Happy that you could purchase from the vendors food, snacks and drinks to bring into the arena. Ushers available to Help you find your seats dressed in green and white printed aloha shirts. Security was posted within the audience seated throughout the concert. The ac was strong. An older crowd in the audience. The row in front of us had their heads bobbing to the music. The performer had local guests sing a duet with him, had BYU choir on stage, the Honolulu symphony Orchestra plus his own band performing. Glad there were two large screens to see Josh Groban sing. Helps when large and tall people sit in front of you at the last possible moment. Felt almost like a gospel vibe to me but could be cuz I was not familiar with the majority of his songs. read more

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Ok... so depending on what you're going here for and why. Not everyone likes to be indoors cause it can get hot and the worst part of this place is the bathrooms. It's so off and confusing to where it's at. But, it is a decent place to have most events! If it's for a concert... Like we just went to for UB40? UH DUH!!! TOTALLY % YES!!! Why? Cause you'll be able to enjoy the show and SEE IT from the seats your in rather than watch los rod it ON A JUMBO SCREEN. Plus too, there are different choices of seating. Most people love the UPPER LEVELS. Yet, the stairs are a killer! AND... NO BARS so everything is balance and grace. But if your like me who USE TO LOVE IT, but don't anymore cause you worry your legs will give... well, there's the ground floor that has bleachers of seats. The seats are so much better NOW than they were before. So, highly recommend the ground floor for those who refuses to walk up stairs. Then there's the lodges. K those are GREAT, yet, my fear is falling OVER the ledge. And the stairs you MIST WALM UP to get there too! Lol! It's been a while since I've sat in this arena for anything. I think the last time was for a concert back in 2013! LADIES OF THE 80's with the hubby. Hehehe there were so much hubbies there that night. It was unbelievable! Anywho... great place to be at for events, concerts and whatnot. But terrible place to use heels and tight clothes (if you know what I mean) Oh! Prices varies with type of events and I truly honestly believe it's absolutely RIDICULOUS sometimes. However, I get it, bills must be paid and people must be bought to make the event go smoothly! Okie dokes artichokes! Have a good one and mahalo for reading... CIAO! read more

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A friend and I attended the Taemin Ephemeral Gaze concert on March 22. I entered the parking lot from King Street at 4:20pm so I could find a good parking space. Whoa, the lot was pretty full so I ended up further away than I would normally park but, all was well, I found a space between two columns. Had I arrived closer to the concert time, finding parking might have been an issue. We had dinner across the street at MW and came back to the arena at 7pm. Ingress was relatively simple; pass through two lines to check for contraband and bag inspection then through the gates. We headed upstairs to find our seats, not bothering to pick up any refreshments. We didn't avail ourselves of the services of an usher because the arena was well lit and we easily found our seats. We sat in section 1, directly across the arena from the stage. We had great sightlines to the stage and, because we were seated on a riser, didn't have to contend with fans standing in front of us or holding up their cameras. The concert started on time (hurray!) and we ran afoul of the poor acoustics of the arena. I've been attending concerts at the Blaisdell since the 60's and in all that time, they have yet to improve the sound system. Now, I don't know if Taemin brought his own sound system or if they rented one locally but the sound at our seats was muddy, and bass heavy. It was difficult to hear Taemin's voice clearly due to the reverberation of the sound bouncing around the circular arena. The concert lasted just over two hours and we walked downstairs and started to walk toward the parking but found we had to go back through the entry gates. (It had been a while since I'd been in the arena.) We bypassed the merch line as it was l-o-n-g! They should open up an exit to the parking lot near the Kapiolani end of the arena. No matter, I was able to get out of the lot and onto King Street in a few minutes. If they can improve the sound system, the Blaisdell would be a great venue for concerts. It's not large, so even the "cheap" seats gives one good views of the stage. We purchased our tickets on opening day so we paid more than half of the audience. We can't blame that on the NBC, but it was not good knowing that we could have scored much better seats for 1/5 of what we paid had we waited. Oh well, true fans don't care what it costs. :p read more

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Came here for the Jo Koy show. Parking is always a challenge as the lot is more of an enter one side, exit other side deal... except it's looooong so each lane you drive down is a commitment lol. There's plenty of accessible parking but again, it's a loooong row so you can end up walking for a while depending where you park. Hence, we opted to uber this time around... that way sobriety wouldn't be an issue getting home. :) Spacious arena with great acoustics! This was our first concert in this arena. We had attended a few musicals/shows in the theatre where the accessible seating is a bit too highlighted for my taste. But as for the arena, they have plenty of accessible areas. The seats are folding padded aluminum chairs... comfortable but not the safest if I'm trying to just hop to the 5th seat from the aisle (as I hoped I could do). As an alternative, the staff offered us seats in the nurse's/EMT corner. Our original seats were centered but about 40 rows back. The nurses' corner was close to the front but off to the side. We thought it was a very fair trade off! The show was amazing. A couple of opening comedic acts. Then Jabbawockeez performance (awesome sauce). And to round off the night, a performance by Wanya Morris. It was an epic show and we loved every minute of it! After leaving the arena, we saw a loooong line for waiting on car pickup services. We decided to walk/roll a few blocks away to call for a car; much less stress trying to maneuver through the crowds. read more

I love this arena. I've seen many concerts and comedy shows with over a decade. They have a number of bathrooms, they serve food and drinks. Most of the time lines are short, and it is very safe. They have paid parking, but they do offer valet parking, but you have to pre-pay for that. Normally, there's parking to go around. But at this comedy show, the parking lot was full. But they had another parking area for everyone around the corner. read more

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Had a great night watching the great Tom Segura show. Had great seats and the price wasn't too steep but just right. Got there early and enjoyed the music playing. I really enjoyed the no phones allowed during the performance. I honestly can't stand phones on during any performance. Just enjoy the show with all your senses. Anyhow the only thing that was a negative was the fact that there were too many people getting up and moving from their seats during the performance. But that wasn't as bad as waiting to get out when the show was over. They had nosebleeds get our first then it went by rows. I didn't get it and it took forever to get out. Was just kind of scary to think if there was a fire, how long would it take us to get out? read more

Neal S Blaisdell Arena - Cool signage that became a video screen. - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Went to Maoli concert last night and it was a great time when you're secured at your seats! It's the outskirts that you want to be aware of. Obviously you're not going to have the most perfect experience whenever you're at a concert unless you time everything correctly. First, the parking: $8 per vehicle. You can park on the side streets of blaisdell and by Thomas square too for free. The bag check security were cool, had no problems - i only brought what was needed in a clutch bag. You can bring in your bigger bags too but i would avoid bringing large bags at all cost. The ticket check in at the doors was smooth too. It was clear when aunty directed us to our section of seats and by the time we got to our section, another usher directed us to our reserved seating. Great! The confusing part that the arena could improve on is definitely their directory of where is what- from the restrooms, to the concession stand, to the rest of the concession stands and what they sell. Expect long wait times. Respect others around you. If you want to purchase food/drinks, respect the people who are waiting in line and don't cut, even though your friends are there. No. Just no. Pilau dat kine. Even 1 body adds up to the wait time of the rest of the line. It would be better if they had some X-marks on the ground or if they had a rope to hold the line in place to avoid problems. Other than that, i enjoyed the Maoli concert. Wish that he played longer than 1 hour lol. Tickets were reasonable on presale so we got lucky! Other than that, Blaisdell could use some touch ups when it comes to large crowds and everyone is everywhere. I'd rather go to another concert that's free flow with no assigned seating and outdoors. Anyways, Bring cash to avoid credit card fees , and expect overpriced food and drinks too. read more

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Let me start off with saying I have many found memories of Neal S. Blaisdell Arena where I saw my first concert. This review is just what I experienced while at the Castle High School graduation on Saturday 5/18/2024. Three stars for allowing Castle to hold their graduation day there due to school repairs on campus and allowing the use of the exhibition hall for lei giving due to inclement weather. The rest is downhill. (1) As we sat in the arena, we noticed drops of water were dripping on us throughout the ceremony. Yes, there was heavy rain all week, but what the heck is wrong with the roofing. Obviously it is time for Replace and Repair! (2) The worst part of the evening was that the Blaisdell staff would not let anyone leave the arena near the end of the ceremony. We had agreed to hold the picture sign for our graduates for lei giving. The other participants probably had the "brilliant" idea as we were all held like cattle or salmon and not allowed to exit. Grateful there was no stampeding. I heard a few guests fainted due to the heat and the crowding. I understand the idea was to let the graduates exit first, but many of the graduates were standing at the last name balloon letters looking for the parents who were stuck inside the arena behind the general crowd. (3) We were instructed that we had to dismantle our sign: no poles allowed as the lei giving area was moved inside the exhibition hall. Again, thank you Blaisdell authorities for allowing a covered area for the graduates, family and friends. I get it. It is a safety issue. As rule following families removed and ditched the poles, we noticed Blaisdell staff had allowed rule breakers who entered via the side entrance with massive pole structures to keep the poles. No staff were seen telling pole holders to dismantle their signs with poles. Thoughts immediately made me think of the "Mall Cop" movie. I'm sure there are caring and good mall cops. This is just my thoughts on that evening. Thinking sometimes ignorance is bliss! Overall we were proud of our graduates and grateful the event was allowed to be held in a covered area. Sorry no pics as in the herding situation, I couldn't lift my arm up to snap a pic and didn't want to post any pole sign pics with graduates pictures or names. Congratulations to all the graduates! The parents were probably more stressed than you were! read more

Get here early for any show. Preferably at least 1-2 hours before the show starts. You will need to find parking because the area fills up quick. If not be prepared to walk blocks. I took a Uber there and saw so many people walking far. I didn't want the hassle but I still was in traffic. It took 20 mins to go 5 mins away. I almost got out and walked. If you have scannable ticket you can go straight to the line inside. They don't scan at box office. The line was super long to get in. There were 3 places to get food. I chose the stadium sliders, fries and nutcracker mimosa. Boxes are available to carry food. The shirts sold out fast. I was able to get a shirt but the one I wanted was sold out. I finally got to my seat just as the show was starting. The floor seats next to the stage is fold down chairs. My view was obstructed the whole show due to fold down chairs. I had to look to the left or right to see and at times I couldn't see. I was in the 6th row from the stage on left side. Next time for $125 a seat I will be in upper rows. No more floor seats. The orchestra did a great job as well as the performers from the parts I could see and hear. At the end I just walked across the street and Uber picked me up there. read more

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No bad seats here. The event we went to had a large crowd so the lines to get in wrapped around the corner. Once through security there was a few food options. Unfortunately most only offered one or two options each such as a cheeseburger and fries combo or two types of hot dogs. The way the stage is setup everyone can see the stage and the performer, provided that they move around it's all good for all attendees. There are several options to park a few blocks away, but there are other venues that probably are going concurrent so you should plan accordingly. Oh and they have a working payphone outside! read more

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New Kids on The Block (NKOTB) concert in Honolulu, Hawaii... This venue, The Neal S. Blaisdell Arena, is not the largest in Honolulu anymore. The Stan Sheriff Center at the University of Hawaii in Manoa has about 10,000 seats while the Neil S. Blaisdell Arena holds approximately 8,000 people. It's better than having a concert at the Aloha Stadium because the NBC (Neal Blaisdell Center) is air conditioned, has better acoustics, and is enclosed. (I saw Michael Jackson and Bruno Mars at Aloha Stadium where we had to prepare for the wind and the rain! However, they can have fireworks since it's outdoors.) I got a pair of free tickets to the NKOTB concert by being one of the first 50 people in line for the Grand Opening of Wahlburgers at Ala Moana Center. I was really happy - and my friend was thrilled to get to go free, too! We parked for free on the street because on Sundays, metered street parking is free. NBC does have its own parking lot, but the traffic coming out of the lot at 11pm (when my friend has to work the next day) wasn't a pleasant thought. Yes - we arrived early (before 5pm) and had dinner nearby. There are several good restaurant choices within walking distance. We didn't want to stand in line for concession stand food. We even had time to walk to Whole Foods in Kaka'ako and walk back! The line to get into The Arena moved fairly quickly. We were all scanned with a wand type of metal detector. Luckily, we knew to not bring a purse. We had pockets for our keys, ID, phones, and money. Other people had to open their bags for a quick search. We easily followed signs to our Upper Level seats. At first, we were happy about being in the front row, but later realized that people walked back and forth in front of our clear view of the stage. The first performance started promptly at 8pm with TLC. Their best known songs are Creep, No Scrubs, and Waterfalls. The restrooms probably had long lines. We were able to avoid the crowd by going to the restroom at the restaurant and at Whole Foods prior to the concert... LOL! Overall, the NKOTB concert was great - they really can still dance! It was nice of them to go out into the audience and talk about their first concert in Honolulu (thirty years ago)! We relived the good old days with songs such as Step By Step, I'll Be Loving You, and Please Don't Go Girl. The jumbotron helped a lot. The confetti, movies of them when they first started, and the pyrotechnics were fun! I'm looking forward to the next concert here - maybe Journey will return soon! read more

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Went to see Jersey Boys at the Neil Blaisdell Concert Hall and what a great performance! Valet Parking was $25.00 or you could try and park on the street or park yourself in the parking lot. The BIA Show was going on so the parking was limited there. The Jerseys Boys was terrific and brought back lots of great memories of the oldies songs of the pass, the performance and performers were great. A show worth going to see if you haven't seen the show! Lines at the show moved without problems the ushers there are friendly and helpful in directing customers to their seats and restrooms and refreshments. read more

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I usually love everything about the Blaisdell center but I really dislike the new women's bathroom in the arena. U cannot see if stalls are available, some stalls are hidden from view. It is now a place where women are cutting or rushing to the back area to get to the stall before other people. Poor design. It complicates being at a concert. read more

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1 merch table for TV Girl concert 11/21/25!!! Come on!!! Get with it!!! Guess u don't want to sell more merch faster and don't want less wait for 100's of people ; (. VERY Poor customer service!!! read more

Tried to get tickets to Janet Jackson's show on March 2024. Went thru their appt on line & filled everything out, used a Hawaii address credit card as requested & verified it with a security code, turned down 5 times! Frustrating!!!Ticket master is the worst! Called their customer service number they posted for problems, not open. They should be 24/7 or close their web site to buy tickets. Ticket master has real problems, remember Taylor Swift's ticket mess! Do something Blaisdell, Ticketmaster has terrible customer service & more! read more

Hubby, daughter and myself came here for the new food and product event. Parking was $8 for all day. The event costs $6 per adult. Kids under 12 were free. This was such a cool event. There were food vendors and businesses that sold their products. I definitely support local businesses and love to see what businesses offer. I got to sample a few food items and play some fun games. The location was pretty huge and enough for lots of people. This event lasts until Friday October 7 to Sunday October 9, 2022. Definitely check it out if you get a chance. So well worth it. A fun event for adults and kids. read more

Neal S Blaisdell Arena - Part of the venue - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The Parking lot is great. Covered. If you arrive latter in the day, not sure exact time but the gate is up off King Street and you can park for free ish. ;) FYI no parking attendant and exit gates are up read more

This evening while attending the Carrie Underwood concert at the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena/Center we were amazed and disappointed at the screens that show closeups of Carrie performing. Of the two screens one was cracked in half. When you're paying several hundred dollars for tickets, you would expect things like that to be in good working order. The girl performing the lyrics in sign language was also impressive and enjoyable to watch. Otherwise the concert was good. No opening act, and no encore. read more

Our very first venue event since Covid! We attended Joy Koy's show on Sunday 11/28/21 and had a great time. Traveling from LA where it's traffic town we were a bit worry about the parking situation at Blaisdell. I checked on the website beforehand that parking is only $8. We arrived a little before 7pm for the 7:30pm show. Although it was a bit busy, we found a parking spot quickly. This was a vax only show, you will not get in even with negative Covid test results. Security was quick with vax check and bag check then off we go inside and found our seats right away. Blaisdell is a small venue, so even though we were at the upper level, it did not feel like we were at the nosebleed seats at all. The screens of the performers can be a tad bigger though but that's because I have poor eyesight and I refused to wear glasses. lol After 2 short opening acts Joy Koy finally came out at 8:15pm and ended the show just after 10pm. Masks were also required during the show, Jo Koy made a joke about that but that's a different story for another day. We did not have a problem leaving the venue either. We were out of the parking lot in less than 10 minutes! We saw lots of show goers walking so maybe there's a parking lot nearby or they parked on the street? But comparing to venues in LA where they charged at least $30 for parking, I would not hesitate to attend another event here next time we are in Waikiki. read more

Neal S Blaisdell Arena - Jo Koy & Boyz II Men - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Last night I attended the second night of the New Kids on the Block concert. One of THE best concert venues in the country. Any concert done here will be intimate even if you're in the bleeder seats near the top. This night the venue had ample security moving the large crowd of concert-goers. There were bathroom attendants at the doors and inside to get the line moving swiftly. Only thing I would have liked is janitors to clean the bathrooms and export the trash receptacles. read more

If you haven't been here you're not getting out to concerts or conventions much. With awesome productions and conventions every week you never know who is in town. It's a staple and icon. read more

Neal S Blaisdell Arena - One of many wonderful events held here - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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500th review In the past year I've been to a LOT of concerts. I don't know why I am going to so many concerts...maybe because my husband is dragging me to them. He said "come on, we gotta see all the 80's artists before they die!" And of course he is right. I also love 80's music and it's super cool to see younger folk getting into it. We saw: DEF LEPPARD THE CURE NEW ORDER LIONEL RITCHIE in like 6 months. We also saw THE EAGLES GUNS N ROSES but that was at Aloha Stadium, which, like the Blaisedell, is super old and in need of some upgrades. The floor seats are expensive but they suck for several reasons, see my pictures below. And NO I am not fat-shaming, I am just sharing my experience being a medium-sized person getting completely smashed next to a larger-sized person. NOT FUN. Especially if they are dancing around and sweaty and their arm goes on your arm and it's wet. Yuckkkkkkk. I had the same experience at Aloha Stadium on the expensive $$$$$ seat floors with people head-banging, kicking seats, spilling beer on me and almost barfing on me. Sigh. I just want to concert in peace. read more

Neal S Blaisdell Arena - a bit cramped.... - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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This particular night I attended the Marie Osmond birthday with the Osmond Bros. and guests. I've taken the arena for granted after seeing the Ice Capades during my childhood and seeing the likes of Depeche Mode, Janet Jackson and Johnny Mathis, among the few greats that have graced the stage. There was also some new product shows that were pretty fun. Overall, it is really a more smaller, intimate venue. Meaning almost every seat is a good seat. read more

Neal S Blaisdell Arena - Happy birthday Marie Osmond!! - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Neal Blaisdell Arena held many famous concerts over the years. I recently came here for Def Leppard concert. If you come here for a rock concert, make sure you bring some ear plugs. I highly recommend so that you're not deaf for next few days. Arena is enclosed concert hall. Therefore, the music will stay inside. As for the eatery, it was okay. They were selling burgers, fries, and adult drinks. Lines were short so that was positive. Even the women's bathroom line went by quick. They have multi bathrooms with lots of stalls. I like the fact that everything is spread out. read more

While at the expo, someone told us there'll be giving away Jo Koy complimentary tickets outside. We got there and yes, they were. The person passing it out said there might be some obstructed views. How many tickets do you want and gave me what I asked for, cool. We got in and found our seats in back barely seeing the corner of the stage. Right above a big giant screen with the picture of Jo Koy. That whole section was almost full. When it started, the screened just had his initials on it. After asking the usher when is the screen going on so we could at least see him on stage. He said no, it's not going on. What??? Some people left, but I just wanted to listen a bit before I leave. His material was very funny. We just listened as we watched the crowd react. They had staff in every row making sure no one had their cell phones on, very strict. They wanted to make the arena look full because this was the night that Netflix would put him on air. Lots of people like myself felt that we were being used and felt that they should have at least told us that from the beginning. I would have pass on those tickets, oh well, lesson learned. We ended up staying because he was really funny but lots of his jokes we had to imagine what he was gesturing & impersonating about because it did require to see the body language. He even made a joke about our seating that we couldn't see the stage. I guess we got to wait to see it in Netflix whenever they air it. He was awesome, he kept the crowd rolling. His audio comedy was good. Just wish I could have seen his show. That's why it's a 1 star. read more

Neal S Blaisdell Arena - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This happens to be my favorite venue for concerts and shows! Why?! Because it's indoors and it has pretty comfortable seats! I've sat on the floor on the risers and it kinda made my neck sore, and on the upper levels. I wouldn't pick the seats directly fronting the stage. It can still be kinda hard to see. I've had the entertainment bug lately and we've got to see a bunch of acts including Mariah Carey, Katt Williams, fluffy, boys 2 men, Brian mc Knight, Adam Sandler, jo koy, and Kevin Hart here! And for some reason no matter what show it is there is always a dancer in front of us blocking our view. The rules vary depending on the show, sometimes entering is a pain in the butt and chaotic (jo koy). I don't know why some people fight at these shows but we're all here for one thing and let's just enjoy it! The parking situation is junk- well leaving is junk because of the gridlock, but at least they don't price gauge you like the stadium does. They even have alternate parking at straub and it was pretty affordable or you can just valet if you end up late like me sometimes for no good reason (getting ice cream, lol). Otherwise if you're lucky you can just find street parking after 630. We lucked out the last two shows and found street parking so we spent that money on food instead! read more

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We tried to go to the craft sale in November 2023. You have to purchase tickets at the ticket office. When we got there, they said cash only. What kind of ticket office in this day and age requires cash only? Got to be the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Of course there's an ATM nearby. Where you have to pay to withdraw money. What a shame. Probably a racket designed to avoid taxes and give the bank extra money for pulling out cash. read more

Always a great place for major events. Many parking stalls but be aware for major events it can get get hectic going in and out. Most events has food and alcohol for sale. read more

Neal S Blaisdell Arena - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Great venue for concerts. No seat is a bad seat but the parking to exit is a hot mess.

We went to see the Boyz II Men Concert at 6pm Seating was great! Very close to the stage on the left side. I enjoyed the opening jams with Olivia Tai. When Boyz II Men came out it was 7:07pm. They were great! Lots of energy! Great voices! It was a short 1 hour and 20 mins of them singing and they also did some songs by The Wailers; Jamming, Aerosmith, and Bruno Mars which was funny yet strange, but I guess it's because they don't have much hits and need to fill in time? Don't know but overall it was good. They even gave out roses to the ladies. That was a sweet thang! And man, where those ladies brutal and fussing to get the roses! I didn't want to get in that mess! Haha! At the end, we thought that Boyz II Men would do a Hana Hou song but they didn't come back out for a 2nd applause?! Strange. But oh well. Had a great night out anyway. Thank God we took a Lyft and didn't park at Blaisdell or valet; the crowd and lines were nutz and so we walked our happy asses back to our convenient crib. read more

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Sooo frustrating!! Just the arena side not the concert hall. You would think planning and managing events and thinking of the big picture is something the higher ups would think of.... but I guess not. Just went to Jo Koy on 11/29/19 and the parking situation was horrendous!!!! They didn't have enough parking for concert attendees because they ran a simultaneous craft fair. Did no one think to end the craft fair at least an hour or two before???? To top it off - there is no warning to those in the long car line, trying to get in (like putting it on your giant marquee or having workers or signs??) No police assistance to help with traffic flow????? They can be hired you know- Blaisdell. We are forced to park off of the premise and after the concert- lots of stalls were open (hence the craft fair ended)- might I remind you of how dumb that was of Blaisdell. Lots of people didn't get in on time or were outside in long lines trying to get food and drinks. Upon entrance, I didn't mind they wanted to metal detect and search bags - better to be safe. But when you have attendants who are loud and obnoxious yelling "there are 4 lines people" but there are no stanchions or anything to help patrons know where those are- lol!! Just another dumb move. As much as possible- gonna stay away from any future concerts here. Better to see it elsewhere if possible. Please clean up your act as it's sad this is our only venue. read more

I have been to the Blaisdell Arena for many events and today this review is regarding the Great Aloha Race Expo. The parking was reasonable for the expo as opposed to an event. There were plenty of spots available in the parking structure and on the street too. I needed to get my postcard for the race that had my admission ticket for the expo, and they had an information booth outside the doors which was organized and signed very well. They helped me and I could enter the expo. If you were attending without race pre-registration postcard, I saw signs that you must pay for tickets at the ticket booth facing Ward. Inside the expo was a giant expanse of booths, a lifestyle stage, and a side of the arena was blocked off for events happening during the expo. The bathrooms are always pretty clean for the amount of people using them and parking was good! read more

I've been here many times growing up. For school fundraising events, concerts, graduations, crafts shows, and free events. It's a large space and lots of people can come and enjoy themselves. Parking can be a bit tricky bc when the lot fills then you'll need to street park which is no fun. A good trick is to have someone drop you off and pick up or uber it. The food and drink vendors are pricey and normal portion size. The food satisfies the craving but I try to eat before the events to save money. The seats in the areana and symphony hall are comfortable. The box office can be long unless you get tickets online or ahead of time. Sometimes my friends' buy in bulk and pay him back. The area is kept clean and the pond is filled with wonderful fish and ulua! Super cool!! They could update their advertising sign on Kapiolani Street and possibly the structure... Only bc idk when something may happen. Like Kahala Theatre or Farrington HS Auditorium. read more

Neal S Blaisdell Arena - C/O 2018! - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Older than most of us.... This arena has so many memories for so many of us. Lucky enough to volunteer to set up for a local songfest where 1,500 high school students will sing to win coveted prizes. While we decided on how to take down and put up the bleachers, I got a chance to snap some cool angles of the arena. Rarely, do I get to sit alone in this large venue where many a local team celebrated victory, a 17 year old graduated HS, hot singers packed the house and crafters marketed their wares. Incredibly peaceful and sitting on the top row, center looking down upon the empty arena, I could hear the cheering, the singing and the music of my past...I was able to lie flat on the empty arena floor, right in the middle. Looking up I got a view of a huge spaceship about to land on me! Its engines ready to sit on my face.....haha. Imagination pagination maxed! This place is special. This place definitely has good spirits all around it, in the seats and walking around the circular balcony pathways. If you ever get a chance to get in here when it is empty and quiet - do it. You will feel and hear the spirits of this arena's past too....talk to them, acknowledge their presence. I gave appreciation to them... Totally silent and peacefully eerie. Embrace your past. I getting chicken skin....again. read more

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Went to watch The Phantom of the Opera. It was a Saturday. Got to the parking at 5, just as the afternoon show got done. So it was perfect timing to get parking close to the arena! We went to Doraku for happy hour until our 8pm show. It was seamless. Most of us printed our tickets. If you didn't, you could have them print it up at will call. We got in and it was still pretty empty. Got to our seat and found a recyclable bag from Alaska Airlines. I guess they were sponsors for the broadway package we purchased. It was great! Seats were comfy. We were in Row N in the middle. Nice spot and easy to see. We had a 20 minute intermission which gave us time to breathe and stretch. Getting out was typical. It was busy, but we got out right away. Great night! read more

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This review is mainly for the parking and the arena. Pros: -Sound system is very good -Security is organized at events. Screening is fast. Cons: -Parking isn't great, with only 3 levels, it can get crowded really fast depending on the event and how many are attending. -Venue (the arena itself) is showing age...but it is aging well. read more

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I went to a concert last night. The Arena is great for shows because it's not too big so even if you have nosebleed tickets, it's not as bad as if you're at like the Staples Center. You can actually see the artists. They have some food choices, your normal arena food like nachos, burgers and dogs and sometimes outside vendors. You got some alcohol like Mai tais and beer. Staff was great at guiding and were friendly. Place looked clean. Didn't check out the restrooms so not sure about that But I cannot believe that they haven't figured out a better way to let traffic out of the parking structure. I sat in my car without being able to move for just about an hour. It was so bad, people were trying to reverse to within and inch of other cars in desperation to get out of there. I've been to bigger events with much better control. Worse design I've ever seen. Next time I'll park 2 miles away and still get out faster. read more

Neal S Blaisdell Arena - Russ 7/6/19 - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

My wife an I attended the Jo Koy comedy show. Valet parking was full and parking was a bit of a challenge. Once parked the line was really long BUT it moved really fast. Security checked all bags and used the hand held metal detectors. Once we presented our tickets, purchased from Ticket Master, they scanned as already used! Security worked with us and escorted us to our seats. Two people were confidently sitting in our seats, but security escorted them away without incident. No clue what that was about or what happen to them. The venue inside is nice. It's a small-ish arena which made the event kinda intimate. We were in the lower level and felt very close to the stage. Great seats and to be honest I didn't see a bad seat in there. The show was fast so didn't use any facilities. I would not hesitate to attend another event here, but anyone enjoying an event here needs to think through parking in advance. read more

First of many times I will attend! I really like that they had so many police officers around. Let's face it people tend to get ignorant when they are drinking. I also like that they had cell phone patrol! Some of the comedians were making fun of how some people were having withdrawals. Like seriously enjoy the moment! I watched people get kicked out for doing exactly what they were asked not do! Being on your phone! My hubby and I went to watch Kevin Hart, and he had a few opening acts they were all funny. Parking was pretty cool and it was easy to get in and out. I don't recommend wearing heels here ladies. I wore wedges and regretted it instantly. Next time a cute dress and some flats! The arena is well taken care of and easy to navigate. I Recommend getting there super early and just enjoying downtown, this way you can Park easily. And just explore down town and enjoy Hawaii. Hence some good walking shoes:) read more

I like this arena. I've been to other places such as the Key Arena (Seattle), and Madison Square Garden (MSG) in NYC. The Blaisdell arena features a smaller arena than both stadiums. This creates a more intimate setting. Last year, we went to the local craft fair, the Sting concert, and last night Chance the Rapper! I enjoyed the Sting concert. However, the crowd tended to be more mature and more mellow. I thought Chance the Rapper's concert turned out awesome. He knew how to move and work the crowd! I loved it! I found the staff accommodating and attentive. The ushers help get us seated quickly - which I like since soooo many people walk around before the concert begins. The lines at the concession stand usually builds up quickly. The food/drink fall on the more expensive side. I look forward to coming to this arena for more concerts and events. read more

Neal S Blaisdell Arena - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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