Opinion: My thoughts on the new Acrisure Amphitheater
- 1 minute ago
- 5 min read
Opinion: My thoughts on the new Acrisure Amphitheater
I was able to attend the opening performance - legendary Lionel Richie - at the new Acrisure Amphitheater in downtown Grand Rapids, MI. My overall impression is that of awe and excitement, but also feeling there are a couple of kinks to untangle.
While there are mixed reviews on the location of the amphitheater, I found myself delighted at having another Grand Rapids venue to bring in even more talent. As an avid concertgoer I am thrilled to see even more bands and artists adding Grand Rapids to their stops between Detroit and Chicago. This offers more opportunity to expose and inspire those interested in live arts.
Parking was not a problem for myself and those I went with; we parked one’s nearby house and took personal scooters to and from the event. If available, this was a fun and convenient way to and from. For those that this is not an option non-accessible parking can be found throughout the city ranging from 0.4-0.7 miles (8-15 minute walk) from the venue ranging from $10-$25 during event times. Additionally, if you find yourself lucky enough to get on street parking, cost will be substantially less as metered parking downtown after 7P is free.
An observation we had regarding special lots offering parking options outside of parking garages is that they begin cheaper and as the event gets closer the prices increased. One lot near the downtown market was $30 on our way to dinner, and $50 on our way to the venue from dinner. Arriving earlier seems to be of value.
The city of Grand Rapids has committed themselves to finding ways to improve traffic control, as well as parking options and availability. There is a dedicated lot at 125 Market Ave SW with 60 handicap spots available; this is 350 feet from the theater, a 2 minute walk. This lot is also a dedicated drop off and pick up point for handicap patrons. Additional accessible parking right at the theater parking garage can be reserved from Park Mobile in advance.
For additional information on available parking options:
One of the reasons outside of Lionel Richie to attend was to experience the layout of the venue. Upon entering I noticed that elevators were readily available for those that needed them. To get to the seating and lawn we took a flight of stairs. The stage appeared large and the energy of people felt exciting. Signage could have been improved as most of what we located was by exploration. For us, that was fun, but I could see others appreciating more direction.
We had lawn tickets. For this event, the lawn felt just fine as we spent a lot of time walking around the venue, enjoying each other’s company, and trying different food options available. That said, as Lionel Richie got closer the lawn had nearly filled up. Finding a spot 4 wide felt like it would have been next to impossible without asking people to move. I couldn’t figure out if this was because the lawn was oversold, or the approval of lawn chairs affected the amount of space available. Seats, in my opinion, are worth every penny. Not only did they appear spacious, they had great views from every angle, and convenient cup holders on the chairs in front of you. All of that to say, some concerts to me are more important to attend with lawn seats, than to not go at all. The lawn, at any spot, had adequate views of the stage to get a full and enjoyable experience but when I can I will surely be splurging on a seat.
I do want to speak briefly about the access to all attendees between sections 200 and 300. I believe people should have access between sections who have seat tickets, I feel as though lawn seats should not. This made for a very busy walkway between sections.
Food and drink options were wildly impressive. We started with ice cream from Love’s, a local ice cream and chocolate shop who uses fresh ingredients and hand-crafts their ice cream. I got two scoops, one vanilla and one strawberry. Both were exceptional with both my sister and I liking the strawberry more.
In addition to having plenty of concession spots available they offer self-serve options allowing you to grab food and beverages from a small market-like space with self-scan registers. Food items consisted of chicken strips, burgers (meat and black bean), pizza, truffle fries, charcuterie cups, strawberry shortcakes, and more. Food felt adequately priced considering the event type and venue. There were no lines for this that I saw at any point at concessions or the self-serve spots. In fact, the only lines I saw were for bar service offering premium cocktail options. Beers and seltzers were readily available at concessions and several Beer Stand’s located throughout, though cost (starting at $18/per) did play a factor to our non-alcoholic evening. We were able to each bring in a sealed water bottle, which felt like an incredible value. While I didn’t look for any refill stations, I didn’t specifically see any either.
Sound and Acoustics
Sound and acoustics were very well executed. We traveled to both sides of the venue including all sections from 100-300 as well as the bottom and top of the lawn and found exceptional sound anywhere we went. While I often feel it necessary to wear earplugs at live events, I was comfortable to not and experienced no ear ringing during or after the concert. I can’t speak to this being the case for all events so consider bringing them just in case. We left before the show ended to beat the crowd but were pleasantly surprised to be able to hear and experience some of the fun lighting of the performance from the Fulton street bridge crossing the Grand River. I wouldn’t recommend it as a spot to watch or listen, but it was fun to get a final experience before riding our scooters back to our cars.
Restrooms
Women’s restrooms had ample stalls to provide very little wait times. I can only speak to the women’s room. We did notice a considerable line for the men’s room however but can only speculate as to reasons why.
Pros:
Adequate parking options available
Great views from any seat at the venue
Tasty food options with no/few lines
Great sound and acoustics
No restroom wait times
Cons:
Low availability for seating in lawn as the night went on
Could use improved signage
Long lines for crafted cocktails
Expensive alcoholic beverages
Busy walkway between seated sections
Cashless venue
Overall, I am excited to continue attending events at the Acrisure Amphitheater. I am impressed with the space, accessibility, sound quality, and food options. I’ll be curious to see how and if they improve lawn seating, and the busy walkway between seated sections.
Were you able to attend opening night? What were your overall thoughts? Leave a comment to let me know!
Emily Chivis
Office Manager
\
(616) 284-1329
Comments