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Why doesn't the River Center ever have concerts?
Posted on 2/8/17 at 9:52 pm
Posted on 2/8/17 at 9:52 pm
Not the bullshite kind that they have now. I know Elton John came and some other big act came or is coming but that's it
What happened to them getting big names in on a regular basis? As a kid and even through high school, I remember going to concerts there.
Didn't somebody say a few years ago that there's a taxation issue that keeps artists from coming to Baton Rouge?
Anyone have any insight? It's crazy that you have to go to Lafayette or New Orleans. Choosing between those, I'm taking Lafayette any day.
What happened to them getting big names in on a regular basis? As a kid and even through high school, I remember going to concerts there.
Didn't somebody say a few years ago that there's a taxation issue that keeps artists from coming to Baton Rouge?
Anyone have any insight? It's crazy that you have to go to Lafayette or New Orleans. Choosing between those, I'm taking Lafayette any day.
Posted on 2/8/17 at 9:58 pm to King of New Orleans
Thank Ossie Brown for that.
Posted on 2/8/17 at 10:05 pm to King of New Orleans
There was an AC/DC concert that got out of hand in the early 80s and then he made them cancel an Ozzy concert. River Center hasn't been the same since. I think LSU doesn't book concerts at the PMAC because they don't want to sell alcohol.
Posted on 2/8/17 at 10:09 pm to King of New Orleans
Baton rouge was a rock n roll city in the 80's. Ossie "City Father" Brown used a combination of MADD, Jesus freaking, and taxes to drive the music away. He just happened to do this around the same time as:
1. Oil Crunch causing downtown to dry up
2. Ossie Brown banning alcohol sales from Catfish Town
3. Louisiana raising the drinking age to 21
4. Kid getting trampled at a concert leading to the PMAC no longer doing concerts.
5. Cajun Dome and UNO Lakefront Arena being built
6. Casinos in Biloxi booking more large acts
This resulted in major acts simply bypassing Baton Rouge for Lafayette, New Orleans, and/or Biloxi.
1. Oil Crunch causing downtown to dry up
2. Ossie Brown banning alcohol sales from Catfish Town
3. Louisiana raising the drinking age to 21
4. Kid getting trampled at a concert leading to the PMAC no longer doing concerts.
5. Cajun Dome and UNO Lakefront Arena being built
6. Casinos in Biloxi booking more large acts
This resulted in major acts simply bypassing Baton Rouge for Lafayette, New Orleans, and/or Biloxi.
Posted on 2/8/17 at 11:37 pm to Brosef Stalin
quote:
There was an AC/DC concert that got out of hand in the early 80s and then he made them cancel an Ozzy concert. River Center hasn't been the same since.
Yep. I never forgave Ossie Brown for that bullshite. UFO opening for Ozzy and Randy Rhoads still alive. He died two weeks after that show would have occurred.
Ozzy did find a way around Ossie exactly one year later with a show right outside the city limits at the Fairgrounds down Airline. BOC, Vandenberg, and LeRoux opened. My first Ozzy show ever.
I was lucky enough to catch four GA concerts at the Centroplex before the AC/DC show. America in '79 and the Doobie Brothers later the same year and then April Wine in '81 and BOC/Foghat later same year. It really was a great time for rock shows in Baton Rouge.
I also went to the Rush concert just a few months after AC/DC. Pretty sure this was the very next concert there. The police presence was absolutely suffocating. They were walking up and down the steps in literally every single section of the arena the whole time the lights were out. Patrolling the front of the stage. People in the front row and every floor seat had to remain seated the whole show. It absolutely sucked all life out of the arena. Total overreaction. This eventually abated for later concerts but that night was ridiculous.
This post was edited on 2/8/17 at 11:38 pm
Posted on 2/8/17 at 11:47 pm to King of New Orleans
How many rock acts can even sell out an arena nowadays? This isn't 1975.
When I was at LSU in the 80s I heard from a NO promoter that shows bypassed NO due to the city's 5% entertainment tax "to pay for welfare", and this was why so many acts played the MS Gulf Coast arena (a fact that had always puzzled me). I don't know if this tax is still in effect.
When I was at LSU in the 80s I heard from a NO promoter that shows bypassed NO due to the city's 5% entertainment tax "to pay for welfare", and this was why so many acts played the MS Gulf Coast arena (a fact that had always puzzled me). I don't know if this tax is still in effect.
quote:
It's crazy that you have to go to Lafayette or New Orleans. Choosing between those, I'm taking Lafayette any day.
quote:So you are abdicating your throne?
King of New Orleans
Posted on 2/9/17 at 1:19 am to Brosef Stalin
quote:I was there but I don't remember a thing about it.
There was an AC/DC concert that got out of hand in the early 80s and then he made them cancel an Ozzy concert.
This post was edited on 2/9/17 at 7:26 am
Posted on 2/9/17 at 1:52 am to Kafka
quote:
How many rock acts can even sell out an arena nowadays? This isn't 1975.
Pretty much just ones from 1975
Posted on 2/9/17 at 10:30 am to King of New Orleans
quote:
It's crazy that you have to go to Lafayette or New Orleans. Choosing between those, I'm taking Lafayette any day.
I can't remember anyone good in the last few years playing in The Cajun Dome besides Bob Seger. Unless you are a fan of Florida Georgia Line. River Center Theater has some decent shows. I saw Robert Plant there a year ago.
This post was edited on 2/9/17 at 10:32 am
Posted on 2/9/17 at 12:52 pm to LSU Jax
I can't even explain how much I hated Ossie Brown back in the day. He screwed me over in more than one way. But it really does seem as though this town has never recovered from whatever he did to ruin things for attracting touring music shows.
A couple things:
1. The centroplex dealbreaker was actually the ZZ Top concert before the AC/DC concert. The news was tipped off after that one and it set the situation up for them to ambush everybody at the AC/DC show. That last GA ZZ Top show was arguably MORE of a drug/alcohol Sodom and Gomorrah than the AC/DC show. You had to step over pools of vomit or passed out slosh-puppies every step through the place. No exaggeration.
2. The first concert after the GA ban was the Police, not Rush. I skipped it on principle and have regretted it ever since. Never got to see them live.
A couple things:
1. The centroplex dealbreaker was actually the ZZ Top concert before the AC/DC concert. The news was tipped off after that one and it set the situation up for them to ambush everybody at the AC/DC show. That last GA ZZ Top show was arguably MORE of a drug/alcohol Sodom and Gomorrah than the AC/DC show. You had to step over pools of vomit or passed out slosh-puppies every step through the place. No exaggeration.
2. The first concert after the GA ban was the Police, not Rush. I skipped it on principle and have regretted it ever since. Never got to see them live.
Posted on 2/9/17 at 1:26 pm to King of New Orleans
quote:
What happened to them getting big names in on a regular basis? As a kid and even through high school, I remember going to concerts there.
The Hornets came to New Orleans in 2002, and with them came a brand new NBA arena. The Superdome is generally too large for indoor concerts so this was huge for the city.
New Orleans has the best venue out of the 3 and attracts tourism, even in-state tourism. And the Cajun Dome is on par with River Center, with a better parking/tailgating area. Artists aren't going to stop at multiple cities in LA, which all span around 3-4 hours of driving time east to west, so they pick the location that is the nicest, will draw the most people and sell the most tickets.
This post was edited on 2/9/17 at 1:41 pm
Posted on 2/9/17 at 1:40 pm to Vino24
Yep, what he said. ^^^^^^^^^
Back in the 80's when I was at LSU, even afterwards, we asked the reverse question--why didn't New Orleans get big concerts?
Back in the 80's when I was at LSU, even afterwards, we asked the reverse question--why didn't New Orleans get big concerts?
Posted on 2/9/17 at 1:46 pm to Brosef Stalin
Also, New Orleans is probably tGOAT city for hosting a concert or sporting event from a logistical and monetary standpoint. Hotels all within walking distance of the Superdome and arena, restaurants and bars everywhere. No need to drive. Everyone makes money. 27 of 51 Super Bowls have been played in 3 cities: NO, Miami, and LA. New Orleans has hosted the most - 10 Super Bowls.
What would one do before/after a concert in the River Center? There's a few bars and the Belle of BR but nothing special. It seems like people typically show up for the concert then leave.
What would one do before/after a concert in the River Center? There's a few bars and the Belle of BR but nothing special. It seems like people typically show up for the concert then leave.
This post was edited on 2/9/17 at 1:57 pm
Posted on 2/9/17 at 2:15 pm to Vino24
quote:
And the Cajun Dome is on par with River Center, with a better parking/tailgating area.
The Cajundome had a major renovation last year. They got all new seats and redesigned the concession areas. I don't remember the River Center ever being remodeled, certainly not to the extent the Cajundome was. Even before the remodel it was always much nicer than the River Center.
quote:
Artists aren't going to stop at multiple cities in LA,
This is not common but it does happen sometimes. Those two cities are usually either Lafayette or New Orleans and Bossier City. Sometimes they will do Lafayette and New Orleans. Baton Rouge is very rarely involved in these cases.
Posted on 2/9/17 at 2:28 pm to LSU Jax
quote:
I never forgave Ossie Brown for that bullshite. UFO opening for Ozzy and Randy Rhoads still alive. He died two weeks after that show would have occurred.
I am still pissed about that.
quote:
Ozzy did find a way around Ossie exactly one year later with a show right outside the city limits at the Fairgrounds down Airline. BOC, Vandenberg, and LeRoux opened. My first Ozzy show ever.
I was there, great show!!!
BR got blackballed by who ever the promoting agency was then. BR was one of the top tour stops at that time. Major concert almost every weekend. The list of shows I saw from mid 70's up until this happened was mind boggling. You can also blame the Advocate for deciding to go to the AC/DC show and then blast pictures of innocent teens all fricked up in the newspaper....
Posted on 2/9/17 at 2:30 pm to King of New Orleans
I saw Ryan Adams there around 2010. Was awesome.
Posted on 2/9/17 at 2:36 pm to RockAndRollDetective
quote:
The centroplex dealbreaker was actually the ZZ Top concert before the AC/DC concert. The news was tipped off after that one and it set the situation up for them to ambush everybody at the AC/DC show. That last GA ZZ Top show was arguably MORE of a drug/alcohol Sodom and Gomorrah than the AC/DC show.
I was there too, things were so much different then, such a simpler time and place. Getting high was just part of the scene.
Posted on 2/9/17 at 2:57 pm to King of New Orleans
What are you talking about bra? I saw the world reknowned Shinedown bring the house down there only like three years ago
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