Credit Union 1 Arena

We came to see Rainbow Kitten Suprise. The staff were all very kind and accommodating. The venue was massive, with enough room for everyone to have space on the dance floor! The staff were also very knowledgeable in directing us where we needed to go. If there are future concerts here that I wish to see, I look forward to having the same great experience that I had here tonight!

Pretty Cool Arena For Shows & Concerts. Any Seat Seems To Be A Good Seat To See An Event. On The Main Floor The Seats Are A Little Tight, But Adaptable. Good Arena Lighting & A Clean Comfortable Environment.

My wife and I love to enjoy good entertainment. We are avid concert guests. This was our first experience with this venue and we were very pleased with it! We arrived early, paid $20.00 for convenient and safe packing. Security was highly visible with is always a plus. Inside the venue was clean with ample staff. The show had a great M.C. who was very entertaining and kept the crowd entertained 🤣. The Entertainers themselves...We were Blown away by the performances!!! There's something special about the emotional world they took us to. I could feel the love they each have for their craft 🤎💯

Parked at the free lot closest to the entrance but farthest from the venue. The walk actually wasn't bad and leaving the concert was easy because we were ahead of all the cars. There are multiple gates to the arena but gates 1 and 2 close halfway through the event so plan to go to gate 3. Like others have said, the drink prices are pretty ridiculous but it's a part of the experience. We ordered a Watermelon Jalapeno Margarita that was served in the shaker. The shaker made a nice little reusable memento. We came for TLC and Shaggy's summer tour and the sound quality was really good! It actually far surpassed my expectations. There was no feedback, no weird echo, no muffling no matter where we moved! We had a great time!

It’s a good place for a show or concert. The parking is across the street, very convenient. Even there’s a fee for parking, I always appreciate when the venue provide it. However, the food court is not so good. Eat before you get there!

Awesome time here. Finding seats was actually was easier than I had thought. We saw Rainbow Kitten Surprise and it was absolutely awesome. Recommend going!

I was not a fan. Would go back for a great show but not a fan. People were smoking in the building during a show. Weed cigarettes whatever you could puff was present and no one cared. I should have put up one of my cigars but I digress.

Show was great. The seats were so close together would be my only complaint.

Saw The Strokes last night. The sound was terrible (probably the worst sounding arena I've ever been to). Most of the concessions were cash only. Massive lines everywhere. Bottom line, the whole thing seemed incompetently run. Won't come back here again.

What a disaster. I would never recommend seeing a show here. They are horrific to people who have issues with accessibility. Not ADA compliant. Completely rude and dismissive of people who need to access the elevator. The staff I talked to for help were jerks. I have absolutely nothing positive to say about them and hope that management gets a big wake-up call on the ADA front. Parking is also a disaster. Be ready to shuttle far from the venue and be packed into a bus. Ditch this dump entirely and opt for a show elsewhere--you'll be MUCH better off for it.

We went to see a concert here last night. It was not sold out and the upper balconies were blocked off. Ie, they place was nowhere near capacity. Show was fine and it was pretty easy to get to the venue. The issue was food and drink. Lines for alcohol were insane. There are several huge concession areas with nachos and soft drinks. They don't serve any kind of alcohol at all. You could walk up and order. Zero lines, tons of workers. Alcohol is served at small kiosks in the walkways. And lines wrapped endlessly. First time we got drinks was before the first opener and it took about 25 minutes. There were just two women dispensing beer/seltzer cans but they also had to make mixed drinks. This slowed things to a crawl. Sadly, we were limited and came back for another round after the first opener. We tried to find a better kiosk but all seemed the same. We picked one and waited. 40 minutes later we got to the front and found out they were out of everything but beer and the more expensive mixed drinks. Two tickets were $160 with $50 of that in fees. Drinks $15. Seems like for that price it might be worth it to hire more people or dispense drinks with food. We would have gotten a third round but we'd never have seen the concert. I hope artists see this and avoid this venue.

Horrible! This place sbould NEVER host a show that can sell out! They are the only arena that has stands that accept cash only and as you would think that's a great thing it is Not because the ATM was " out of order" and lines for anything and everything were as crazy as they ever are! Literally took us like an hour in line to get to the bar..,absolutely ridiculous! Nobody outside could tell us where we should be or where to go to get in the building...this place is a joke,. Whether concessions, alcohol, merchandise or bathrooms get ready to stand in some stupid line for at least 30-40 minutes. This place SUCKS!

A week ago I attended Jack White's Chicago show on his Supply Chain Issues tour. Overall, the show itself was a hell of a good time. His band were exceptionally talented old pros who wowed us over, Jack White was energetic and seemed to have an automatic connection with the crowd, plus he was just fun to watch move around physically with his trusty six strings. Here's what I can say the about the venue itself though: When I saw a concert several years ago at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, I had thought to myself that was the worst sounding acoustics I had ever heard in any place, plus I thought it was a very dismal and worn down event center. Sadly, I was completely wrong when I experienced the former UIC Pavilion, now dubbed the Credit Union 1 Arena. The acoustics were atrocious as could be. Tickets for one of Detroit's finest were expensive as it was, 68 dollars for upper seats. But with the sound so bad to the point that I couldn't understand a single word Jack White sang in each song, I honestly felt pretty ripped off. But with nosebleed seats, I was in the unfortunate position to have steel beams blocking my view. Plus, it looked like there was mold growing on all over these beams, like moss on the base of an old oak tree. Yikes! In addition, everything fixture wise in the place was quite noticeably outdated. The souvenir stands, concession stands, the stiff and tight plastic seats, and the sinks and toilets in the bathroom. They were just an eye sore. Plus, concession stands were just abominably priced. 12 dollars for a water and 15 bucks for a beer?!?! Oh hell, no!! However, I will say a noticeable silver lining was that the staff were solid and professional people who were very well mannered and super helpful. To give credit where credit was due, kudos to the heads of this arena. Plus, I have seen people throw the security staff under the bus and with some mud in their eyes at the same time on Yelp. I felt security where fair but firm with my time there. They were visibly strict, but not at all overly impolite. Bottom line: I really can't see myself attending another show there again. Unless it was someone as a big as Bon Jovi or The Cure. I could be wrong but I feel the majority of the events held there prohibit cell phones. That was the way it was at Jack White, however that was due to his own request. If you personally make the decision to see a solid band or stand up comic in person there, I do hope it's worthwhile night and you get your money's worth.

I was at credit one Arena for a medical school graduation. Upon purchasing some concession stand items, I informed the cashier that they had overcharged me by $1. The menu board on site said the Bavarian pretzel was $7... I was charged $8. When the cashier informed the manager, she simply shrugged her shoulders and changed the price on the board. She refused to give me my dollar back. To top it off, the pretzel was room temperature... Never heated. What a rip off.

Went to see Katt Williams and the arenas is tight! The sound is poor not easy to hear the performers. The stairs are super steep and seats are very small close together it's uncomfortable and unpleasant. The concession stands are beyond understaffed, the lines are super long. At least 10-15 minutes wait to buy any snacks or drinks. It's definitely not a pleasant venue to go to. Will only go if I really needed to see a certain performance or show. Otherwise would not be going back there.

Let me be clear, this building will ALWAYS be close and dear to my heart and FOREVER known to me as the UIC PAVILLION. I witnessed the expansion CHICAGO SKY play one of their first games at the pavillion. It has been written that some of the greatest fans in WNBA history attended games at the UIC Pavillion that can't be said about the Allstate Arena (formerly the Rosemont Horizon) or their current home Wintrust Arena. I know both arenas were bigger and better in a lot of ways but neither of them have had the same electric feeling as games that were played at the UIC pavillion. So call it what you want but while the name has changed so has the atmosphere because the sky no longer reside there but it will always be special to me despite the name. Eat, Drink, and Be Merry, my Friends!!!!

Came here for a college basketball game - UIC vs. Golden Grizzlies. We came to support Golden Grizzlies and obviously out-of-towners and first timers coming to the Credit Union 1 Arena. I was very impressed! We took an Uber to the arena, so I cannot say how the parking situation goes. There is a security checkpoint with metal detectors but this went quickly. Will call was easy to pick up our tickets. The concourse does not do a full circle around but instead is a horseshoe. The concourse is great and has good food/drink option. Alcoholic beverages include beer and wine. They also had smoothies which was delicious and the staff were friendly. Food options were good and enough to have a decent lunch. However, prices as one would expect is a little high. The stadium is a great size for mid-major basketball and the arena was even better for game day fan experience. The arena had something for fans throughout the whole game and as an opposing fan - it was even a great time!

Oh dear, the sponsorship name attached to Credit Union 1 Arena is so awkward! Hey after all these years this is still the UIC Pavilion to me. Every seat in the house is a good seat to catch some UIC Flames college basketball action.

First : the line to get in was down the block Hint: there is "No" Line Walk up to the doors there is @10 Doors not one. People why was there a Line? . Security was Ok But ticket checkers let people walk right in between, fix the gaps.....Seating Sucks Big TIME. Chairs are small for a average person and some were broken really ?!.!. You got people in the rafters looking at a out of focus screen and looking between the metal beams WTH and they are paying for this? Then Kat Williams only does 30-40 minutes because he was late adding all these unnamed comedians, knowing that Chi-City has a Curfew of 11:00pm. I will never go back for event here. People were complaining as they were leaving, this was terrible. Only bright spot was Lunell and Mark Curry.

If I could give it less than 1 star I would. Came here for an A Day To Remember concert but was turned away at the door by security because of my small purse. Venue website didnt specify that they were not allowing bags in on their website. Tickets didnt mention it either. When I went to security, the head security just used his hand as a way to measure my purse. Official signs outside didnt mention that small purses werent allowed. Only thing showing this were papers on the doors that looked like they taped up last minute. Also they posted it on twitter that only 2k people follow. No emails or anything. Girls were throwing out their purses or leaving them some where near the doors in hopes that it doesnt get stolen. Left the venue, cold and wet from the rain. Writing this up as I wait for another two hours for my Metra train ride home. To concert goers, avoid this venue. Aside from their awful security, I learned seats are small and sound is bad. To promoters, avoid booking your shows here, even if it's cheap to rent. They will treat your customers badly which will hurt your talent.

I think they charge way to much to sit in fold up chairs crammed like a bunch of sardines

Unorganized. 1. Participants of event were herded into venue like CATTLE. No designated line, just pushing and shoving your way in. 2. the venue. We had floor seats, which...I thought would be a bit on the nicer said, considering what we paid for the seats. Ummm no. Metal chairs with the seat numbers TAPED to the back. Obviously that did not work and people were getting their chair mixed up. Caused some tension. Not to mention how completely chipped and cracked said chairs were. Embarrassing. Prompters. Really made no sense, there were 2 large prompters that WORKED, however, instead of showing the acts on stage, for those who were sitting down, they showed animated pics of things like the chicago skyline, someone driving downtown? And a big..purple. PAINT BLOB?! Soooo strange. Felt awful for my 60 year old mother who did not want to stand ALL NIGHT but had no choice because nothing was on the promoter. Not to mention the main with a CANE that could barely stand, while watching the Ojays. It was sad and TOTALLY UNFRIENDLY TO THOSE WITH CERTAIN DISABILITIES. Never again.

Sound was a little soft at A Perfect Circle and the roof of this place is right on top of your head. I would avoid even top few rows of the lower mezzanine as the roof above seemed to obstruct sound and space. Also, the hallway was one giant line of people in line trying to buy drinks. It was annoying. p.s.: I got kicked out for taking this lame pic after first encore maynard. It was a great show though.

Screw this place Made the mistake of picking a event here for New Year's Saturday night comedy show with three of my favorite comedians I'm not too familiar with this Arena it was our first time here and the parking and the security is absolutely ridiculous its worse than Soldier Field and United Center combined Picture this it's about 20 degrees icy cold wind whipping on your head you cannot find a lot to park your car into when you do it's maybe about 10 minutes Drive and 20 minutes walk we got on the shuttle bus we got on at Halsted and Polk from the remote lot still paid full price which was $20 got on the bus but the bus was in some heavy Traffic we decided to get off with several other ticket holders to walk to the theater itself when we got to the theaters it was only a handful of doors open which we were still waiting to get in it was about 8:40 which was 40 minutes late from a 8pm start They search your bag they search your person even go through metal detectors I don't know what type of people they expect to come through these doors or maybe some serious criminals have walked through these doors before but I am neither I don't appreciate all this top notch security and then you come out and somebody still smoking weed I don't know if they're scared of the people that reside on the west side but it was absolutely ridiculous making you 40 minutes late for concert you arrive on time we missed one of the comedians it was just a night I would like to forget far as this theater experience The Comedians themselves for awesome they're professionals but this Arena I will absolutely never ever step foot inside and I will caution any other person not to

I came to the pre-valentines day concert. concert was great johnny gill Ralph the ojays Frankie Beverly and maze loved it. My complaint is facilitybitself. I learned a good lesson if you can't sit on the main floor it's going to be a terrible experience. I was in 216 and the seats were so tight together I constantly got leg cramps. I'm sure this was on purpose to pack in as many people as possible not cringing your comfortable or if it's dangerous one wrong step and you are falling over several seats. The security check to get in was like TSA at the airport. long long lines and waits.

If you have back balcony seats this is going to be your view a bunch of metal beams that look like they have something growing on them but besides the point. Tickets said obstructed view but I did not think to this extent you can't evensee the two large jumbo screens at all so the whole show you're basically staring at a 1 inch person on the stage . The stairs are so steep and no lighting pretty dangerous. Only positive thing of the night was convenient parking and no lines walked in pretty quick. But definitely not worth the $80 I spent! Never again!!

Not a bad venue, though I liked it better when it was called the UIC Pavilion. I've been to graduations, concerts, hockey games and it's not bad for any of these things. The seats are not the most comfortable, but I'm a fat guy. The restrooms are pretty clean and well thought out, it's pretty accessible and the staff is good about people who aren't that mobile. Standard anti-terrorism security measures so don't bring any weapons and try to minimize the amount of metal you have with your to improve your entry ease. For a speaking engagement, sound is a bit wonky, it's too loud in some places but up where handicapped seating is on the main floor it can be hard to hear a speaker (like at graduation) if a couple of security officers feel the need to carry on a loud conversation in the hallway. The generation that was raised with ear buds in all the time has trouble with two way radio volume I guess. Parking is not great around here, there isn't quite enough room in the UIC parking lot across the street so I would arrive early. Not far from the train, but too far if you've got an 85 year old with you.

Honestly - I was quite skeptical of this place before attending a concert here but in the end I realized it was a rather great venue. I saw Sam Smith and had GA tickets. They didn't overly sell out the floor so we were able to move a bit and not feel like we were stepping all over people, which is nice at a concert venue. As for acoustics: either Sam has a perfect voice of the acoustics here were really good. Honestly it could be both. It was a bit smaller than other music venues I've been to but it worked perfectly for Sam Smith.

We saw Katt Williams here in March 2016 and it was a great venue for a large comedy show. I hadn't been to an arena style stand up comedy show so wasn't sure what to expect, especially since our seats were on the side. It worked out well with the size and placement of the stage. We took the L but parking seemed to be a nightmare before and after the show so I suggest public transportation. There is a Blue line stop just a block away from the venue. From Basketball to arena football to political rally's to comedy shows, the UIC pavilion has a great line up and doesn't just cater to their student population. In fact I'd say most shows are attended by the general public rather than UIC students. If you are a UIC student, there is typically a discount on tickets for shows and games with your student ID.

By far the most uncomfortable arena I've been in. You're crammed in your seats like sardines. Legroom doesn't exist.

Katt Williams was in the building for his Conspiracy Theory show and I figured I probably should be too. My seat, section 109, row J, seat 17 was close enough and 2 seats from the end of the row. The seats are small and uncomfortable, especially when seated next to a 6ft 200+ lb grown man who was not my date but damn near all in my seat. Katt was great as always but I would prefer not to venture to UIC for anything anymore

The remarks about ticketing being weird was consistent with my experience attending the Loyola-UIC basketball game, though it wasn't too hard to work out. The big issue is that the location is quite far from any other amenities. If you want pregame food and drink, you have to venture about a half mile south to Taylor Street to find that. And since their concessions are limited, crowded and struggle with credit cards, you probably will want to eat beforehand. It's right near the Racine Blue Line stop, which is helpful. UIC basketball isn't exactly the hottest ticket in town, so parking (while it will cost you) should be easy to acquire. The fans aren't the most enthusiastic there is, though granted the team's performance hasn't really sold anyone (at our game the Loyola visiting fans almost seemed to outnumber UIC's). Tickets are quite pricey for this team and for the number of seats available. The PA announcer is alright but the use of music clips and contests/promotions during breaks was far over the top, more obnoxious than an NBA game. They might be doing themselves a favor if they cut way down on that stuff. The halftime show is fine, but everything else needs the volume turned way down. The UIC fans who did attend, to their credit, did warm up and get into the game as things progressed. But when the team ran out for warmups those fans were dead silent. The school band showed some talent and energy, and were probably one of the highlights. The team has a new coach and is showing improvement. If UIC can reduce the prices and the unrelated noise, maybe they can improve the attendance as well.

Security check took my crossbody" you can leave it here but it probably won't be here when you come back" then she laughed.."she said it probably ddnt cost much anyway".then she said "you can walk it to your car..it is numerous ppl here with fanny packs crossbodys big purse...rude now I have lost my ID and covid card. Her partner apologized for her behavior..but I'm still without my ID covid card and crossbody....most embarrassing experience

Great venue for church services! Every seat is an excellent seat and the sound quality (acoustics) are phenomenal. John Hannah commands the venue with a spirit filled fervor!

Very uncomfortable seats! The seats are very narrow with very little legroom. The location is good - very near a CTA stop and parking. The restrooms are clean. The sound system and acoustics are adequate.

"Oy vey! my back!" That is what your back will be saying when you sit in this venue's seat for any length of time. Resolution? See a good band that you can stand and sway to. A nice size venue (8k?) that would work for Goldilocks, not too big, not too small, but just right. Venue Pro - Easy to get into, easy to get out of. Venue Con - seat designation is very confusing, aisle 105, section 106 wait what?! Which is it? Another con - some lower section seating towards the back (higher alphabet) can be slightly obstructed viewing without any indication when purchasing the tickets. Another con - lower section seating towards the back (higher alphabet) - the hallway traffic can be extremely distracting and the fact that they do not draw the current when the event starts does not help. At The Cure, they did not draw curtains until at least half way through the concert. What's the point? Also you get the loiterers that stand behind you in the hall and watch the show from the hall. One plus of sitting in this area is if you happen to be next to the bathrooms, a skip and a hop makes leaving to relieve yourself and returning a breeze. Some helpful tips - given the fact that they do not draw the curtain for the performance, you could technically buy a cheaper seat in the upper section, arrive early, find a table in the hallway with a view you like and just camp out at the table and watch the show. Another helpful tip - get your drink on beforehand at the Wise Owl across the highway (4 minute walk) and save some money over the $9/$10 beer at venue.

Cane here for a graduation and a couple of other events. The seats are small but the place is big and clean. Will come again.

Home of the Windy City Rollers. Good venue, with good visibility. Didn't feel crowded or claustrophobic. Plenty of clean bathrooms and well organized concession stands. I thought the graphics on the LED strip that ran around the venue itself were really well designed. And there's something cool about seeing "LEAD JAMMER" scroll around. However . . . $6.50 for a Bud Light? Pass. I'll save my wallet and my liver and eschew the beers, no big deal. And $5 for a hot dog? I'll pass those up too and blame a high price for not eating something I oughta cut down on anyway, and am. The problem I had with this venue was the Will Call area. And I'd likely not have this problem in summer. But, it is winter out, and it's a bit chilly. Will Call is over to the side of the main entrance, and you have to wait outside to claim your internet-purchased-at-a-discount tickets. Brr. It'd be good if they could move this operation indoors in cold weather. There is nearby, secure parking, but you can find something for free if you cruise around a bit, which we did.

Back when I was in high school and a little bit after, this was the place the high school Public League Championship (final 4) took place. It has since been moved to the United Center in the early 2000s. I have watched numerous basketball games in this establishment and all have been good. I was lucky enough to be offered a ticket last Friday for Friday Night Fights featuring Mike Tyson as a promoter. I actually got to see Mike very close as I was in the third row. I also got to meet former World Champ Oliver McCall & former Bears player Jerry Azumah....def made for a good time. Beer in this joint was higher than Wrigley prices which is crazy...a flask may have to come into play next time..lol. Staff here was really nice and personable. Decent venue for high school, college & miscellaneous sporting events

Obviously this facility depends on the venue you opted to do see, but there are a few things that are under their control and consistently bad; vending area are slow and understaffed; bathrooms are scarce and dirty; security is nil. Opted for a different venue, if at all possible. However there are a couple of annual events that I am obligated to attend at this facility. Too bad because I would go elsewhere if I could.

Watched the Power Share Tennis tournament and had a fun time. The stadium is a typical college space and I was pleasantly surprised that they were very organized. I will certainly come back next year.

The ONLY reason this place even got two stars is because the acoustics are good & due to the size even the "nosebleed" seats aren't too bad - The Cure was absolutely amazing here on Friday, June 10th. Otherwise I give it zero stars for being too crowded, hot, and disorganized. First off - their security is a joke. Patting down men and only checking women's purses while having no metal detectors is not a way to prevent weapons. So a woman couldn't possibly be strapped? Ok, then. If I was a performer I wouldn't trust my safety to this facility. Also, unless I missed it, there are only two bathrooms for each of the sexes in this entire place. Really? For 9000+ (if at capacity) people? I was in the balcony where there are no bathrooms and trying to get to one was nearly an exercise in futility! I didn't even bother after the show because it would have taken an hour. All the other elevated sections had lights over the stairways except ours. Apparently replacing a light bulb is too difficult for this place. So during the opening act we were blinded by all the people using the flashlight on their phones to illuminate the stairs to locate their row. Even if the stairs had been illuminated it's tough to see the row letters and the section designations could be better too. I can't tell you how many people would initially sit in our section (214) when their tickets were actually for the one over (215). I've never been to a venue during the summer that was so stuffy and warm before. I was actually hot and I'm always cold. WTF? Are they too cheap to turn on the air conditioning? People I know who traveled out of town were calling this place a dump and they weren't wrong. On top of everything, due to the lack of organization and no such thing as traffic flow, I couldn't even find the line to purchase an overpriced $5 bottle of water. So not only are the organizers of this facility bad at their jobs they are stupid and losing money. I hope The Cure never plays this venue again so I never have to step foot inside it for the rest of my life.

@ Chicago Wingfest. It's bananas in here!! People and chicken for days !! Every chicken wing flavor you can imagine!! Pretty freakin awesome!! This is the event to be if you love wings and the variety of flavors.

Ive been to many concerts but this place was awful. My boyfriend and I stayed in downtown Chicago to go to the a day to remember concert. It was raining. We were walking to the pavilion. Checked the website before we left(about 3 hours before) and found the no bag policy so I was able to make sure I didnt bring my bag, which I thought was silly that you couldn't bring in anything bigger than an 4x6some odd inch bag. Walked to the place about 2 miles. In the pouring down rain with put umbrellas that I just purchased that day due to the weather. Get to the doors, and security tells me I have to wait to go in because they dont know the umbrella policy. I wait, and they tell me I can't bring in umbrellas. My boyfriend and I had to set the 30.00 worth of umbrellas off to the side(they told us to set it on top of a trash can). Of course, they were not there when we left. The security told us it might be in a bag sitting outside, no luck. Awful notice. I'm still heated about this the next day even. Wont be going back.

Show was great but it was so darn hot inside! Where was the ac?? We were by a vent but never any air coming out!!! Hope no one I really want to see does a show there!

I'm out of town visiting family and attending a graduation and let me tell you that I have experienced the worst customer service of my life! Seats were section off by a purple curtain and I just asked if I could go around to sit next to my family instead of making the entire row with elderly people get up and I was told by the ushers I couldnt. That I couldn't be allowed pass the purple curtain (which by the way only had more seats) and i could only go down by jumping the seats. So I did and I lost my balance and fell. The ushers didn't help or asked if u needed medical attention. Now I have my legs all bruised and I'm in pain. No apology was given nor any care for my safety! Apparently customer service isn't a priority for ushers! Will never set foot in this place.

Coming for the Windy City Rollers, I probably did the opposite of many. I didn't buy anything except a ticket to the bout. Yep. That's it. However, there are some really nice things that you can say about this place. Parking that is convient right across the street, its well lit so you don't feel like your car will get a smash and grab. Unless you have a big sign with flashing lights that point to your car and say "Take My GPS System Please!!!" Plenty of space, plenty of bathrooms, convience stands and beer vendors, (well that last one is great if you drink beer). Pretty much every seat is a good view for the bout. Staff was friendly and smiling as well as helpful... but c'mon.. can't I take a phone call outside and come back in? No!? Dang it....

Negs: $5 hot dog. $5 Diet Pepsi. Having Pepsi in the first place. $13 parking. Grouchy staff. Pros: Windy City Rollers now play here! Most seats are good seats. Easily accessible by public transportation. (Ashland bus, namely) It's a decent enough venue, and I'm very happy the WCR has a place to call home in the city, but it's just like any other money -grubbin', large seating establishment. Nickel and dime the HELL out of you for everything and anything possible. Eh, such is life I suppose....It's a manageable space, fairly easy to navigate. GO WCR!

I've had the opportunity to come here a couple of times, once for the Windy City Rollers (awesome) and most recently, to check out the Chicago Sky. The seats are pretty good (you can see the action pretty up-close and personal) and there is ample parking in a lot across the street (but ouch, $13 is highway robbery, seriously). Tips to you: Carpool or take public transportation, smuggle your own snacks in (I refuse to pay $5 for a candy bar, no matter how much whining my little sis does directly into my ear) or eat beforehand, and bring your cheering voice. A good time, for sure, but I just want to know why all sporting events (even ones that seem to sparsely attended) need to charge $5 for a stupid hot dog. Ugh. It's offensive. So I protest by not eating their overpriced food. You should too.

Came here to support a friend's boxing event. Seating all around the pavilion appear to be good. They can definitely improve their security as I was informed a stranger was harassing my friend and his party in the locker rooms.

This is my university's sports arena, so I can't be too down on it. It's a fun place to go for sports and other stuff of that variety. Graduations are held here, which is convenient and allows for everyone to come and sit comfortably (there's like 89999 people at the LAS graduation). Really nice television system so that you can see everything that is going on. I've seen one concert here and, even though it's not the small environment that I enjoy for concerts, it was still a good show and I had fun. We also saw Barack Obama here in early 2007 and it was a really great time. Most of the seats were blocked off so that everyone was just on one side of the pavilion. We were really close to the stage and it was really great. Since the pavilion isn't that big, you're never that far away from the action in the center of the floor.

OK at best... Crowded halls, messy bathrooms and meh... seats. I went to see Rise Against with a buddy a while back and am finally reviewing this place, it was THAT unimpressive(The Venue, NOT Rise Against). Here's the skinny: Small halls get crowded. Bathrooms are a mess but, hey... porta potties. Seats were kinda small and really really cramped together. Non-smoking but, good to go in the nose bleeds. Here's the fat: The halls to and from the seating area are pretty narrow considering it's a Sport/Concert/Whatever Else venue. Add to that the beer stands, food stands, t-shirt vendors and miscellaneous other vendors which ALL come with those fancy little stanchions to form neat little lines... YA crowd city there. Good luck on NOT getting bumped and nudges and then spilling your beer on that chick that you're inadvertently grinding on because of the guy(with questionable intent?) behind you, grinding on you... Get like 6 beers at the beginning, bring the to your seats and just drink 'em warm later... you'll have more beer to drink, rather than spillage and a ticked of chica. Bathrooms are a mess, especially at concerts. I cant really fault them too much for that but, still... when there's piles of crumpled up paper towels on the floor and a urinal that just won't stop flushing and overflowing, I think it's time to get a better sanitation contractor. There are porta potties outside though... let's not even get into THAT. We all know porta johns. The seats are REALLY packed in there, especially up top. Holy crap, where is one to put their elbows? Tuck 'em in? Alas... there are some seats with a decent amount of room... not "much" more room but, enough that you can get half an elbow out from your ribs. It's a non-smoking venue... that said, it's non-smoking if you get caught. There's an outdoor area to smoke but, if it's cold or the show is too good or hell if you just don't care, go to the nose bleed section. Plenty of smokers up there hanging out by the roof vents and such. All in all though the UIC isn't terrible, nor is it great. It's just a place where concerts happen and if another band I like happens to be there, so will I. SYOY

My first experience at the UIC Pavillion was for Friday Night Fight this past weekend. We won the tickets at a TV taping this week, so that may or may not affect my rating since it was free. Our seats were in the 114 section and we were really close to the action. The only downside was that the ESPN camera man was standing in the corner of the ring, so there were several times we weren't able to see the fight and ended up watching it on the screen on the wall. The venue itself was really clean and looked well maintained. It reminded me of a much smaller United Center. The staff were hurried and weren't overly friendly, which was kinda funny to me too since they were only at about 30-40% capacity of the venue. Snacks and drinks were about what I expected to pay at a sporting event. Mixed drinks were $10, a coffee was $5, pizza was $5 or 6. I ended up only getting a stuffed cheese pretzel for $5 and it was fine. Other tips: -Parking for boxing events is $15. You can check their website for specific parking price as it varies by type of event. -Doors opened exactly one hour pre-event -Their sign says "no outside snacks or drinks" however, they didn't check bags. Bring them at your own risk (but you may be forced to go back to the car or throw them out.) -Women's bathroom was really clean -If you get here too early and need to kill time, there's a bench across the street where you can sit down and eat or there's a Target 0.2 miles away. I would come back to another event here because it really is smaller than some other stadiums and also because parking was simple.

I was surprised not by how much I liked UIC Pavilion, but by how much I didn't hate it! Floor was amazing! I saw the Sunday show for WILCO (amazing) and was pleasnatly surprised at the number of concessions offered (yummy french fries and wilco? yes, please). The beer was expensive, but what concert-beer isn't? Yes, indeed, I would see another show here. I know you were asking, so I thought I would answer right away. Yep. Just get it out there. Ok. .. .

This place would be getting two stars if the Arcade Fire show didn't turn out completely awesome. I think this is more to do with Arcade Fire being made of fantastic than anything about the Pavilion, but still. Three stars. First, the security will frisk you. Just get used to the idea now if you've only been to The Metro, Bottom Lounge, and other places that are not on vigilant lookout for contraband. I was wearing an outfit that you could have painted on, but I still warranted a frisk. Okay, I can understand if they feel they can't make exceptions to the rules because then the rules mean nothing. If, however, you are going to make me take out my phone and demonstrate that it is indeed a phone and not an incendiary device, I expect you to have noticed the guy who smuggled in a hitter box that is larger than my phone, plus a lighter, plus a hip flask. Seriously. You're going to hassle me about my phone and then make me sit in a cloud of pot smoke with Stinky McStoner? Next, lines for drinks or the ATMs (if they are working) get very long. Alcohol and some other lines are cash-only and kind of pricey, so bring a wad. The beverage vendors that walk around while the bands play wear distracting blinking lights, are hard to get ahold of, and don't all have the same drinks. Choose them instead of braving the lines at your own risk. Then, there were sound issues with The National, who played first. Sometimes, I couldn't hear the horns. Other times, the horns drowned out the guitar. When one of the Butler Brothers came to sing a song with the band, they forgot to turn on his microphone. This was the second of three shows, so I thought this would have been ironed out already. Alas. On the bright side, there was a separate sound check for Arcade Fire, the sound issues were fixed before the first song began, and everything was great during their set. In fact, I would go so far as to say that it sounded excellent (as it should have; this tickets weren't cheap). I have zero complaints about this portion of the evening, found it entirely wonderful, and generally enjoyed myself. Other notes: The bathrooms were surprisingly clean, though the line for the sinks was a little unruly. Getting into the parking lot was easy, but getting out was hard because for some cracked-out reason, they only had one of the two lot exits open. Maybe we should have taken the blue line? The seats in the balcony are plastic, not cushioned like the balcony seats at the Riviera.

Saw Sigur Ros here. The sound system was good, but the management is awful. When we got there people were in our seats, so we asked an usher about it and they said, "Yeah, usually people just sit in wherever there is a seat," and left us to fend for ourselves. This upset my girlfriend and I and ruined the first 15 minutes of the show or so. What is this, a baseball stadium? There's venders walking up and down the center isles during the show with flashing headlamps and beer held high in their hands. I SPENT 55 DOLLARS TO SEE ONE OF MY FAVORITE BANDS ON EARTH, what are you doing? The light let in by the curtains every time someone goes up to the hallway is also annoying. Not a good place to see a very important band or performance to you. General Admission would be your best bet for this kind of show. And get up close where no UIC Pavilion employee can ruin it for you.

I'm sure UIC Pavilion is a great venue for all sorts of events, but it sucks the very soul out of roller derby. I remember seeing the Windy City Rollers at the tiny Cicero gym. Tickets didn't have a service fee. Beer was cheap. The place felt packed. The Pavilion is too big, too expensive and too sterile for the gorgeously rough nature of roller derby. And be sure to take the train or bus to events, because the $13 parking is a bastard.