City OK's outdoor concert
The Lawrence City Commission votes to allow downtown Lawrence to host a new outdoor concert. Enlarge video
City commissioners and Lawrence concert promoters are singing from the same sheet of music when it comes to a major outdoor concert in downtown.
Commissioners at their Tuesday evening meeting unanimously approved a request by Lawrence's Pipeline Productions to stage a concert featuring the alternative country-rock band Wilco on May 14.
The event will take place on vacant lots near the intersection of Ninth and New Hampshire streets.
"It sounds like fun to me," City Commissioner Mike Amyx said.
It also could end up being profitable. Brett Mosiman with the Lawrence-based Pipeline Production said the concert would attract people from throughout the Midwest. He said when Wilco - which is a Grammy-winning group that has been receiving significant national attention - played in Kansas City about two years ago, the concert produced ticket sales from 26 states.
"I guarantee you that this event will introduce downtown Lawrence to new people," Mosiman said.
The event is expected to attract a crowd of 3,000 to 4,000 people. The promoters have struck a deal to use the two vacant lots on the southeast and southwest corner of the intersection. Tuesday's approval also will allow promoters to close down much of the 900 block of New Hampshire Street to use for the concert. The entire area will be fenced to keep people who haven't purchased tickets from entering the area, although promoters promised to accommodate people needing to enter and leave the Lawrence Arts Center.
Mosiman said the site is a good one for concerts, in part because it is adjacent to the city's parking garage. He told commissioners that he wants to hold out the possibility of staging other concerts at the site and said he would be willing to pay the city a fee for the use of the city street.
The concert is expected to run from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., although the street likely will close about 6 a.m. to allow set-up work for the concert to begin. Tickets will go on sale through Pipeline Productions - which includes The Bottleneck and The Granada - on April 4.
Comments
LJWorld.com doesn’t necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full policy. Also, read about banned accounts and harassing comments.
NotASquishHead (anonymous) says…
I'm not opposed to the idea, but who will be paying for police, fire, medical, street sweepers, etc? If the event is profitable I believe the promoter should be footing these costs rather than my tax dollars.
KsTwister (anonymous) says…
Most of us oldsters don't mind giving the youngsters a little fun. Kind of reminds me of CityWalk in Hollywood. It works there with no problems, now about some bands for the older generations.............
Informed (anonymous) says…
Well, Ks Twister, I heard that Barry Manilow will be in KC soon. You could try that.
merrill (anonymous) says…
Thanks music promoters for stepping up to the plate! Thumbs up and hats off! How about a blues/jazz festival in the fall say in October?
Sounds like a venture to increase tourism to Lawrence,Kansas.
Bring on the fun and revenue for downtown merchants and the tax revenue for the city hall cookie jar. Excellent idea. Concert attendees spend money and love to have a good time. Keep plenty of water(not in plastic please),juice(for children) and recycling containers around please.
merrill (anonymous) says…
Other ideas for Downtown Lawrence, Inc , city hall and our tourism department to be thinking about, keeping in mind all downtown events should be scheduled when ALL schools are in session:
Public transportation will be essential to tourists.
What I like about tourism is people come,have fun,spend some money then go home. Fun things will draw larger crowds consistently, more so than historical events.
As always I still say focusing on what exists and what works may bring in more economic growth than spending lots of money trying to create something which may not ever pay back.
We know some things do work in Lawrence,Kansas so why not do more?
* Cycling competition brings people from all over the USA and maybe the world. Cyclist like Lawrence,the terrain and its' proximity as the center of the USA more or less which means less traveling time.
*Art Fairs are popular so why not schedule in two or three more and do them on Mass Street.Country Club Plaza and Wesport do these every year with music and Lawrence people do attend. In addition to making the Lawrence Art Walk a large affair that attracts more folks from kcmo/joco,Shawnee County,Leavenworth County etc etc. First Fridays in KCMO bring out a ton of people even Lawrence faces.
*KU Natural History Museum
*Try a spring and fall garden show on Mass Street cuz so many people just about everywhere love looking at Landscape ideas and beauiful plants. Invite in a ton of landscapers from surrounding communities and organic farmers with some Bluegrass music in the background.
* How about two sidewalk sales instead of one? One in the first week of May and and one in the first week of October with music. When KU students are in town.
* How about a Blues and Jazz Festival in downtown Lawrence such that KCMO does? Blues stage on 7th street/ Jazz stage on 8th street. Replay Lounge doing something on 10th street. Allow local vendors to cater the events. Schedule this event when KU sudents are around. Lawrence has a solid music history
* There is always the idea of creating swimming events considering the number of pools available in Lawrence,
Kansas.
*Sunflower Games
*Basketball and Football home games. Hey Chancellor how about all the home games in Lawrence. Networks know where Lawrence is so let's bring them to Lawrence as often as possible. The hotel and food establishments need their business:.thank you for your consideration.
Again with music before and after the game.
vhawk (Veronica Mohr) says…
Just because someone enjoys a certain type of music i.e. country, that does not mean all of the 150,000 fans at the country stampede are all dirty, underage drinking hicks. Only someone as ignorant as you would make a statement like that Mariann.
blue73harley (anonymous) says…
I kind of feel dirty watching Kelly Pickler and Taylor Swift perform ;-)
coool (anonymous) says…
"It sounds like fun to me," City Commissioner Mike Amyx said.
Maybe Mike will attend and let his hair down.
dirkleisure (anonymous) says…
Thanks, LJ World, for correcting the online version.
The band's name is Wilco. It is not WILCO.
Oh, and they are undoubtedly one of the top 5 American bands performing today.
staff04 (anonymous) says…
3,000 to 4,000 people? You've got to be kidding me... Wilco could easily draw 10-15,000. I've seen 15,000 people pay $40 for a lawn seat to stand in the rain at Wilco shows.
sjschlag (anonymous) says…
How much for the tickets?
RETICENT_IRREVERENT (Ronaldo Ignacio) says…
Why couldn't they get John Tesh?
staff04 (anonymous) says…
R_I-
Because "hate" is such a strong word?
dolores2175 (April Fleming) says…
Yeah, 4,000 seems ridiculously low to me, too.
I'd expect that taxpayers won't be footing the cleanup bill. That's usually a promoter's responsibility.
RETICENT_IRREVERENT (Ronaldo Ignacio) says…
staff,
Is that one of those "five tons of flax" answers?
acg (anonymous) says…
This is awesome. I love Wilco and will definitely be there. And RI, don't pick on John Tesh, man. He's actually really talented. ; )
And, b3, by all means, stay home. Sour, hateful, bitter people like you only bring the rest of us down, so please, sit this one out.
toefungus (anonymous) says…
I wonder if the fence will keep the music in? Inside the fence, pay, outside the fence, don't pay. A venue for every wallet.
alm77 (anonymous) says…
We'll be there, but my question is If we don't buy a ticket and hang out downtown, what are they going to do, make us wear ear plugs?
ivandollar (anonymous) says…
Wilco actually played KC Crossroads last October. It was a very good turnout, but I doubt it was a sellout. 2500 people maybe, 3000 would be maximum at that concert.
Wilco is a great band. Depending on the cost, I will go. If it is too high, might try to get down to Zs or Pig early and get a seat outside.
Nice to see an event like this approved.
Haiku_Cuckoo (anonymous) says…
The City Commissioners should have agreed to allow this event to take place provided that the tickets be sold at a very low price. It would be a nice year-end send off to the KU students and a low ticket price would make it more available for them. (Remember what it was like to live on Ramen Noodles and macaroni and cheese?) Also, since the public is being inconvenienced by the street closure, cheap tickets would be a good trade-off.
The_Original_Bob (anonymous) says…
"staff04 (Anonymous) says:
3,000 to 4,000 people? You've got to be kidding me: Wilco could easily draw 10-15,000. I've seen 15,000 people pay $40 for a lawn seat to stand in the rain at Wilco shows."
I'm thinking at least 8000 with decent weather. 4000? Ha! I suppose it depends on the cost of the tickets.
alicenevada (anonymous) says…
Ie,
Steffes is GONE! Downtown New Hampshire Street has never been more peaceful since Last Call closed!!
The_Original_Bob (anonymous) says…
Wow. Pothole's comment has lasted over an hour. Some sort of record I suppose.
dirkleisure (anonymous) says…
The Crossroads show was officially a sellout.
One would think they are going to have to confine themselves to a certain space, hence the 4,000 estimate. That may be the maximum they are planning on allowing into the defined space.
jplanet (anonymous) says…
i'm soooooo excited =d !!!
RETICENT_IRREVERENT (Ronaldo Ignacio) says…
WOW!!! I know, I say it louder
The_Original_Bob (anonymous) says…
Dirk -
Quality point. For some reason I have it stuck in my head this would be a free outdoor concert. Now that I see Mossiman is the promoter and the tickets aren't free, I understand the 4k guess.
Mossiman might want to get to work and bring in some bigger bands for Waka or it won't draw 8k. It will still be fun, but I doubt it can survive two years in a row in the red.
bd (anonymous) says…
I agree with BOB, the Waka headliners are pretty lame!
Nonsense (anonymous) says…
Does anyone know who owns that property? Is it the City?
Kookamooka (MJ Browne) says…
Just make it family friendly.
The_Original_Bob (anonymous) says…
Pothole - Not arguing about the validity of your statement. I've lived in Lawrence off an on (mostly on) for 15 years. I've heard the stories. I get my posts removed if I dare say purple-headed yogurt slinger. It be nice to keep it to four letters.
zettapixel (anonymous) says…
Now I remember why I got out of the music business. Too much negativity and backstabbing!
jonny_quest (anonymous) says…
Well, based on the comments about Brett Mosiman, it appears he may be disliked by some people. Why?
srj (anonymous) says…
I wonder why downtown insted of Berchum Park, remember the Warped Tour a few year back?
Oh, and reticent_irreverent, John Tesh tickets go on sale Saturday at the Uptown in KC : for July 17th :)
Oh NO, just noticed a singer/rapper I WANT to see M.I.A. will be at Liberty Hall the same day? Where the heck will people park for that?
Godot (anonymous) says…
Mosiman would be "willing to pay a fee to use city streets"??
This was not a condition of the approval?
If I want to have a reception at the train station, or rent the gazebo in South Park for an event, or reserve the pool, or any recreation facility, I have to pay, but Mosiman is not required to pay a fee to close off a city street and produce an event that will require additional police support??
What's up with this?
merrill (anonymous) says…
"I wonder why downtown insted of Berchum Park, remember the Warped Tour a few year back?"
So downtown merchants can benefit to a greater extent which also creates greater sales tax revenues for the city cookie jar.
devieh (anonymous) says…
it's a shame the only reason i won't be attending this event is i will be in st louis @ radiohead
thatsmyname (anonymous) says…
There are other great things in store for downtown this summer. The Arts Center and Downtown Inc. are helping to organize a street performers festival in August as the students return. This will not just be your ordinary musician and a cup type acts but real amazing unique acts from across America. Stay tuned for more information about that.