AMPing It Up

Arkansas Music Pavilion brings bigger names to bigger space

Expect a bigger - and, says general manager Brian Crowne, better - Arkansas Music Pavilion this year.

After seven years at the Northwest Arkansas Mall, the tent structure and its many elements have been transported to its new home at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Fayetteville.

The season will open with the sounds of indie rockband Cake on April 19 and go in many directions from there. While several of the shows were announced weeks ago, three new shows were revealed in the past week, with tickets for two of them - Hank Williams Jr. and Ted Nugent - going on sale at 10 a.m. today.

The inability to reach a mutual lease agreement between the AMP and mall management forced the move, and Crowne is just now learning what he has at the new location.

The tent structure - familiar to those who have previously visited the AMP - returns but has been raised two feet higher than last year’s configuration.

That will allow for hanging speaker units instead of those mounted to the stage. But most encouraging to Crowne is the extra space and what he might be able to do with it.

On the mall property, the AMP could accommodate about 3,500 patrons. At the fairgrounds, spread out along a larger open field, the venuemight have room for 6,000 or 7,000 music fans. A freestanding stage, positioned outside of the tent structure, could allow for perhaps 10,000 patrons.

The difference between the former location and current arrangement isn’t just in numbers of potential concertgoers; it also allows Crowne to book bigger-name acts.

“It’s hard to make the jump to a six-figure act (at previous capacity),” Crowne says during a site tour.

Several marquee names are already confirmed.

Progressive rock band Wilco will perform on May 10, and country legend Hank Williams Jr. will play the AMP on April 28. Crowne is also exploring the possibility of having an allday, multi-stage music event featuring a country performer who is selling out arenas on her current tour.

A total of seven acts are currently booked. After Cake comes electronic act Big Gigantic on April 21, followed by Williams, then metal band Five Finger Death Punch on May 8. After Wilco comes shows by classic rock rebel Ted Nugent on June 10 and pop songwriters Gavin DeGraw and Colbie Caillat on June 17. More artists are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Plans also call for a revamped VIP area and other amenities at the fairgrounds site.

During the Washington County Fair in late August, the AMP will likely host a family-friendly show in the venue for fairgoers. Crowne is also debating how to best use the facility during Bikes, Blues & BBQ , the annual motorcycle rally which has for several years used the fairgrounds as a staging area for a barbecue competition and as a campground. The AMP will decrease its footprint during both the rally and the fair, but Crowne expects the facility will provide live music, too.

Reaction to the move has been positive, Crowne says.

Whats Up, Pages 16 on 03/23/2012

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