I came here on opening night for Ariana Grande's Eternal Sunshine tour. We arrived at 4:50, and the parking lot was already opened. There were many entrance to get inside and the lines moved very fast. Security was very chill. There were many merch lines. I recommend going upstairs to find shorter/no lines, don't go to the one right at the door as they are way longer. Once we found our section, the usher offered to take us to our seats which we did take her on. I'm glad we did because we would've had trouble finding our seats. She also offered to take our photo. For food, I wanted to get their burgers which were supposed to be located in section 108, but none of the stores offered it. I decided to get the chicken tenders and fries and was very pleasantly surprised. It was not dry but juicy, and the fries were so good. I definitely recommend this meal if you come here for a concert. Water bottles are very overpriced so I recommend bringing an empty bottle and filling it at the water dispensers. Overall, I had a great time and enjoyed my experience. read more

Saw Ariana Grande and reserved a suite. Overall experience was alright but there was a snafu with the food and a lack of knowledge on the part of servers and their immediate supervisors that required us to actually escalate the issue and meet upper leadership following the show. The space was great, the suite had a lot of room and its own bathroom, coat closet, plenty of storage and a wet bar and area to set up a buffet. Mezzanine 20, however, is a limited view so would avoid if booking. There's an annoying pole that's smack dab in the middle of the view. There's a loveseat and a big chair and plenty of space to move around. Def a really cool experience. Our server was a very nice guy but he just wasn't as well-versed in how the suites worked and the food service was unfortunately super slow to the point that it hadn't arrived even through more than halfway through the show. There was misunderstanding after misunderstanding about how they were going to make up for the lack in service and a lot of our time was spent with the server and their supervisor, which took a lot of our attention away from the show. We also flew up for the event with a group of 20 in the suite and wish we could've enjoyed it a little more. We loved their chicken strips and enjoyed the chicken nacho bar (once it finally got there) but they had no to-go containers for the remainder of the food (since we weren't able to eat before or during the show, there was plenty of food leftover with no way to pack it-they suggested the drink cups?) Eventually found ourselves in their Manager's office downstairs and she took care of us and apologized for the experience and genuinely wanted to make it right. So her handling of the entire thing was great and we were happy with the resolution. read more

Oakland Arena - Pole view from Suite Mezzanine 20. Avoid if possible - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Oakland, California

Oakland Arena handled the Ariana Grande Eternal Sunshine concert fairly well overall, but there was definitely room for improvement. Parking was easy to find, which made arriving stress-free, although getting out after the event was another story and took quite a while. Inside the arena, the biggest issue was the lack of organization with the lines. It was often unclear whether you were waiting for merchandise or concessions because the lines were so long and intertwined. Better line management with signage or staff directing people would have made the experience much smoother. The food and drinks were also way overpriced, even by concert venue standards, making it hard to justify grabbing a bite during the show. Despite the large crowd, the event itself ran fine, but a little more organization and more reasonably priced concessions would go a long way toward improving the experience at future concerts. read more

I haven't had a lot of recent concert venue experience for comparison but here it goes , with tips ! This is a review for the mezzanine seats . Pros +easy bathroom access , faster wait in nearby lounge +amazing views and more intimate + beautiful stadium , feels clean , and Arianna grande crowd was fun and mostly chill . Cons : - you still have to walk and wait a decent amount of time for Drinks and snacks in lounge . The closer bar won't sell you non alco. beverages , lame! - they should provide water in the suites or let you pre order it (as well as provide info for preordering food ). security didn't let us bring sealed plastic bottled waters in . Then they charge crazy prices and lines for water . This is a necessity and shouldn't be banned at security . They still sell bottled water so this isn't because of it being in a bottle . - no seperate t shirt booth for mezzanine . There should be , they'd sell more and make more money ! FYI - your ticketed seat number is only for inventory purposes . First come first serve . A fellow mom kept accusing us of being in her seats rather than doing her homework or reading the sign . Get there early if you want a comfier seat but there are plenty of table seats , stairs , and Sofa. - there should be a seperate line at gate for ride share drop offs to encourage that - don't forget to bring a clear bag ! - it gets very hot walking around in venue so dress in layers or even shorts /dress read more

I have always went to shows at the arena in the past and I have enjoyed them but my recent visit has me worried for the next several shows I have planned there later for this year. I attended the Welcome to the West festival and this was the worst show I've ever seen there. Getting into the show was fine, the lines luckily were not long at all and security check was fine. You do not need a clear bag at this venue only size restrictions. Within the first five minutes we were notified the venue is now cashless which they didn't mention in the set up email so that was a bummer as I had brought cash. My friend ended up buying us each a drink and a shot each so four drinks total. He paid over $110 for four drinks. I expect prices to be high at concerts but charging the same price for a shot and a mixed drink is ridiculous. That ended up being the only alcohol we purchased the entire five hours we were there. Since the concert was so long we figured we would get a snack and some water. The concession stand worker decided to tell me AFTER i purchased two waters they have to remove the caps. I don't know when they started this, it makes it difficult and unsafe to leave uncapped unless you chug it all at once. I had them hold one for me behind the counter and when I came back for the second one it was given to me with the cap on. It's really frustrating spending money to see artist when you can't see due to lighting. Multiple artist were performing with either no stage lighting or purple dim lighting. They even put it on the screen you could visibly see them performing in the dark. The DJs were switched out frequently with many of them having sound difficulties and restarting the same song. During E-40 performance his mic as well B-legit were turned off and on. You could see the artist frustration with the DJs on stage. Getting to our seats wasn't an issue at first but after the second hour there it became a safety hazard as none of the staff cleared the walkways which resulted in mobs of people throughout the stairs and consistently stopped me to check my tickets but let four people in front of me without checking anything. My biggest disappointment is with the lack of organization of this show. I hope I am able to change my review later this year but also I hope I don't regret my other shows since I spent a lot of money for multiple shows here. read more

Oakland Arena - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Oakland, California

I came to Oakland Arena with a friend for the Twice concert. Here are my thoughts on the experience: 1. Security lines were pleasantly fast and efficient. I had no problem being able to go in and out. 2. There are multiple entrances which helps with the outside crowding for concerts such as this one. 3. Around each corner, there are accessible bathrooms - but just a warning that they do get busy right before shows start. While clean, one of the toilets was clogged so I do wish there was better maintenance. 4. The food $$ is your average pricey experience, but I have to give a shoutout to the chicken loaded nachos which were delicious! The chips did not taste stale, the cheese was gooey and melty, the chicken was shredded and so tender, and the jalapeños were crunchy and spicy. 5. For concert viewing, the sound and acoustics were great from the 2nd level. I also had no issues with viewing the screens at section 205. The only callout that you can't really help is when people need to go past you to find their seats and it does get cramped. 6. Transportation via Bart made the journey seamless with no issues. I know there are complaints about the parking being expensive which is why I usually recommend public transportation. Overall, it is a nice venue for any concerts or programs you're attending. read more

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Recently went here for Laufey and I've been here in the past for AgustD and I think Oakland Arena is always very crowded. One particular issue was entering the parking lot as there is only one entrance so there was a lot of traffic and seemed a bit disorganized. Security went moderately fast but once you get into the arena, the hallways are quite tight as people simultaneously line up for merch, get food, and try to locate their sections. I will say though that the hot dogs were really good. A very snappy sausage and the toppings were a great addition. A surprisingly good concert snack during intermission! read more

Oakland Arena - Hot Dogs - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Oakland, California

Update 1/18/2026: Was here for Twice concert and again staff were amazing, friendly and welcoming! Just wanted to leave my perspective on my seat I purchased for Twice's 360° concert view. I was seated in section 120 which is normally behind the stage and not sold. This section was obstructed by multiple cables coming down in support of the show. I do not recommend these seats. Twice's show was amazing! read more

I came to watch Disney on Ice and took the Bart. It was very convenient to walk from the Bart station. The Arena is huge, I wish directions were clearer everywhere. Glad the staff was very helpful. It was quite a walk to walk from one side of the arena to the other side, even it was inside. Parking was a bit confusing, I had a pickup, it was difficult to find where to come in or out and which parking lot to be picked up at. Food was ok. Of course Arena's prices. read more

Oakland Arena - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Oakland, California

It was a great concert. Employees were all very friendly. Seats were great. Was a bit warm though, but that could have just been me because of the walk from the car to my seats. Ariana rocks! read more

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I saw Bad Omens here in March, one of the better venues I've been to. Great line, as I had VIP - unfortunately there was a tall person in my section so a bit of my view got blocked at some point during the show. Other than that, I had a great time. read more

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The Oakland Arena was overall clean and well-managed. There were plenty of staff and security around, and the bathrooms were clean and easy to find without walking too much. Entry into the arena was also smooth and didn't require a long walk. I went for a concert, and while the venue itself was decent, I was disappointed with the seating/view. If you're getting tickets near the top, avoid them -- the ceiling hangs low and kinda gives you a weird vibe about sitting in there. Even though our seats weren't entirely on the side, we couldn't see the artist or the screen clearly because large speakers were directly in front of us. Parking was about $40, which is pretty standard for the Bay Area. Just be strategic with your seat choice if you're going for a concert. read more

Oakland Arena - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Oakland, California

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Attended a event the server in the suites took our card to do a purchase, he never gave the card back and my card was used 3 times fraudulent actions across sacramento and the bay area. If this the type of people your hiring in your establishment to steal from guest i will attend another event here again read more

monster jam weekend! my first time seeing monster trucks, and i was surprised with the huge fanbase these events bring. doors opened at 6 at the Arena, and show, around 8ish. it was all amazing! the arena is big, with restrooms around most corners. seating is smooth, and even with the higher seats, you see everything comfortable through the jumbotron i got a Hot Wheels, remember those? read more

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My favorite coliseum/arena/stadium/concert venue, as it's Bart-accessible and a super short walk across a bridge from Coliseum Bart station. I've been here for several concerts, including My Chemical Romance, Hans Zimmer, and Nine Inch Nails. It's also easy to navigate, and I've always had a great experience at every concert I've attended here. read more

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Expensive parking - $40 to get in. The arena itself is relatively well maintained. Several food and vendor options on the way in, although be prepared to pay an arm and a leg for everything. We had seats in section 110, row 22 and it was a decent view. We were able to see everything happening on the stage. They are also super strict about any outside food or drinks - even water in a personal bottle was being turned away - you would either need to leave the item at the security gate to be discarded or walk it back to your car. This includes water bottles for kids too. I wish the rows of seats weren't so close together - it's virtually impossible to get to your seat if you're in the middle and there are people already sitting at the aisle. Even with people standing up to make room, there really isn't any space to squeeze by. read more

The stadium seemed clean and well maintained. I think most seats have a great view of the stage. The bart station is super close. I've now sat in the 100s and 200s for two concerts at Oakland Arena (it used to be called Oracle Arena). 100s section had great views. The arena feels big, but not too massive where the artist looks like a tiny speck. The sound, lights, stage set up for j-hope's Hope on the Stage concert were perfection. I like that the seats are staggered stadium style enough that so that I could see the stage pretty well. Luckily, I did not have tall people in front of me. I sat in the 200s for Agust D's concert and I don't know what the issue was, but for the first 3 songs it was hard to hear his voice and the band's music was garbled. After that, the sound improved so they either changed something or I got used to the echo/booming sounds. I enjoyed the overhead view of the stage from the 200s. They converted a lot of the men's restrooms into women's which was smart. They had bathroom attendants making sure that people stood in line and entered on the right side and exited through the left side. Without those workers, it would have been chaos having people enter from both sides of the restrooms. Security was efficient. I think they could do a more thorough job of checking bags imo but I guess that would slow things down. If xray machines were cheaper then they should invest in it. The lady who was stadium staff and had a j-hope/Mang keychain on was reasonably nice when directing people where to go. If you want a certain merch stand or to enter closer to your specific section, then it might be a good idea to strategize which entrance to stand outside of. They had merch stands outside the arena and several inside the arena for j-hope. Not all stands carry the same merch though. After the concert, just go with the flow of people. We ended up having to walk maybe 1/3 of the way around the outside of the arena to get to our parking lot but it wasn't a bad walk. They have plenty of parking especially if only one event is going on. There's a baseball park right next door fyi. The parking fee is crazy. I think $20 or even $30 sounds way more reasonable. I pre-paid $40 plus fees and taxes for one car. Hopefully for $40 they have security constantly circling the lots. Someone told me that Oracle Park charges way more which is robbery. read more

Oakland Arena - j-hope - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Oakland, California

I attended the Kirk Franklin - REUNION TOUR 2024 here back in Nov 24.. The biggest issue I had in this date was that I purchased tickets FOR the best section I wanted which was in the 100's. It was a surprise for my wife. However, during the concert, the chair that I was seating in broke underneath me. I could not believe this at all. I felt so unsafe and I hurt myself. We immediately went to find an employee. That employee made us stand there almost 10 to 15 mins while she talked to others. Then she went and looked at the seat. She ushered us to a different seating. That seating... was all the way at the top where they put individuals with wheelchairs. We had to watch everything from the big screen at that point. Our whole experience was ruined. They did not even refund my money either. I reached out via email to report the issue. To this day, no one ever even responded to what my issue. Update 11/7/25: I enjoyed attending "The Boy is Mine" tour here. I didn't purchase anything at the arena because I pregamed prior to coming. It can really be expensive purchasing food and drinks at any concert spot you go to. Waiting to get until the parking lot was horrendous. There was no one directing traffic for a more seamless parking experience despite the cost of parking. Checking in was easy... no issues. There were people at the check in entrance that directed you to your section. However, there was no one at each section entrance ensuring that individuals were at the correct section and seating. This caused issues because many ppl were seating in other people's seat when they arrived. The audio, was the concert began, was amazing and the big screens did their job. I really throughly enjoyed the concert. However, the bathrooms were a hot mess. They were dirty and no one went in after each intermission to clean. Once the concert was done, it became a massive safety issue. We were bunched up like a can of sardines, trying to get to the exit. There was no employees directing us or helping to move us. I was a little bit afraid because ppl would also be able to pick pockets in such a close proximity. Oakland Arena.. you need to do better with the parking, entrance and exciting of your concert goers. FULL DISCLOSURE: There are many videos of the concert. read more

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I've been to Oakland arena a few times. I really don't have anything bad to say about it. Its a pretty good venue to watch a concert. The most recent time was for the Boy is Mine tour with Brandy and Monica. Let me start with parking. The parking was only $40 which is not bad. I will say that the traffic to get to the parking lot is quite frustrating. I wish they had people directing traffic from the street to help move things along so yes, that is one bad thing lol. Once you park, getting into the venue is pretty smooth. They have pretty good food and drink options. They also have a good amount of bathrooms. We sat toward the front of section 115 for this concert and I was quite impressed with how close we were to the artists! I actually prefer this over the floor seats to be honest. Exiting is pretty easy as well. read more

Oakland Arena - Kelly on stage - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Oakland, California

If I could give this place a - 1 I would. I took my granddaughters to see Ariana Grande tonight. Her amazing performance was soured by the fact my bag was confiscated by security upon arriving. My bag was within the limit for the arena. I was told by the security officer the measurements were different for concerts. When I got inside there were several women with larger bags than mine. All of my belongings had to be stuffed into my granddaughters bags. I won't go to an event here again. We go to plenty of venues in the Bay Area. Never have we had this happen. read more

I've drove in Northern California once, and I remember passing by The Oakland Coliseum a very long time ago. Not only there is an outdoor stadium, there's also an indoor arena. I recently came here for my first time for Seventeen's Right Here World Tour in Oakland. I arrived late afternoon to see if there was merchandise for sale, which nothing was available for a late arrival. To my knowledge, Oakland is the roughest side of the Bay Area. There was extremely tight security including Sheriff's and Arena Security. The facility is similar in size to University of Hawaii Stan Sheriff Center perhaps a little bigger. Me and my friends had seats in section 116, so the area for food was in a nicer section than the rest of the arena. Although ground level seats were considered VIP, I didn't get a chance to see what they were offering. When our tickets were purchased, Ticketmaster pointed out some house rules before arriving. No bag checks were available, strict sizes of bags. I had assumed that clear PVC bags were required, but security allowed other bags in except backpacks. Every concession stand was cashless. Flags were actually acceptable to bring in, I was surprised. Carat lights were the only lights that everyone could use. And posters were allowed to bring in. Event Parking was $40, rideshare drop off and pick up area was at the 66th main gate. And an accessible bridge connecting the arena to the coliseum BART station which local police and sheriff's were working on site keeping concert goers safe and sound. Complimentary WiFi connectivity is also provided. read more

Oakland Arena - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Oakland, California

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I have attended multiple events at the Oakland Arena, and the prevalence of marijuana and vape smoke has reached an unprecedented level. The atmosphere felt suffocating, akin to being trapped in a smoke-filled box. After leaving, I was overwhelmed by the lingering odor on my clothes and hair, and the following morning, my throat was sore from inhaling so much smoke while simply trying to enjoy a concert. My husband left midway through the concert due to the excessive smoke, and my cousin nearly experienced an asthma attack. It raises questions about the effectiveness of bag checks, which seem to focus solely on weapons. The presence of children at the event further highlights the lack of consideration some attendees have for others. Unless significant changes are implemented, I will not be returning to the Oakland Arena. While some may argue that this issue is common across venues, my experiences at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento and Chase Center in San Francisco have been markedly different, indicating that the problem is specific to the Oakland venue. read more

I was here for TWICE. The view wasn't that bad for nosebleeds. But the staff here were pretty rude. I've been to the Oakland Coliseum before but never here to the arena so I kind of knew what I was getting into when it came to parking. Would I come here again for a concert? Only if there wasn't a choice for another venue. Other than that, I'd go to another venue if possible. read more

Oakland Arena - The stage from section 205 - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Oakland, California

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Oakland Arena is one of the worst concert venues I have ever experienced. They ban outside water but allow empty bottles. Naturally, you would expect refill stations. There are none. No fountains. No refill areas. Not even access to tap water. Instead, you are forced to buy a nearly ten dollar bottle of water. Employees then remove the cap before handing it to you. You are forced to hold an open bottle the entire concert. You cannot put it down without spilling it. You are essentially forced to chug it just to function in the venue. Charging high prices for food is expected. Doing this with water crosses a line. Water is not optional. It is a basic human right, especially in a crowded pit environment. The staff made the experience even worse. Multiple employees gave us conflicting instructions and sent us in circles. Due entirely to staff incompetence, we missed our soundcheck for the TWICE concert. After their mistake, we were told there were no exceptions to entry after five. To top it off, I was told not to record while standing in the back of the pit, while people at the barricade were openly recording without issue. The rules were enforced selectively and arbitrarily. This venue prioritizes profit over basic human decency. Disorganized, exploitative, and disrespectful. Avoid if possible. read more

Wow do I miss the Golden State Warriors, We Believe!! Quality/Quantity - Just attended another concert here - Summer Worship Nights 2024 with Phil Wickham and Brandon Lake. I have been to both their concerts recently, but wanted to take my daughter as she has not been to a Brandon Lake concert yet. The concert was good, but in my opinion, they actually did an even better job at their individual concerts. This venue is one of our least favorite. I actually told my family we should take a break from coming here for concerts. Atmosphere - Just our luck that the A's were playing at the same time as our concert; can someone say "parking lot bottleneck?!?!" So we decided to get here early and tailgate. Joined the A's tailgaters, lol. But when we left, it was crazy busy. I mean double crazy... Decent size arena. Seats 19,596. Well actually more when they put seats on the floor for events. 132 acres. 10,000 parking spaces. Service - Good. Prepaid parking was very smooth. Fast friendly security at the entrance of the arena. Plenty of ushers, not that we needed them as we know the arena well. Price - Depends on your activity. This concert was approximately $200 for 3 of us. And cashless parking costs $40 even after we pre-ordered our parking pass. Owner Comments - Congrats on your success since 1966. We used to be regular customers as we are/were fans of the Golden State Warriors, Oakland Raiders, and of course Oakland A's. I sure miss the affordable games. The good news is that I have gone back to visiting LV frequently, but you already know that because you are following. :) read more

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I was there for on Tuesday and Wednesday for the Seventeen concert. The staff was top notch, and my wife being ADA, that means a lot that het needs and wants are met when she attends a public venue We love how ADA ready they are for her. I just wish Ticketmaster would screen the ticket sales better for K-pop concerts, so scalpers can't buy the ADA seats. read more

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Went to go see Tame Impala. I was seriously impressed. The venue was very clean the staff and security were very friendly n helpful. The sound inside was out of this world. My overall experience was extremely satisfied. read more

I only come here when I have to. Like literally it's the only venue sometimes that plays the shows that I want to see so I'm forced to come here. I don't like it, though. The reasons I say this. The parking is well overpriced for what you get. When you end up in the VIP parking, which is a lot of money you end up in the very back when you have to leave the venue. It is extremely frustrating. Trying to get out after a concert because there is zero crowd control. Oh, speaking of crowd control you feel like a zoo animal and a herd when you try to leave a concert here. Of course you want to stay until the last act because that is the main event but everyone then of course rushes out and again there is no one helping with raw control. Literally security stands around the looks at you and there are people coming from all sides exit doors, and everything trying to get out. There's gotta be a better way. I don't know what but there's gotta be something. The event staff outside are also very rude to the vendors. I guess they don't want people to sell the hotdog dogs and T-shirts near a certain areas, but I saw one of the event staff kick a man's cart when he was trying to sell an honest hot dog. I thought that was really rude and gave him a nasty glare. They were just trying to make a living you know? The other thing I really don't like is that they have no options for just snacks. Literally if you want to eat something it's fried food. No popcorn or candy or anything small just to grab. I already had dinner beforehand. Just wanted some popcorn or something and there was nothing. That is a huge turn off because you can't bring your own food in. Sometimes you just want some red vines or something right? The Oakland Arena is a cashless venue as well to make sure you have your card and also be prepared to stand in long long long lines just to get water or use the restroom. The restrooms are also very smelly and not very clean. The seats themselves are pretty cramped, but if you've been here before, then you kind of know what to expect so get your seat on the aisle if you can or get a floor seat for a concert because you're gonna be squished and when you have to get up if you're in the middle of everyone it really isn't inconvenienced to everyone on your left or right. I give two stars for the sound system. I came to the Brandy and Monica concert and the sound was actually booming. I don't know if that was because the venue itself or because the artist and who they brought to do their sound, but whoever was behind the sound was awesome. I've heard people complain about the sound quality and I had no issues here. I was in the 100 section and had no complaints regarding the sound and being able to hear the acts. Overall, I'll give this place at two because it can be better. This is literally the only thing left in Oakland and so to preserve anything here y'all really needs to get it together city of Oakland! read more

crowded for the Kendrick concert after 5 years of him not releasing music, so very action-packed, lively, and passionate crowd. parking was easy if you bought a reservation pass and was safe to park throughout the night. security did their job to ensure that the flow through the check as well as your car through the entrance was smooth. big and bright lights, so easy to navigate the arena concessions. the difficult part was the seating because security did not let us know where it is to go with signs changing up on the marquee. it became unclear where to go especially with the scuffed-up painted numbers on the stairs and seats :/ read more

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Good time enjoying Disney on Ice with Family , great show and ease of location , seats , parking and staff were great . The downside is the cost of everything inside the arena , overpriced for everything. read more

Been to a handful of venues and Oakland arena is up there for its size. Even though I was in the 200 section, the set up of the venue doesn't make you feel too far from the stage. Parking is $40 tho rip read more

Oakland Arena - J-hope - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Oakland, California

Bummer. Used to be a great venue but now they never offer food or drinks, the parking situation is a mess as there are no attendants when you leave the venue. Even sold out shows offer no refreshments in the entire venue. Avoid any kind of show here if possible. read more

The Oakland Arena is super easy to access whether you drive or take BART. The venue is pretty to navigate once inside. The Oakland Arena is actually bigger than Chase Center, SAP Center, and Golden One in Sacramento. The venue is a bit long in the tooth and does need some updating and refreshing, but for the purposes of concerts, it's fine. read more

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Me and my husband came here to see Mäneskin - Rush! World Tour and it was awesome! Great acoustics and lights, and lots of security at the entrances that were very helpful in guiding us on where to go. Our seats were pretty far from the stage but we still had a great view plus the big screens were helping a lot. The downsides were 40$ parking and 18$ beer. Otherwise, 4.5 stars, and I would love to come back for more shows. read more

Oakland Arena - Maneskin concert at Oakland Arena - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Oakland, California

The neighborhood. I loved going there when I was younger. I saw several shows there, but now, it's a different place than when I used to go there. read more

Oakland Arena sucks, end of. Seeing Hans Zimmer has been a lifelong bucket list item, so my husband and I bought tickets the second they went on sale and treated ourselves to floor seats, maybe ten rows back from the stage. We knew it would be special. We arrived right at 7pm, when the doors opened for the 8pm show. Getting to the arena from SF on BART is easy, and I had memories of going to Warriors and A's games (thanks a lot, Fisher - BOOO) but that is where the magic ended. We got some concessions and found our seats, then .. just sat. At 8:30 it was announced that the gates were closed and that they would be re-opened as soon as possible. The arena was around 1/2 full. When the gates closed, no one on the security team could explain why. People inside the arena weren't allowed out, and people waiting outside couldn't get in. (I consider the folks inside lucky because ultimately nothing bad happened and we still had access to restrooms and concessions, things the people outside did not have.) The Arena made an announcement on social media that they'd post updates. There were no updates for 2 hours. Then there was an announcement that the gates were opened again and the show would be going on after all. (By this point, a lot of people had understandably left.) More attendees filed in, and the show started a little after 10pm. 25 minutes of the show ended up being cut, which isn't a huge deal given that we were safe. (At this point, almost two weeks later, there still has been NO announcement made by Oakland Arena about what occurred - official news sources say it was a bomb threat.) My husband and I missed the last BART back to SF. BART claims that they asked the arena to announce the last train time, which never happened. The walk to BART from the arena is around 15 minutes, so needless to say, we were never making that train. So instead we were told by BART to take an Uber. We did, and it was $180. We were pissed but knew there was another Hans Zimmer show the following week. We bought tickets, albeit not on the floor this time, and decided to try our luck again. (It's HANS ZIMMER, you guys.) The concession stands almost all refused to sell my husband a soda (I guess if you're sober, go fuck yourself?) and the prices are astronomical, as other reviews mention. The people running this place have really let it go since the Warriors left. I very much doubt I'll be back for another show; this was a once-in-a-lifetime artist so going twice was worth it, but I wouldn't do it for any other artist in the future. read more

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Not enough bathrooms. Feel a little unsafe when everyone is leaving. It's quite packed in tightly. But the arena itself is beautiful! read more

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For many years, I considered seeing Alicia Keys, back when she first started and performed in Berkeley. For whatever reason, I never had the opportunity or time to catch her in concert when she came to the Bay Area. When I saw the date for her stop at the Oakland Arena, I couldn't help but do a search for tickets. When I saw seats available in the section where my Warriors' tickets were, I clicked, "Buy". Not knowing the stage configuration, I knew it was a gamble HOW good the seats would be but it turned out perfect. The stage was at center court where she was "in the round" (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Sj9jZCTuUpZPXdrjAyQ-IA&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q); this staging always lends itself to be a more intimate experience for the audience. Her opening performer gave a solid 45-minute set before the main set started about twenty minutes later. When Ms. Keys took the stage, she opened with her 1st hit song, "Falling". For me, the highlights for the evening were her performances for "Girl On Fire" and later that New York song (Empire State of Mind); the photographic slide show while she sang this was probably touching for those from the East Coast. She also did a cover of the Eurythmics "Sweet Dreams" that got the crowd going; I saw that a night or two later in her LA area performance, Annie Lennox joined her in singing this. She closed the set with "No One", which became one HUGE singalong; the adrenaline rush when everyone sang together was electric. Her encore to close the show was "If I Ain't Got You" which was a continuation of the singalong for the avid fans who knew the song lyrics. Special note to a male dancer who joined her onstage and danced with her. Yes, she can dance too. I believe she ended the tour in Southern California and don't know what her next scheduled tour will begin. If you are a fan of her music, do see her live. You won't be disappointed. *** I originally started this review titled "Alicia - Keys to the Summer Tour" since it is about her tour but Yelp moved my draft into this business instead. read more

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My first time at the Oakland Arena for Bad Omens' Do You Feel Love tour and I was very impressed by how organized the venue was set up. Although, there were times when instructions were a bit confusing to follow but no big deal. I really liked how everyone waiting in line was required to follow security in a single file line the entire duration leading up to the opening of the venue. Once inside, the venue's ac was on full blast and security had a rope that the concert goers were required to line up behind (horizontally), and then would made us take baby steps until the rope reached the barricade. This allowed for a very calm and smooth transition, as I have been to other big venues where security will just allow people to run to the barricade, resulting in chaos. Security also handed out free room temp bottled water to the people in the pit that requested it, which was really nice as most venues that I have been to don't do this. Water at the bar cost $10 for a cup of iced cold Aquafina, so if you know you'll be in the pit and will be close enough to the barricade to flag down a security for some bottled water, I recommend doing that instead. Overall, great venue and I would definitely come back. read more

Has the pleasure of visiting this venue to attend an Ateez concert! Easy drive from San Jose to Oakland. Right off the exit and into the parking lot. It was easy to maneuver through to check in with validated parking and took only about 5 minutes to find parking when the lot seemed full. It took about 10 minutes to get through security checks, and the security check was fast and straightforward. We easily found what gate and what section we needed to sit in. They have different areas for service whether it's food or alcoholic drinks, so that's accessible. The only caveat is that water bottles have to be uncapped for safety reasons. We had an okay time getting out without any trouble despite the long queue of cars. read more

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