Concord Pavilion facts for kids
Facade in 2008
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| Former names | Concord Pavilion (1975–2000) Chronicle Pavilion (2000–06) Sleep Train Pavilion (2006–13) |
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| Address | 2000 Kirker Pass Rd Concord, CA 94521-1642 |
| Location | San Francisco Bay Area |
| Owner | City of Concord |
| Operator | Live Nation |
| Capacity | 12,500 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | May 1975 |
| Expanded | 1995 |
| Website | |
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The Toyota Pavilion at Concord is a large outdoor concert venue, also known as an amphitheatre. It is located in Concord, California, a city in the San Francisco Bay Area. This cool place can hold up to 12,500 people!
The City of Concord owns the Pavilion. A company called Live Nation operates it, meaning they manage the shows and events. The Pavilion first opened its doors in 1975. Back then, it was simply called the Concord Pavilion. Today, it hosts many concerts, fun community events like an annual jazz festival, and even local high school graduation ceremonies.
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Designing the Pavilion
The Toyota Pavilion was designed by two very talented people. The main building was created by architect Frank Gehry. He is famous for designing unique and interesting buildings. The outdoor areas and landscaping were designed by Peter Walker.
In the mid-1990s, Frank Gehry also helped with some updates. These updates added more parking spaces and extra seats for visitors. The venue has been a popular spot for many professional musicians over the years. It continues to host exciting shows today.
Famous Performances
Many well-known artists have performed at the Pavilion. For example, Bing Crosby played his very last US concert here on August 16, 1977. Another famous musician, Lawrence Welk, had what was called his farewell performance at the Concord Pavilion on June 13, 1982.
A well-known concert promoter named Bill Graham was also very involved with the Pavilion. His company, Bill Graham Presents, helped book many shows there starting in 1985.
A Changing Name
The Pavilion has had several different names over the years. These name changes usually happen when a company buys the "naming rights." This means they pay money to have the venue named after their business.
Chronicle Pavilion
In February 2000, Bill Graham Presents took over running the venue. Soon after, its name changed to the Chronicle Pavilion at Concord. This was because the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper bought the naming rights.
Later in 2000, Bill Graham Presents became part of a larger company. Eventually, the concert operations of that company became Live Nation. Live Nation still operates the Pavilion today.
Sleep Train Pavilion
In April 2006, the name changed again. It became the Sleep Train Pavilion. Sleep Train was a mattress store based in California. They purchased the naming rights for the venue.
Back to Concord Pavilion
In December 2013, the Pavilion's name changed back to the Concord Pavilion. This happened as part of a new 10-year agreement between Live Nation and the City of Concord.
Toyota Pavilion
On August 3, 2023, the venue got its current name: Toyota Pavilion at Concord. This name change happened because the local Northern California Toyota Dealers Association bought the naming rights. This group includes 58 Toyota dealerships in the northern part of the state.
Community Events
Besides big concerts, the Pavilion also hosts events for the community. In 2006, the first "Battle of the Bands" took place here. This event allowed high school, middle school, and elementary school students to show off their musical talent. The winning band that year was a high school group called Poster Boy.
See also
- List of contemporary amphitheatres
- List of works by Frank Gehry
- Sleep Train Amphitheatre (disambiguation)
