Bandshell

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A performance structure typically seen in parks that enhances audio for live events through its curved design
2. A semi-circular outdoor structure designed to project sound from musical or theatrical performances in open spaces
3. An open-air stage featuring a curved back that helps amplify and direct sound for audiences in parks or public venues

Etymology: A bandshell is, quite literally, a shell built for a band. The curved wall behind the stage, often a half-dome or quarter-dome, is what gives the structure its name, and it does the work of its shape: it catches sound from the performers and throws it forward toward the audience sitting on the lawn or benches in front. The first half, "band," is the older and more familiar of the two words, referring to a group of musicians playing together. The second, "shell," is used in the sense of a curved or hollow covering, a usage that reaches back to the idea of a hard outer casing, as on a seashell. Put together, the compound describes a stage whose architecture looks like a shell curving over the musicians.

Synonyms: amphitheater, concert shell