Jurassic World Live Tour: Kid Dino-Mite!
The authenticity and accuracy of the dinosaurs are the key to Feld’s live stage show. (Courtesy...
Read More
Tag: May 2019
Roof Retrofit Grows Into a Top Priority
The Carolina Panthers have studied a roof retrofit at Bank of America Stadium. (Getty Images) More teams considering additions to shelter fans, help amplify home crowd David Tepper, owner of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, recently mentioned to local reporters the concept of building a roof at Bank of America Stadium to make the venue more attractive for concerts and potentially the NCAA Final Four. His remarks may appear to be wishful thinking to some, but the Panthers have studied the roof issue dating to before Tepper bought the team in 2018, when Jerry Richardson was owner, said multiple sources who have consulted with the club over the past five years. They’re not alone. At least one other NFL team is studying a roof retrofit, plus multiple MLS teams, the Indian Wells tennis complex and municipally owned stadiums competing to host 2026 FIFA World Cup games. In baseball, two MLB teams… Continue Reading Roof Retrofit Grows Into a Top Priority
To access this content you must be a subscriber and logged in with your subscriber credentials here. To subscribe to VenuesNow, click here for more information or here for combo subscriptions including sister-publication Pollstar.
Continue Reading Roof Retrofit Grows Into a Top Priority
Read More
Arenas Are Facing New Roof Issues, Too
The weight of ANC’s kinetic scoreboard planned for Wells Fargo Center requires upgrades along the roofline. (Courtesy Wells Fargo Center) The roof retrofit issue isn’t restricted to stadiums. Big league arenas are strengthening their existing roof structures to meet the demands of high-tech videoboards and extravagant touring productions. “Arenas built over the past 15 years are really struggling to keep up with where concerts are going these days,” said Bart Miller, a principal with Walter P Moore, a structural engineering firm for sports and entertainment venues. A decade ago, arena rooflines were designed with 120,000-pound rigging capacity. Now, many concert tours carry 200,000 pounds of equipment, and any rigging system under that number is not adequate for what’s going on in the entertainment industry, Miller said. “The loading is getting heavier and more widespread, distributed over a much larger area than it used to be,” he said. “Some loads are… Continue Reading Arenas Are Facing New Roof Issues, Too
To access this content you must be a subscriber and logged in with your subscriber credentials here. To subscribe to VenuesNow, click here for more information or here for combo subscriptions including sister-publication Pollstar.
Continue Reading Arenas Are Facing New Roof Issues, Too
Read More
Mid-Atlantic: All Systems Go
Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, N.Y. (Courtesy Vladislav Grach / Live Nation) Markets big to small report a concert year to remember Big names packed houses both big and small across the Mid-Atlantic. Venue executives from Charm City up the coast to the Big Apple and west to the Steel City all reported big years thanks to a booming economy, continued interest in live events, and some marquee artists out on tour. Bold-face names including Elton John and Taylor Swift sold out shows and boosted the bottom line while patrons paid up for curated food and beverage options. All of the operators from the World’s Most Famous Arena to one of the area’s newest venues say the good times should keep rolling for the next year, lifting all boats in their markets from ballet to sports to arena concerts. One trend to keep an eye on: Country is trending and… Continue Reading Mid-Atlantic: All Systems Go
To access this content you must be a subscriber and logged in with your subscriber credentials here. To subscribe to VenuesNow, click here for more information or here for combo subscriptions including sister-publication Pollstar.
Continue Reading Mid-Atlantic: All Systems Go
Read More
Deep South: On Fire
Fall Out Boy lit up Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. (Getty Images) The region’s venues are taking full advantage of a strong economy Venue managers across the Deep South touted a strong 2018 and are expecting an even better 2019, hopeful that the economy will remain sturdy. Country, pop and rock continue to rule the stages, and words like “diverse” and “outstanding” popped up to describe venue schedules and their results at the gate. Venue operators rely on strong industry relationships and — in some cases — good weather for gigs to go smoothly. READ ON: The Circuit: What stood out in the last 12 months for four of the region’s venues Scene: Little Rock — Hometown helped rising rapper Goon des Garcons learn to innovate
To access this content you must be a subscriber and logged in with your subscriber credentials here. To subscribe to VenuesNow, click here for more information or here for combo subscriptions including sister-publication Pollstar.
Continue Reading Deep South: On Fire
Read More
Deep South: The Circuit
Verizon Arena in North Little Rock, Ark. (Courtesy Verizon Arena) What stood out in the last 12 months for four of the region’s venues Verizon Arena, North Little Rock, Ark. Michael Marion, general manager How did you do in 2018? Shows generally do well in our market. Most of the artists that do come through give our audience a good review. The economy is really strong, and it’s strong in Arkansas. We usually do 19 concerts a year. We averaged around 25 in 2018, because we have a curtain system so we can cut our seating down to 3,000 seats. Some of these smaller shows have added to our event load and have done well. Big shows We certainly had some giant shows last year, with Katie Perry, Journey/Def Leppard, Shania Twain, Alan Jackson, Bon Jovi, Kevin Hart, Thomas Rhett, Lauren Daigle, Frankie Valli, Steve Martin/Martin Short and Chicago. Changes… Continue Reading Deep South: The Circuit
To access this content you must be a subscriber and logged in with your subscriber credentials here. To subscribe to VenuesNow, click here for more information or here for combo subscriptions including sister-publication Pollstar.
Continue Reading Deep South: The Circuit
Read More
Deep South: Scene — Little Rock
Goon des Garcons created a traveling music series that brought young rappers and punk musicians to Little Rock venues. (Lamont Crawford) Hometown helped rising rapper Goon Des Garcons learn to innovate Arkansas rapper Goon des Garcons started recording songs and videos at 12 years old. As he got older, he realized that Little Rock lacked venues that supported budding rappers. In his late teens, he started a traveling music series called Fire Room, working with club owners, asking them to allow him and other young rappers and punk musicians to perform shows for all ages. Young rappers and punk rockers signed up to play. The first Fire Room gig sold 80 tickets at the 300-capacity club inside Vino’s Brewpub in Little Rock. The second sold 120 at the same location. The largest Fire Room event logged 280 people at 600-capacity the Rev Room, also in Little Rock. “It was a… Continue Reading Deep South: Scene — Little Rock
To access this content you must be a subscriber and logged in with your subscriber credentials here. To subscribe to VenuesNow, click here for more information or here for combo subscriptions including sister-publication Pollstar.
Continue Reading Deep South: Scene — Little Rock
Read More
Mid-Atlantic: The Circuit
MSG’s Darren Pfeffer said the New York City arena had its busiest concert year ever. (Courtesy Madison Square Garden) Big business and some big changes across the Mid-Atlantic region Madison Square Garden, New York City Darren Pfeffer, executive vice president, MSG Live How did you do over the past year? 2018 was the busiest concert year to date at MSG with more than 98 concerts and entertainment events. We’re confident that the demand for the one-of-a-kind events that only MSG can provide will continue to grow in 2019. Billy Joel currently holds the records for most consecutive shows by a single artist (63) and most lifetime shows (109). Big shows Four Elton John shows as part of his multiyear farewell tour, with two more shows in March 2019; Paul Simon’s farewell tour; Dave Matthews Band’s return to The Garden for the first time since 2010; and Phish’s annual New… Continue Reading Mid-Atlantic: The Circuit
To access this content you must be a subscriber and logged in with your subscriber credentials here. To subscribe to VenuesNow, click here for more information or here for combo subscriptions including sister-publication Pollstar.
Continue Reading Mid-Atlantic: The Circuit
Read More
Security Draws the Line Between Performers, Fans
NBA player Russell Westbrook talks to fans during an incident in Denver. (Getty Images) Recent interactions illustrate the need to monitor crowds for potential misbehavior Tennis pro Monica Seles was stabbed by a crazed fan of rival player Steffi Graf during a quarterfinal match in Hamburg on April 30, 1993, an incident that prompted a significant increase in security at major events like Wimbledon. More recently Jay-Z and Beyoncé were accosted by a fan who jumped on the stage in August at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta during their On the Run II tour, only to be subdued by the duo’s dancers. Just last month, retired pro wrestler Bret “The Hitman” Hart was knocked to the ground by a fan as he delivered a speech while being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. NBA star Russell Westbrook was involved in a confrontation with fans in Salt Lake City… Continue Reading Security Draws the Line Between Performers, Fans
To access this content you must be a subscriber and logged in with your subscriber credentials here. To subscribe to VenuesNow, click here for more information or here for combo subscriptions including sister-publication Pollstar.
Continue Reading Security Draws the Line Between Performers, Fans
Read More
What Happens Inside Us When Something Goes Wrong
Darkness fell unexpectedly at Super Bowl XLVII. (Getty Images) Former NFL events chief Frank Supovitz on the night the lights went out at the Super Bowl in an excerpt from his new book The passage has been edited for length. In 2013, shortly after Jacoby Jones of the Baltimore Ravens opened the second half of Super Bowl XLVII with a record-breaking 108-yard touchdown, one-half of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, including our command center, was plunged into darkness. My brain immediately ordered a mandatory injection of adrenaline into my bloodstream a second or two before I stated the obvious to my teammates at NFL Control. “Alright, we lost lights.” Then, I turned to the stadium’s senior executive in the room and said “Doug, tell me what we do and when we do it.” I don’t remember feeling calm. I remember feeling nervous. I recollect feeling some of the symptoms of anxiety, the rush… Continue Reading What Happens Inside Us When Something Goes Wrong
To access this content you must be a subscriber and logged in with your subscriber credentials here. To subscribe to VenuesNow, click here for more information or here for combo subscriptions including sister-publication Pollstar.
Continue Reading What Happens Inside Us When Something Goes Wrong
Read More
Roller Coaster Puts Jersey Sales on Incline
The Atlanta Braves have a jersey coaster at SunTrust Park. (Courtesy Silver Crystal Sports) Installation helps move merchandise, literally and figuratively, at venues When Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena wanted to try something different with its team jersey operation, it turned to Silver Crystal Sports, the company that put team jersey roller coasters in Atlanta’s new baseball stadium, SunTrust Park, and other facilities. “I’ve seen them around and was really impressed with the concept,” said Dave Urso, Bridgestone’s senior vice president of operations. “We had just come off a Stanley Cup (Finals) year, where we had a new jersey with a switch from Reebok to Adidas, which meant a lot of sales of jerseys.” Urso and the team wanted a way to keep the momentum going. “This way of presenting the jerseys makes the jerseys highly visible to the fans — and highly desirable,” he said. “This takes the whole operation out… Continue Reading Roller Coaster Puts Jersey Sales on Incline
To access this content you must be a subscriber and logged in with your subscriber credentials here. To subscribe to VenuesNow, click here for more information or here for combo subscriptions including sister-publication Pollstar.
Continue Reading Roller Coaster Puts Jersey Sales on Incline
Read More
Theaters Offer Madea a Last Round of Applause
Tyler Perry and cast in “Madea’s Farewell Play Tour,” the last hurrah for Perry’s irascible character. (Courtesy Tyler Perry Studios) Tyler Perry’s most famous character leaves a trail of sold-out shows as she nears the end of her final tour Tyler Perry’s Madea character was not supposed to be the star of the touring stage shows and movies that eventually became a $500 million juggernaut. In the original 1999 play, “I Can Do Bad All By Myself,” the always loud, often tough, sometimes violent and mainly loveable matriarch of the Simmons family was supposed to be onstage for only two minutes. But the last-minute cancellation of the star of the show forced Perry to take on all of the star’s lines at Chicago’s Regal Theater that night. The crowd roared, Madea stole the show, and a franchise was born. Twenty years later, Madea has appeared in 11 stage shows… Continue Reading Theaters Offer Madea a Last Round of Applause
To access this content you must be a subscriber and logged in with your subscriber credentials here. To subscribe to VenuesNow, click here for more information or here for combo subscriptions including sister-publication Pollstar.
Continue Reading Theaters Offer Madea a Last Round of Applause
Read More
