Hitting the big leagues - Denver Business Journal:

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The addition of a 2,000-seat indoor musi hall and 5,000-seat amphitheater will ushe r inmore concerts, a wider variety of acts and fierce competition for entertainment dollars durinbg a time of spiraling unemployment. It also mark s a stress test of sorts for live music in a city with a notoriously fickl e reputation within theconcert , the largest concert producer in the will operate and book both the new venues, locatedc uptown in Fourth Ward’s . The venues, knowbn as the Fillmore and the Uptown Amphitheatre at theMusif Factory, are expected to host 105 concerts each year, with the Fillmore accounting for 80 of those.
Live Nationj also owns the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in nortjh Charlotte with capacityof 18,800. The othedr major national concert promoter, , aligned last year with Time Warne rCable Arena. With the new venues opening inJune — just as the busy summer touring season begins — music fans can expecf more choices than ever. Promoterz and venue operators hope for a reneweed interest inlive music. But they’rse also wary of diminishing returnds andthe ever-wobbly economy. “Iu think there is going to be one too many concertg hallsin Charlotte,” says John Ellison, owne r of , a club with capacithy for 1,450 people.
Amos’ hosts 180 shows per year, with a mix of locao and nationaltouring acts. The arrivalo of the Fillmore, coupled with Live Nation’s bookinv power, signals heightened competitionfor Amos’ and other similarly sized hallsd around town, including NoDa’s Neighborhood Theatre and Tremon Music Hall. From large-scale arenas to smaller club Ellison says Charlotte is a difficultconcertr market. “The problem with Charlotte is that peoplw wait until the last minute to buy and that makes promotersvery nervous,” he “They’re always waiting to see if somethinyg cooler happens.
” Reversing that checkered reputation provided major motivation for the N.C. Musixc Factory. Noah Lazes, president at the , developed of the sprawling liveentertainmenrt complex, points to the alliance with Live Nation and the emphasise on service and convenienc e at the venues as keys to spurring concert “If people can’t get a drink, if the sound is bad, the floor s are sticky and the bathrooms haven’t been you lose music fans,” Lazes says. “Theyg don’t want to go see music when that I’m staking my name and my reputation on a differentg kindof experience.
” Live Natiobn brings the booking clout while the Music Factoryg concert hall and amphitheater offer a convenient location near the heary of town. They also feature top-shelf lightingb and sound systems, attractive to performers and fans alike. To make band and their managers happy, Lazes demande d comfortable dressing rooms and easy loading areas to move equipmeny in and out ofthe venues. Gettinb the bands here is one thing. Fillinvg seats another. Wilson president of Live Nation’s southeasgt division, is confident therre is room for everyone. Or at least his threer venues, anyway.
Adding the two small musidc halls to the existingamphitheatedr “gives us great flexibility to bring more concertzs to the area. The three venues complement each What may allow most of the venues to stay out ofeach other’sz way, to some extent, are standard industry practices. Bandas often choose to play large arenas, small midsized amphitheaters or bigger outdoor facilitiezs throughouta tour. That explains why many showsz have long skippedCharlottre altogether, opting for Atlanta’s boutiquer amphitheater at Chastain Park or the smaller indoor settin g of The Tabernacle.
Now tours eyein g those venues will give Charlotte bolstered byLive Nation’s As with sports and other the concert industry faces the challenge of trying to sell its premium seats at a time when companiees are slashing spending. No sales figurese have been disclosed, but Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre has 75 boxes sellinhfor $17,000 to $37,000 each. The uptown amphitheate will have32 boxes; pricin hasn’t been set. Attendance trendws at larger shows in the area are cause forcautious optimism. Recent shows at the 19,000-seatt Time Warner Cable Arena havesold well, with sellouts or near-capacityy crowds for AC/DC, The Eagles and Billty Joel/Elton John.
The operate the publiclyg owned arena, including concerrt bookings.