Venue: Synovus Bank Amphitheater
Town: Atlanta, US
Capacity: 6,900

The Synovus Bank Amphitheater (originally known as North Fulton Park Amphitheatre; formerly the Cadence Bank Amphitheatre and the Chastain Park Amphitheater) is an outdoor amphitheatre within historic Chastain Park in Atlanta, Georgia. The venue, designed by Nelson Brackin, opened in 1944 and is decreed "Atlanta’s Oldest Outdoor Music Venue". The venue attracts more than 200,000 spectators per season. With the development of the North Fulton Park underway, Fulton County Commissioner Troy Green Chastain wanted to include an outdoor music venue alongside the other amenities of the park. Due to its last-minute addition, original plans saw outdoor bleacher-style seating with a stage and bandshell. Chastain sent scouts to Richmond, Pittsburgh, Daytona Beach, Louisville, and Chicago. The venue was modeled after amphitheatre at Byrd Park in Richmond. Construction began in 1942 and was completed in 1944. The venue opened on June 20, 1944, as the "North Fulton Park Amphitheater". The amphitheater got off to a slow start, mainly due to the effects of World War II and no promotion of events. Chastain died in 1946, with the venue and park being renamed in his honor. In 1952, the city of Atlanta gained ownership of the venue. The city began offering free concerts for the Atlanta Pops Orchestra, and a year later, an opera series that ran until 1968. At the time, the venue drew more than 30,000 spectators per year. In 1973, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra began its yearly concert series at the venue. During the first concert series, the ASO was conducted by celebrity bandleaders including Frankie Laine, Richard Hayman, Henry Mancini, Marvin Hamlisch and Peter Nero. The venue went through renovations in 1984, 1998 and 2004. The most notable renovation was completed by architect Nelson Brackin. Brackin was asked to design the renovation of the 6,000 seat amphitheatre in a fast-track approach lasting only a few short months. This renovation including new additions such as new box offi