Although I think this is a beautiful outdoor venue located in the beautiful downtown area. My first free concert experience there left a sour taste in my mouth...this had nothing to do with the show/venue/sound, i was extremely happy with all of this..it is the staff and the way people run this place that left me very disappointed. they broke every rule in the book at last nights she & him concert and there were tons of safety hazards at the event..more particularly in the front seating area. If the signs clearly state that absolutely no person can stand in the aisles...why was this not being enforced at all? people were all over the place..and kept piling in..should there not be a way to limit how many people enter that area given its a free show where thousands will attend? This poses for a very dangerous situation if not controlled properly, which what seemed like the only 3 security guards staffed had zero control over. Considering the amount of people who will attend a free show surely a system should be developed to not allow the seating area to be overfilled with bodies...maybe having more than 3 incompetent security guards trying to control hundreds of people would be a good start? Also..where on earth are the accommodations for the handicapped? I notice here on yelp it says wheelchair accessible..really? Then why the heck did the family with the handicapped kid get told by security that they could go up front with him for safety and a better view only to be placed in harms way by the dozens of selfish and disrespectful idiots up there who all but fell on top of him? i feared for the safety of the boy myself and all because he wanted to catch a glimpse of his favorite band..which didn't happen, and his parents were forced to leave as all security could say was "There's nothing we can do"...good job 'accommodating' for people on wheelchairs, park staff. Its sad that such a beautiful park seemed to be run by people who were not prepared to handle the amount of people attending this event...I personally would not want to go here again for a known act..maybe the experience in the lawn is a different one..but in the "seating area" everything is just a mess and its pretty sad. read more

Had a beautiful opening night to the Grant Park Music Festival last night. The lawn at the Pritzker Pavilion is a great place for music, socializing, a bottle of wine, some snacks, and it's easier to get back and forth then Ravinia. Plus - IT'S FREE! I'm a Ravinia junkie from way back, and the hubby and I have been a little more than bummed at the direction our beloved Festival has gone this year. Very expensive lawn tickets, and not enough classical or jazz shows. Ramsey Lewis for 27 bucks? Ouch. The Pritzker Pavilion lawn is considerably smaller, but the sound is lush and the view of the city...well...come on, it's spectacular. Wish it was a little easier to navigate (as far as getting to the potty) and the lawn isn't treated with bug stuff like Ravinia, that I could tell anyway, but beyond that, it's a great, cheap evening out. read more

The venue is amazing from the lower leaving seating to the long stretch of grass. Amazing views from all over the pavilion. Perfect for a pick nick lunch or a night out. The views from the buildings at night add a prefect backdrop. The summer concert series to film series are always a site to take in. Walking distance from the cloudgate sculpture, the art Institute and Maggie Daley park. Always something to take in. I suggest a visit, you won't regret it. read more

Jay Pritzker Pavilion - Inside Jay Pritzer Pavilion. - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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YES PLEASE! I've seen so many concerts here, under the stars during a sticky summer night. I'm always crossing my fingers to see the lineups for shoes scheduled here! Tickets CAN be pricey, but its worth it. Bring a blanket, friends and you'll have the best time ever. Bathrooms aren't bad either--which is shocking! read more

I love the free concerts that they have here, as well as the many festivals held here. The seating area is really comfortable and you can hear everything well, despite being an outdoor stage. You can also hear the music anywhere on the lawn area. They have speakers hanging above so you won't be missing anything that's going on on stage. I cant wait for the summer season to start up! read more

Hands down 5 stars, this is the gem of Chicago. Free summer pops events throughout the months of May-August. The concerts are usually 2.5 hours long, the acoustics are breath-taking. For an outdoor space, I get better acoustics here than many indoor performance halls. There is nothing like the grass area here, breath-taking metal architecture, open space, in the heart of downtown, garden nearby, super clean(even including the bathrooms which are downstairs). Came here on many occasions, we have came here during burning summer days, drizzle spring months. If you come to Chicago, whether or not you like classical music, come and enjoy a free concert, it will be one of the most relaxing and breath-taking experience you will have and you will instantly feel inspired. read more

Stopped by for free Opera preview concert l. Gratuluję clean space. Can bring blankets or chairs to camp out. Outside picnic type food is allowed and there are nearby beer stands if you run out. Great addition to the city. read more

Jay Pritzker Pavilion - Opera in the Park - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Oh deconstructionism, how I love to sit under thee. I love that he made it asymmetrical...who does that? Mr. Gehry does. The sound in this place is great and it seems like it shouldn't be because it's so wide open. But even way in the back, it's full sound. This is like Ravinia without the mile hikes, bad location and long waits. read more

I really don't have much to say except that: it's awesome. I love the free music/free events.... The pavilion itself is pretty to look at (who designed it?!) ... makes for nice photos or drawings or paintings! People watch. Picnic/munch/read a book/laze around while you listen to all sorts of sounds and music.... :) The best for summer time adventures. read more

Jay Pritzker Pavilion - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The Chicago area was under heat advisory and I was told upon entry that I could only bring in one bottle of water so security made me throw the other bottle I had away. Really? come on guys. Crazy that they have a problem with that yet they will let people walk around with glass bottles of wine. I wish, nevermind. read more

The Pritzker Pavillion is great, although unlike the previous reviewers, I can't comment specifically on it as a concert venue (I've never seen any concert there besides Poi Dog Pondering a few years ago.) But it is also an outstanding place to let your mind wander - I'm not sure if it's the architecture or just the general ambiance. For the past 2 summers, I've been coming here for the Saturday morning Workout in the Park - specifically, the pilates which begins at 9:00 a.m. It's an incredible place to do pilates, surrounded by the skyline. It's oddly calming, especially since it's too early for the tourists to be hitting Millennium Park in droves. (And I must admit I'm also biased toward the pavillion b/c my fiance proposed here :) read more

I saw Death Cab for Cutie here tonight - what a fantastic venue! Lush grass, excellent sound, and the cleanest bathrooms I've seen at a music venue. They lose a star for bizarre rules and weird enforcement - my bag wasn't touched while my friend's was ransacked! And there were lots of tall chairs, which are supposed to be forbidden. Nothing beats seeing a great band with the gorgeous skyline in the background. I'll definitely be back here for another show. read more

This place had potential. It's beautiful, it's an outdoor concert field, it's by the bean, it's new, yada yada yada. I had such high hopes, only sadly to be let down by their deceptive website that stated in the FAQ section: Q: Is alcohol permitted in the park? A: Alcohol is allowed in designated areas in the park - the Jay Pritzker Pavilion during public performances and the McCormick Tribune Plaza. Glass bottles and cans are not permitted on the Great Lawn Maybe I"m dumb (or maybe I'm not), but this leads one to presume that perhaps canned or plastic containers with alcohol is permitted? WRONG! This oh-so-helpful FAQ is speaking only to its lucrative operation of $6 beers at the venue, serving none other than Miller Lite (yum.. barf). Further, there is no re-entry allowed? Now, I just don't understand that. You are allowed to bring food, snacks into the pavilion, but once in, you are forbidden to exit to grab food. It's not like they serve any food there either, unless you're on the pretzel and popcorn diet. I was so disappointed by the service, but luckily, the place was beautiful enough with the skyline and lights, and the acoustics were amazing, that I GENEROUSLY give this place 2 stars. :) read more

I absolutely love this venue! My boyfriend and I came here for the Ray Lamontagne and David Gray concert and they sounded great from the middle of the lawn. It was a gorgeous night and the setting really showcased how great this city is. I wish we would've come better prepared with blankets and snacks, but now we know better for next time! read more

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Free Concert in the Park! This is really a great place to visit, the park is very impressive and if you've ever seen the giant bean on TV it is really close by. I wandered in there randomly on a Saturday afternoon and showed up right on time for a Festival of Dance presentation featuring multiple renowned dancers and dancing companies... the show lasted about 3hrs and was totally free. You can choose to sit in the official theater area or just sit on the large lawn. People routinely bring in food and beverage (including wine & beer coolers) and just picnic during the events. Highly recommend stopping by and checking if any events are planned. If anything it's a beautiful site and the little stream close by is a welcome cooling spot for your feet in 90 degrees weather! read more

Central Park needs one of these. You can find lawn anywhere, but outdoor concert venues with good acoustics are few and rare. And the free rehearsal concerts are great for lunchtime picnickers. read more

Jay Pritzker Pavilion - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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When I think of summer in Chicago (during winter), I mostly remember the picnics we had for the Concert in the Park events.... Oh I will miss summer (*sigh*....) read more

What a great place for a concert. This theater really is amazing- the skyscrapers, the clouds, the people watching, and live music - what more could you want. I wish I would have known to bring a little or big bottle of wine (but I'll store that in the brain for next time). I'm giving it four stars because some people forgot that a concert was going on and at times I could hardly here the music over some woman going on a screaming tirade about how Vegas is the devil's home. Talking OK, screaming not cool. Overall it was a great night loved the entire experience (minus the lady). Will be going back very soon!!!! read more

I've been wanting to see a show here for. e. ver. It's such a cool place with green, green grass and sweet metal bars above your head in a "dome" shape. SO COOL. I saw Death Cab For Cutie and was heartbroken to see (or lack seeing) that the lawn was terribly built. No one around me could see the stage. We took trips to the bathroom just so we could catch a glimpse or 2 of the band. What a let down! The bathroom lines are also a different story. The facilities were SO clean and awesome but not big enough to accommodate the crowd. I do absolutely love that you can bring picnic lunches and food from outside. I'll be back for a jazz concert or something where I won't care to visually see much while in the lawn. Next time I'm getting seats. read more

I think most reviews of this great music venue for the city will be from the vantage point of sitting on the lawn or in the seats facing the fantastic music shell designed by Frank Gehry. I was lucky enough to have attended three concerts from the opposite perspective--up above and behind the stage of that music shell. This was a use of this venue that I have never known about or even knew was possible! And to put a cherry on it, all these performances were free. These concerts were part of the city's Department of Cultural Affairs' first ever Chicago Early Music Festival. For those unexposed to it, "early music" is not music performed before lunch, but that which was written or first created before the 19th century. Early Music encompasses musical periods known separately as Baroque, Renaissance, and Medieval. There have been many groups performing early music in this city for the past 50+ years. But this is the first time that the city administration has given any recognition to it. Concerts of this kind of beautiful old music, frequently performed on replicas of instruments of that period, have always tended to take place in older places like churches or established concert spaces like Mandel Hall on the U of Chicago campus. So it was a rare treat to experience those sounds in this ultra-modern, yet intimate space. It was made intimate because we sat not in the great concert venue, but within a smaller slice of it. The huge sliding doors of glass and steel that normally protect the music shell's performance stage from the elements now became the "back wall" of our concert hall. To see what I'm trying to describe in words, view the photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/belly2beak ...and the videos here: http://www.youtube.com/user/belly2beak read more

This review is a little late, but whatever. I've been to two shows here - Wilco and Andrew Bird. All I can say is, both were incredible, and it's not just because both always put on a great show. Of course that's part of it, but the venue has a lot to do with it. For Wilco, we were on the lawn. It was hands-down the best Wilco show I've ever been to. The sound quality was perfect, even though we weren't in the pavilion. They have these interesting speakers that go over your head, out across the lawn, unlike most outdoor arenas. The best part of all? When the sun goes down, this amazing city's skyline is your backdrop! Does it get better than that? Andrew Bird was awesome as usual - and to boot, the show was free and on my birthday. Again, excellent sound quality, beautiful city. I am a little mad at myself for not going to more shows there. I will work on it in the future. read more

SIMPLY THE BEST. Having played in the orchestra most of my childhood (viola), I more than love this venue for the summer performances - FREE. Having a nice picnic Wednesday night. What a beautiful stage, all good seats, NICE people go to the concerts. Truly one of the better "things to do" of a Summer evening in the Windy City. read more

Forget the Metra to Ravinia, Jay Pritzer Pavilion is the place for Chicagoans. The lawn is a picnicker's paradise, where you can bring all the tasty treats and booze that you imbibe in one night. If you don't want to lug around libations, there's plenty to buy at the park. Just remember to pack some blankets or chairs, you'll appreciate the back support after sitting for awhile. The sound is amazing, and the venue was surprisingly quiet. Once our concert began, you could hear a pin drop, which is amazing since the lawn and pavilion were completely packed. With the Chicago skyline in the background, it is amazingly beautiful. I really appreciated that after dark, when the lights came on, they did so gradually, simulating a sunrise, so you're not shockingly blinded all of a sudden. Love the concept, can't wait to go back. read more

Jay Pritzker Pavilion - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The best for beautiful Chicago summers! I came for Broadway in the Park and it was fantastic! People hanging out drinking, eating, enjoying music and relaxing after work. It is such a relaxed atmosphere and people are allowed to bring food and alcohol. I will be back for summer events happening here! read more

Jay Pritzker Pavilion - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've been around Millennium Park more than a few times showing out-of-towners some of the sights and sounds of this great city. Monday was my first time to experience an actual event at the Pavilion though and I was blown away with the amazing sound system, lush grass and the incredible perspective of the city from the lawn at dusk. It was disappointing to not be able to see the stage at all from where we were, but I still had an amazing time. And if you're hardcore into it, you can wait in line for the seats in the lower section. I cannot comment on the staff or restroom facilities because I did not interact with or use them, but things dont get much better than a free concert downtown on beautifully-maintained grass and the stunning architecture of the venue. read more

Saw Dispatch and the sound was terrific wherever I walked throughout the area. There was plenty of places to buy beer and there was never a line for any of the bathrooms that I utilized. My only issue was a complete lack of food vendors. I understand space constraints and the garbage that food creates, but it probably would have cut down on the amount of sloppy drunks stumbling around. read more

Favorite Time to Go: breezy early evening What to bring: Backpack of whatever you want to pass the time with and/or munch on, except the following. What to avoid: Driving here, Pictures, talking on the phone, books, homework, Smoking...anything. You'll Notice: Spectacular view surrounded by city lights at night from one of the most incredible skylines in the world. Why: Free Concert Series, usually from unknown International acts. Seating or lawn, the choice is yours. Outdoor drinking and food, not encouraged...but allowed :) Amazing sound, jumbo Screen for those laying way in the back, and the nighttime lighting is breathtaking. read more

We've only been for classical music, never attended to 'see' a band. I say 'see' in quotes because if you're on the lawn, you're not going to 'see' anything, unless you're up close on the lawn. That being said, as much as I hate our former mayor, he really did a great job with Millennium Park. For a chill AF evening, nothing beats bringing a couple of lawn chairs or blanket, some cheese, meats, and crackers and a couple bottles of wine and just sitting and taking in the beauty that is the Frank Gehry sculpture with lovely architecture as a backdrop, and a chill classical soundtrack. It really is breathtaking!! Pro tip, parking is easy, quick and cheap at a few garages across Randolph. Use a parking spot app to find it for $12, $13 for the night (the El would've cost us $9 round trip, so a couple extra bucks to drive is totally worth it!) And bring your own drinks, the lines (and I'm sure prices) at the vendors were loooong. Get out and enjoy this gem before the summer is over! read more

Jay Pritzker Pavilion - Super chill locale with awesome music and skyline views! - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Holy smokes their sound system is AMAZING. How? HOW? Free summer concerts here cannot be beat. Just saw Cloud Cult there tonight and I think my entire summer is made. You can set up cute little picnic on the lawn. Bring a blanket, a 6-pack and a hummus plate or something and you're good to go. The auditorium seating is accessible too, but the staff jumps you if you try to stand anywhere you're not supposed to. read more

There's not a lot of places where you find a world renowned architect's band shell smack in the middle of an already much-loved and visited site (Millennium Park). Frank Gehry's contribution is used in warm weather to host free concerts. There's seating that fills up fast, but I suggest you bring a picnic and sit on the lawn. The sound is great, you're in the middle of the park, the famous Chicago skyline surrounds you, and - hopefully - you're enjoying a fine summer night. There are plenty of places right on Michigan Avenue to pick up sandwiches and so on. Even if there isn't a concert, it's worth stopping by for Gehry's signature architecture. Plus, the orchestra is often practicing during the day, and it's a very interesting process to watch. read more

Jay Pritzker Pavilion - Free summer concerts - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The venue was great but they need to work on their customer service. The website and all of their signs clearly say that low chairs are allowed but they wouldn't let us bring ours in. Lots of other people had them. The supervisor said she didn't care if you had back problems or were 8 months pregnant, they didn't want lawn damage. It's unfortunate they care more about the lawn than the people sitting on it. read more

Love attending concerts here. Exceptionally fine acoustics and beautiful lighting. The seats are comfy to sit in and there is a large grassy area to place a blanket down and bring a picnic spread to enjoy. However, I have to ask, why did the city place a jumbo tron behind the stage? The ambiance during a concert is no longer intimate. The jumbo tron screen is bright and so annoying that I continued to wear my sunglasses until I left at the end of the evening. In short, the jumbo tron is a major distraction and not in a good way. read more

I have seen at least a few concerts as this venue, I know at least one Grant Park Music Festival concert, and one of the annual Broadway in Chicago concerts that they do their annual summer night concert at this venue on a Monday night at 6:15 in August. Last night I attended my second ever Wait Wait Don't Tell Me taping at Jay Pritzker Pavilion. My first taping was 2 years ago when Chance the Rapper appeared as the Not my job guest, last night was former Chicago Cubs pitcher and current MLB analyst Ryan Dempster. Also appearing on stage along with Peter Sagal and Bill Kurtis, were panelists Adam Felber, Roxanne Roberts, and Mo Rocca. Interesting enough that Mo Rocca also appeared on the panel at the last taping at Jay Pritzker Pavilion in 2015, and the two names are also veterans of tapings at Wait Wait Don't Tell Me many years ago, when Carl Kassell was in the role that Bill Kurtis when Pat Fitzgerald appeared as the Not my job guest. I am not sure of when they will do another taping on this stage, don't know if they will do one again next summer, or maybe wait again another 2 years and do one sometime the summer of 2019, but if you love Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, but can't get in to see it in their normal Chicago home the Chase Auditorium in the basement of Chase Tower, you should keep watch to see if they ever do a future taping, that I can't see right now, but if they do more, you should make every effort to attend at least one taping of the show at this venue. I arrived well before the seats that face the Pavilion opened at 5 PM, and noticed that a lot of spots on the lawn was already filling up. And I am not sure if they ever mentioned to fill every seat in the seating bowl that faces the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. I also know bandshell is pretty close to the Petrillo Music Shell the is in Grant Park, it has been a long time since I have seen a show at the Petrillo Music Shell, as now they do concerts for the festivals that go on near by. So I can't say if this is better then the Petrillo Music Shell, and I don't know if this is better then Petrillo Music Shell, and I can't see Wait Wait Don't Tell Me doing a taping at the Petrillo Music Shell. And I liked that they had a big screen which I would imagine would also be the same screen that screen movies on Tuesday nights, but with the screen of whether you had a good or bad view of what going on stage during last night's taping, of where they showed both Peter Sagal, and Bill Kurtis, along with the panelists and even Ryan Dempster. I can't wait to hear the edited broadcast of the show that will air on WBEZ, and also on member NPR stations nationwide. read more

Beautiful pavilion with excellent acoustics! It's a perfect place to spend a summer evening in Chicago. I really wish there were screens though for people sitting in the lawn. I've been to at least 3 events at this pavilion and have never been able to see the people on stage. It's really frustrating! read more

A free park in Chicago that has free concerts!!! Pritzker is amazing and massive. The stage itself is abstract and you can walk to the Modern Art Wing over the bridge. Grab a cooler, some friends, and lawn chairs and head over, I guarantee you are going to love it. read more

Probably the best outdoor venue in the Chicagoland area. Plenty of room in the pavilion seating and lawn area. Great acoustics everywhere. Fantastic view of the city. Beers are 5/each for mostly domestic drafts, but what else would you expect. Make sure to check out the list of permitted and prohibited items. Cannot bring in alcohol, cans, glass, hard coolers and lawn chairs. Blankets, soft coolers, food, and 1 factory sealed non alcoholic bottle are allowed. Can't smoke on the lawn or in the pavilion. Still very worth the experience, despite the rules! read more

This place is pretty cool. I came for music in the park and it was very chill. The best part about this place is they allow you to bring in food and bottles of beer and wine. It allows you to have a nice spread and enjoy free music. Not too many complains on my end. read more

This is a good place a for a concert if you don't care about seeing a concert. We had lawn seats because the pavilion was sold out (even though we bought tickets the day they went on sale) and literally didn't see one single part of the show at all. So, I saw Robyn and Royksopp's light show, but didn't catch even one glimpse of them. Kind of lame. If I ever go here again, it's pavilion seats or bust. read more

When I attend a concert, my preference is to have a seat in a pavilion. If you hit up the Grant Park Festival Orchestra the seats that would be the ones to sit in are those which, of course, you have to pay for. The free seats, comfort wise, are fine. The sound was shockingly bad from my perspective - I had heard great things about this place and perhaps my standard were too high but the whole concert sounded strange and off balanced. Part way through the concert I got up and made my way out.... However, as I was walking away, I stopped in my tracks - the walkway out, by the lawn, sounded good....quite good. I then made my way to an empty part of the lawn and sat down. I was stunned - the sound was flawless, everything was well balanced and clear. The moral of this story? Go - enjoy - have fun - but unless you're donating money and getting close up seats, your best bet is to sit on the lawn. read more

Admittedly, the only reason I am able to review this place is because I heard the music playing while walking through the park after dinner, so I went to the railings with my GF and we watched some of the show. The theater itself is absolutely stunning, and the backdrop? Forget about it. Needless to say that the performance (some type of Tribal African music was playing that evening) was great as well. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to the warmer Chicago weather so that I can go enjoy it again...perhaps this time I will make my way down to the eating area? Who knows... read more