Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre facts for kids
An empty parking lot outside the venue
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| Former names | Desert Sky Pavilion (1988–1993) Blockbuster Desert Sky Pavilion (1993–2001) Cricket Pavilion (2001–06) Cricket Wireless Pavilion (2006–10) Ashley Furniture HomeStore Pavilion (2010–13) Ak-Chin Pavilion (2013–23) |
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| Location | 2121 N 83rd Ave Phoenix, AZ 85035 |
| Owner | Live Nation Entertainment, Live Nation Concerts |
| Capacity | 20,106 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1988 |
| Opened | November 9, 1990 |
The Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre is a large outdoor concert venue in Phoenix, Arizona. It can hold a huge crowd of 20,106 people. About 8,106 seats are covered by a roof, and another 12,000 people can sit on a grassy hill behind the seats. This makes it bigger than other nearby venues like the PHX Arena and Desert Diamond Arena.
The amphitheater first opened on November 9, 1990, with a concert by the famous musician Billy Joel. Over the years, it has had many different names, including Desert Sky Pavilion and Ak-Chin Pavilion. Its current name comes from the Talking Stick Resort, which sponsors the venue. The concert season here usually runs from April to October each year.
Contents
History and Famous Events
The Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre has been a popular spot for major concerts and tours for many years. Its large size and outdoor setting make it a perfect place for big summer events.
Memorable Concerts
Many legendary artists have performed on this stage.
- Whitney Houston sang here on May 19, 1991, as part of her I'm Your Baby Tonight World Tour.
- The rock band Steely Dan played a show here in 1994 for their Alive in America tour.
- The Spice Girls brought their Spiceworld Tour to the venue on August 22, 1998.
- Lana Del Rey and Courtney Love performed here on May 14, 2015, during the Endless Summer Tour.
- The band AJR played a sold-out show on June 21, 2022, for their tour supporting the album "OK Orchestra".
Music Festivals
The amphitheater is famous for hosting large music festivals, especially during the hot summer months. Some of the well-known festivals that have taken place here include:
- Lollapalooza
- Ozzfest
- The Vans Warped Tour
- Mayhem Festival
- Lilith Fair
- Projekt Revolution
On July 1, 2025, the amphitheater hosted the Summer of Loud tour. The show featured several bands, including Killswitch Engage, Beartooth, I Prevail, and Parkway Drive.
Live Recordings
Some bands have recorded live albums and songs at the venue because of its great atmosphere and large crowds.
- The band R.E.M. recorded two songs here for their 1996 album, New Adventures in Hi-Fi.
- Fall Out Boy recorded their entire live album, Live in Phoenix, at the amphitheater on June 22, 2007.
- Green Day recorded the song "Cigarettes and Valentines" here for their live album Awesome as ....
- The bands A Perfect Circle, Primus, and Puscifer recorded their live album Sessanta Live during a show at the venue.
Other Events
In 1997, the popular TV show Wheel of Fortune filmed two weeks of episodes at the amphitheater. These were the last episodes to use the show's old puzzle board.
See also
- List of contemporary amphitheatres
- Live Nation
