Bend concert craze: Two sold-out events in 48 hours

About 8,000 people filled the Les Schwab Amphitheater Sunday night to see Jack Johnson, the first of two sold-out concerts at the venue in just 48 hours.

Up next: the Dave Matthews Band Tuesday night. It’s one of the biggest names to pass through Bend, and with big names comes even bigger crowds.

“Right here, right on these lawns,” said Brent Bidot, Ticket Mill manager, said excitedly on Monday.

A crowd filled with die-hard fans.

“They are literally following him on tour, they wanna know what our venue is like, what to expect,” added Chelsea Woodensea, office manager at Les Schwab Amphitheater.

And with only 48 hours between concerts, it’s a quick turnaround.

“A lot of the tents are already set up, which alleviates some of the stress off our crew, because they work really hard to set it up and on time so it’s kind of nice that some of it’s already here,” Woodensea told us.

Both of the shows sold out almost immediately.

“Our best moment is when the stadium is filled and everybody is having a great time,” added Bidot.

With sell-out events, there are new rules in place at the Les Schwab Amphitheater. It is standing room only, which means no blankets or chairs.

That’s a tough pill to swallow at first.

“People are shocked when they read that, because we have always been a very chair-friendly amphitheater,” said Woodensea.

But once the beat kicks in, she added, “People were up and dancing, so i think people get it, once they’ve had the experience.”

If crowds aren’t your thing, there are some other options, although those have changed this summer as well.

About a block’s worth of lawn, directly across the river from the venue is closed, which is a big reason why bigger names have chosen to come to Bend this year.

But Bidot says don’t get discouraged, “There are still nine blocks that we allow open, as well as the restaurants and the patios.”

And those patios are ready.

Anthony’s Manager Rob Alexanders told us, “Well, it’s going to be real busy. We do expand our capacity a little bit, with some extra tables.”

Venue officials also said that for big recent concerts, like Steely Dan, they cap admission at 6,500, so they can allow chairs and blankets to make it more family-friendly.

It all depends on who’s performing.