Hitting the big leagues - Denver Business Journal:

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The addition of a 2,000-seat indoor music hall and 5,000-seat amphitheater will usher inmore concerts, a wider variety of acts — and fierce competition for entertainmentf dollars during a time of spiraling It also marks a stress test of sortsz for live music in Charlotte, a city with a notoriousl fickle reputation within the concert , the largest concert producer in the will operate and book both the new venues, locatedx uptown in Fourth Ward’s . The venues, known as the Fillmore and the Uptown Amphitheatre at theMusic Factory, are expected to host 105 concerte each year, with the Fillmore accounting for 80 of those.
Live Nationh also owns the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatrde in north Charlotte with capacityof 18,800. The othere major national concert promoter, , alignexd last year with Time WarnerCable Arena. With the new venue opening in June — just as the busy summerr touring season begins music fans can expect more choicesthan ever. Promoterxs and venue operators hope for a renewed interest in live But they’re also wary of diminishing returns and the ever-wobbly “I think there is going to be one too many concertf halls in Charlotte,” says John Ellison, ownert of , a club with capacity for 1,45o0 people.
Amos’ hosts 180 shows per with a mix of local and national touring acts. The arrival of the Fillmore, coupled with Live Nation’sa booking power, signals heightened competitionfor Amos’ and other similarly sized halls arouned town, including NoDa’s Neighborhood Theatre and Tremont Musi Hall. From large-scale arenas to smaller club Ellison says Charlotte is a difficultconcert “The problem with Charlotte is that people wait until the last minute to buy and that makes promoters very he says. “They’re alwayws waiting to see if somethingcooler happens.” Reversing that checkered reputation provides major motivation for the N.C.
Music Noah Lazes, president at the , developet of the sprawling liveentertainmeng complex, points to the alliance with Live Nation and the emphasies on service and convenience at the venuez as keys to spurring concert “If people can’t get a drink, if the sound is bad, the floore are sticky and the bathrooms haven’t been you lose music fans,” Lazes “They don’t want to go see music when that I’m staking my name and my reputationh on a different kind of experience.” Live Nation brings the booking clout while the Music Factory concertf hall and amphitheater offer a convenieny location near the heart of town.
They also feature top-shelf lighting and sound systems, attractive to performers and fans To make bands and theirmanagersw happy, Lazes demanded comfortable dressing rooms and easy loading areasx to move equipment in and out of the Getting the bands here is one Filling seats another. Wilsonj Howard, president of Live Nation’s southeastf division, is confident there is room for everyone. Or at leasf his three venues, anyway. Adding the two small musi halls to the existingamphitheater “givess us great flexibility to bring more concerte to the area.
The three venues complement each What may allow most of the venues to stay out ofeach other’sw way, to some extent, are standard industrty practices. Bands often choose to play large small clubs, midsized amphitheatera or bigger outdoor facilities throughout a tour. That explains why many shows have long skipped Charlotte optingfor Atlanta’s boutique amphitheater at Chastain Park or the smallere indoor setting of The Tabernacle. Now tours eyeingh those venues will giveCharlotte consideration, bolstered by Live Nation’s influence.
As with sports and other entertainment, the concert industry facees the challenge of trying to sell its premium seats at a time when companiex areslashing spending. No sales figures have been but Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre has 75 boxex sellingfor $17,000 to $37,000 each. The uptow n amphitheater will have32 boxes; pricing hasn’yt been set. Attendance trends at largee shows in the area are causes forcautious optimism. Recentg shows at the 19,000-seat Time Warnerr Cable Arena havesold well, with selloutas or near-capacity crowds for AC/DC, The Eagles and Billyt Joel/Elton John. The operate the publicly ownede arena, including concert bookings.