The Gorge Amphitheatre facts for kids
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"The Gorge" or "The Gorge in George"
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The venue during a Sasquatch! Music Festival in 2006
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| Former names | Champs de Brionne Music Theatre (1986-93) |
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| Address | 754 Silica Rd NW George, WA 98848-9466 |
| Coordinates | 47°06′04″N 119°59′42″W / 47.101°N 119.995°W |
| Owner | Live Nation |
| Type | Outdoor amphitheatre |
| Seating type | Reserved, lawn |
| Capacity | 27,500 |
| Opened | 1986 |
The Gorge Amphitheatre is a super famous outdoor concert place in Grant County, Washington State, USA. It's located close to the beautiful Columbia River in Central Washington. This amazing spot is about 9 miles west of a town called George. A company called Live Nation manages this popular venue.
Many people think The Gorge is one of the best outdoor music places in America! It has won awards from Pollstar Magazine nine times. It was also voted one of the 'Best Outdoor Concert Venues in America' by ConcertBoom.
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Discover The Gorge Amphitheatre
The Gorge Amphitheatre first opened in 1986. It was started by Dr. Vincent Bryan and Carol Bryan. Back then, it was much smaller, holding about 3,000 people. It was even named after their winery, Champs de Brionne.
By 1993, the venue grew to fit 19,000 people! A company called MCA bought it that year. Later, in 2006, Live Nation took over managing this popular spot.
Where is The Gorge Located?
The Gorge is about 150 miles east of Seattle. It's also about 130 miles west of Spokane. You can find it north of Interstate 90.
This venue offers amazing views of the Columbia River. You can also see the Columbia Gorge canyon. The beautiful landscape makes concerts here extra special. The land was first planned for growing grapes for wine.
Famous Performers and Festivals
The Gorge is known for hosting many big-name performers. It also hosts lots of popular music festivals. Some of these include:
- Area Festival
- Creation Festival
- Dave Matthews Band Caravan
- H.O.R.D.E. Festival
- Honda Civic Tour
- Identity Festival
- Lilith Fair
- Lollapalooza
- Ozzfest
- Paradiso Festival
- Rock the Bells Festival
- Sasquatch! Music Festival
- Uproar Festival
- Vans Warped Tour
- Pain in the Grass
- Watershed Festival
The band Phish has played at The Gorge 22 times since 1997. The music video for Brooks & Dunn's song "Only in America" was filmed here in 2001.
The Gorge vs. White River Amphitheatre
In 2003, the White River Amphitheatre opened. This new venue is closer to Seattle. It takes about 1.5 to 2.25 hours less to drive there. However, many people still prefer The Gorge. A writer for The Seattle Times said The Gorge offers a better view and overall "experience."
Special Performances and Events
Dave Matthews Band has played 73 shows at The Gorge. They often perform a three-night concert series over Labor Day weekend. They even released an album called The Gorge. This album has highlights from their 2002 shows there. Another live album, Live Trax, Vol. 44, came out in 2017.
Pearl Jam, a band from Seattle, released a box set. It features their full performances from 2005 and 2006 at The Gorge. The set is called Live at the Gorge 05/06.
In 2013, about 400,000 people came to concerts at The Gorge Amphitheatre. Above and Beyond hosted their 250th episode of Group Therapy Radio here in 2017.
A documentary film about The Gorge was released in 2021. It's called "Enormous: The Gorge Story" and tells about the venue's music history.
Excision started his electronic music festival, Bass Canyon, here in 2018. The festival's second year in 2019 featured artists like Excision, Flux Pavilion, Zomboy, and Virtual Riot.
On June 10, 2023, folk music legend Joni Mitchell performed at The Gorge. This was her first ticketed event in over 20 years!
Camping at The Gorge
Many fans love to camp at The Gorge. You can stay in the campground for 24 hours for a single show. If there are many shows, you can stay until noon the day after the last show. You need to buy a camping ticket, which can be part of your concert ticket.
The campground has spaces for one car and up to two small tents. Or, you can bring a single RV. There are not many RV hookups available. Venue staff assign spots when you arrive, first-come, first-served.
The campground offers many helpful things. You can find clean drinking water, flush toilets, and hot showers. There's also a convenience store if you need anything. Plus, there is 24-hour security to keep everyone safe.
See also
- List of contemporary amphitheatres
- List of music festivals
