Universal Amphitheatre facts for kids
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| Former names | Universal Amphitheatre (1972-2005) Gibson Amphitheatre (2005-2013) |
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| Address | 100 Universal City Plaza Los Angeles, California 91608 |
| Location | Universal City, Universal Studios Hollywood |
| Coordinates | 34°08′17.50″N 118°21′11.64″W / 34.1381944°N 118.3532333°W |
| Owner | Universal Parks & Resorts |
| Type | Amphitheatre |
| Capacity | 6,189 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1969-1972 |
| Renovated | 1982 |
| Closed | September 6, 2013 |
| Demolished | September 25, 2013 |
The Universal Amphitheatre was a famous concert hall in Los Angeles, California. It was also known as the Gibson Amphitheatre for a few years. This special place was inside Universal City, right next to Universal Studios Hollywood.
It started as an outdoor stage in 1972. Later, in 1982, it was changed into an indoor theater. This made the sound much better for concerts! The amphitheatre closed its doors on September 6, 2013. It was then taken down to make space for the amazing Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Contents
How the Amphitheatre Began
The Universal Amphitheatre was first built as a daytime show arena. Visitors on the Universal Studios Studio Tour could watch exciting western stunt shows here. Construction started in 1969. By 1970, the main stage was ready. They even built three old west buildings for the show. The whole arena was finished in 1971.
From Stunt Shows to Rock Concerts
The arena was empty at night, so a young tour guide had a great idea. He suggested using it for rock concerts! On June 28, 1972, the venue held its first concert. It was a Broadway rock musical called Jesus Christ Superstar. The show was a huge success! It ran for a long time until the cold weather made them close it.
In those early years, stunt shows happened during the day. At night, the venue was filled with music concerts. The theater became very popular. Almost every show was completely full! After just one year, the studio made it bigger. It could then hold 5,200 people.
Big Changes and Improvements
In 1980, the venue closed for two years. It was time for a major upgrade! During this time, a roof was added. This meant shows could happen all year round, no matter the weather. The sound system was also made much better. The seating was expanded again, this time to 6,251 seats.
The Universal Amphitheatre hosted many special events. For example, the Late Night with David Letterman 8th Anniversary Special was held there in 1990.
In May 1993, Universal added the Universal CityWalk area. This was a new place with shops and restaurants right near the theater entrance. It was the first of its kind! This allowed people to eat and drink before and after concerts.
Famous Performers and Events
Many famous artists performed at the amphitheatre over its 40-year history. These included Cher, Selena, and Whitney Houston. Whitney Houston even gave her last two North American concerts there in 1999. Other big names like Crosby, Stills, and Nash also played there.
The venue also hosted popular musicals like The Who's Tommy. It was home to major yearly events too. These included the MTV Movie Awards, the MTV Video Music Awards, and the Teen Choice Awards. The amphitheatre was well-known for its great sound and clear views from every seat.
A New Name: Gibson Amphitheatre
The theater was called the Universal Amphitheatre from when it opened until 2005. Then, a company called Gibson Guitar Corporation bought the naming rights. This meant the theater changed its name to the Gibson Amphitheatre. This was part of a deal between Gibson, Universal, and House of Blues.
Why It Closed
On December 6, 2011, it was announced that the Universal Amphitheatre would close. It would be taken down to make room for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park area. This new attraction was planned for Universal Studios Hollywood.
Even though some events were planned until October 2013, the venue officially closed in September of that year. The very last performance at the Gibson Amphitheatre was by Pepe Aguilar on September 6, 2013.
When it closed, it was the third largest mid-sized venue in California. Only the Nokia Theatre and the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles were bigger. The amphitheatre was completely taken down on September 25, 2013.
See also
In Spanish: Anfiteatro Gibson para niños
