(Now re-named "The
Honda Center").
2695 E. Katella Avenue,.
Anaheim, CA. / (714) 704-2400.
An
Orange County site for major concerts is the Arrowhead Pond.
Located just two miles east of Disneyland,
and right across from Anaheim Stadium and
the new Tinseltown Studios, its
principal tenant is the ice hockey team, the Ducks (formerly owned
by Disney and named 'The Mighty Ducks' after the Disney movie of the
same name).
It's also home for the NBA's
Clippers basketball, The arena also plays host to such varied events as
the Ringling Brothers-Barnum & Bailey Circus, Disney On Ice, rodeos,
WWF wrestling, and the Anaheim Splash soccer team.
In 2006, they announced that
they had sold the naming-rights to the arena, and that from now on it will
be called "The Honda Center"
(which sounds like a car dealership, if you ask me...)
But
the cavernous Pond is becoming an increasingly popular spot for concert
performers. Its opening night in 1993 saw a concert from Barry
Manilow, and the stars have just kept
coming ever since then, including Elton
John, Whitney Houston,
Billy Joel, Celine
Dion, Smashing Pumpkins,
No Doubt, R.E.M.,
Tori Amos, Amy
Grant, Bob Dylan / Joni
Mitchell, Janet Jackson,
Eric Clapton, Shania
Twain, AC/DC, Mannheim
Steamroller, Phil Collins,
Neil Diamond, Depeche
Mode, Yanni,
Clint Black, George
Straight, Traffic, LL Cool J,
Travis Tritt, Aerosmith,
Santana, Reba
McEntire / Brooks & Dunn,
and even Barbra Streisand.
(Many of these same performers go on to play the
Forum or Staples
Center a few days later.).
Ricky Martin
appeared in concert at the Pond on July 20, 2000; Tim
McGraw & Faith
Hill, and Brooks
& Dunn soon after.
In February 1999, the Pond
was the scene of the Rolling Stones
"No Security" concert (with the
best tickets going for $150.) The Stones' opening act was Bryan Adams.
During
his 1998 concert at the Pond, Elton John
was joined on stage by crazyman Jim
Carrey, who wore a sequined, red leather
jacket, and joined Elton in a duet of "Rocket Man," which
included Carry playing Elton's piano with his head. The audience at that
concert included a number of Hollywood celebs, such as Hugh Grant,
Elizabeth Hurley, and
Sharon Stone.
And speaking of stars showing up to see stars, in
April of 1999, at the Andrea Bocelli
concert, Elizabeth Taylor was
seated in the front row.
So, if you get a yen to see
a concert while you're in Disney country, this might be right up your alley.
Phone for future bookings. Tickets are available through TicketMaster.
Lot parking is a steep $7.
(In late 2006, the Pond was
officially renamed "The Honda Center.")
Getting
there:From Disneyland, simply drive two miles east on Katella Avenue,
past Anaheim Stadium, to just beyond the Santa Ana Freeway (at Douglas
Way), and the Pond will be on your left (north) side.
[For more information
on this subject, you can access the Pond's official website at: http://www.arrowheadpond.com.]
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