Universal Amphitheater

To contact us Click HERE
Opens 1971 (as a stunt theater)Outdoor amphitheater Universal City, L. A. Owned by MCA Inc. which owns Universal Studios5,200 capacity  1973 (farthest seat only 140 feet from the stage)6,252 capacity  1980
Today it is know as the Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal Citywalk

Sampling of rock/pop concerts at the Universal Amphitheater 1972 - 1982.
1972

Jesus Christ Superstar JUNE 28 1972

1973

Grateful Dead JUNE 29 July 1John Denver JULY 9- 15Roberta Flack JULY 16 - 22Johnny Mathis, Henry Mancini JULY 25 - 29Tom Jones JULY 30 - AUGUST 4Harry Belafonte AUGUST 5 - 12The Carpenters AUGUST 13 - 19War AUGUST 20 - 265th Dimension SEPTEMBER 5 - 9Bette Midler SEPTEMBER 10 - 16Englebert Humperdinck SEPTEMBER 17 - 23

1974

Gordon Lightfoot JULY 5 - 7Diana Ross JULY 15 - 22The Temptations, Pointer Sisters JULY 25 -28Helen Reddy and Paul Williams JULY 29 - AUGUST 4Loggins & Messina,  Anne Murray AUGUST 5 - 7Joni Mitchell AUGUST 13 - 17The 5th Dimension AUGUST 21 - 24John Denver AUGUST 26 - SEPTEMBER 8Al Green SEPTEMBER 9 -14Seals & Crofts SEPTEMBER 15 -18Three Dog Night SEPTEMBER 20 - 22David Bowie SEPTEMBER 2 - 9

1974 L. A. Times1975

Neighbors started to complain about noise booming into their nearby homes. MCA made acoustical modifications  such as a sound wall and stone block wall on the south side of the theatre.  More walls behind the doors, sound panels over the speakers and pads to cover empty seats. MCA worked hard to avoid lawsuits. 

Mac Davis, Captain & Tennille JULY 7 - 13The Temptations JULY 17 - 19Ton Orlando and Dawn JULY 21 - 27James Taylor, Cary Simon JULY 30 - AUGUST 2Helen Reddy, Freddie Prinze AUGUST 4 - 10David Crosby, Graham Nash AUGUST 14 - 17Jessie Colin Young, Maria Muldaur AUGUST 18 & 19Paul Williams AUGUST 21 - 23Judy Collins AUGUST 24 - 26Linda Ronstadt, Tom Snow AUGUST 29 - SEPTEMBER 2Seals & Crofts SEPTEMBER 3 & 4Three Dog Night SEPTEMBER 5 - 7Gladys Knight & the Pips SEPTEMBER 10 - 13

1976

John Denver JUNE 21 - 25James Taylor JULY 8 - 11Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge JULY 13 - 15
Jesse Colin Young, Emmylou Harris JULY 16 - 18Dave Mason JULY 20 - 21Al Green, The Miracles JULY 22 - 25Roberta Flack, Jose Feliciano JULY 27 & 28Gordon Lightfoot JULY 9 - AUGUST 1 Janis Ian AUGUST 3 & 4Neil Sedaka, Melissa Manchester AUGUST 5 - 8Electric Light Orchestra AUGUST 10 - 12Barry Manilow AUGUST 13 & 15Paul Williams AUGUST 20 - 22Judy Collins AUGUST 24 - 26
Fleetwood Mac AUGUST 27 - 29Natalie Cole SEPTEMBER 3 & 4Linda Ronstadt SEPTEMBER 8 - 13Loggins & Messina SEPTEMBER 14 - 18Frank Sinatra, Diana Ross John Rivers, Helen Reddy Nelson Riddle SEPTEMBER 19

1977

John Denver Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee benefit JUNE 18Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter JULY 30 AUGUST 1 & 2Chuck Mangione JULY 5 & 6Ben Verren, Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis, Jr.  JULY 7-10Hall & Oates JULY 12 & 13Heart JULY 15 & 16Joan Baez JULY 19 & 20Janis Ian, Steve Martin JULY 22 - 24Kenny Loggins JULY 28 & 29Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge JULY 30 & 31Kenny Rogers, Emmylou Harris AUGUST 1 & 2Gordon Lightfoot AUGUST 3 - 7Al Stewart AUGUST 9 & 10Isaac Hayes, Dionne Warwick AUGUST 11 - 13Dan Fogelberg AUGUST 14 & 16Natalie Cole AUGUST 18 - 21Randy Newman AUGUST 23Neil Sedaka AUGUST 25 - 28George Benson SEPTEMBER 2 - 4Leon Russell SEPTEMBER 9 -11Jackson Browne SEPTEMBER 13 - 18Linda Ronstadt SEPTEMBER 20 - 25, 28 - OCTOBER 2

1978

Bob Dylan JUNE 1 - 7Donna Summer JUNE 17 & 18Jimmy Buffett JUNE 10 & 21The Kinks JUNE 23 - 25Leo Sayer JUNE 27 - 30, JULY 1, 2America, Michael Murphy JULY 3 & 4George Benson JULY 6 - 9Warren Zevon JULY 11Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge JULU 12 - 15Kenny Loggins JULY 19 - 23Dave Mason, Bob Welch JULY 26 - 30Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan JULY 31, AUGUST 1 - 10Judy Collins AUGUST 8 - 9Natalie Cole AUGUST 11 - 14Randy Newman, Bonnie Raitt  AUGUST 16 - 19Gordon Lightfoot AUGUST 22 - 27Stephen Bishop, The Crusaders AUGUST 31, SEPTEMBER 1Peter, Paul & Mary AUGUST 29 - 30Bob Welch SEPTEMBER 7 & 8Steve Martin, John Bulshi, Dan Achroyd The Blues Brothers SEPTEMBER 9 - 17Diana Ross SEPTEMBER 19 - 25Liza Minnelli, Shaun Cassidy SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 3

1979

The Beach Boys JUNE 4 - 10Frank Sinatra JUNE 11 - 17Steve Miller Band JUNE 23 - 26Robin Williams JUNE 30 JULY 1The Doobie Brothers JULY 2 - 8Eddie Money, McGuinn, Clark & Hillman JULY 11 & 12Santana JULY 13 & 14Chuck Mangione JULY 17 - 22Jimmy Buffett JULY 25 - 27Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers JULY 28 - 29Cher JULY 31 AUGUST  1, 2 David Crosby, Graham Nash AUGUST 2-5Donna Summer AUGUST 8 - 15The Kinks AUGUST 16 - 19Martin Mull AUGUST 21Gordon Lightfoot AUGUST 22 - 26Box Scaggs AUGUST 27 - 31, SEPTEMBER 1,2 & 3Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge SEPTEMBER 4, 5, 6Kenny Loggins SEPTEMBER 7 - 12Kenny Rogers, Dottie West SEPTEMBER 14 - 16Randy Newman SEPTEMBER 17America SEPTEMBER 18-19
Dolly Parton SEPTEMBER 21 - 24Elton John SEPTEMBER 26 - OCTOBER 6 (John collasped during one of the concerts, but returned to finish the 3-hour program)

At the end of 1979, Universal Amphitheater was at a crossroads. It was either going to get a roof, get out of the concert business are stay as it was. 
MCA wanted to bulldoze three surrounding hills for  more movie making, tram route and tour parking.  The Regional Planning Commission approved project but wanted the Amphitheater permanently enclosed. 

1980

Kenny Loggins JUNE 12 - 15The Spinners, Phyllis Hyman JUNE 16 & 17The Captain & Tennille JUNE 19 & 20The Crusaders, Randy Crawford JUNE 21 & 22Warren Zevon JUNE 24Jimmy Buffett JUNE 25 - 28Little River Band JUNE 30, JULY 1 & 2Frank Sinatra JULY 4 - 9The Marshall Tucker Band JULY 10 - 12Chuck Mangione JULY 15 - 20Willie Nelson JULY 21 - 25The Blues Brothers JULY 26 - 31, AUGUST 1Jefferson Starship AUGUST 3 - 5 Emmylou Harris AUGUST  6 & 7 Poco AUGUST 8 & 9Joe Jackson AUGUST 13 & 14America AUGUST 16 & 17Gordon Lightfoot AUGUST 28 - 31Bob Hope, Diahann Carroll, Les Brown SEPTEMBER 1 - 6Santana SEPTEMBER 8 - 10Melissa Manchester SEPTEMBER 11 - 13Al Stewart SEPTEMBER 15 & 16Bonnie Raitt, Sippie Wallace  SEPTEMBER 17 & 18Paul Simon SEPTEMBER 20 - 22Graham Nash SEPTEMBER 23 & 24John Denver, George Burns SEPTEMBER 25 - 28  last outdoor program at the Amphitheater. 

1981 - no summer season

The Amphitheater closed for remodeling in September 1980. The facility was redesigned from the ground up. The venue is now enclosed.  The capacity increased to 6,2000, no seat is more than 150 away from center stage. Each seat has been uphostered in theatrical style and all aisles are now carpeted. Venue will now be opened year round.
A roof had to be put on the Amphitheater because of redevelopment of 70 acres on the Universal City lot eliminated three hiss that use to provide natural sound barriers. Without the roof, the theater would no longer be able to comply with county noise abatement standards. 

1982

Frank Sinatra JULY 30 - AUGUST 7Rick Springfiled AUGUST 8 - 10Robin Williams AUGUST 15 & 16Chuck Mangione AUGUST 2- - 22The Marshall Tucker Band AUGUST 24 & 25Toto AUGUST 26The Blasters AUGUST 28Ricky Lee Jones AUGUST 30 & 31Al Jarreau SEPTEMBER 1 - 5The Doobie Brothers SEPTEMBER 4Dolly Parton SEPTEMBER 9 - 12Linda Ronstadt SEPTEMBER 14 - 19Joni Mitchell SEPTEMBER 25 - 26The Motels September 29

----------------------------