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03-19 Texas Spotlight

03-19 Texas Spotlight

THANKS TO POPULATION GROWTH AND COMMITTED MUSIC FANS COMMITTED MUSIC AND GROWTH POPULATION TO THANKS

PHOTO CREDIT HERE TK BY CHAD SWIATECKI CHAD BY MARCH 2019 MARCH

BYLINE PRODUKT SEMIBOLD PRODUKT BYLINE

26 THE LONE STAR STATE HAS FOUR BIGTIME CONCERT MARKETS, MARKETS, CONCERT BIGTIME FOUR HAS STATE STAR THE LONE

26 THE LONE STAR STATE HAS FOUR BIGTIME CONCERT MARKETS,

PHOTO CREDIT HERE TK THANKS TO POPULATION GROWTH ANDCOMMITTEDMUSIC FANS hope that the growth will continue in 2019. in continue will growth the that hope giving cities, certain in gaps few noticeable the to ‚ll online venues new coming with state, over the all growth to population thanks 2018, variety. great provide year ofthe month every festivals midsize and ofsmall dozens the and promoters, new and avors local helps cultivate dynamism year. Regional each road the on tours major the all from Texans get oce, box to enjoy visits balizing canni- to keep from them between distance enough and magnets, routing as states Texas. in eventlive business the in to be There’s time abetter never been Grosses and ticket sales grew strongly in in strongly grew sales ticket and Grosses most anchor could that cities four With MARCH 2019 a state that’s full full that’s a state major festival in in festival major The City City Austin The Limits Music Music Limits Festival is a is Festival of them. of 27 #fordparkbmt The Premier Entertainment Complex of Beaumont & ! The Premier Entertainment Complex of Beaumont 5115 IH - 10 South | Beaumont TX 77705 | 409 951 5400 | www.fordpark.com Arena Exhibit Hall Fields Midway Pavilion Midway Fields Hall Exhibit Arena

PREVIOUS PAGES: CHARLES REAGAN HACKELMAN; RAP PHOTO CO. - - CONTINUED ON PAGE 30 PAGE ON CONTINUED ence, giving our guests one location planto their experience. whole What went right The big shows are doing huge numbers in , not only in ticket sales but also tour merchan UFC 228. Big shows Pink, , and some were of the biggest in saw we 2018. All performing nights, double with JT and Bruno performing a total of three shows in less than a 12-month period. Michelle Obama was another big one ourfor market and a di‡erent format of show than are we used seeing.to was It a fast sellout and large gross. Changes launchedWe our AAC app in the fall with the exclusive to move mobile ticketing. The app has been a game changer our to guest experi dise. Dallas continues be to one of the fastest-growing cities in the - - Dave Brown, chief op erating of ­icer and general manager CENTER,DALLAS How did you do in 2018? hosted concerts, 47 We besting our previous best total of 45. And with more available dates, we would easily have the broken 50 mark. In addition, also we hosted marquee sporting like events the NCAA Division I Men’s Championship Round 1 and 2 and keeping a consistent variety of programming. is It the best compliment when someone says, really something have “You for everyone.” What went wrong that say I can’t anything went wrong. Not every is a win, event win just we so don’t when we ourdo best learn to from that experience - Foreigner, AlisonForeigner, Krauss, , Illuminate, Chad Prather, Darci Lynne had a lot We Farmer. of great shows in 2018. Our only subscription opportunity our is for inBroadway the Basin season. It had great titles this helping year, increaseto our subscriber count, sitting just now under 1,000. For witha venue 1,827 seats, are we pretty proud of that. Changes wanted on creating work to We some new opportunities to engage with our communities and introduce help them all to held We that o‡er. to have we three free movie days in the summer months of June, July and August that tagged we Cinema the Under Stars. The hasvenue a unique star ‚eld in the ceiling that makes it likefeel your sitting under the sky. Patrons were Texas West invited out of the get to sum mer heat,mer under sit our “stars” and the enjoy watching day three free movies. What went right us doingFor right it means -

THE CIRCUIT THE Stepha nie Rivas, general manager How did you do in 2018?

Pink performs at in Dallas. WAGNER NOËL PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, MIDLAND Big shows Disney Live, , Jo Koy, We had a great year. We had had 191 a great We We year. withevents a total of 107,963 tickets are sold. a great We venue routingfor but knowing that our patrons will come out and support these acts makes all the di‡erence. GOING IN TEXAS WE GET DEEP IN DEEP IN WE GET THINGS ARE THE HEART OF HOW OF HOW THE HEART Arena Exhibit Hall Fields Midway Pavilion

The Premier Entertainment Complex of Beaumont & Southeast Texas!

5115 IH - 10 South | Beaumont TX 77705 | 409 951 5400 | www.fordpark.com #fordparkbmt CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28 deepened our relationships with back of house. much from our partnership with a variety of outside promoters Live Nation and . Venue country, which has really acceler- in addition to a solid lineup of improvements are a constant for us ated demand for entertainment. in-house bookings. Variety and AUSTIN360 AMPHITHEATER, or doing things to tweak the sta‡ - diversity of our programming AUSTIN ing and improving our operations. What went wrong has been a mission for us and I Glynn Wedgewood, gener- We literally started running out think we have shown that Smart al manager What went right of bookable dates in the fall when Financial Centre can be suc- We had a run in the middle of most tours were wrapping up. We cessful with a very wide range of How did you do in 2018? the season of ‚ ve shows back to are a two-team building, home shows that appeal to a wide range We’d been back, and that was part of a run of to the Mavericks and Stars, so we of audiences. in the range seven shows in nine days. When start the season with 80 unavail- of 22 to 25 you think about what that takes to able dates on the calendar. Big shows events per load in a band at 8 o’clock in the We had some huge shows in 2018, season with morning and then run for 20 hours from three sold-out shows with Live Nation so you only have a four-hour turn- Dave Chappelle and Jon Stewart but last year around, it takes a lot to run those AT SUGAR LAND to sold-out shows with The Killers, we were up shows at a high standard. Getting David Skinner, general Khalid, Erasure, , to 33. It was the busiest and most everybody working together for ‚ ve manager and many others. Our Christian successful season we’ve had so days straight on very little sleep was music shows also proved to be mas- far, with 270,000 attendees. something I was very proud of. How did sively successful with the Mercy you do in Me and Lauren Daigle tours. Big shows What went wrong 2018? , Eric Church (which We’ve had ’s 4th of 2018 was Changes we rescheduled for 2018 after his July Picnic for a number of years our second As 2018 was just our second year, 2017 show was canceled because of and last year while we were expect- year open we didn’t have any major changes Hurricane Harvey), , ing some weather it wound up get- for business, and we de‚ nitely did or improvements. We learned and Imagine Dragons, Logic, Queens of ting a lot heavier. It came in so not have a sophomore slump. We implemented better ways to serve the Stone Age, and Slayer. we had to evacuate in the middle ‚ nished No. 9 (in Pollstar’s rank- our customers and how to better of the day, getting people out into ing) in the world in ticket sales for utilize our space not only for Changes their cars or our buildings to keep venues under 10,000 seats. We customers but for sponsors and None, really. We didn’t deviate too everyone safe. You have to have a

HOME OF THE 20+ 277 2020 Venues Acres

FOR BOOKING INFORMATION CONTACT PETER SULLIVAN - 214.670.8483 | [email protected]

NOW MANAGED BY

30 MARCH 2019 PARK STREET PHOTOGRAPHY rolled out extensive updates to updates extensive out rolled we importantly, most and, rience expe- fan the enhancing building the in service food and bars the to improvements made great company F&B in-house Our over weeks. seven titles seven ofBroadway with year strong a had and Series Essential our with opportunities programming new explored partners, new with We record. on worked year other any than tickets more percent 15 sold events and commercial We stand-alone more did fronts. buyer Shirey,Will talent do it whatever takes. it and with you have but to roll worse, in comes it sometimes and for weather plan AUSTIN HALL, CONCERT BASS us on all all on us foryear strong very a was 2018 2018? in do you did How the building and growth in almost almost in growth and building the in experience fan enhanced The right went What Theatre. McCullough our in grade up- dimmer amajor completed We also bars. multiple upgraded or added and policy bag clear a new implemented entrance, main the at podiums ticket self-scanning and We added magnetometers Changes live. “Koyaanisqatsi” performing Ensemble Glass Philip the and stage, Hall Concert Bass the on out set mattresses Beautyrest on fans sleeping to 200 Southwest by South of“Sleep” during formance per- overnight Richter’s eight-hour Max Byrne, Mormon,” David of “Book venueevent history, in concert ofany gross combined est high- the up put which dates, Short Martin and Two Martin Steve shows Big building. our events in attending everyone of safety the to ensure structure infra- and policies security our thought was the best seat in the the in seat best the was thought he always what on now displayed is name His 2018. in Bernard, Josh o beloved box and managers, ce friends dear We ofour one lost wrong went What business. ofthe aspect every 2018. in record on year other any than tickets more percent 15 sold Hall cert Con- Bass MARCH 2019 forming Arts. forming Texas Per- with years over his he worked with that patrons and sta‡ ofour all by missed sorely is He Hall. Concert Bass in house CONTINUED ON PAGE 33 31 TOPSTOPS TEXAS Ranked by tickets sold. Based on data from concerts and events Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2018, as reported to Pollstar. Data updated as of Jan. 25.

RANK VENUE TICKETS SOLD CAPACITY GROSS SHOWS MORE THAN 30,000 CAPACITY 1 AT&T Stadium, Arlington 291,384 100,000 $39,161,999 6 2 NRG Stadium @ NRG Park, 205,206 70,000 $23,327,477 4 3 , Houston 80,180 41,500 $11,694,823 2 15,001 30,000 CAPACITY 1 American Airlines Center, Dallas 749,409 20,021 $64,442,636 71 2 The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, The Woodlands 493,298 16,015 $19,936,686 58 3 , Houston 447,291 18,000 $43,314,078 49 4 , Dallas 331,436 20,000 $13,161,904 23 5 AT&T Center, 261,863 18,000 $20,834,628 23 10,001 15,000 CAPACITYAZ 1 Austin360 Amphitheater, Austin 229,756 13,164 $11,085,832 27 2 , San Antonio 51,474 10,150 $4,137,188 9 3 UTEP , El Paso 49,900 12,000 $3,857,429 8 4 Sam Houston Race Park, Houston 17,125 15,000 $470,267 3 5 Ford Park Pavilion, Beaumont 15,404 14,000 $496,479 3 5,001 10,000 CAPACITY 1 Smart Financial Centre of Sugar Land 361,801 6,500 $24,843,615 95 2 , Irving 221,631 8,000 $11,144,225 59 3 , Hidalgo 124,500 7,500 $9,079,855 43 4 H-E-B Center, Cedar Park 108,034 8,700 $5,604,224 34 5 Whitewater Amphitheater, New Braunfels 81,372 5,600 $3,073,610 19 2,001 5,000 CAPACITY 1 Bass Concert Hall, Austin 177,739 2,900 $11,748,295 79 2 Live at The Moody Theater, Austin 163,429 2,765 $8,513,502 82 3 The Plaza Theatre, El Paso 92,288 2,044 $6,130,685 67 4 South Side Ballroom, Dallas 65,120 3,800 $2,097,323 21 5 Margot & Bill Winspear Opera House, Dallas 35,848 2,295 $2,652,849 22 2,000 OR LESS CAPACITY 1 H-E-B Performance Hall At The Tobin Center, San Antonio 134,560 2,000 $6,435,646 106 2 Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center, Midland 114,964 1,827 $5,889,228 125 3 Emo’s, Austin 87,097 1,550 $2,329,916 86 4 McAllen Performing Arts Center, McAllen 43,009 1,828 $2,444,779 44 5 White Oak Music Hall, Houston 39,643 1,400 $925,142 76

Note: Capacity shown is legal capacity listed in Pollstar database. Compiled by teamboxo•[email protected]

32 MARCH 2019 TOBIN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, SAN ANTONIO Aaron Zimmerman, vice president of programming and marketing

How did you do in 2018? It was a banner year. We saw between 7 (percent) and 10 percent growth in ticket sales, and that continues a trend we’ve seen since 2015.

Big shows We had sell out twice, and that’s the ‚ rst time we’ve had the same show in the spring and the fall. came for its third sold-out show in two years, this time with Thompson Twins, and we had the Echo and the Bunnymen and Violent Femmes co-headlining tour. We also had a reading from President Bill Clinton, and good shows from Fleet Foxes, , Jason Isbell, Weird Al Yankovic, Jason Mraz and .

Changes We hired our ‚ rst digital content coordinator because we’re doing less and less traditional mediums like print for marketing. Some of the higher art stu‡ like symphony and ballet still use that, but the majority of our plans have shifted to digital and online marketing.

What went right We’re seeing non-touring artists becom- ing more successful, and that’s shows from di‡ erent podcasts and comedians, television stars, book tours and lectures. Those aren’t in the normal medium of “Let’s go to a rock concert,” and those performances are helping to ‚ ll the calendar and balance out the demo- graphics of people we’re reaching.

What went wrong Some of the nostalgia acts that have tra- ditionally toured performing arts centers aren’t performing as strongly because those audiences are getting older. That’s where the new digital measures we’re taking to reach millennials are helping to ‚ ll gaps we’re seeing from artists who have toured every year for 20 50 or 30 years.

Tobin Center has put in new measures to reach millennials as the majority of its mar- AmarilloCivicCenter.com

COURTESY TOBIN CENTER TOBIN COURTESY keting shifts to digital platforms.

MARCH 2019 33 KATRINA BARBER; SYDNEY GAWLIK Los Angeles,or even Dallas, less so but it’s than used it be. to So I wind up pricing lower in Austin than in the markets.other Texas Rank the four ma- marketsjor Texas in terms of indus- try importance. biased but AustinI’m is 1 because No. the biggestthere’s support system for live music, which is the most important part of a musician’s career right Plus now. big festivals,there’s 1,000and over do we shows there a year. From there, probably Dallas, then Houston and San Antonio. and intimate until the market dictates otherwise. Festival wasa multiday festival Carsonat Creek Ranchoutside of Austin and they’ve that moved into the to music venues a unique kind of festival still that’s built around the same concept. Austin360 out at JMBLYA Am- phitheater is another big one, and they can all be di‡erent and suc- cessful without being enormous. What so makes fertile Texas for festivals? A big part so got is of it that we’ve spacemuch lots here. And there’s of land outside the major markets, to have which means don’t you drive an hour and go to put away up a music festival. also And it’s the case that some people like to throw a festival in the heart of a city like in do we Lol- for lapalooza in or Austin. ACL Fest doing somethingBut if you’re unique or more subdued like some of the folk-type festivals, then makes it sense a bit get to fromaway the cities create to a distinct identity with camping, great beer and bluegrass music. How price sensitive are the differentmarkets? Urban, dance and pop music in the last ‚ve years been have the driving selling inforces what’s tickets, and canyou by get with higher a much ticket than used you be to to, able especially in the last three years. People in here Austin put up do a stink about not wanting pay to or normal what’s York a New for ground. ACL Fest the back- - tin skyline in with the Aus- travel to for festivalstravel for to and there’s lots of places put to large events. Do you see gaps any around the state in terms of venue stock? In Austin not a 3,000- there’s to 5,000-capacity this at venue moment, but when the Moody Amphitheater Park Waterloo at opens that will check that box. We could use more seated in venues Austin that are on the smaller side suitto more intimate shows. theHow’s festival state’s market? events got very strong.It’s You’ve happening almost every month of the year in just about every major truemarket. That’s some of even of the smaller markets on the out skirts, and they all touch just about every music space with your dance festivals, hip-hop, ACL South Fest, by Southwest, Willie Nelson’s Picnic, and then all the food and music festivals that are happening. stu‡ even happeningThere’s in El Paso, which would never you thoughthave of as a major music market and they’ve the got Neon Desert festival. Are there up-and-coming players? The festival space is hard get to into, bottom can line. have You some small but grow to event to it a 75,000- 100,000-capacity to festival is really tough. WhatI think the other promoters are doing well is coming up with creative them keep to ideas small - TALENT TALENT We’re also seeing theWe’re I-35 corridor between Austin and San Antonio playing a big role, with those two cities eventually becoming one metroplex. Around the state each market is big enough support to its own so can we music economy, run 1,000shows for 2,000 to capacity in each market without any con- ict. a bene‚t because That’s we picked can someone to say who’s a festival or Orleans, New in Tulsa if they want some do to hard ticket dates support to that we’ll them get a show in Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio, or some combi nation of the four. Anything else playing a role? Culturewise, always been we’ve a no-brainer in the Americana slowly and roots space, but we’re starting expand to what we’re not Nashville or known We’re for. known Orleans,New where we’re one speci‚cfor and world, we’ve started expand to the genres getting morewhere into we’re the urban space, the eclectic rock spaces, obviously dance music tryingand we’re more into get to the Latin a push space. There’s diversifyto the music in Texas an easier statebecause to we’re MARCH 2019 MARCH -

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& © ª«¬ years Kristyn 13 Ciani has logged as a talent buyer with seen C3 Presents, she’s the Austin-based company grow by leaps and bounds. Its festival business, which began Ciani’s split responsibilities for 34 How is Texas How is Texas doing? remainsTexas a very healthysteady, music market. A large part of that is all the growth in our state and the top four or ‚ve cities are outweighing most other markets. We’ve suchgot tremendous growth with people movingfor here new jobs and that is a big plus in the live entertainment space. tive dish to on the Lone Star State and compares it how to others around the country. short Her answer: is open Texas business.for the Austin and Las markets Vegas give the her perspec humbly with Austin City Limits Festival in 2002, covers now the globe, and the company’s traditional concert and casi- businessno attractive it made enough that Live Nation bought a controlling stake in 2014. KRISTYN CIANI, KRISTYN BUYER, C3 PRESENTS C3 BUYER, Q I GRAHAM and Willie Nelsons all WILLIAMS over the city. In the Scene: Austin underground scene Founder, independent there was the weird promoter Margin druggy stu‡ like cities in America. Since he started many people for the Walker Presents with promoting underground punk and same show in Austin all the noise-punk IS THE HOME metal shows as a high schooler in generally, though stu‡ and some funk the mid-90s, he’s grown into one some artists do get the same as well. So for a while you kind of the city’s best-known promoters, crowd. In general if 1,000 people of knew what bands from here OF SOUTH BY and his company Margin Walker show up in Austin, then 500 will sounded like. Now there’s so much Presents is the largest independent show up in San Antonio. Austin going on with so many di‡erent promoter in Texas, with regular has a whole district along Red big and small genres. Overall ev- SOUTHWEST STILL events in Austin, Dallas and San River Street, which helps things a erything is just bigger since we’ve Antonio. In the mid-2000s he lot since there’s lots of venues and been America’s fastest-growing co-founded Transmission Events, nightlife in one place so you can city and the population here has THE HIPPEST? AND which promoted in most of Austin’s get dinner, see a show and then be doubled since I was in high school. biggest clubs and midsize venues able to pop into another place in DOES IT MATTER? and earned national acclaim the same night. You’re constantly Are there any gaps in the during the 10-year run of its multi- around music here. kinds of venues in Austin? day Fun Fun Fun Fest. There’s no shortage as far as VenuesNow caught up with Wil- How has Austin changed in number of clubs and there’s tons ¯°«°± ²³´´³°±µ liams by phone to talk over what’s the 20-plus years you’ve been of small venues with caps below «°µ seen his hometown happening in his fast-growing and promoting? 1,000. But then things jump all of Austin grow up from ever-changing city. It’s bigger and more diverse in the way up to 2,200 and above a sleepy c ollege town — terms of the kinds of bands. When at Stubb’s, ACL Live and Bass and an afterthought to You operate in Austin, Dallas I was a kid Austin had a sound, Concert Hall, and the only venue most concert tours — to and San Antonio. How is Aus- with the blues-rock thing in the in between is Emo’s, and that’s not Gbecome one of the most prominent tin different from other cities? ‘80s along with the space cowboy cultural and economic powerhouse San Antonio does about half as thing with Stevie Ray Vaughans CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

BIG THINGS HAPPEN B G HERE #1 TOP STOP IN TEXAS

MARCH 2019 35 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 35 It’s deˆnitely dropped o’ some but I’ve watched that thing roller coaster up and down downtown. So you can either play a small room through the years. We’re at a point where the and turn away 500 or 600 fans or play a big music part of the festival is smaller while the room and know the back third or half is going to tech, education and interactive side is bigger be empty and feel weird. There’s an even bigger than it’s ever been. I tend to handle non-South gap between those 2,500-cap rooms and what By shows so I can’t speak for the venues where comes next, which is 14,000 at Frank Erwin it all depends on bar sales. But because overall Center or Austin360 Amphitheater. Those live music is doing better than the rest of the places can get creative and cut their venues in industry, venues are able to see more growth half or not use the lawn outside but that’s still an throughout the rest of the year to make up for 8,000-person setup. If you’re a band that can however things have dropped o’ a bit in mid- sell 4,000 or 5,000 tickets, and there are a lot March. … There’s less of the mega acts like the of artists at that size, you either have to play two year when there was and A Tribe Called nights at Stubb’s or ACL Live or play one show Quest in a tiny club, but that stu’ was never at a very empty giant room. And then you get what South By was supposed to be about and as into not being able to pay the artist what they’re a promoter I don’t care about that. I want to see worth because of cost. Soccer Mommy or Anderson .Paak or whoever the new big artists are in a given year. What’s the price sensitivity in Austin? Dallas and Austin are pretty similar. San Anto- Is Austin no longer a secret? nio is deˆnitely the most price sensitive, in part In movies and TV shows people are constantly because there music hasn’t been such a big focus referencing Austin as the cool place a band A new era begins June 2019: Alcohol as in other cities. But Austin is still much cheaper member or someone else needs to get to. It’s than your big cities like L.A. and New York. Here just like saying Brooklyn or anything that’s will be available at CCC events! a handling fee might be ˆve bucks whereas in thought of as a cool or hip city. We’re deˆnitely those other places it gets a little insane with $10 one of if not the place for that in the entire or $15 in fees on a $25 ticket. We can’t push it too country. There are people who don’t like it now much more than what it is. that we’re not a secret or a private, hip little spot. I always laugh at the “Stop moving here” Is still as vital for mentality, because none of the people saying venues as it was 10 or 15 years ago? that are from here originally.

36 MARCH 2019

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