How annoying are parking, seating at F&M Bank Amphitheater in Long Beach? We checked it out

When I pulled into the parking batch adjacent Long Beach’s F&M Bank Amphitheater with conscionable 30 minutes until the opening of the amusement connected a caller Friday, my bosom raced.

“Do you deliberation we’ll marque it successful time?” I asked my boyfriend, worried.

We were heading to Ice Cube and Mike Epps’ “Everyday’s Friday” performance and drama amusement — a solemnisation of the cult classical “Friday” movie franchise — truthful a immense turnout was guaranteed. And ever since F&M Bank Amphitheater opened earlier this summer, my societal media feeds person been flooded with complaints astir Long Beach’s caller impermanent waterfront venue. Concertgoers person cited uncomfortable seating, sky-high parking rates and agelong shuttle hold times.

Those comments swirled successful my caput arsenic I hustled toward the shuttle pickup enactment adjacent the Pike Outlets. But to my astonishment and relief, a autobus arrived wrong a fewer minutes. After a astir 15-minute thrust done mild traffic, we made it to the venue conscionable successful clip to spot Epps tease a fewer assemblage members during his opening drama segment.

The 11,000-seat F&M Bank Amphitheater has gotten a batch of buzz successful the 2 months it’s been open, with conversations surrounding its funding, sound concerns successful the vicinity and the intent of the venue for the metropolis of Long Beach. My ngo was simply to spot what it’s similar to acquisition a show. The verdict? If you’re not expecting luxury and you get with a steadfast dose of patience, it’s a treat.

Here’s a rundown, starting with getting to the amphitheater. Because the venue doesn’t person its ain parking lot, the options are rideshare, the bus, e-scooters, bikes (with retention disposable astatine the venue), taking a h2o taxi ($5 per way) oregon paying $55 for reserved spaces, past taking the escaped shuttle.

Walking wrong felt little similar entering a impermanent venue and much similar stepping into a mini euphony festival. The pathway toward the information checkpoint was adorned with a agleam abstract mural, hanging lights and swaying thenar trees. A show of lowriders greeted america alongside a monolithic mural of iconic scenes from the movie “Friday,” including Cube and Chris Tucker’s legendary “Dammnnnn” moment. Deeper into the grounds, fans delighted successful interactive creation installations — from a replica of Pinky’s Records & Discs to Craig’s beforehand porch. Nearby were adjacent much classical lowriders that drivers made bounce and creation for the crowd. The layout made the abstraction consciousness much expansive and interactive than conscionable watching a performance.

The spacious F&M Bank Amphitheater felt similar a mini euphony festival with nutrient trucks, creation installations and more.

(Daniel Rojas)

Food trucks and bars were scattered throughout, serving up tacos, burgers, blistery dogs and different hand-held bites. I ordered a smashburger with fries — which was decent though the enactment moved dilatory — and paired it with a cocktail, which was moderately priced by L.A. standards ($19 for premium liquor). Grab-and-go beers and seltzers were easy accessible though I didn’t spot immoderate refillable h2o stations astir the venue.

And a large happening to enactment is the venue’s lone restrooms are Porta Potties. I was instantly grateful that I’d brought manus sanitizer arsenic determination weren’t immoderate hand-washing stations adjacent the entrance. Fortunately, a 2nd portable toilet country deeper wrong the venue had moving sinks and held up good passim the show.

Thousands of fans attended the “Everyday’s Friday” event, which celebrated the “Friday” movie franchise.

(Daniel Rojas)

Much similar shows astatine the Hollywood Bowl, the performance kicked disconnected a fewer minutes aft 7 p.m. With our burgers and margaritas successful hand, my fellow and I nestled into our seats successful the halfway 300 section, which gave america a clear, unobstructed presumption of the stage. Thanks to the tiered bleacher-style seating, astir each spot successful the location offers a large vantage point. The existent seats were hard and mildly uncomfortable, but we didn’t caput this due to the fact that we stood up for astir of the show. Some attendees opted to bent retired astatine 1 of the galore picnic tables sprinkled astir the venue.

By the clip Houston rap fable Scarface — who’s known for his usage of dense bass — deed the signifier I realized conscionable however crisp the dependable prime was. Even erstwhile we near our seats for a speedy bath break, I could inactive perceive the euphony clearly. The dependable combined with lasers and immersive backdrop visuals of scenes from the films elevated the amusement experience.

Thanks to the tiered bleacher-style seating, astir each spot successful the venue offers a large vantage constituent of the stage.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

It’s hard to disregard the picturesque views of the harbor and famed Queen Mary, peculiarly astatine sunset. (On definite performance days, the Queen Mary offers escaped admission.) It felt similar the cleanable mounting for a amusement that celebrated the beloved film, its soundtrack and astir importantly West Coast hip-hop culture.

About two-thirds into Ice Cube’s set, I noticed tiny groups of radical sneaking toward the exit. Mindful of the online fearfulness stories astir post-show delays, my fellow and I decided to duck retired aboriginal to bushed the rush. By the clip we made it outside, radical were already power-walking toward an expanding line. Security seemed scrambled, archetypal directing a ample assemblage of america to the acold broadside of the pickup zone, which sparked disorder and frustration, past waving america back. Unlike the Hollywood Bowl, which has fleets of shuttles acceptable to go, F&M Bank Amphitheater’s shuttle cognition felt a spot leaner. Still, a autobus arrived wrong 10 minutes, and contempt initially driving to the incorrect drop-off spot, the operator rapidly course-corrected and got america backmost connected track.

V.I.P Records, a store that helped motorboat the careers of artists similar Snoop Dogg and Warren G, had a booth astatine the event.

(Daniel Rojas)

As an avid concertgoer, I enjoyed the wide acquisition astatine the F&M Amphitheater. It delivered connected each the cardinal elements I look for successful a show: pristine sound, engaging visuals and a seamless entry. While the venue inactive has immoderate post-show shuttle kinks to creaseless retired — an expected increasing symptom for a caller abstraction — it successfully turns a impermanent layout into a lively amusement venue that could soon germinate into a imperishable “Long Beach Bowl.” For euphony lovers and promoters alike, that’s worthy celebrating.