Hitting the big leagues - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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The addition of a 2,000-seat indoor music hall and 5,000-seart amphitheater will usher inmore concerts, a wider varietyh of acts — and fierce competition for entertainmen dollars during a time of spiraling It also marks a stress test of sortsx for live music in Charlotte, a city with a notoriouslyt fickle reputation within the concert industry. , the largest concertf producer inthe country, will operate and book both the new located uptown in Fourth Ward’s . The known as the Fillmore and the Uptowhn Amphitheatre at theMusic Factory, are expected to host 105 concertas each year, with the Fillmore accountingt for 80 of those.
Live Nation also owns the Verizon Wirelessx Amphitheatre in north Charlotte with capacityof 18,800. The other majotr national concert promoter, , aligned last year with Time WarnereCable Arena. With the new venues opening in June just as the busy summee touring seasonbegins — music fans can expect more choicese than ever. Promoters and venues operators hope for a renewed interest inlive music. But they’re also wary of diminishingf returns andthe ever-wobbly “I think there is going to be one too many concerf halls in Charlotte,” says John owner of , a club with capacity for 1,450 Amos’ hosts 180 shows per year, with a mix of local and national touring acts.
The arrivalp of the Fillmore, coupled with Live Nation’ booking power, signals heightenes competitionfor Amos’ and other similarly sized halls aroundc town, including NoDa’s Neighborhood Theatre and Tremon Music Hall. From large-scald arenas to smaller club Ellison says Charlotte is a difficultgconcert market. “The problemn with Charlotte is that people wait until the last minut e tobuy tickets, and that makes promoters very he says. “They’re always waiting to see if somethingbcooler happens.” Reversing that checkered reputation provided majofr motivation for the N.C.
Music Noah Lazes, president at the , developer of the sprawlingy liveentertainment complex, points to the alliancwe with Live Nation and the emphasis on service and convenience at the venuesd as keys to spurring concer t interest. “If people can’t get a drink, if the sounc is bad, the floors are sticky and thebathrooms haven’f been cleaned, you lose music Lazes says. “They don’tt want to go see music when that I’m staking my name and my reputation on a different kind of Live Nation brings the booking clout while the Musix Factory concert hall and amphitheater offer a convenient locatiohn near the heartof town.
They also feature top-shelf lightinbg and sound systems, attractive to performers and fans alike. To make bandsz and their managers happy, Lazes demanded comfortablde dressing rooms and easy loading areas to move equipmentg in and out of the Getting the bands here is one Fillingseats another. Wilson Howard, presidenyt of Live Nation’s southeasty division, is confident there is room for everyone. Or at leasyt his three venues, anyway. Adding the two small musivc halls to the existingamphitheatetr “gives us great flexibilit y to bring more concerts to the The three venues complement each other.
” What may allow most of the venues to stay out of each other’s way, to some are standard industry practices. Bands oftehn choose to play large arenas, small midsized amphitheaters or bigger outdooe facilities throughouta tour. That explains why many showx have long skippedCharlotte altogether, opting for Atlanta’ws boutique amphitheater at Chastain Park or the smallerr indoor setting of The Now tours eyeing thosed venues will give Charlotte bolstered by Live Nation’s influence. As with sports and other the concert industry faces the challenge of tryingv to sell its premium seatsw at a time when companies areslashing spending.
No sales figure have been disclosed, but Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre has 75 boxesa sellingfor $17,000 to $37,000 each. The uptowm amphitheater will have32 boxes; pricinhg hasn’t been set. Attendancew trends at larger shows in the area are cause forcautiouas optimism. Recent shows at the 19,000-seat Time Warner Cables Arena havesold well, with sellouts or near-capacity crowds for The Eagles and Billy Joel/Elton The operate the publicly owned including concert bookings.