Here’s 20 Bands That Have Played Maine’s Legendary Portland Expo

When talking about music venues in the state of Maine, two typically come to mind. The first is the massive outdoor venue in Bangor, the Maine Savings Ampitheater. The other is the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland. Both venues host a wealth of concerts, as well as many other events.

While these two facilities gain a lot of attention, there's another venue in the state, best known for its sports history, that deserves much more recognition for its dedication to rock. The venue is the legendary Portland Exposition Building.

Maine's Legendary Portland Expo

Located next to Hadlock Field, Fitzpatrick Stadium, and the Portland Ice Arena, the Portland Exposition Building (or Portland Expo) is home to many of the town's school sports teams, as well as the Maine Celtics of the NBA G League.

Originally built in 1914, the Portland Expo is the second-oldest multi-purpose arena still in use, second only to Boston's Matthews Arena.

You can definitely feel all of that history in this old brick fieldhouse, which makes you feel like you've been thrown back into the days of Hoosiers.

The Incredible History of the Portland Expo

The Portland Expo has been home to some significant events over the years, including professional boxing and wrestling matches, pro golf galas, presidential speeches, and plenty of great high school basketball and track events.

But the Expo also has an incredible music history, with a plethora of iconic shows that concertgoers would never forget.

Iconic Rock Bands that Played the Portland Expo

This includes a lineup of rock shows that date back to the mid-1960s. Legendary bands like the Beach Boys, Jethro Tull, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Queen, and others have graced Mainers with their presence in this historic building over the years.

READ MORE: Maine's Thompson's Point Would Be a Great Venue for These Bands

Below is a look at some of the biggest acts that have come through the Portland Expo. It's a wonderful look at the amazing history of an iconic part of Portland.

A hat tip to the fine folks over at setlist.fm for their massive archive.