PNC Pavilion

Horrible traffic control when leaving a concert. Way too long for only 15,000 people. I’ve seen 200,000 people controlled better while leaving.

Well, where to begin? We decided to spring for row J in the pit of PNC Pavillion which should be great seats, right? The seats were pretty good, yay! Now, the aging hippie woman in front of us decided to stand on the seat of her folding chair. Really? We point this infringement out to the usher who promptly taps her and does a disgusted eye roll toward hippie granny. Effective, she hops down and we can now see the stage again! Strangers around us thank me profusely!
The folding chairs in the pit section are cushioned and comfortable. The problem for me is that they are placed so closely together that one can not pass through the row to access the aisle. People were literally falling on top of each other to exit the aisle.
It was a warm night and while the BigAss ceiling fans (brand name, no kidding) are installed in the rear of the venue, there was little air circulation in the forward section. It was very hot in the pit seats, uncomfortable and seemingly preventable.
Why no descent food options at PNCPavillion. I don’t care for fast food/​junk food, but that is the only option. If you don’t eat pizza, coneys or hot dogs, you’re out of luck! Yuck.
Lastly, really wished we saw Bob Dylan 40 years ago, his discombobulated mumbling was really tough to listen to and is the reason we left after 3 songs… I am a fan and have enjoyed several of his older albums over the years. My husband actually thinks he might be laughing at us ticket paying customers. Yes, it seemed crazy to have paid for this unfortunate experience. I did not even recognize his most recognizable songs. Well, we certainly beat the exiting traffic!

i am the duke here for a reason.
the reason? it is way better than riverbend proper.
intimate, no bad seats, easy access and killer bands. this is my outdoor venue of choice. from weird al to tony bennet to bush to perfect circle to widespread panic — it works for all of them.
4 stars because the beer prices are outrageous. of course, i’m gonna pay, so i suppose i shouldn’t complain.

PNC is ok. The screens need to be upgraded. other than that the sound is ok — the sight lines are excellent.
PNC is far better seating at Riverbend so if you can afford it this is the way to go. The seats are small and frankly for the Pops I don’t like the venue but for Rock Concerts or large public speaking events it’s doable. Just ingore the barge horns as they pass by on the river…

I am a fan of much smaller venues, such as Bogarts or the Madison Theater. However, for an outdoor concert venue, the PNC Pavilion is a much better alternative than Riverbend, particularly if you prefer more intimate concerts. It is located on the property of Riverbend seats a little over 4,000, I believe. There is a pit section and no lawn seating.
I have now seen The Fray and Ray Lamontagne perform, and I have also seen President Obama speak. I have been lucky enough to snag seats in the lower sections for each event, but they do have two screens for those who are closer in the back.
The venue has access to the same exact bathrooms and concession stands as the main stage at Riverbend, and, in addition, there is a PNC lounge for PNC bank members, along with another bar as well.
This summer they are also offering free wine and beer tastings before 3 selected concerts. Ray was one such concert where there was a beer tasting sponsored by Time Warner Cable. You received 4 free samples with your ticket and were able to purchase additional tastings and you could purchase a bottle or can of all of the beers offered for $ 7. (Side note: I now highly recommend Hell or High Watermelon from the 21^st Amendment Brewery)
The next two tastings are both wine and more information can be found on their website!