Neal S Blaisdell Concert Hall

I’ve gone to the Blaisdell center for a couple concerts now. I like how they leave the upper seating area open to sit down when you are tired of being pushed around on the bottom floor.
I also like how the center has AC, which helps a little against overheating when surrounded by so many people.

I’ve been here twice, once to listen to the symphony play the soundtrack of Lord of the Rings and recently to watch Book of Mormon. I enjoyed my back row nose bleed seats Far better than the premium ones I paid for in my first experience

I’ve been coming to this concert hall since I was a kid. My very first time was when my dad took me to see David Copperfield, the magician. I’ve also been here a few times for my uncle’s performances. He used to be in theater. They do a lot of opera shows at this site. They also hold graduations at this concert hall, as well as comedy acts.
After all these years, the place still looks brand new. It’s very well taken care of. There’s a bottom level and an upper level. There are a ton of ushers working the shows that direct you to your seat.
Parking is right next to the concert hall in the huge lot. Parking rates vary according to each event. There’s also street parking if you’re lucky.

Went to the Kevin Hart show last night May 1^st, 2016. This review is not rated due to the artists tardiness on set (approximately an hour late) but because of the rudeness of security to the the patrons. They were unaware of how fit bits operate. Yelled at us for 30 minutes prior to the show beginning about our phones being out. The phone thing was handled 5 to 10 minutes before Kevin and his boys came out. And they followed through with the ejections during the show. Let’s try to handle it better next time guys. Instead of frustrating the crap out of everyone before the show even begins.

it is inexcuseable not to have an elevator for disabled patrons! Every other experience we have had here was pleasant. However, today was nearly ruined by a disabled member of our party being forced to practically CRAWL up flights of stairs to our seats! I do not care when the building was built. Every person should have access to every seat. To add insult to injury, all but one member of the staff was totally unsympathetic and unhelpful. Once we made it to our seats, I noticed a few people with crutches, canes, and leg braces. Yes, if u are a permanently disabled individual then you plan according, but theater tickets are often purchased in advance and accidents, injuries, or surgeries can occur. It was disheartening to see Blaisdell so behind the times and to have ZERO SYMPATHY or ZERO SOLUTIONS. Changed the way we feel about the concert hall and their practices.

I really like going to shows at Blaisdell. But is there anyway they can DITCH TICKETMASTER? It is such a RIP OFF of a «service.» For the last show we saw, they added $ 18.40, and then $ 3.40 per ticket, for doing nothing (and then an extra $ 2.98 service fee at checkout for god knows what) Absolute robbery– nearly $ 22 a person for sending me 1 email? Are you kidding!
I do try and go to the Box office to get tickets as much as I can, but sometimes I have to get online. If we had not already committed to meeting people, having to deal with the crooks at Ticketmaster almost made us cancel a show for 8 people today.
Blaisdell is run by City and County– would LOVE to see Blaisdell (and shell and others) push for more affordable service fees, and maybe even a way more of the fees would stay in Hawaii.

I’ve seen a couple shows here now and feel comfortable passing my judgement. It is a nice place, nothing that is going to blow you away but nice. It also doesn’t really have much competition on the island for its category.
There are a couple little bars and food stands around the outside and inside if you need a quick snack or drink before the show. Parking is easy and reasonable which is really nice.
The stage is kind of small compared to other halls I’ve been to though I guess that doesn’t really effect me.
My biggest gripe and detractor of a higher rating is something they will probably never be able to fix: how the seating is sloped. There just does not seem to be an adequate height difference between each row for the height of the stage in the front. In simpler terms, if you’re a shorter or even average sized person and a average size to tall-​ish person sits in front of you it will be difficult to see. This is fine if you are at a concert but really ruins the experience if you are at something like a play or musical.

Book of Mormon. Everything you wanted to know about Mormons but was afraid to ask.
The Church of Latter Day Saints Get ready to laugh and grin. Satirically true. Next time someone asks me if I know who Mormons are, and I’ll just say I saw this Broadway play. Does that count?
As far as the venue, it’s the best that Hawaii can offer. Where else can you go in shorts.

Here to see book of morman. Can’t wait for the show to start. Great seats, balcony. Souvenirs very expensive.
On a Thursday, very busy. Full house.

The best place in Honolulu to see plays and concerts. I’ve seen Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserable, Wicked, Rent, Cats, some opera that I can’t remember, and the recent Disney Concert.
I have never had a bad experience here — employees are friendly and the place is always clean. Has it’s own parking lot (shares with the other two Blaisdell facilities for events). And there is a bar — thank you ladies and gentlemen!!!

Recently went to see UB40. I agree with some previous reviews. The concert hall seems a bit outdated. The sound was not that great, in fact, whenever they were just talking to the crowd, we could not understand any of it. We were seated in Loge 18, Row 1
Pros:
Parking was $ 7 and I have always found a spot at the venue parking
Food/​drink vendors outside are pretty good and quick. (try the pad thai, yum)
Bathrooms were pretty clean
There are no ‘bad’ seats, even upper levels are decent (but beware taller people in front)
Cons:
Acoustics/​sound system sucks
Chairs are uncomfortable
Its kind of dirty/​the floors stick in a few places
People stand… so be prepared
Also be prepared for the person who sings at the top of their lungs or claps incessantly
There were a few weed smokers who went undetected/​unenforced?!
Those who had floor seating would have difficulty seeing over taller people
No screens… so what you can see on stage, is what you see.
Tip: There are a few nice places to eat right across Kapiolani, if you make reservations you could make it a full evening and get date-​night credit!

A great venue for shows and concerts because the accoustics are superb and just about all the seats are good with clear visibility to the stage, even when sitting upstairs.
The Honolulu Symphony series as well as the Honolulu Opera series are most enjoyable. And the concert series for Boz Scaggs, George Benson, Neil Sedaka, etc. are the best! Keep those concerts coming so that we can enjoy world-​renown, first class talent right here at home! Woo hoo!

Watched the Disney presentation with the Hawaii Symphony. Amazing show. Unbelievable how many films Mr. Disney did. The symphony did only a fraction of the films. I would go see them again. Thank you symphony and especially Mr. Disney for doing so many great films.

These are great seats! Not really a bad seat. They are comfy and provide ample leg room. The valet is easy to use but is $ 20. Makes life easier. We were out of the hall, got our car, and were on the road in less than 10 minutes. The parking garage is no doubt a pain, plus we couldn’t find it. Employees were friendly and the tickets app let’s u slide rite in with no waiting. Definitely be back.

This wasn’t the worst concert area I’ve ever been to but it was far from the best. I enjoyed the Nutcracker here and the production was very nice — we definitely enjoyed the ballet — but the theatre itself isn’t great. It needs some TLC and a little updating.

My husband and I attended Disney in Concert: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas on Halloween and it was the perfect thing to do for us. We wanted to do something fun that didn’t require having kids (since we don’t have any) or going out and partying all night. The concert hall was very spacious and there were plenty of ushers to help you find your seat so there was no confusion once everything started. They even allowed everyone to wear a costume including the symphony which made the event that much more fun! Over all it was a great night out!

Been to Boston and Hartford symphonies. The last show was great with the spanish guitar.

As local-​born residents, we’ve been going to various events at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center. This complex has been considered Hawaii’s Community Center and features an arena, exhibition hall and this concert hall. It has been in operation since 1964 and has undergone many facility upgrades to make it attractive for large productions and touring events.
This concert hall is Oahu’s premier performing arts venue for the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra (formerly Honolulu Symphony) and the Hawaii Opera Theater (HOT). It’s rather small (in comparison to other larger cities) but acoustically quite modern. Over the years, we’ve seen Broadway productions such as The Lion King, Wicked, Cats, Les Misérables, Chicago, and Miss Saigon. During the past years, through Unilocal,we’ve enjoyed many operatic productions such as The Flying Dutchman, Madam Butterfly, Sweeney Todd and The Mikado. All of the productions have been spectacularly staged. From what I was told by some stage acoustic technicians, sound checks within the concert hall show that there aren’t too many «dead spots». The seats are comfortable and are staggered so everyone gets a good view of the performance.
Every seat within this older concert hall is a good seat to enjoy the performing arts.
#462

so far we have seen 2 events here. America in concert last year and The HSO presents: Nightmare Before Christmas. I love this venue so much! it reminds me of the Civic theater in San Diego! I am not a huge fan of the big venues where the stage is super far away from your seats. Here at the concert hall even if your in the balcony or all the way at the back you can still see the stage and the sound is really good! Cant wait to see more events here :)

Saw «the magic flute» over the weekend here and had a wonderful time. However lesson learned to not chose a time that was in the afternoon sun because it was very warm in the hall. Just does not get enough air circulation.
The seats did not bother my husband and I and he has back problems. There was a good amount of room between the rows, which was a good thing.
Seats are easy to find. Sat in row F34/​36, only 7 rows from the orchestra and was perfect! Actually no one was sitting in all the rows in front of us. Too perfect. If you want to see the subtitles above the stage though, you were slightly leaning your head up.
Two bars outside, cash only and $ 6 to park in the structure. You can reserve drinks for during intermission however all drinkers must be present. You couldn’t carry more than one glass of champagne. I don’t like that rule.
The show was amazing and overall was a great experience.

We went to see Alice and Wonderland this weekend at Neil Blaisdell Concert Hall and I was not able to enjoy the ballet because it was so hot inside!
The A/​C need some updating; it was warmer inside than outside (and for HI residents, you know that’s bad). It also need a lot of updating because the chairs, lighting and audio are very old and dated— the facility did not make the ballet any justice because of its outdate technology.
Seats are not comfortable as well, in addition, if the individual in front of you is taller, then I guarantee you won’t be able to see at all.
Bathrooms are okay, outdated as well. Parking has never been a problem, it varies from 6 – 7 bucks.
They have a small bar outside with specific cocktails and accepts only cash. Customer service was alright.
In conclusion, I can’t get over how hot it was inside the concert hall. I wish they would give us a refund because we spent so much for the ballet that we didn’t get to enjoy; we have spent the whole night fanning using our brochures. I would even recommend the ballet production to ask for a discount for such inconvenience.

We attended the Unilocal event of the season finale with Jake Shimabukuro and JoAnn Falletta with the Honolulu symphony. I havent been to this venue in a long time and it was a nice experience to get out and have a nice dinner then enjoyed the evening with music of the symphony. We had orchestra seats thanks to Unilocal and each of the seats were nicely sized with just enough room for people entering the aisles to squeeze past without you having to stand up. There are many ushers so finding your seats is never a problem and they are very helpful when you are looking for help. The concert hall has parking which is shared with the arena next door but also some street parking if you are lucky enough to find a stall. This was a delightful experience and looking forward to getting back to see another event at the Blaisdell concert hall.

Onda pastas it’s great!!! Free parking At the blaisdell come and buy your dinner!!?

Feels like an older venue, with some lapses in cleanliness and upkeep.
That said, I came for Hawaii Symphony Orchestra’s production of Disney in Concert and I was not disappointed. I was up on the balcony
In row K, which was right by the entrance which was great. The symphony was great.
There were a few carts outside selling nuts, lemonade, sandwiches and liquor but certainly nothing fancy. I would recommend waiting until afterwards and going elsewhere for your beverages and food.
I wish they would be stricter about seating during the performance. There were plenty of latecomers and I was surprised to know that they would still seat patrons after performance started. It can be quite distracting– if you come late, you should be forced to wait until breaks in the performance to be seated.

Neal S Blaisdell Concert Hall aka Blaisdell Concert Hall for short is where the Honolulu Symphony, Broadway shows, Hawaii Opera Theater, and other musical acts perform. It’s a nice sized theater where most seats have a good view. I’ve sat in the front and back of the orchestra area as well as near the front of the balcony. No real complaints aside from the chairs being a bit uncomfortable at times. The aisle ways are fairly wide, enough to have individuals pass through. Bathrooms are located on the first floor only, and although the women’s line can be daunting during an intermission, the staff does an excellent job of moving the lines through.
The staff is cordial and do a good job of showing you to your seat and ensuring certain individuals don’t break the rules of the theater.
Parking is $ 7 for events at night although I think you can park for free during the farmer’s market :)

Although I’ve only been here for one event, I am pleased to say that this is one of the nicer venues on Oahu for larger audience shows. The entrance is separate from the business that is the other Blaisdell event areas and the interior is very traditional theater-​y. The ushers were moving people in and out before the show very well and the facilities were very clean and well kept. I would be weary of parking depending on the night. I have had good nights and bad nights in this parking lot. The overall problem with the parking is the small size of the lot.
My only complaint was with the ushers and patrons during the show. When the lights went out and the stage lit up, there was still so much commotion — it seemed to last the entirety of the show as well. I understand that some people show up late, but I was really getting annoying by the flashlights being shined in my face and having to readjust so the usher and the late person could get to their seat.
All in all, this was a nice venue and I would see a show here again. I liked the atmosphere and feeling of the interior. It was very traditional and it took me back to a simpler time. I guess that is what most theaters are striving for.

I’ve only been inside the concert hall twice; once to watch The Lion King (which was AWESOME!), and again to see the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra (also AWESOME!). The concert hall is surprisingly large and had ample foot room (unlike movie theaters) The staff was always super helpful with helping us find our seats and always kept the area super clean.
The only bad part is that parking can be pretty expensive, but if you show up early enough, there is usually street parking nearby, but they tend to fill up fast.

This is not your grandmother’s arts venue. This is Honolulu, and you will theater patrons in all levels of formality from fancy folks with designer handbags to people in shorts and slippahs. The latter dressed them up a bit (is that an oxymoron – dressed up slippahs?!) by wearing khaki shorts instead of board shorts and had button up Aloha shirts and not tanks. Come as you are, and support the arts, I say!
So far, I’ve been to four events at the concert hall – Anjelah Johnson’s comedy show, a HOT production of The Mikado, a ballet production of Peter Pan, and a big band/​swing concert by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, complete with four dancers and five vocalists. The view and the acoustics were great.
Like many of us, the venue is showing its age in spots. But restrooms were reasonably clean and lines to use them were short. As others have mentioned, the ushers are very helpful and well-​informed. For the best experience for yourself and others, try to plan ahead so they don’t have to pull out their flashlights and guide you to your seat in the dark, but they’ll do it if needed. Some people complain about the crowds, but the only time I noticed it was the night of the Anjelah Johnson concert. Bruno Mars was playing the arena, and there was a convention. Sort of the perfect storm, crowd wise.
To make the most of your experience, may I humbly suggest the following: (1) Coming from the east, I’ve found it better to take the Lunalilo Exit rather than Kapiolani (easier to see and less surface street traffic). (2) If you don’t want to bite the bullet and pay $ 7 for parking, there is free parking in Ward Center and the walk is short. (3) Concessions are limited and cash only, though the hall has an ATM on site. I believe the bar had Coke products and bottled water for $ 3, wine for $ 8, champagne for $ 9, and mixed drinks ran $ 7 – 9 (cheap stuff vs. top shelf liquor). Tucking your snack of choice, be it some almonds or a Toblerone, into your purse would not be the worst idea. (4) Allow yourself enough time. Enjoying the evening breeze through the palms is nicer than sprinting in your cute new heels and dress. (5) Turn off and unplug while you enjoy the performance!

I have attended plenty of musicals, smaller concerts, and ballets at the concert hall. First things first, pay for VIP parking. It is so not worth it to wait in line at Victoria Street only to find out the lot is full. Save yourself a headache. The parking lot is just too small.
Don’t come hungry. If you’re lucky the show worked something out with street vendors for snacks such as gelato and candied nuts. They also have a coffee shop with candy on the side of the hall, if it’s open. Also if it’s open, they have bars, two outside of the hall and one inside for wine, beer, and cocktails. However, I’ve only seen the inside one open once, and the outside ones only take cash. However, you need to go inside to use the ATM to pay for it. If you are moving stuff from inside out for shows, would it hurt to also place the ATM outside?
I do like that you can preorder your drinks for intermission beforehand, but don’t break the seal and use the restroom. There are not enough restrooms (like most theaters) to handle the crowd of women during intermission.
The seats aren’t the best, but this is the only real small venue besides the hawaii theater on the island. We don’t have much choice.