T he new
Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront is set to open in June and interest level is high. Seven concerts have been announced already, including Dwight Yoakam, Styx and Kevin Cronin, Alison Krauss & Union Station, “Weird Al” Yankovic and Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit. Many music lovers hope the new Allianz Amphitheater will bring musical acts to Richmond that we haven’t seen before.
The $30 million outdoor concert space near the James River, the Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront, took shape in 2024 and is scheduled to open in June. But due to the size, that may be tricky. Allianz Amphitheater will have a capacity of 7,500 guests — 3,500 in the bowl and 4,000 on the lawn. It will host about 30 shows a year. Tickets to the already announced shows start at $37 and up. For context
, Brown’s Island has double the capacity at 16,000. While the
Altria Theater has a much smaller capacity of 3,500.
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Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit will perform at the Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront on July 19. For the best frame of reference,
Virginia Credit Union Live! at the Richmond Raceway has the closest capacity at 6,000. The Richmond Coliseum — which drew the biggest names such as Prince, Bruce Springsteen and Cher — had a much bigger capacity of 13,500 but it closed in 2019. That said, Richmonders are ready to see some talent at the new music venue. We reached out to our readers to find out who they’d like to see at the new Allianz Amphitheater and got TONS of suggestions. Here’s who they suggested. Keep in mind, none of these artists have signed on to perform at the Allianz Amphitheater. Live Nation, the booker for the venue, would not comment on any of these reader-suggested performers.
Dave Matthews Band topped the list of acts Richmonders would like to see at the Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront. Dream pick
Dave Matthews Band . “The most obvious is The Dave Matthews Band, but (I’m) not sure if they play a venue this small anymore,” reader Greg Sekelsky said. “They used to perform at Brown’s Island before they grew in popularity.” The Dave Matthews Band typically plays at venues with a capacity of around 25,000, such as the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville. Dave Matthews often comes up when discussing the new amphitheater because the venue is a partnership with Live Nation and Red Light Management, a Charlottesville-based artist management agency that represents the Dave Matthews Band. And Dave Matthews has a Virginia connection with Blenheim Vineyards, his winery in Charlottesville. We can dream, right?
Lucy Dacus headlined at the National in Richmond on Sept. 8, 2017, and has been suggested by many readers as a potential headliner at the amphitheater. Bands with Richmond connections
Lucy Dacus. Hometown hero, her name was suggested by multiple readers. She’s played Brown’s Island several times and we could see her at the riverfront amphitheater. Plus, she is actively performing and playing shows in New York and in California next month. “I think Richmond’s own Jason Mraz would be perfect for the new venue,” reader Bruce Belleman said. Jason Mraz typically plays larger venues, but Richmond has a special place in the Mechanicsville native’s heart. He has recorded music videos here, got married here (although he’s now divorced) and even brought students from Richmond’s SPARC on the Today Show. “The Head and The Heart, featuring Richmonders Jonathan Russell and Tyler Williams,” reader Rick Albee suggested. “I saw them at Red Rocks Amphitheater this past summer. Great music, great show.” “Pat Benatar, I saw her at the Richmond Coliseum,” Dean Obaugh wrote. Pat Benatar performed at the Richmond Coliseum in 1982. Last year, she went on tour to smaller venues, so who knows? Widespread Panic. Bass player and founding member Dave Schools is from Richmond. Pavement, the ‘90s indie band, suggested by reader John Sarvay. Drummer Stephen West grew up in Richmond and met future bandmate Bob Nastonovich at Trinity Episcopal School.
Alison Krauss & Union Station will perform at the Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront on Aug. 29. Acts that could be a good fit for Allianz Amphitheater
We received multiple suggestions for the following performers, who could make a could make a good fit for the amphitheater’s size.
Foreigner performed at Innsbrook After Hours in Glen Allen on May 29, 2015. The classic rock group was one of ChatGPT’s suggestions for the amphitheater. Here’s what AI recommended:
“These artists are well-suited for venues of this size, offering a balance of crowd-pleasing energy and more intimate performances,” according to ChatGPT. Could AI be right? Only time will tell.
A nighttime rendering of the Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront. Acts that probably won’t perform at Allianz Amphitheater due to size
Richmond, we can dream big. Many readers suggested the following, but due to the venue's size, we don't think it could ever happen.
The Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront is taking shape, seen here in October. The new venue will host around 30 shows this year. Helpful suggestion
“Please limit country artists. The After Hours concerts pretty much took over that genre and no more is needed for this area,” Sekelsky said.
The final word
Again, none of these artists have signed on to perform at the Allianz Amphitheater. Live Nation is unable to comment on any specific performers until they are announced. However they did say, “This summer is going to be a special one for Richmond and we are excited for fans to see their favorite artists under the stars. We have several great shows already announced with more to come. Our new amphitheater will have something for everyone: pop, country, R&B, indie rock, folk, comedy, classic rock, and more.”
Richmond upcoming concerts: Gavin Adcock, The Stews, Bonnie Raitt
Gavin Adcock
Celebration of Black Music in Film
Jan. 18: Richmond Symphony will perform with guest artist Butcher Brown at the Dominion Energy Center. Destroy Lonely
'MJ the Musical'
Sam Morril
Niko Moon
The Stews
Of The Trees
glaive
'Moulin Rouge! The Musical'
Bright Eyes
Houndmouth
Lawrence
Naruto: The Symphonic Experience
The Temptations and The Four Tops
Valerie June
Bonnie Raitt
Dwight Yoakam
June 21: Country singer Dwight Yoakam will perform at the Allianz Amphitheater. Parker McCollum
June 26: Parker McCollum will play the Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront. Jason Isbell
Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit will perform at the Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront on July 19. Styx and Kevin Cronin
Styx and Kevin Cronin will perform at the Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront on Aug. 6. Alison Krauss & Union Station
Alison Krauss & Union Station will perform at the Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront on Aug. 29. ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic
‘Weird Al’ Yankovic will perform at the Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront on Sept. 22.
