Amy C.
Yelp
I'll start with the positives, as there are a scant few things the venue does well. The place is clean, and the sound quality for the artists is excellent. The performers themselves were fantastic, which is a big reason we went.
They also have a free water refilling station, which is a nice touch and much appreciated. The staff, for the most part, are friendly teenagers who don't know what the deuce they are doing, but try to be helpful (though they're clearly limited by the venue's policies).
That said, our experience at this amphitheater was incredibly disappointing, especially compared to past visits. I used to love coming here for shows, but this time was a far cry from those enjoyable days.
We arrived early, but parking was a nightmare. We were stuck in a distant lot with no clear signage or assistance for accessibility needs. My husband is not "disabled" but does have mobility issues, where he is unable to walk long distances due to a knee injury. There is no infrastructure to help--no shuttles and no clear directions for accessible parking (which apparently costs extra anyway). The long walk to the venue was grueling for him, and completely avoidable with better planning.
Once we got to the entrance, we were hit with a barrage of restrictive rules. Gone are the days when you could bring lawn chairs or a reasonably sized bag. Now, bags must be clear and smaller than 12x6x12 inches. Anything else? You're forced to check it for $10 and then pay another $20 for a clear bag if you want to bring your stuff inside. Oh, and forget bringing your own lawn chairs--they're banned too. Conveniently, the venue rents chairs for $20 each. It feels like a blatant cash grab.
And the price gouging doesn't stop there. Food items were outrageously priced at $17-$20, and cocktails were a staggering $24-$28. It's hard to enjoy a show when you feel like you're being fleeced at every turn.
The bag check process was so slow that, despite arriving nearly an hour early, we missed the start of the opening act. That set a sour tone for the evening. By the time we settled in, we were so frustrated that it took most of the performance to even start enjoying ourselves.
The seating was another major issue. The chairs are tiny, cramped, and incredibly uncomfortable, even for someone of average size. It made relaxing during the show nearly impossible.
The bathroom situation was just as bad. The line for the restroom stretched what felt like forever--easily 20 yards long. Some of the men in our group ended up avoiding it entirely and resorting to the bushes near our car after the show. Keep in mind, we needed the bathroom when we arrived, but the wait was so ridiculous we gave up.
Leaving was its own ordeal. My husband (the one with mobility issues) struggled to make it back to the car. We asked staff about getting a golf cart or some assistance, and while the youths seemed willing to help, the chaotic parking lot setup made it impossible. The traffic flow was so poorly organized that we couldn't even drive up to pick up my group, forcing my husband to endure a painful walk.
Unless there's an absolute must-see artist I can't catch elsewhere, I won't be back to Cascades Amphitheater (or whatever they are calling it this week). This experience was so frustrating and rotten that I wish zero stars was an option. It's a resounding NO from me, dawg.