Alpine Valley Music Theatre is a 30,000-capacity outdoor amphitheater on County Highway D in East Troy, Wisconsin, built in 1977 within the Alpine Valley ski resort. Boz Scaggs christened the venue with its inaugural concert on June 30, 1977, and for over a decade it stood as the largest amphitheater in the United States, a title it held until California’s Glen Helen Pavilion opened in 1993.
The venue pairs a 7,500-seat wooden-roofed pavilion with a sprawling grass lawn that has become a rite of passage for Midwest concertgoers. Ownership has passed from its original developers to Nederlander Concerts in 1993, then to SFX (later absorbed into Live Nation) in 1999, and in 2019 the property itself was sold to Consolidated-Tomoka Land Company for $7.5 million, with Live Nation continuing to operate it under a long-term lease.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: East Troy, Wisconsin
- Type: Outdoor amphitheater
- Opened: June 30, 1977
- Capacity: About 30,000 (7,500-seat pavilion plus lawn)
- Operator: Live Nation
- Famous for: Site of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s fatal 1990 helicopter crash; longtime Grateful Dead and Phish tour stop
A Legendary Home for Jam Bands and Festivals
Alpine Valley’s remote, wooded setting and huge lawn made it a natural fit for the jam-band circuit. The Grateful Dead played roughly 20 shows there between 1980 and 1989, cementing the venue’s reputation among Deadheads, while Phish has returned again and again, racking up around 26 performances over the years. The amphitheater also became a fixture on the festival trail, hosting stops on Lollapalooza, Ozzfest, the H.O.R.D.E. Festival, the Furthur Festival, and Farm Aid 2019, and it welcomed Pearl Jam for an exclusive run of shows during the band’s 20th-anniversary celebration in 2011.
Its wooden-roofed pavilion and open lawn bowl give Alpine Valley a distinct, rustic character compared to more urban sheds, and its size made it a go-to summer tour stop for acts looking to play to tens of thousands of fans in a single Wisconsin night.
The Night Stevie Ray Vaughan Died
Alpine Valley is inseparably linked to one of blues music’s darkest nights. On August 26, 1990, Stevie Ray Vaughan closed out a co-headlining show at the venue alongside Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, and his brother Jimmie Vaughan. After the concert, Vaughan boarded a helicopter bound for Chicago; it crashed into a nearby ski hill within the Alpine Valley resort, killing him and four others aboard. The tragedy remains one of the most mourned losses in modern blues and rock history, and it added a somber chapter to the venue’s otherwise celebratory legacy.
Explore more: Explore more iconic music venues.
Alpine Valley Music Theatre FAQs
Where is Alpine Valley Music Theatre located?
It sits on County Highway D in East Troy, Wisconsin, within the grounds of the Alpine Valley ski resort, roughly 40 miles southwest of Milwaukee.
How many people can Alpine Valley Music Theatre hold?
The venue has a total capacity of about 30,000, combining a 7,500-seat covered pavilion with a large open lawn area.
Why is Alpine Valley Music Theatre historically significant?
Built in 1977, it was the largest amphitheater in the United States until 1993. It’s also known as the site where blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan died in a helicopter crash on August 26, 1990, after performing there.
Get More from Alpine Valley Music Theatre
Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate Alpine Valley Music Theatre, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.
Photo by Nainoa Shizuru on Unsplash.