The Pros and Cons of Going to a Concert at Fenway Park in Boston

Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts

Fenway Park is an iconic landmark both locals and tourists flock to to catch a legendary Red Sox game. A list released in Men’s Health Magazine earlier this year ranked the stadium as top 5 in the country, however, not everyone will agree with that.

As with everything else in life, there are the good, the bad, and the ugly to Fenway Park. I’m not here to tell you what a Red Sox game is like, rather I’m going to fill you in on the pros and cons of going to a concert at the stadium.

Before I dive into this, I’m going to take this time to exercise the bragging rights I deserve and just casually drop it right here that I just saw the Red Hot Chili Peppers at Fenway Park last weekend. Yeah. That HAPPENED. I am part of HISTORY.

Anyway, back to the main point.

What’s it Like to go to a Concert at Fenway Park?

Great question, that’s the whole point of this article.

There are good things about a concert at this stadium and there are bad things. Do you like hearing good news or bad news first? Doesn’t matter, I’m going to start with the ‘bad’.

CONS:

Hard to Find Gates: There are a few entry points to get into the stadium which are lettered gates but they aren’t in alphabetical order? We did laps around the stadium confused as heck why it was going from “E” to “C”.

Parking is Terrible: There are so many freaking people trying to get to this stadium in the middle of the city, good LUCK scoring a parking spot that doesn’t cost one million dollars or doesn’t force you to take an Uber just to get closer. Now you’re paying double trouble.

Lack of Trash Cans: There were few trashcans on the premises and the ones that did pop up were overflowing so bad there were piles of trash everywhere.

The Seats: First off, if you’re tall, you’re going to be miserable. There is no legroom in most of the seats and they are extremely uncomfortable so you better be going to a concert that will have you standing up the whole time. Plus, a lot of them have obstructed views and Fenway shouldn’t even be selling those seats for a concert!!! Rude!!!

Okay, I’m done complaining. Now let’s talk about the good stuff so we can leave you on a positive note.

PROS:

Short Lines: Since there are a few different entry points, it divides the crowds up nicely which results in shorter lines to get in and shorter lines for food and bevvies.

Hard Liquor & Easy Access Bars: Speaking of bevvies, you don’t have to suck it up and drink beer at the stadium if you don’t want to because they have a full bar ready to mix you up whatever you want. There are also bars scattered all over the place so you don’t have to walk too far for a drink. Even better, they have massive Smart waters at most of the vendors which is a major plus for me, personally. I’m a big water guy.

Security: Security is a smooth and easy process with a quick ticket scan and walk-through. The process of waiting in line, going through security, and getting our tickets checked took a maximum of 5 minutes.

Easy to Find Seats: Walking through the stadium is a bit of a tight squeeze getting by people but they do make it easy to find your seats with big signs hanging around everywhere. You’d have to really be lost to not know where you’re going.

Street Vendors: I think this one may just be personal but there are hella hot dog vendors outside the stadium on all sides and I don’t know what it is about being in Boston and especially at Fenway but when I’m in that area, I NEED a hot dog.

Size: It's a big spot but it's also small relative to the other stadiums that big names are playing at so it's more of an intimate setting with better views than you'd get elsewhere.

Location: The stadium is right next to Boston’s House of Blues and plenty of other iconic restaurants and bars right on the same street or within walking distance. You have plenty of options for places to go before and after the show. Most places have seating outside for some killer people-watching.

All in all, it was an incredible show I went to recently. Did I mention I went to the Red Hot Chili Peppers? Yeah, I went to the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Was it the best concert venue I have ever been to? No. Would I go back? Probably.

The stadium was built for baseball, not rock shows, but they still did one hell of a job putting on a show.