and we caught maybe ¹⁄₃ words. Incentive to get their earlier next time…
Beer, liquor, etc are available for musical acts and at the movies all I saw was the typical nachos, pretzels and candy. Everything was under $ 5 (more in the $ 2 – 3 range) which is way less than an indoor theater like Regal or Cinemark. Also unlike those theaters, no one made me throw out the strawberries I brought in my purse!

The amphitheater at Iroquois Park is amazing!
It is a large venue and the host of many different kinds of events.
I personally have enjoyed a couple concerts as well as the free monday night movie series in the summer (maybe my favorite thing…)
The facilities are clean, the concessions are mid-​range priced. If you are there for the free movie showings, you can bring in your own refreshments.
Just remember the bug spray!
I love the Amphitheater!

It’s been many years since I had been inside Louisville’s Iroquois Amphitheater. Growing up near the park, I attended many local events there and I’ve always felt that the Amphitheater is one of South Louisville’s best kept secrets.
When I learned that Alice Cooper would be making it a stop on his «No More Mr. Nice Guy» tour I was very surprised. Even though he is on the «mature» side as far as rockers go, he typically plays in much larger venues. I jumped at the chance to buy several $ 49 tickets because I knew the 2,000 seat Amphitheater would make for a great, if not interesting experience.
When my entourage arrived there was a long line for admission, however it moved surprisingly quick. Once inside, I was immediately impressed with the renovations that have been made since my last visit. Comfortable seating, stone and wood details, and the overall layout make it very intimate and cozy venue. It felt as though Garrison Keillor might walk out for a night of «A Prairie Home Companion», not Alice Cooper with his blood stained props and piles of mangled bodies.

Almost everything about the Amphitheater is what a top venue should be. On the night we attended the show was almost completely sold out, yet there were no lines for refreshments and better yet, no lines for the clean bathrooms. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a concert without a long line for the women’s stalls.
The acoustics were perfect and I must say that Alice put on one of the best rock shows I have seen in quite some time. Good music on a warm summer night with a light breeze and sky full of stars is about as good as it gets.
The only real drawback is the fact that the shows are open seating so it’s best to get there as early as possible. The good news is that no matter where you sit, there really isn’t a bad seat in the place. Getting there early will also help with parking. There’s a small lot at the main gate, but otherwise you’ll be parking on the sides of the park roads and it can be a short hike.
Looking at the Amphitheater calendar I discovered that there several fun events planned for the rest of the season, and some like Monday Movie Night, are free. After having such a great time, I plan to go back more often.

The evolution at Iroquois Amphitheater is impressive! I’ve quite a soft spot for our parks system and enjoy all these opportunities to take advantage of it.
The musical concert series is growing and features many up and coming acts. It is a great place to see an outside show! Come early, as most concerts have open seating. The space is intimate and feels like a sweet Louisville secret. Over the past couple summers, I’ve been to some amazing shows, without having to camp out or be stuck in traffic for miles or hours after the music ended. Pay attention, as new events are added all the time.
My frugal streak has me there on Monday nights for free movies! Now that it is HOT, get a waffle cone of Ehrler’s Ice Cream (which no longer has local retail outlets) for a refreshing bite of nostalgia. This summer they are showing classics — I’ve been to the original Muppet Movie and Romancing the Stone so far. They also show movies under the stars on select Saturdays.
Of course, to fulfill your desire for theater, there are performances of the «HMS Pinafore» still to come.
The Amphitheater has expanded to offer small, on stage «Black Box» theater from October through April, so watch for events during the cooler months as well.
The new and improved website allows you to purchase tickets online directly now. I’m not really a fan of the staggered prices and seats, since the high seats are cooler when it is hot but the covered seats are definitely preferred for rainy nights. All the seats have good sound — even the back row where I sat for the Shins. You can actually buy tickets at the park office during the day, if you hate paying fees or are at the park, walking the dog or playing disc golf.

THEATRE 502 REVIEW ONLY!
Okay, the Amphitheater is currently housing the 2011 – 2012 season of the new company Theatre 502. I wanted to put a disclaimer as to why my review may be different.
This new company has chosen a perfect first season so far, as to introducing themselves to the Louisville area. The plays are award wining, mostly new to the area, and require more skilled actors then elaborate sets.
As for the venue, the company is currently housed in the Iroquois Ampitheatre, it is a little bit of a drive then all of your other downtown theaters, but they still picked a great spot. As the user picture of the stage will show there is an outdoor seating area facing the stage. For theatre 502, they shut the large door to close off the stage and had the audience in a thrust setting sitting on the stage with the open seating behind part of the audience.
I was a little dismayed, because as an audience member, you have to walk through the back stage, dressing rooms, and actors to get to the front stage. There was a little disillusion of the whole «art» part of it, but only until the show started. The positive of this, is that after the show, you get the VIP pass of walking past the back stage, dressing rooms, and actors so you get to say congratulations to everyone on your way out!
Another unfortunate that occurred was that the stage door did not close all the way, which left a little bit of the climate control staged to leak cold air in. Everyone kept their coats and hats on while we watched the show, even though they attempted to turn up the heat.
It is still a great place to see theater and I’ll have to write a revised review once I get into the actual audience seats outside and see a show!

If you want a music venue that allows you to be fully embraced by the accoustics and immersed in the performance, this is it. The venue is simple, rustic, and connected to nature, which brings a sense of calm and beauty to the performances held there. I most recently took in a Bright Eyes show there and it blew me away. The venue contributes to the overall performance in a positive way. It is also part of a beautiful park with a killer 3 mile loop of hills that will challenge even the most seasoned runner!

THIS IS A GREAT PARK! much more than the often vacant amphitheatre. Great large new playground, frisbee golf, hiking, running, dogs welcome, golf course.