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As the days grow warmer and more prolonged and summer arrives in California, the outdoor concert season begins to heat up. The state is home to many well-known outdoor music venues, but the best one might be one of the least well known. Located on the far northern end of Central California in a rural setting just outside of Paso Robles, the Vina Robles Amphitheatre is fast becoming the venue of choice as a road-trip destination for concerts and more.
The venue is actually located in a vineyard in the heart of Central California wine country and offers exceptional local wine by the bottle or the glass, as well as an intimate live music venue. The venue also boasts a full coffee bar, a local microbrewery beer bar, a wood-burning pizza oven, and various other food and snack bars.
The 3,300-seat boutique amphitheater is nestled in front of a spectacular mountain range on the edge of Paso Robles. Opening in the summer of 2013, the Vina Robles Amphitheatre became a magnet for well-known names in the pop music world, boasting concerts playing at venues twice its size.
While most venues tend to fill up only after a concert has begun, music fans flock to the VRA early to enjoy the long summer afternoons and to picnic at the upscale venue. The back of the amphitheater boasts a lush, grass-covered general admission area. Many concertgoers actually prefer the back section to lay out on blankets and relax at the venue.
The VRA also boasts a booming state-of-the-art sound system hung high in the sky. Because of its rural surroundings, there are no volume restrictions like the ones that plague many of the inner-city amphitheaters. That allows heavy metal acts like last year’s Slayer appearance to crank up the volume. The venue also boasts an 11 p.m. curfew, which allows for long performances.
The volunteer staff adds to the pleasurable experience of concertgoers at the venue with an infectious, welcoming and hospitable attitude permeating the workforce. Spectacular sunsets painting the nearby mountains give way to crystal-clear nights perfect for stargazing amid the warm Paso Robles summer air.
The 2018 season is underway with a diverse lineup of entertainment. Classic rock fans will be treated to Ian Anderson’s 50th anniversary of Jethro Tull, Jackson Browne, Kansas and Roger Daltrey of The Who. The legendary Tony Bennett will perform his biggest hits. Joe Bonamassa will bring his guitar wizard to the venue. There will be several popular Latino acts, and comedy superstars such as Jay Leno will appear. Country music fans will be treated to the likes of the legendary Willie Nelson and Alison Krauss. Heavy metal fans will be descending on the VRA for bands such as Alice in Chains. Family shows and other musical genres also will be represented.
The venue is a perfect road-trip destination with plenty of affordable restaurants and hotels in nearby Paso Robles. For those looking for a more refreshing environment, the nearby tourist town of San Luis Obispo is less than 30 minutes away from VRA, at the bottom of the Cuesta Grade, and offers summer temperatures averaging 30 degrees cooler than Paso Robles.
— L. Paul Mann is a Noozhawk contributing writer. The opinions expressed are his own.