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Yes, we need a larger and better venue for the Shoals area other then UNA Flower’s Hall, the Florence Conference Center, Florence-Lauderdale coliseum, or the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. But I don’t think that building a civic center is the answer.

The problem with Flower’s Hall is the design and parking. The conference center was not designed for performers and the general population use. The Florence-Lauderdale coliseum has seen its best days and the Alabama Music Hall of Fame is a joke.

Some of the promoters that I have spoken with in the past have told me that they will never attempt to bring their acts to the Shoals, not because of the venues but because of other problems then encountered. They can erect a stage almost anywhere including a cow pasture, and brought the people to them.

The biggest problem they encounter is the local wanna-be’s wanting in on the profits.

As for me personally, I don’t care to pay $ 50 and higher to see anyone perform. The cost of tickets has become outrageous.
Ever hear of Bonnaroo? 80k+ people gather in a Manchester TN cow pasture in the summer heat for a concert. Why do they do it? Because it's some of the top bands in music. I believe the Police are supposed to perform this year as well as other rarely seen acts. A civic center doesn't bring people, it's the bands. A properly promoted concert with an artist that people actually listen to will bring tons of people regardless of where it's held. If you want a reason to build a civic center in the future, start having good shows now.
How 'bout a really good outdoor theater built on Patton Island along the lines of Mud Island in Memphis. Good acoustics, the whole bit. In fact Patton Island could be a good assett if it were developed right.
Nash, you are right about the bands, and who could forget Woodstock, but a good place to perform would surely help .
[A civic center doesn't bring people, it's the bands. A properly promoted concert with an artist that people actually listen to will bring tons of people regardless of where it's held. If you want a reason to build a civic center in the future, start having good shows now.]
AMEN you are right NASH!

from above,who in the devil is Chely Wright? and Gene Watson is a has been from LONG,LONG ago. yea boy I can see why there was no one rushing out buying tickets to see them!
I do not think the area would support it... first they would have to get their recording industry back on track to even consider it.

Next, we look at what we DO have right now, and hardly ever are any of them even in use. Collisium, Hall of Fame, UNA... we have places for concerts, we just don't have enough people interested in GOING to them to make it work. We have even had "cow pastures" and Riverside before too....

Now, why expect everyone in the area to pay extra taxes and such when they already show you that they aren't interested.

Frankly, a tank of gasoline is more important to most people these days then any concert could be.
quote:
But , don't you think it can be the venue that brings the bands? they must be accomodating for them. As far as big music festivals, you will get huge crowds with multiple top acts, but you wouldn't get 80,000 in a pasture with just a couple....


No, but have two or three top name attractions and you can draw 15k-20k. Riverfront Park in Nashville doesn't have a stage, it's simply a large open space. A barge with a stage set up on it pulls up to the dock, instant venue.

The FedEx forum in Memphis was supposed to bring in the big bands. They want too much money from the bands to use the facilities. A lot of bands are going to Southhaven MS, I'm actually going to a sold out show there at the end of March.
There are many more factors to holding shows than just local support or the venues they play in, although both play a huge role. Other factors include the Shoals concervative nature and issues with alcohol. The fact that there is not a local venue like say Birmingham's Work/Play Theatre doesn't suprise me. A venue that is only for big concerts will never happen in the Shoals. There isn't enough support for it. But! a venue that offers more than just shows twice a month could happen in Florence. There is plenty local support of many bands out there. Go to www.workplay.com. I've never paid more than $20 a ticket to see anyone there and it's a high class, contemporary place to hang out. It's not full of sketchy white trash people. A place like that is what Florence needs. Not another place like SportsRock or The BLVD. They just won't work here.
Excellent point, locals just don't support local music like they should. However, the Shoals is located just a few hours from 4 major cities. It's really a pretty easy drive from Nashville, Memphis, and B'ham to Florence. Atlanta is a little longer, but an easy overnight trip. If the Chamber of Commerce could try and find a place to attract bigger name acts, charge less than it would be to perform in the bigger cities, and be accommodating to the visiting fans, then artists would be more likely to visit. If the tour can make a profit in the town, the tour will visit. The problem is the overly conservative leadership and lack of ambition to find ways to improve the area.
The shoals is to conservative for any good bands or shows to come here. Wonder what all your good church folks would say if they brought in somebody like Hank Jr.or some good mental bands? Most of these church going folks go out of town to see what they want to see, and hope they will not run into someone they know.Your good old conservative church folks controls this town more than you will ever know.Welcome to Mayberry R.F.D.
Florence can be controlled by "good old conservative church folks" and still have good bands come to this area. What the Shoals needs to realize is that there are 6000 college students in this area and many more recent graduates willing to stay in the area post graduation if the Shoals would provide quality entertainment for our age group. This area needs to learn to support local talent and by local, I mean talent from Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia...etc. There are lots of great, talented performers in Nashville and Birmingham that drive all over the South to play. Florence is in a very good location to multiple 100,000K population cities. If we had an upscale, smoke-free venue in this area that is in competition with venues in other larger cities, we might have a fighting chance.
I went to the Music Hall of Fame and PJ's Saturday to support Angela and Zac Hacker. So I was a Hacker Backer. It was too crowded at the Music Hall of Fame and their security was a joke. People were pushing and shoving and getting mad at each other. I thought I was going to see a couple of fights before I got out of there.
I remember back in the seventies and early eighties, UNA and Mr. C's kept a lot of groups coming here for concerts. I remember seeing Karen and Richard Carpenter, the Doobie Brothers, Christopher Cross, Toto, Chicago, America, Atlanta Rhythm Section, and others. Things were so much better in that time it seems. It seems that things started changing after we lost Ford Motor Company, Union Carbide, and later Reynolds. And then people ask why. Because we keep voting the same politicians back in, time after time.
As far as the Shoals, it's you that's going to have to do something, because you are the people and when the people don't speak, then nobody hears. A single person asked me the other day, where do you go to meet women? Church. He said I believe it because there is nothing to do in this area.

It's hard for me to believe that most of you people are for change because most conservative people are not for change.
I am writing this from perhaps the most successful tourism and growth city in the US (depending on how you look at it) Phoenix, AZ. We have 120,000 people moving here a month.

Do people come for concerts? No, when I moved here in 1990 there were fewer concerts than there are in Huntsville. How about the Civic center? No, the city is spending 50 million this year to rebuild the antiquated center downtown to host national conventions.

Folks, people move here for the LIFESTYLE. Great weather, fabulous golf, friendly people...and it use to have affordable housing. Well, guess where I'm moving.....home to be with you lovely folks and raise my children there.

But, do I think the Shoals needs a Civic Center, no not now....but it needs CIVICALLY MINDED PEOPLE, who think Globally...who understand that if people with money come to a CONVENTION AT A CIVIC center, they might just stay and invest in the community, and they are spending money in restaurants, and helping pay the gas tax, and that hotel bed tax is keeping your lifestyle great!
Back in the 70's UNA itself had great concerts, I saw ZZ Top, Eagles, Linda Rondstadt, Joe ****er, Kansas, Ides of March, and lots of others at the top of the careers. What happened to that, those concerts were packed.
I'm thinking those friends of mine are all at home with y'all watching Nashville Star, when you should be out in local venues, high schools, art gallaries, beauty pageants and recitals SEEING THOSE IDOLS AND STARS and supporting them BEFORE They get on TV.

The thinking is upside down....you must THINK GLOBALLY, then Act Locally.
See you soon, and I'll invite you out to see all the great things you don't!!!!!!It's a pretty sensational place!
quote:
Originally posted by pba:
The shoals is to conservative for any good bands or shows to come here. Wonder what all your good church folks would say if they brought in somebody like Hank Jr.or some good mental bands? Most of these church going folks go out of town to see what they want to see, and hope they will not run into someone they know.Your good old conservative church folks controls this town more than you will ever know.Welcome to Mayberry R.F.D.



there have been good bands here, great bands even...Lynyrd Skynyrd at the Hall of Fame..twice..probably the biggest show as far as attendance, and believe it or not Quiet Riot on the Fourth of July at McFarland! Gretchen Wilson, Merle, George...
but to compare us to memphis or Nashville..they have a bigger population, plus those are places more people are willing to travel to.
But I went to a lot at UNA in the day when they had big name acts...what did happen with that?
We have to take baby steps on any of this... We have to make WHAT WE HAVE work before jumping into a new venture!!!

We don't even support the Hall of Fame, and if the Hackers were not on Nashville Star, and was just giving a concert, you think that many would have shown up? Of course not!

If we cannot make what we already have work, then something bigger sure would be a pain in our sides.

No one got on the band wagon when they were threatening to close the Hall of Fame..

This area just does NOT support concerts, never really has, never really will... UNLESS we can get back our Studios that at one time had MAJOR stars recording here... now THAT would be a start!!!
I agree with K.S. There is not enough interest from the citizens to convince the local governments to suport such a venture. What a waist though with the talent that is here. I was thinking that the east florence area was gearing up to promote something. Wat we do need is more smaller places that is alowed to bring in acts without persecution. It has to start with a city with laws that would welcome enertainment and make people feel more comfortable. The last event I attened in florence, the cops outnumbered the patrons!
It's not the local citizens that support a civic center, it's the tourists. Most of the people I've met at concerts were not local to the area. Again, it simply comes down to having the foresight to start with the bands first, proving that the area can support a tour stop, and then build a civic center. Chely Wright and Gene Watson won't cut it, no one has heard of them. You have to start with bands that have fans that can travel. Building a civic center first and expecting people to show up is putting the cart before the horse.

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