Riverstage
Experience live music in an open-air, outdoor setting at Riverstage. Find out about events, ticketing and transport.
About Riverstage
Located by the Brisbane River in the City Botanic Gardens, Riverstage is Brisbane’s iconic outdoor entertainment venue.
The versatile facility, with a capacity for 9,000 patrons, offers a relaxed yet intimate outdoor concert experience. It can also be hired for private and community events.
Enjoy live performances in the open air against a garden and river backdrop. Ed Sheeran, Florence and the Machine and Powderfinger are just some of the local and international artists who have brought their shows to Riverstage.
Visiting Riverstage
Find information to ensure your visit to Riverstage is safe and enjoyable.
Tickets
Ticketmaster is Riverstage’s contracted Ticketing Provider.
All Patrons must present a valid ticket.
General admission at Riverstage is standing room only. Most of the venue is a grassed area on a gentle slope down to the stage.
For events with reserved seating, refer to the event’s venue map to select your seat.
If you're over 18, have one of the following forms of current identification on hand:
- Australian driver's licence or learner's permit
- passport (from any country)
- adult proof of age card
- a recognised proof of age card (e.g. Keypass identity card)
- foreign driver's licence.
These can be hard copy ID or digital ID.
When attending an all ages event:
- adults must accompany children 12 years and under
- adults are strongly recommended to accompany children between 13 and 15 years
- all patrons must hold a valid ticket regardless of age, unless specified.
Arrive early to avoid disappointment for non-ticketed events. Once Riverstage has reached capacity, we are unable to admit anyone else.
Make sure you buy tickets from Ticketmaster. It’s the authorised ticketing agency for Riverstage events. Council is unable to verify the validity of tickets purchased via any other channel.
Occasionally, we may sell through another vendor. Please check the event listing on What’s On in Brisbane.
Entry
Items you can bring into the venue include:
- sealed unopened soft plastic water bottles up to 600 ml - lids will be removed (event dependent)
- empty soft plastic water bottles up to 600 ml with lids removed for filling at Riverstage's free water stations (event dependant)
- rugs and blankets (event/capacity dependent)
- working guide dogs and assistance dogs
- strollers (event dependent).
Items you cannot bring into the venue include:
- backpacks
- bags larger than A4 size
- cameras with detachable lens
- chairs or elevated seating
- domestic animals (excludes working guide dogs and other assistance dogs)
- eskies
- fireworks (of any kind)
- full (or empty) beverage bottles, cans or containers of any kind (excludes soft water bottles - event dependent)
- food
- iPads
- large flashlights and torches
- laser pointing devices
- prams
- selfie sticks
- skateboards
- studded fashion items
- umbrellas
- video or audio recorders of any type
- weapons of any kind
- any other items considered to be harmful to others.
Council may add items to the prohibited list as required.
- Your bags will be searched.
- Personal safety and security checks will be conducted.
- Security wanding may occur.
- You can leave non-permitted items at the cloakroom.
- Illegal items will be confiscated.
- You must not stand on bins or fences.
- Camping is not permitted within the City Botanic Gardens.
For more information, please see restricted and prohibited activities in parks.
Pass outs (tickets that allow you to leave and re-enter later) will not be given.
Riverstage is an outdoor amphitheatre. If rain or bad weather occurs, the show will proceed, unless deemed unsafe to do so.
No refunds will be authorised unless the event is cancelled.
Transport, parking and accommodation
Getting there
Taking public transport is the easiest and recommended way to travel to and from Riverstage.
By train
The closest train stations are South Bank (850-metre walk via the Goodwill Bridge) and Central (1.9 kilometre walk via Edward Street and the City Botanic Gardens).
By ferry
The closest ferry terminal is QUT Gardens Point, a stop for CityCat and Express CityCat services (280-metre walk).
By bus
The closest bus stops are South Bank bus station (1 kilometre walk via the Goodwill Bridge), and bus stops on Alice Street and George Street (800-metre walk via George Street and Gardens Point Road).
Free bus service
The free City Loop service (route 40 and 50) stops in front of the City Botanic Gardens Gardens on Alice Street.
Plan your trip with Translink’s Journey Planner.
There is no onsite parking at Riverstage.
There is limited parking on Alice Street and other streets around the City Botanic Gardens. Paid parking is available in parking stations in the CBD and in South Bank.
View the on-street disability parking spaces map to see on street parking in the CBD. You must have a disability parking permit to use these spaces.
Riverstage is a short walk from the Brisbane CBD and the South Bank precinct.
There are many accommodation options in the city or South Bank.
Accessibility, wheelchair access, seating and facilities
Riverstage has an accessible viewing platform at the top of the hill for patrons with accessibility requirements. A wheelchair-accessible portable toilet is located nearby.
You can book accessible options directly online, by phoning Ticketmaster on 1300 446 925 or by using their dedicated online request form.
Council honours the Queensland Government Companion Card. This card allows free entry to Riverstage to anyone accompanying a person with disability who needs attendant care support. You can book your companion ticket with Ticketmaster.
You can’t bring food and open drinks into Riverstage. If you’re hungry, there are various food and drink outlets to choose from.
If you have special dietary requirements, email Council.
You can use the free cloak room located outside, near gate 1, for storing prohibited items.
Illegal items will be confiscated. We encourage you not to bring bags and to travel light.
For any questions about the cloakroom, email Council.
You can smoke in designated smoking areas only.
The first aid station for all events is to the right of the stage. Look for the first aid sign or speak with security staff at the venue.
(This video has no narration, just background music.)
This virtual fly-through shows the Brisbane Riverstage venue and surrounds. It begins at the City Reach of the Brisbane River, near Eagle Street, and flies toward Riverstage. It shows the location of Riverstage, plus the city centre, the City Botanic Gardens, Captain Cook Bridge, South Bank and South Bank station, as well as Goodwill Bridge and QUT Gardens Point ferry terminal.
When the fly-through reaches Riverstage, it highlights the location of Gate 1 and Gate 2.
Once the fly-through is finished, 12 still shots are displayed one after the other.
The end screen has the following text: For more information visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/riverstage.
Hiring Riverstage
Riverstage holds up to 9,000 patrons and is scalable for a number of different event modes.
It’s available to hire for:
- local, national and international performances and music events
- corporate functions and events
- community events.
If you hire Riverstage for a ticketed event, we'll work with you and our ticketing provider to deliver ticketing services.
Technical facilities at Riverstage include:
- 50 square metre backstage storage
- 6 metre x 6 metre front of house with underground cable access that can be modified to meet your requirements
- power supply audio 150 amps per phase
- power supply lighting 350 amps per phase
- rigging points and weight loadings
- internet access.
Riverstage has 4 levels. Use the floor plans to plan your event.
Ground floor stage plan - offices
Level 1 stage plan - stage, production office and two dressing rooms
Level 2 stage plan - green room, kitchen facilities and two dressing rooms
Level 3 stage plan - covered rooftop hospitality area
Noise levels
The following noise-related conditions apply to Riverstage concerts:
- noise levels cannot be greater than 100dB(A) LAeq when measured 30 metres from the stage over any 5-minute interval during the event
- all amplified noise must finish by 10pm
- noise levels are measured by an independent company.
To raise a concern about noise at Riverstage during an event, phone the Riverstage Hotline on 07 3403 7921.
Frequently asked questions
Shows at Riverstage will proceed in the event of rain or bad weather, unless it's unsafe.
No refunds will be given unless the event is cancelled.
You can find details about upcoming Riverstage events or concerts by visiting What’s on.