Riverbend Music Center — officially the J. Ralph Corbett Pavilion — opened on July 4, 1984, along the banks of the Ohio River in Cincinnati, Ohio. Designed by celebrated postmodern architect Michael Graves at a construction cost of roughly $9 million, the venue was built to give the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra a grand outdoor home for summer performances. Its inaugural night featured Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, with special guests Ella Fitzgerald and Neil Armstrong.
The amphitheater accommodates up to 20,500 concertgoers — 6,000 in reserved covered pavilion seats and 14,500 on the general-admission lawn — ranking it among the largest outdoor music venues in the Midwest. A second stage, PNC Pavilion, opened on the same grounds in May 2008 with 4,100 seats, giving the campus the flexibility to host both arena-scale tours and more intimate headline shows in a single riverside setting.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Cincinnati, Ohio (6295 Kellogg Ave)
- Type: Outdoor amphitheater
- Opened: July 4, 1984
- Total Capacity: 20,500
- Pavilion Seats: 6,000 reserved
- Lawn Capacity: 14,500 general admission
- Architect: Michael Graves
- Famous for: Jimmy Buffett’s 41 consecutive sell-out crowds (1988–2022)
A Summer Concert Landmark on the Ohio River
When Riverbend opened in 1984, it was one of only 16 outdoor music amphitheaters in the entire United States, and it quickly transformed Cincinnati’s live-entertainment landscape. Situated adjacent to Belterra Park along the Ohio River, the scenic setting became as much a draw as the performers themselves. Over the decades the venue hosted a remarkable range of artists — from The Grateful Dead and Pearl Jam to the Spice Girls, Dave Matthews Band, and Sting.
Few relationships at Riverbend matched the legendary run of Jimmy Buffett, who sold out the venue for 41 consecutive years between 1988 and 2022, turning each show into an annual summer pilgrimage for his devoted ‘Parrot Head’ following across the Greater Cincinnati region.
The Venue Today
Riverbend Music Center is owned by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and operated by Music and Event Management, Inc. (MEMI), which also manages The Andrew J. Brady Music Center, Taft Theatre, and Rose Music Center. The dual-stage campus — Riverbend for major tours and PNC Pavilion for mid-size acts — gives Cincinnati’s market programming flexibility across a full outdoor season.
With approximately 35 major concert events per season and more than 500,000 attendees annually, Riverbend consistently ranks among the busiest amphitheaters in North America and remains the anchor of Greater Cincinnati’s summer live-music calendar.
Explore more: Live Music venues.
Riverbend Music Center FAQs
Where is Riverbend Music Center located?
Riverbend Music Center sits at 6295 Kellogg Ave in Cincinnati, Ohio, on the banks of the Ohio River near the former Coney Island amusement park site and Belterra Park.
What is the seating capacity of Riverbend Music Center?
The main amphitheater holds 20,500 guests — 6,000 in reserved covered pavilion seats and 14,500 on the general-admission lawn. The adjacent PNC Pavilion adds a 4,100-seat mid-size stage on the same campus, which opened in May 2008.
Who designed Riverbend Music Center?
The venue was designed by renowned postmodern architect Michael Graves and opened on July 4, 1984, at a construction cost of approximately $9 million. Its official name is the J. Ralph Corbett Pavilion.
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Photo by Sinful on Pexels.