Compton Terrace

Compton Terrace was a name given to two former outdoor amphitheaters for concerts, located in the Phoenix metropolitan area of Arizona. It was named in honor of a local radio personality and music promoter, William Edward Compton.

Compton Terrace was an amphitheater owned by Jess Nicks, father of Stevie Nicks, in Tempe, Arizona, originally located on the grounds of Legend City from 1979 until its closing in 1983.

Nicks chose the amphitheater’s name in honor of William Edward "Bill" Compton III, a Valley radio rock 'n' roll icon, considered the father of “free form” radio and programmer of pioneering stations KCAC and KDKB.

At the peak of his career, in 1977, Compton was killed in an automobile accident.

A who’s who of rock 'n' roll performed at the Legend City Compton Terrace before the park finally closed in 1983 and relocated to Firebird International Raceway in 1985 that was located in Chandler, Arizona.

LIST OF COMPTON TERRACE 1979-1983

1979

• 07-28-79 I JERRY RIOPELLE I JOHN STEWART
• 08-07-79 I CHEAP TRICK
• 08-17-79 I THE TUBES
• 09-05-79 I THE CARS I FOREIGNER
• 09-17-79 I KENNY ROGERS
• 10-28-79 I THE BEACH BOYS

1980

• 06-05-80 I GRATEFUL DEAD
• 06-20-80 I JIMMY BUFFETT
• 07-06-80 I QUEEN
• 08-09-80 I JACKSON BROWNE
• 08-12-80 I FOGHAT
• 08-29-80 I FLEETWOOD MAC
• 10-18-80 I WAYLON JENNINGS
• 11-03-80 I LINDA RONSTADT

1981

• 04-28-81 I REO SPEEDWAGON I 707
• 05-16-81 I NAZARETH I BILLY THORPE
• 06-21-81 I THE MOODY BLUES
• 07-01-81 I ALICE COOPER
• 07-14-81 I JOE WALSH
• 07-17-81 I WILLIE NELSON
• 09-19-81 I TRUIMPH I MAHOGANY RUSH
• 08-16-81 I THE COMMODORES
• 08-30-81 I GRATEFUL DEAD
• 10-16-81 I LUTHER VANDROSS
• 10-17-81 I PAT BENATAR
• 11-15-81 I BLACKFOOT I DEF LEPPARD
• 12-05-81 I STEVIE NICKS

1982

• 02-06-82 I THE POLICE I THE GO-GO'S
• 02-20-82 I DAN FOGELBERG
• 02-25-82 I AC/DC
• 02-27-82 I THE BEACH BOYS
• 05-26-82 I UFO
• 07-12-82 I AEROSMITH
• 06-29-82 I ELTON JOHN
• 07-10-82 I ASIA
• 08-31-82 I THE GO-GO'S
• 09-03-82 I THE STEVE MILLER BAND
• 09-30-82 I FLEETWOOD MAC I MEN AT WORK
• 10-01-81 I NAZARETH I KROKUS I TWISTED SISTER
• 10-15-82 I REO SPEEDWAGON

1983

• 02-13-83 I SAMMY HAGAR
• 03-25-83 I GRATEFUL DEAD
• 03-27-83 I PAT BENATAR
• 07-27-83 I BLACKFOOT
• 07-30-83 I AEROSMITH I RONNIE JAMES DIO
• 08-19-83 I THE TUBES
• 08-28-83 I THE TALKING HEADS
• 09-12-83 I DEF LEPPARD
• 10-22-83 I AC/DC I FASTWAY

A second location named Compton Terrace amphitheater opened in Chandler in 1985 (located next to the Firebird International Raceway at 33°16′17″N 111°58′17″W / 33.2713364°N 111.9713452°W / 33.2713364; -111.9713452).^[1] The venue's capacity was approximately 20,000.^[2] This site hosted its last event with the Big Top "Electronic Highway Tour" on August 16, 1997.^[3][4][5][6] It was demolished in 2010.

Notable past performers include U2, The Police, Metallica, Def Leppard, Duran Duran, Morrissey, Eurythmics, Fleetwood Mac, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Phil Collins, Grateful Dead, Guns N' Roses, Queen, Iron Maiden, Pat Benatar, Scorpions, Molly Hatchet, Van Halen, Phish, Jane's Addiction, the New Kids On The Block, Living Colour, Nine Inch Nails, Talking Heads, Depeche Mode, The Cure, The Power Station, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Rage Against the Machine, Ratt, The Go-Go's, R.E.M. ^[7] and Bon Jovi.^[8][9]

33°26′49″N 111°57′27″W / 33.447012°N 111.957577°W / 33.447012; -111.957577