Jiffy Lube Live is a sprawling outdoor amphitheater in Bristow, Virginia, about 35 miles west of Washington, D.C. Opened in June 1995 as Nissan Pavilion, the venue was built by Cellar Door Productions to give the region a large-scale concert space after noise complaints ended big shows at RFK Stadium. It has operated under its current name since 2010, following a sponsorship deal between Live Nation and a regional Jiffy Lube co-op.
As the largest music-oriented venue in the Washington metropolitan area, Jiffy Lube Live combines a covered reserved-seating pavilion with a huge open lawn, giving it the flexibility to host everything from arena-caliber rock and pop tours to country festivals and jam-band marathons. Over three decades it has become a summer staple for the D.C. region, drawing headliners across nearly every genre alongside local traditions like high school graduation ceremonies.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Bristow, Virginia
- Type: Outdoor amphitheater
- Opened: June 1995
- Capacity: About 25,262 (roughly 10,444 reserved seats, 14,818 lawn)
- Operator: Live Nation
- Former name: Nissan Pavilion (1995–2010)
- Famous for: Largest music venue in the Washington, D.C. metro area
From Nissan Pavilion to Jiffy Lube Live
The venue opened on June 6, 1995 with a bill featuring The Village People, Laura Branigan, Rose Royce, and The Trammps, quickly establishing itself as a regional touring hub. It carried the Nissan Pavilion name for its first fifteen years before Live Nation struck a naming-rights agreement with the Jiffy Lube Washington Area Co-op, rebranding the amphitheater as Jiffy Lube Live in January 2010.
Beyond concerts, the site has hosted notable moments in its own right, including a 2008 presidential campaign rally and a live album recording by Kiss in 2004, cementing its reputation as more than just another stop on a summer tour circuit.
A Summer Concert Tradition
With its mix of covered pavilion seating and expansive lawn space, Jiffy Lube Live is built for warm-weather touring package shows, drawing everything from classic rock and country to hip-hop and rock festivals like the former Mayhem Festival. Its scale and proximity to Washington, D.C. make it the default choice for arena-sized tours that want an open-air setting.
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Jiffy Lube Live FAQs
Where is Jiffy Lube Live located?
It’s in Bristow, Virginia, in Prince William County, about 35 miles west of Washington, D.C.
What was Jiffy Lube Live called before?
It opened in 1995 as Nissan Pavilion and was renamed Jiffy Lube Live in January 2010 under a new naming-rights agreement.
How many people does Jiffy Lube Live hold?
The amphitheater seats about 25,262 people, split between roughly 10,444 reserved seats and 14,818 lawn spots.
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Photo: Queerbubbles / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.