Design Makes Arena a Flexible Concert

14,000 Arena’s capacity for concerts with stage on the north end PINNACLE BANK ARENA SUNDAY, AUGUST 18, 2013 LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR PAGE 13

‘Classy’ Bublé to open new arena Michael For starters Michael Bublé will open the Pinnacle Bank Arena on Sept. 13. Bublé A look at the opening act to play other arenas (current facility name listed): AP The Canadian crooner was intentionally targeted as the opening Arena City Opened Opening act‌ act at the new West Haymarket arena because of his broad appeal. Pepsi Center Denver 1999 Celine Dion “We wanted something very classy,” SMG general manager Tom Chesapeake Energy Arena Oklahoma City 2002 Paul McCartney Lorenz said. “I’m not sure what to call him. Michael does contem- porary music. But he has that Sinatra style, so he appeals to a wide ‌CenturyLink Center Omaha 2003 Cher audience and one that is perfect for an opener.” ‌Wells Fargo Arena Des Moines, Iowa 2005 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Bublé’s new album, “To Be Loved,” a mix of standards and ‌Sprint Center Kansas City, Mo. 2007 Elton John original songs, sold 195,000 copies in its first week of release in ‌BOK Center Tulsa, Okla. 2008 The Eagles February to land at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album charts. “To ‌Intrust Bank Arena Wichita, Kan. 2010 Brad Paisley Be Loved” is the fourth consecutive No. 1 album for the 37-year-old ‌KFC Yum! Center Louisville, Ky. 2010 The Eagles singer, who has sold more than 30 million records worldwide. The Lincoln date is the fourth show of Bublé’s 2013 fall U.S. tour, ‌Ford Center Evansville, Ind. 2011 Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band packaged between stops in St. Paul, Minn., and St. Louis. ‌Barclays Center Brooklyn, N.Y. 2012 Jay Z

The Pinnacle Bank Arena areas in the northeast corner was designed and built with Design makes arena of the arena’s floor level. Digital concerts in mind — from its clocks in each room are synchro- nized to the scoreboard clock. loading dock to the ceiling, the a flexible concert venue Concertgoers will notice one dressing rooms and the north of the biggest advantages built end of the arena bowl. “There’s a lot of shows in the 5,000- to 8,000-seat range, into the arena. Because the “Because we had significant including Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley. We’ll be able to north floor-level bleachers are access to the process, we were make it look and sound appropriate for that size. If (we ) sell retractable and removable, the able to put things in place that 9,000, we know what to do.” concert stage can be placed are really advantageous to us for further back than in a building — SMG general manager Tom Lorenz concerts and other shows,” SMG that has permanent seating on general manager Tom Lorenz all four sides. said. This allows Pinnacle Bank Many of the elements built Arena to sell nearly every seat in are critical for productions for concerts. With a capacity of but will be largely invisible to nearly 14,000 (the number of concert-goers. tickets sold for the Pink show), it’s ■■ ‌A rigging capacity of equivalent to that of Omaha’s Cen- 160,000 pounds — “more than turyLink Center, which has a larger enough to hang any show” from capacity for sporting events. the steel grid system at the arena; An elaborate curtaining system ■■ ‌Power supply of 1,800 amps also has been built into the arena. on each side of the stage and A large backstage curtain can float backstage power; throughout the arena, allowing the ■■ ‌Doors and loading dock stage to be set nearer the middle space at the north end of the of the floor when a smaller capac- arena that will allow six trucks ity is desired. to be loaded or unloaded at the Curtains also ring the top of the same time. That’s significant arena and can be lowered to block because concerts with elaborate out upper bowl sections when at- productions, like Pink’s Nov. 9 tendance is less than 9,000. show, come to town with more “There’s a lot of shows in the than 20 trucks. 5,000- to 8,000-seat range, ■■ ‌Parking space and power just including Miranda Lambert and Di- outside the north doors for four erks Bentley,” Lorenz said. “We’ll buses; be able to make it look and sound appropriate for that size. If (we) ■■ ‌A complex of well-appointed ERIC GREGORY/Lincoln Journal Star sell 9,000, we know what to do.” artist dressing rooms, production Acoustic sound boards and an open north end make the Pinnacle Bank Arena a friendly concert offices, a green room and catering venue. — L. Kent Wolgamott