Events and Programming
Thunder Studios is not a conventional theater with one permanent seating chart or a year-round resident program. It is a working production campus whose live-event spaces are configured for concerts, festivals, combat sports, professional wrestling, esports, corporate events, award shows, product launches and broadcast productions. The main live spaces are The Arena, Stage 03, the Backlot and other sound stages that can be adapted for public events.
As of September 16, 2026, the publicly announced calendar shows a strong mix of Latin music, reggaeton, stand-up comedy, rock, wrestling and combat sports. Confirmed 2026 examples include United Wrestling Network events, the Team Combat League boxing program, LXF MMA, FXC Full Throttle, concerts by Corazón Serrano, Alejandra Azcárate and Kurt Deimer, and the Atomic Rock festival. The programming points to a venue that is particularly comfortable with ring-based sports, high-energy music, hybrid indoor-outdoor shows and events that need broadcast infrastructure as well as an audience room.
Upcoming listings after September 16, 2026 include Atomic Rock on September 26, Ricardo Quevedo’s stand-up show on October 3, Noche de Guaro and Despecho with El Charrito Negro on October 17, Reggaeton Forever on October 31, and Ken-Y on December 5. These listings show the venue’s continuing emphasis on Latin and urban music, comedy and festival-format entertainment. Event times, age limits, lineups and layouts can change, so treat the individual event listing as the final authority. No reliable public 2027 program has been confirmed in the sources reviewed.
Recent and notable programming since 2021 includes New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s Fighting Spirit Unleashed taping on August 16, 2021, which produced three episodes of NJPW Strong ; Golden Boy’s Bally’s Fight Night boxing and MMA card in June 2021; the 2023 concert by Chila Jatun; United Wrestling Network wrestling in early 2024; and a 10-bout bare-knuckle event held at Thunder Studios on November 23, 2024. Major League Wrestling staged Battle Riot VII there on April 5, 2025, followed by Slaughterhouse on October 4, 2025.
Music programming has included house and techno events, Latin concerts, urban parties and festival-style shows. The March 2025 Cut Snake & Mates event used two stages, live art and immersive installations, while Seshtival and Day Party LA brought dance music, DJs and multi-activity programming. Thunder Studios has also hosted esports and gaming events, including the Beachcon gaming festival, which moved to the campus after outgrowing its university venue and drew more than 3,000 people in 2018.
Public event ticket prices vary widely. Recent listed examples range from a $25 flat-price ticket for Atomic Rock to approximately $20-$80 for the October 2026 Reggaeton Forever event, depending on general admission or table access. A general planning range of roughly $25-$100 is reasonable for many music and entertainment events, while VIP packages, tables, premium seating, sports cards and resale listings can cost more. These are event examples rather than a permanent Thunder Studios price schedule.
Tickets and Booking
Thunder Studios events are promoted and ticketed on an event-by-event basis. Use the ticket instructions attached to the specific event listing rather than assuming that the venue has a permanent box office, fixed general-admission policy or universal seating map. Some events are standing-room shows, some use theater seating, and sports events normally use temporary bleachers or chairs around a ring or competition floor.
Tickets commonly go on sale when a promoter announces the lineup, with presale or early general-admission tiers sometimes followed by VIP tables, meet-and-greet packages or premium seating. For popular wrestling, combat-sports and Latin music events, buying during the first public sale is the safest way to secure face-value inventory and preferred sections. Late purchases may still be available, but prices can rise and seating configurations may be altered by the promoter.
Read the event conditions before purchasing. The venue’s ticket terms state that sales are generally final, that dates and times may change, and that admission can be subject to the event organizer’s safety rules or required waivers. Event-specific age restrictions are common: recent listings have included 18+ and 21+ shows. Bring the ticket in the format specified by the organizer and carry valid identification when the event has an age restriction.
For promoters, Thunder offers venue rental, stage management, crewing, ticketing and box-office support, catering, concessions, event bars, parking and broadcast production. Its event spaces can be combined, allowing a promoter to use The Arena with the Backlot and Hollywood Lounge for a larger indoor-outdoor production.
About Thunder Studios
Thunder Studios is a 13-acre production campus at 20434 South Santa Fe Avenue in Long Beach. The company was founded in 2013 after Rodric David acquired and converted a former General Motors automotive advertising property. General Motors had used the site for vehicle photography, including interior images and advertising work, and the existing vehicle-oriented stages helped make the property suitable for film, television and commercial production.
The campus has evolved from a film and commercial facility into a multi-use production operation with sound stages, an esports arena, broadcast control rooms, mobile production resources, a virtual-production stage and event spaces. Current public materials describe approximately 150,000 square feet of production infrastructure. The website’s current pages refer to 12 stages in one overview and 14 stages in its 2026 capabilities materials, while the historical description also references an earlier 20-stage buildout. The safest interpretation is that Thunder’s available stage count has changed as spaces have been consolidated, rebuilt or reclassified.
The venue’s significance comes from that combination of industrial scale and public-facing programming. It can function as a concert room, a wrestling studio, a boxing venue, a gaming arena, a commercial-production lot or a broadcast facility without the fixed architectural limitations of a traditional performing-arts building.
Seating and Layout
The Arena is the clearest public-facing live venue on the campus. Thunder describes it as approximately 9,000 square feet within a 10,000-square-foot event space, with polished-concrete flooring, a built-in stage, full overhead grid, a VIP lounge, an audio cabin and a potential talent room with a private restroom. The built-in stage is listed as a 40-foot-wide by 14-foot-deep Steeldeck platform that can be raised up to four feet.
Published capacity figures are not completely consistent, which reflects the venue’s configurable layout. The Arena overview gives approximately 1,000 standing, 500 theater-style and 200 banquet guests. Its detailed technical table separately lists 1,500 standing and 700 theater seats, with 200 banquet guests. Capacity may be reduced for custom layouts, production control positions, camera platforms, barricades, VIP areas or sports rings. Confirm the exact arrangement for the event you are attending rather than relying on one headline capacity.
Stage 03 offers a much larger format. It measures 16,000 square feet and has a 100-foot-wide by 160-foot-deep, 25-foot-high three-wall black cyc. The stage can support approximately 3,000 standing, 1,500 theater-style or 350 banquet guests according to its technical information, although its descriptive copy refers more conservatively to live events of about 2,000 guests. It has vehicle access through large doors, a 30-ton air-conditioning unit and optional green-screen curtain infrastructure.
For concerts and parties, the best viewing position usually depends on whether the show is standing-room or seated. In general admission, arriving early is the most reliable way to secure a clear sightline near the centerline of the stage. For boxing, MMA and wrestling, seats along the long side of the ring generally provide the most balanced view, while corners can give a more dramatic angle but may be partially obstructed by posts, officials or camera equipment. Because Thunder is a production campus, sightlines can change substantially from one event to the next.
Getting There and Parking
The address is 20434 South Santa Fe Avenue, Long Beach, California 90810, in the industrial area near the Long Beach-Carson boundary. Driving is usually the most straightforward option. From the 405, use the Santa Fe Avenue or Wardlow Road connections; from the 710, follow the Santa Fe Avenue and Wardlow Road approaches. The campus is approximately 25 minutes south of Hollywood and about 20 minutes from Los Angeles International Airport in normal traffic, although event-night congestion can make those estimates much longer.
Thunder’s event materials list on-site parking and valet as available services, while The Arena page specifically notes private parking access for private events. Parking arrangements, prices and entrances can therefore vary by promoter. One recent visitor review reported paying $30 for event parking, but that should not be treated as a standard rate for every show. Check the event instructions before driving and arrive early if parking is important to you.
Long Beach Transit service runs along Santa Fe Avenue. Route 192 serves the Santa Fe corridor, and nearby transit information identifies Wardlow A Line station as roughly half a mile east of the surrounding project area, with connecting local bus service. Depending on the event entrance, the final walk may involve industrial sidewalks and a longer approach than the station distance suggests. A practical transit plan is to take the A Line to Wardlow, transfer to a Santa Fe-bound local bus where schedules allow, or use a rideshare for the final segment. Recheck evening and late-night service before returning home.
Rideshare drop-off should be arranged at the event-designated entrance rather than assumed from the general studio gate. Large events may separate pedestrian entry, vehicle parking, valet and production access. Follow the signs or staff instructions on arrival, especially when the Backlot or multiple stages are in use.
Inside the Venue
Thunder feels more like a converted working studio than a polished theater. Expect concrete floors, broad production spaces, temporary barricades, camera positions, lighting rigs and event infrastructure that may be installed only for that performance. This industrial character is part of the experience: the same campus can shift from a film set to a fight venue or a dance event without adopting a single permanent visual identity.
Public event materials describe on-site catering, concessions, a café, event bars, dressing rooms, private talent suites and production support. Availability varies by event, and not every concert or sports card will use every amenity. Restroom capacity can also be event-dependent. One recent review praised the spacious venue and clear view but criticized limited restroom stalls and long lines; another reported that entry and security were smooth at a combat-sports event.
The technical environment is stronger than the average warehouse concert venue. The Arena includes overhead truss, a full grid, a built-in stage, video-wall capability, programmable moving lighting and esports infrastructure. Thunder also lists a 1-10 Gbps dedicated broadcast-fiber ring, available hardline connections, 30 Mbps Wi-Fi included with certain spaces, and broadcast-ready control rooms. No public source reviewed identifies a permanent house PA brand or a single fixed concert sound system, so sound, lighting and video packages should be regarded as event-specific.
For a loud concert or fight card, ear protection is sensible. Wear comfortable shoes because standing and walking on concrete are common. Merchandise, coat check and phone-charging facilities are not consistently documented as venue-wide services, so do not rely on them unless the event instructions specifically mention them.
Nearby Amenities
The immediate area is primarily industrial rather than a concentrated entertainment district. Thunder’s own event materials emphasize on-site catering, café service, concessions and event bars, which may be more convenient than searching for a nearby restaurant before a show. For a broader choice of restaurants, bars and hotels, plan extra travel time toward central Long Beach, the waterfront or the Carson corridor rather than expecting a dense cluster directly outside the gates.
For evening events, allow time after the performance to reach a hotel or transit connection. Rideshare demand can rise sharply after concerts, festivals and combat-sports cards, and the industrial setting may offer fewer spontaneous alternatives than downtown. A pre-booked ride, designated driver or confirmed transit plan is preferable to deciding at closing time.
What Makes This Venue Special
Thunder Studios’ defining feature is its dual identity. It is both a production machine and a public event venue. A traditional arena is built around audience circulation, fixed seating and permanent concessions; Thunder is built around trucks, stages, lighting grids, set construction, broadcast control and vehicle access. That makes it particularly useful for events that need to be filmed, streamed or reshaped around unusual staging.
The former General Motors vehicle-photography property gives the site a distinctive industrial history. Its pre-existing stages were designed around cars and commercial images rather than theatrical scenery, and that legacy remains visible in the generous loading access, hard floors and large-format rooms. The campus has since hosted music-video production for major artists, advertising work, esports, wrestling and combat sports.
Stage 14 adds a different kind of signature feature. Its rebuilt virtual-production volume uses an 8K LED wall measuring approximately 55 by 14.5 feet, with camera tracking, Unreal-ready infrastructure and a 15,000-square-foot footprint. Thunder announced the 2026 relaunch with a larger footprint, new ceiling, expanded LED wall and improved tracking. Although most visitors will not attend an event inside the LED stage, its presence explains why the campus can support broadcast-heavy concerts, branded experiences and hybrid productions.
The community impact is both cultural and economic. The campus brings visiting crews, performers, athletes and audiences to North Long Beach, supports local production services and has encouraged productions to use local food providers and Long Beach hotels. Its esports history also connects the city’s gaming community with national competitions and student-led events. The available sources do not provide a verified annual jobs or tax-revenue figure, so the impact is best described through documented production activity, visitor spending, workforce demand and cultural programming rather than an unsupported dollar estimate.
Visitor Tips and Information
Accessibility information is stronger for The Arena than for the campus as a whole. Thunder lists brand-new ADA-compliant restrooms, access through the lobby or Backlot loading-dock ramp, and accessible routes between connected event spaces. The Backlot also lists lobby and loading-dock ramp access. Public information does not specify the number or location of wheelchair seating positions, companion seats, assisted listening systems or event-by-event accessible ticket procedures, so contact the event organizer before purchase when those details matter.
Bring your mobile or printed ticket as instructed, government-issued identification for age-restricted events, and only the bags and equipment permitted by the organizer. Venue-wide bag dimensions, camera rules and photography restrictions were not consistently published in the sources reviewed. Expect security screening and follow the event’s own prohibited-items list. Professional cameras, large recording equipment, outside alcohol and other restrictions may be applied by the promoter, but they should not be assumed for every event without a published rule.
There is no universal dress code. Casual clothing is appropriate for most shows, but comfortable shoes are important because the venue may use standing-room space or temporary seating on concrete. Arrive 30-60 minutes before a popular show, and earlier when parking, VIP check-in, merchandise or a festival schedule is involved. For sports, allow additional time for security, ticket scanning and finding the correct temporary seating section.
Reviews are mixed but useful. Business listings show strong overall ratings and praise the staff, spacious rooms and professional facilities, while event-focused comments are more varied, with concerns about parking cost, restroom queues, food quality and occasional event-management problems. The most consistent practical lesson is to treat each event as its own operation: confirm the entrance, parking, age rule, doors time, seating plan and amenities before leaving home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Thunder Studios a concert venue or a film studio?
It is both, but its primary identity is a multi-use production campus. Thunder Studios contains sound stages, broadcast facilities, virtual-production infrastructure, an esports arena and adaptable live-event spaces. Public concerts use only part of the campus, and the room, entrance and seating plan can change from one event to another.
What is the capacity of Thunder Studios?
There is no single campus-wide capacity. The Arena is publicly described with figures ranging from 1,000 to 1,500 standing, depending on the layout information used. Stage 03 lists up to 3,000 standing, 1,500 theater-style or 350 banquet guests. Promoters may lower those numbers for rings, cameras, VIP areas, barricades and production equipment.
Does Thunder Studios have permanent seats?
No permanent theater-style seating plan is publicly established for every event. The Arena can be configured for standing audiences, theater seating, banquets, esports competitions or combat sports. Chairs, bleachers, VIP areas and general-admission zones may be installed temporarily. Check the event listing carefully because a seating map for one show may not apply to the next.
Is Thunder Studios good for concerts?
It can work well for concerts that favor flexible staging, standing-room energy, video production or unusual layouts. The Arena includes a built-in stage, overhead truss, full grid and broadcast connectivity. The trade-off is that the experience may feel more industrial and less polished than a traditional theater, with concrete floors and event-specific sound, lighting and amenities.
What kinds of music are booked at Thunder Studios?
Recent public listings show Latin, Colombian popular music, reggaeton, Latin urban, hip-hop, house, techno and rock. The venue has hosted both touring artists and multi-act festivals, so programming ranges from seated or VIP-oriented concerts to standing dance events. The 2026 calendar particularly reflects Latin music, urban entertainment, comedy and festival-style productions.
How much do tickets usually cost?
Prices vary by promoter and event. Recent listed examples include a $25 flat-price ticket for Atomic Rock and approximately $20-$80 for Reggaeton Forever, with higher prices for tables or VIP access. A broad planning range is $25-$100, but sports, premium packages and resale listings can exceed that. Check fees and age restrictions before purchase.
Does Thunder Studios have a box office?
Thunder offers ticketing and box-office services for event producers, but public visitors should not assume that a permanent walk-up box office operates for every show. Most ticket instructions are controlled by the individual organizer. If you need will-call, accessible-ticket assistance or day-of-event support, use the instructions attached to your specific event rather than arriving without a confirmed plan.
Is parking free at Thunder Studios?
Parking is event-specific. Thunder’s event materials list on-site parking and valet as available services, and private-event bookings can include private parking access. Visitor reports show that some event parking has cost about $30, while other event instructions may provide different arrangements. Do not assume free parking; confirm the event’s parking instructions before traveling.
Can I take public transportation to Thunder Studios?
Yes, although the final connection may require a bus or rideshare. Long Beach Transit Route 192 serves Santa Fe Avenue, and the Wardlow A Line station is nearby in the broader project area. Because the property is in an industrial district, check the exact stop, entrance and late-night schedule for your event. The walk may be longer than the station’s headline distance suggests.
Is Thunder Studios wheelchair accessible?
The Arena lists ADA-compliant restrooms and accessible entry through the lobby or Backlot loading-dock ramp. The Backlot also identifies lobby and loading-dock ramp access. Public materials do not specify every event’s wheelchair seating layout, companion seating or accessible ticket procedure, so contact the event organizer before buying tickets if you need a particular accommodation.
Are Thunder Studios events indoors?
Many events take place indoors in The Arena or a sound stage, but the campus also includes the Backlot, an outdoor event space that can connect with The Arena. Some festivals and activations may use both areas. Check the event description for weather exposure, outdoor queues, covered areas and the location of the primary performance space.
Does Thunder Studios have food and drinks?
Event materials describe in-house catering, concessions, a café, premium bar stalls and event bars as available services. These are not necessarily open at every public event, and menus or payment arrangements may vary. If food is important to your plans, check the event information rather than assuming that every show will offer the full campus catering operation.
Are there VIP areas at Thunder Studios?
Yes. The Arena lists a private upstairs lounge with a bar, two VIP lounges in its esports infrastructure and a possible talent room with a private restroom. Individual concerts may instead use VIP tables, premium seating, meet-and-greet areas or promoter-built lounges. VIP access is event-specific and does not necessarily provide the same benefits at every show.
What should I wear to Thunder Studios?
There is no universal dress code published for the venue. Casual, comfortable clothing is suitable for most concerts, wrestling and sports events. Wear supportive shoes because standing, walking and concrete floors are common. For outdoor Backlot programming, consider sun protection or a light layer. For 18+ or 21+ events, carry valid identification even if you appear older than the stated age.
Are Thunder Studios events all ages?
No. Age rules are set by the promoter. Recent listings show 18+ and 21+ concerts as well as family-oriented and community programming at different times. Children’s admission, lap-child rules and ID requirements are not universal. Read the individual event conditions before buying tickets, especially for late-night music, alcohol-service or nightclub-style events.
Does Thunder Studios have a strict bag policy?
A single permanent bag-size policy was not consistently published in the materials reviewed. Event organizers may impose bag searches, size limits, prohibited-item lists or restrictions on professional cameras and recording equipment. Bring as little as possible, avoid large bags and check the event instructions before arrival. Security decisions can be stricter for combat sports and broadcast events.
Can I take photos or record video?
Photography and recording rules vary by event. Casual phone use may be allowed at some concerts, while wrestling, combat sports, filmed productions and artist-controlled performances may restrict recording. Professional cameras, tripods, detachable lenses and audio equipment should not be brought unless the organizer expressly permits them. Flash photography can also be restricted during performances.
What is the venue’s history?
The property began as a General Motors vehicle-advertising and photography site. Rodric David acquired it in 2013 and converted it into Thunder Studios. The campus later expanded into film, television, gaming, esports, live broadcasting, virtual production and public events. Its automotive-production origins explain the large stages, vehicle access and industrial scale that distinguish it today.
Has Thunder Studios hosted professional wrestling?
Yes. The campus hosted United Wrestling Network and National Wrestling Alliance programming during the 2020-2021 period, New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s 2021 Fighting Spirit Unleashed taping, later United Wrestling Network events and Major League Wrestling cards including Battle Riot VII and Slaughterhouse . Wrestling is one of the venue’s most established recurring public-event uses.
What makes Thunder Studios different from a normal arena?
Its spaces are designed to be rebuilt around each production rather than used in one fixed configuration. The campus combines sound stages, loading access, broadcast control, high-speed connectivity, lighting grids, video infrastructure, an esports arena and outdoor event space. That flexibility attracts producers who need an audience, a set and a livestreaming operation in the same location.
