White River vs. the Gorge: Where will you get your summer music?

So where are you going to get your big music thrills this summer?

Now that the White River Amphitheatre in Auburn and the Gorge Amphitheatre in George are open and competing for business, it's time to do a breakdown on which offers the better concertgoing experience.

These points are based on attending both opening shows, the Sasquatch! festival at the Gorge on May 24, and Heart at White River last Saturday.

Traffic

White River: From Seattle, the White River wins, but not without caveats. It took us almost an hour and a half to travel the 39 miles from downtown Seattle. We took I-5 to Highway 18, then turned on Highway 164, which goes past the venue. Traffic started backing up on 18 a few miles before we got to the 164 exit. We hit a big bottleneck in Auburn, which disappeared once traffic funneled down to two lanes. Although organizers say the bottleneck was due to some miscommunication with the police, we'd still leave a generous amount of time to get there, especially since the opening show was about half the venue's 20,000 capacity. Getting back went more smoothly. It took us less than 45 minutes.

Gorge: The Gorge is a straight shot east on I-90, and it takes about three hours to get there. House of Blues, which runs the Gorge, has the traffic situation managed very well through years of practice. But that three hours is a big hurdle, any way you look at it. It takes a bigger commitment to see a show there, with many people opting to stay overnight in the on-site campground or nearby hotels.

Parking

White River: This is a tossup, because both offer ample parking close in. White River also offers a free shuttle from the Auburn SuperMall.

Gorge: The Gorge offers plenty of parking as well.

Sound

White River: Again the winner, although the Gorge is a close second. White River wins because the sound is clear and consistent throughout the facility. Note that this may vary widely depending on the setup for each show.

Gorge: At Sasquatch!, the sound was simply amazing in certain spots, better than White River. But it's muddy and irritating in others, which is why we placed it second. Our tip: Try to get into the center sections, because the further out to the sides you are, the more the sound quality degrades.

Food

White River: No question, the hands-down winner. On opening day, the facilities were clean, well-run and offered a wide and interesting selection of food, including Indian fry bread. There was no waiting for any of the booths, which were all over and easy to spot.

Gorge: They might have gotten their act together by now, but the food on opening day was simply atrocious. Horrible, horrible, horrible. A bowl of teriyaki chicken we bought (after a substantial wait) was a gristly, inedible glop of "meat" covered with a congealing, gelatinous goop. Even the rice managed to be both goopy in some spots and alarmingly crunchy in others. Servers were ill-trained and panicky. Absolutely inexcusable.

Note that neither venue is exactly cheap; expect to pay about $7 for most entree items.

Restrooms

White River: Again the hands-down winner, with plenty of permanent, clean facilities with no waiting, for men or women. It's possible the bathrooms won't be as pleasant with a full-capacity show, but for opening day, they were fine.

Gorge: Portable toilets. Big lines. Big hassle, especially for the all-day experiences you're often in for at the Gorge.

Seating

White River: This one is a have and have-not question. If you want to spring for reserved seats, White River offers a plush experience, with comfortable seats and great views from everywhere, and the added protection of a huge, acoustically insulated roof. Seats further back allow views of two giant video screens. The lawn is roomy and sculpted, and lawn chairs are available for rental, although when the place is sold out, it'll be a bit tighter.

Gorge: Two words: The view. The experience of being out there in the sun is like no other place in the country, courtesy of the spectacular vista offered by the Columbia River Gorge. The amphitheater has no roof, but you wouldn't want one because it would block that incredible view. In some ways, the further back you are the more you can enjoy it, which is why the lawn seating wins out here. It's better than being in the reserved section (if they have one for the show you're seeing).

Conclusion

White River is a substantial new player that offers sophisticated, clean facilities and a very smooth, high-tech concertgoing experience. If you want a relatively short drive and clean bathrooms, there's no question which one is better. The main obstacle is the traffic, which may get better as improvements are phased in.

At the Gorge, on the other hand, the emphasis is on experience. If you enjoy the thought of a road trip out to rural Washington, with your friends around and a mind-expanding setting for your day in the sun, the Gorge has no equal. But it requires commitment, both in time and patience with the facilities.

The bottom line is that concertgoers now have better choices, and it appears they like them: Shows at both venues are selling well.

Doug Kim: dkim@seattletimes.com