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Venue of the Month
Edited by David Saslavsky
The Gorge
George, Washington
by Nathan Stevens
One of the debates that my friends and I often have relates to the various venues where we see music. We've been fortunate enough to travel across the country a few times taking in shows and each of us has our own favorite places to see our favorite bands. The most heated discussions we may have had however, concern our favorite outdoor venue. The two finalists everytime we go through this are Colorado's Red Rocks and Washington's The Gorge. Since you've already know the subject of this article I think you have a good sense of where I come down on this issue. To be fair I would agree that Red Rocks is a very cool place to attend a concert- in particular the sightlines are wonderful. The venue is so steep that wherever you are you're practically on top of the band. I'll also admit if you sit enough rows back, after dark, you can see the lights of Denver appear which is a pleasing experience. Nonetheless, all in all, my favorite outdoor concert spot has to be the Gorge.
The venue itself is located in central Washington state in the town of George (get it, George, Washington- hey I didn't make this up). It's a three hour drive from Seattle, and a pleasant one at that, offering a fine opportunity to examine the topography of the northwest- beginning with the mountains and then emerging into the plains that are also a big part of the region. For me, an important part of going out on tour is seeing the country and when you make the trip out to the Gorge you are given a wonderful opportunity to do just that (a quick trip to Ranier on the day off before you hit your next show or catch a flight couldn't hurt).
So why the Gorge is such a magnificent place to see a concert? Three famous words: location, location, location. As you sit back waiting for the music to begin your gaze is drawn behind the stage to the spectacular Columbia river gorge. The venue was created on the basalt cliffs overlooking the Gorge and it is truly an amazing view. As you get in early to see a show you can watch the water flowing down in the Gorge, check out boats passing by, and just admire the full beauty that is Washington state. Part of a concert experience is created by the venue vibe: the tranquillity and sense of comfort offered by a concert space. As you sit in front of the enormous Gorge preparing for a show there may no more peaceful invitation to music. You are happy just to be there overlooking such beauty that when the band takes the stage it seems like a bonus.
Which is not to ignore the music. I think that when a band itself feels very comfortable with a particular space that they too go out there and you can hear it in what they do. For me a fine example of this was the first night of the Phish run in 1997 when the band turned off the lights for a mesmerizing Harry Hood. I have heard similar great things from friends of mine who have seen other shows there including Page/Plant and REM.
What else? Well aside from being a beautiful place to be, this is actually one of the few permanent music venues I know that allows camping. This is particularly crucial when you're out on the road for a string of shows and looking to save a buck or two. Beyond this it really allows for a friendly communal vibe, as when a band does a two show run, after the first night you can head back to the campgrounds at your own pace (no need to worry about drinking and driving- yes there is a decent beer garden in the venue) and get psyched for the next night of music. Along the way you can make some friends or just hang out with your own buddies to enjoy a tapestry of stars.
Another thing I admire about the venue is that they don't overfill the show site itself. The official capacity is 20,000 and that's a good size for the space. If you want to go up front for a g.a. show then there may be a little crush but beyond that if you work your way back to the lawn you'll be fine. Also, I like the fact that that back on the grass the grade is relatively steep so that if you're on the shorter side you can see.
I think that all of these factors collectively demonstrate why this venue is the best outdoor concert venue in the country. Don't just take my word for it, the Gorge has been awarded best large outdoor concert venue by Pollstar for the past four years in a row. Yes, I know Red Rocks beat it out in the jambands.com poll last year but you can remedy that injustice this year.
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