The Greek Theater
Pictures still to come...
The Greek Theater
2001 Gayley Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720
Rock Talk USA Review
We love The Greek Theater in Berkeley. Whether it's the beautiful design of the theater, the fantastic sound and lighting system or it's long, rich history, The Greek Theater is our favorite outdoor venue in Northern California. With a capacity of 8,500, the assigned seating is folding chairs with general admission lawn seating above. Assigned seating is a little close, but with the size of the venue and the slope of the arena, the views of the stage are exceptional. There are several areas to purchase food and snacks; with vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options. The food we have had there is far superior to most outdoor venues. Alcoholic drinks are limited to beers, wines and ciders.
If you have never been to The Greek Theater, you are missing out on a great venue. With the cool Berkeley evenings, the renowned artists that perform and the amazing venue itself, it is someplace we always look forward to going to.
Some of the popular musical artists that have performed at the venue include Robert Plant & The Sensational Space Shifters, Bob Dylan, Talking Heads, Grateful Dead, Elvis Costello, John Legend, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Genesis, R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Joan Baez, Placido Domingo, Mumford & Sons, James Taylor, Adele, B.B. King, and Dave Matthews Band.
The Greek Theater History
The William Randolph Hearst Greek Theatre – the longest-running outdoor amphitheater in the country – opened on September 24, 1903 with a student performance of Aristophanes’ “The Birds”. Construction was financed by newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst, after whom the venue bears its name. Through the first half of the 20th century, the venue saw many incredible moments — President Theodore Roosevelt gave the inaugural commencement speech in 1903 and Mario Savio led the free speech protests on the UC Berkeley campus with a pivotal speech at the Greek in ’64. In the 1960s, the Greek Theatre emerged as a space for concerts and festivals.