Arena Theatre

04/06/09

AWESOME!!!!!

by falldust at Citysearch

I JUST SAW FOREIGNER PERFORM THIS WEEKEND AND LET ME TELL YOU IT WAS THE MOST WONDERFUL CONCERT I HAVE EVER ATTENDED. THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME TO ATTEND THE ARENA THEATRE AND IT IS AWESOME! I WILL DEFINATELY BE BACK (HOPEFULLY 4 SOME MORE GREAT ROCK) THE ARENA SEATING IS PERFECT --NOT A BAD SEAT IN THE HOUSE. WE WERE ON THE 6TH ROW AND COULD WALK DOWN TO THE STAGE FOR SOME AWESOME PHOTOS! WONDERFUL

• Pros: EXCELLANT SEATING
• Cons: WARM...NEEDED TO BE COOLER A/C

05/26/08

Hot Customer

by 38391 at Citysearch

I went to the Jaheim concert on saturday May 24th it took an hour to get in to the theatre and I knew there was a problem then because the doors were open and it was hot in the hallways. When we finally entered the theatre there was about an hour wait for drinks and food. During the concert it was very hot and I thought it would pass, but to my dismay it did not. I was sweating through my clothes, which is unacceptable for indoror event. I'm not sure thatI will ever return to this arena again especially if this problem is not solved. I think you should offer some kind of compensation to patrons attending this event. Jaheim as a performer was very good, but I'm sure he was experiencing some of the same discomfort as those attending the concert being under all the lights.

• Pros: performance was great
• Cons: was very very very hot

03/17/08

I sung with Ms. Patti LaBelle

by Justsinging2005 at Citysearch

Wow, is all I can say. What an experience. My first time going to the Arena I was so pleased. The seats were comfortable and you could enjoy the whole show. I believe the only thing needs to be fixed is the website. I missed the opprotunity to capture my performance with Ms. Patti because I did not bring my camrea. I didn't know and couldn't find out if I could bring it in or not. But over all it was the BEST. I GOT TO SING WITH PATTI LABELLE YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

01/17/08

Arena theatre improved with Erykah

by eclem5 at Citysearch

Let Me say first, I am an avid concert go-er and I have been to several hundred concerts all over the country, seen all types of artist in various types of venues. I am from Houston and I must say that Houston crowds are the absolute worst in the whole country. No where else do people pride themselves in sitting down throuh out the entire concert. If You have bad feet, fat or just plain lazy either sit in the handicap section or stay home. Dull crowds make the performer shorten performances and not do encores(ie Michael Jackson said he would not perform in Houston again). That being said the Arena theatre is one intmate venues I have ever been in. I went to Musiq and Erykah, and indeed the foolishness that was going on in the parking lot and line with 2 the metal detectors was quite ridiculous for Musiq. Also the box office(where people were purchasing tickets) is right next to the metal detector funnel (which is the only entrance), which is right next to Will Call(Ticket Pick Up) which adds to the madness by the Entry. I was dissapointed that Chrisette Michelle did not perform but, unless she was NOT going to be paid, there was no excuse to miss a performance( I do not know the details of the incident but being a DIVA over being PROFESSIONAL will not enhance or propel your career). The management did improve in both of those areas with Erykah, however there is still room for improvement (the concert started a few minutes late, but Erykah said it was her fault). The likelihood of people in those particular crowds bringing a firearm into a venue is highly unlikely (the same as a Hanna Montana concert). Know the type audience and stop with the overkill PLEASE. The sound in the place was incredible. The only better places to see concerts in Houston is places without seats(small clubs)

• Pros: intimate setting great sound quality performers so far, arrive early like I did so You will not miss any of the concert
• Cons: The Moronic 2 metal detectors that 3000 well dresssed adults missed part of the concert passing through

12/18/07

Dont Plan in an Enjoyable Concert Ever

by tks1 at Citysearch

This was the worse experience I have ever had in attending a concert. I was really looking forward to attending the concert and seeing the changes at the arena. But, the experience was disappointing the minute you pull into the drive. There was no helpful staff directing traffic into the facility so the result was several lanes of cars trying to merge into one lane. Then trying to get into the facility was a nightmare. There was no direction on which line was will-call and which was for ticket holders, so masses of people were just moving herd-like in one direction. Then when you finally made it to the only door allowed entrance, there were only 2 metal detectors to go thru. The entire set up was ridiculous! The show was scheduled to begin @ 8:00pm. By 10:30, only Musiq performed with no additional artists. So basically everyone paid 100% ticket price, but received 50% of a show with no further explanations! Until management decides to "manage" the facility dont bother attending any events unless you need to waste time and throw money away!

• Pros: none
• Cons: bad management, poor entry, poor parking

12/18/07

Terrible Experience, Will never go back

by radgirltx at Citysearch

I also attended the Chrisette Michelle concert and was VERY DISAPPOINTED when she did not show up. But that was just a small example of the problems that occurred that evening. As another reviewer mentioned, we were forced to stand outside for an hour and a half in the cold waiting to enter a concert that was scheduled to begin at 8:00pm (We arrived at 7:15 and saw Chrisette Michele re-entering the theater at that time). NO ONE was allowed to enter the venue through the metal detectors until 9:30, and even after 9:30 it took forever to get everyone inside the theater. This was especially inconvenient since there were no restrooms outside and my girlfriend really had to go. Furthermore, there were NO announcements or acknowledgments of the delays and cancellations at any point during the evening. When Music Soulchild finally took the stage at 10:30pm, the crowd was confused as to why Chrisette Michele had not performed first. After Music's performance, many Chrisette Michele fans stayed in their seats for another half hour waiting for Chrisette Michele to perform. After all, no one announced that her performance had been canceled. This was the most poorly organized show I've ever seen in my life! I really hope I can get a refund for this.

• Pros: small venue
• Cons: unprofessional staff, audience faces back of performer

12/18/07

Arena Theater would be great if the Management gave a DAMN!

by jakeimalewis at Citysearch

I attended the would-be Musiq/ Chrisette Michelle concert. Chrisette Michelle never showed for this event, and this is the artist I was paying to see. I waited 1 1/2 hours outside the boxoffice before they finally let us in the door. When we got in, it was another 45 minutes before they introduced a local contest winner who sang for another 20 minutes. I heard Musiq finally sang at around 11:30 and the concert ended abruptly without any explanation. My question is Why was I charged for a show that I NEVER RECEIVED?

12/16/07

Arena Theatre is AWESOME!!! /Deejay1 misinformed

by brakilah at Citysearch

Arena Theatre is an AWESOME theatre. It's even better now that is been renovated. There really is NO BAD SEAT IN THE PLACE!

Deejay1: I believe you were misinformed. Chrisette was upset with management, but it was HER management, not the Arena's. My husband has been a permanent fixture at a radio station here in Houston for the last 10 years & we were backstage when Chrisette left. She was upset because the things that she asked for to be in her dressing room were not there. But that was because her management company didn't send it. This was about 4 PM. When whomever it was was trying to ask her what she needed so they could go get it, she got frustrated and said forget it. Technically, the concert didn't start late. Musiq was scheduled to start between 9:30 & 10:00, which he did. If Chrisette had performed, then the concert would have started at 8 & the doors would have opened earlier.

Now, the metal detectors. The City of Houston said that in order for the Arena to reopen they were going to have to find a solution to keep the weapons out. Not only were they, the new Arena owners, ordered to get hand held metal detecting devices but units for the doors as well. IT WAS RECOMMENDED at the contract signing that if everyone enters through one door, then that would also cut down on the possibility of weapons entering the Arena. So it was implemented.

You would talk to the box office that you purchased your tickets from for a refund. Take your ticket with you & explain that the act you paid to see didn't show. They allot certain amounts of money for returns for things like that. I was told that Ticketmaster didn't distribute the tickets but I don't know that for sure.

And if we all could get our information a correct, it would really help the world eventually. Let's not have the "crabs-in-a-bucket" syndrome & pull everyone/everything down. It's not right & you wouldn't appreciate it if you had your own business & someone did it to you.

• Pros: Even better since it's been remodeled! Rotating stage! No bad seats!
• Cons: None!

12/16/07

Poor Management! Chrisette Michelle a no-show!

by deejay1 at Citysearch

Avoid all concerts at the Arena Theatre! My husband and I paid $50/ticket to see Musiq Soulchild and Chrisette Michelle. We purchased 6 tickets for family and friends, so we wasted $300. Musiq was there, Chrisette was a no show. Musiq Soulchild was great! His set was awesome, but we were there to see Chrisette. She is a new artist and we really enjoy her music. We were told by management (Hector or Victor Hinajosa) that Chrisette was there but left abruptly. We were told she was upset with management so she left. I do not blame her because I was upset with the new management. It was horiffic! We waited in long lines to enter. Everyone had to enter through one entry way because it was the only entry way with metal detectors. That was ridiculous. We were being treated like criminals. What's up with the metal detectors anyway, purchase the hand-held detectors. Know your audience! We were not there to see a heavy metal gothic band. It was a neo-soul concert, a mature professional crowd. Use hand-held devices at every entry way and get us to our damn seats! There were more policemen there than ticket attendants. I have never experienced that at a neo-soul concert. The concert was suppose to start at 8pm. We were not allowed to enter until 9:30pm. Musiq Soulchild started at 10:00. My husband and I are avid concert goers. We attend concerts nationwide. We have never experienced such unprofessionalism. I will not attend another show at the Arena Theatre. I will also share my experience with everyone I know.

We were also told by management to call Ticketmaster for refunds. That's BS!

We were hustled. We were disrespected. I was disgusted by the service. I felt like the audience was stereotyped. We were treated like criminals. We deserve some type of compensation from the new management/owners. The Arena Theatre use to be my favorite theater in town.

09/02/04

Perched like a mini-Astrodome along the Southwest Freeway is Houston's only in-the-round venue.

by Contributor at Citysearch

In Short
Arena Theatre has been bringing in mainstream entertainers since the '70s. Its round revolving stage allows audience members a degree of intimacy with the performers unavailable in a traditional arrangement. The Arena recently received a substantial facelift under new ownership. Upgrades include new sound and lighting systems and an ambitious booking approach that has brought some of the best national and international pop, country and jazz talents to Houston.