Brad Paisley coming to The Ralph
According to Pollstar.com, Brad Paisley is coming to the Ralph Engelstad Arena on October 11. Paisley was last in Grand Forks back in 2005 when he played the Alerus Center.
These country shows do seem to do well. I still wish we could get a larger variety of concerts in town. Oh well...I guess we'll take whatever we can get...
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15 comments:
Taylor Swift is fine.
and 16 - pervert!
Just saw Modest Mouse in Fargo... they rocked it pretty hardcore. The twin cities is a bit too far for me to go just for a concert, but I have no issues going down south or to Winnipeg. I don't expect to catch too many concerts up here. Black Eyed Peas don't cut it ;)
Los Lobos...front page of the Herald web site for two days.
Paisley played The Alerus last time through, now The Ralph. Nice job Ralph crew. The Alerus just has that dead on the vine vibe. It's a downer to attend events there.
BTW...Do you know that The Alerus costs the citizens of Grand Forks over 6 million a year. Thanks Whistler for this piece of information, I clipped this from a very informative article that he posted on the Say Anything blog...
According to the State Tax Department Grand Forks City had 787,538,513 in taxable sales in 2005. The three quarter sales tax for the Alerus would have cost the locals $5,906,538. That’s money sucked out of our economy that goes right out of town to the bondholders.
This doesn't even factor the annual operating loss that is probably in the area of 1 million once you factor in the tax contribution, suite revenue, naming rights dollars, concert-fund scam, etc.
Again with the axe...
Two points for consideration:
1) Your sales tax figures erroneously assume that Grand Forks citizens are responsible for 100% of money spent in the city. That is, of course, an invalid assumption.
2) You also assume that the bondholders are 100% scumbag out-of-town bankers who are profiting from the failure of the centre. I don't know who invested, but these sorts of things are generally purchased by institutions, not individuals, and they mostly appeal locally or regionally, not so much nationally. So it's a more fair assumption that the money is coming back to banks, shareholders and depositors, from around here.
I won't say that I totally disagree with the criticism of the ongoing Alerus Centre issues, but making blanket, easily refutable accusations isn't going to score points with anyone.
(oh, and you might try signing your handiwork -- comments from people who are willing to stand behind what they say are generally taken much more seriously.)
I thought about your 2 points, but I was being lazy.
No axe to grind here, community leaders are politicians and all have their own agendas. I just like to pump some other points out there. Like, how superior the Mac is to Windows machines, and that there is an awesome alternative to QuickBooks available for Mac users.
I'm not ready to write the Alerus' obituary quite yet.
Say what you will about the performer herself, but Cher had 20,000 fans on their feet much of her concert, cheering and dancing.
Having said that, I think the selection of performers since then has been awful. And I haven't seen any creativity coming from the management. How about some kind of a "We Fest" type event; or combine acts that alone may not sell well. Or how about a Compass tour of acts performing exclusively at Compass-managed venues.
Is Brad Paisley connected with the dance studio too?
Say what you will about the performer herself, but Cher had 20,000 fans on their feet much of her concert, cheering and dancing.
Having said that, I think the selection of performers since then has been awful.
That's probably more a result of who's willing to come here, and for how much, than it is a reflection of whoever is booking these acts' level of cluelessness.
Given the market size, potential draw, and likely purse, you can cross out the "A-List" acts straight away. You're not going to see U2, Ozzfest or whatever the big draws are coming around here.
"If you build it, they will come" may be all well and good for Kevin Costner, but it's a stupid reason to build an events centre in a small market. Or to stand around years later, wringing your hands and wondering why you can't sell out the "REO Speedwagon / Styx" reunion show. Without Gary Richrath and Dennis De Young. Now that's twenty five bucks I wish I had back.
Aside from the once-in-a-while-successful Cher Farewell Tour show, Grand Forks and the surrounding area isn't big enough (and homogenous enough -- there's a significant split between country and rock) to merit a lot of interest beyond someone who's playing Winnipeg and Minneapolis with an open day in between, and doesn't feel like spending the off day playing "Guitar Hero" on the tour bus.
When you think back to the claims that "supporters" made in the campaign stages of the property, it's amazing how completely wrong they've been proven to be. Thanks guys! Playing fast and loose with taxpayer dollars. Not cool.
What's going on with The Alerus Commission? Come on city officials, time to show Randy Newman the door. What's the problem? He's such a weasle he'll have to take his naming rights with him? Like a small child and a ball. Alerus Financial throws their naming rights dollars behind a white elephant, presumably for good-will advertising and the expectation of attracting business to offset the cost. Meanwhile, a star-struck failure makes a bad loan to Lou Pearlman and Alerus Financial is out 5.3 million! That my friends is a major barometer as to the ineffectivenss of the Alerus Council President! Walk him! How many legit deals will it take to earn back 5.3 million? And by the way, how did "naming rights" become "stranglehold" on day to day operations?
Randy Newman's reputation is horrible around town. I wonder why?
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