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Dave at Muskegon (Michigan) Summer Celebration June 30
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Welcome to his nightmare
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
By Bill Iddings
CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER
Muskegon Summer Celebration today moved closer to completing its main-stage concert lineup, less than two weeks before its big all-concert pass sale.
Joe Austin, executive director of the festival that annually draws an estimated 600,000 people, announced this morning that David Lee Roth (June 30), Alice Cooper (July 2), Macy Gray and Ginuwine (July 6) and the bands Shinedown and Trapt (July 3) have been signed to perform.
Those acts join a concert lineup of the Miller Lite Headline artists that already included The Steve Miller Band (July 8) Smash Mouth (July 4), Sugarland (July 5) and Raven Symone (July 8).
Creating a lineup for the festival has been a real struggle, according to Austin. Bands have been "very indecisive" and a major media conglomerate's tour-buying has caused some fierce competition for acts.
Unlike many previous Summer Celebrations, none of the 2006 acts under contract has headlined the festival before.
"When we repeat acts it's because they have been very successful before," Austin said. "They may have sold out or been close to a sellout, so that's an act people want to see again. We (always) try to get a lot of new acts and, so far this year, we have not repeated anything."
Four concert dates remain open: June 29 and July 1, 7 and 9.
While Summer Celebration does not have acts under contract for these dates, Pollstar, an Internet concert ticket sales site, lists the following acts as part of the festival: Thornbird (June 30), Toto (July 7), Norton Buffalo (July 8) and Train (July 9).
Austin said he hopes to have the schedule completed before the festival pass party 5:30 p.m. May 19 at Great Lakes Downs racecourse in Fruitport Township.
"Even though our second announcement is later than normal, we still believe the final lineup will be completed prior to next week's Sappi Pass Party," Austin said. "We understand our patrons not wanting to commit to buying the pass without knowing the complete line-up."
Finalizing the Summer Celebration concert schedule this year is taking longer than in the past. The festival's initial announcement in February, came earlier than usual, which made Austin and other organizers optimistic about early signings.
It didn't happen.
Austin said the signing process bogged down partially because agents and managers of various acts took longer than usually to respond.
The biggest reason for the delay, though, was "a lot of acts seem to be very indecisive this year about what they were going to do," Austin said. " ... I've never seen so much indecisiveness, ever."
He also noted that Clear Channel, the nation's largest radio conglomerate, has gotten into the live concert business. With its deep pockets, Clear Channel has purchased numerous major music tours, Austin said, so "the competition is higher."
Centered at Heritage Landing county park on the shore of Muskegon Lake, 2006 festival runs June 29 through July 9.
The 11-day festival's traditional all-concert pass sales event will be at a new location, Great Lakes Downs. Previous pass parties have been at L.C. Walker Arena in downtown Muskegon.
Austin said racecourse officials made Summer Celebration a financial offer it couldn't refuse.
"We liked being at the arena," Austin said, "but (the racecourse) is certainly trying to market their facility not just for horse racing, but for other events. They came to us with a great deal that helped us save some money.
"It's a better financial deal, and it's a good facility. They are a major player (in West Michigan) as far as tourism goes, and year-round with other events that are going on out there. I think we can kind of help each other."
Not only has the location of the pass party changed, but also the procedure. The same price from prior years -- $80 for adults and $40 for youths 6-12 years old -- will apply only on the day of the party. After that, adult passes will sell for $90 and youth for $45.
Patrons who cannot attend the pass party may purchase passes through Star Tickets Plus, with the same restrictions. Both at the party and through Star Tickets Plus, sales of passes will be limited to six per customer.
Star Tickets Plus outlets are at the box office of the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Muskegon and most Meijer stores in West Michigan.
The toll-free telephone number for Star Tickets Plus is (800) 585-3737. Tickets also may be purchased online at www.starticketsplus.net or by calling, in the Grand Rapids area, (616) 222-4000. Only cash and credit cards will be accepted.
Tickets for individual concerts will go on sale at 10 a.m. Thursday at Star Tickets Plus outlets.
Adding acts like David Lee Roth and Alice Cooper to a lineup that already included The Steve Miller Band gives Summer Celebration '06 a triumvirate of vintage rockers who are still kicking it out.
A successful solo artist, Roth for years was front man for the band Van Halen. Cooper, a Michigan native whose real name is Vincent Damon Furnier, was a rock staple of the 1970s. So was The Steve Miller Band.
Classic rock has always been a staple of Muskegon Summer Celebration. However, Many of those acts have either aged into oblivion or otherwise moved on, and are no longer available.
"Classic rock has been the bread and butter of this event before," Austin said. "But a lot of classic rockers are no longer touring, and we've had a lot of them.
"I think you're starting to see a change where we might have had four or five classic rocks acts before and you're seeing three strong ones to date, and a little more current music as well. That trend will probably continue as we complete the lineup."
In responding to rumors that Cooper might play Summer Celebration, Austin had said in February that the festival has pursued Cooper for "at least 10 years (but) it never worked out." He said Summer Celebration also has been interested in Roth for several years.
"He was the guy for Van Halen through its heyday," Austin said, "and is someone who not only has some of his own hits but also performs a lot of the Van Halen hits."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to his nightmare
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
By Bill Iddings
CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER
Muskegon Summer Celebration today moved closer to completing its main-stage concert lineup, less than two weeks before its big all-concert pass sale.
Joe Austin, executive director of the festival that annually draws an estimated 600,000 people, announced this morning that David Lee Roth (June 30), Alice Cooper (July 2), Macy Gray and Ginuwine (July 6) and the bands Shinedown and Trapt (July 3) have been signed to perform.
Those acts join a concert lineup of the Miller Lite Headline artists that already included The Steve Miller Band (July 8) Smash Mouth (July 4), Sugarland (July 5) and Raven Symone (July 8).
Creating a lineup for the festival has been a real struggle, according to Austin. Bands have been "very indecisive" and a major media conglomerate's tour-buying has caused some fierce competition for acts.
Unlike many previous Summer Celebrations, none of the 2006 acts under contract has headlined the festival before.
"When we repeat acts it's because they have been very successful before," Austin said. "They may have sold out or been close to a sellout, so that's an act people want to see again. We (always) try to get a lot of new acts and, so far this year, we have not repeated anything."
Four concert dates remain open: June 29 and July 1, 7 and 9.
While Summer Celebration does not have acts under contract for these dates, Pollstar, an Internet concert ticket sales site, lists the following acts as part of the festival: Thornbird (June 30), Toto (July 7), Norton Buffalo (July 8) and Train (July 9).
Austin said he hopes to have the schedule completed before the festival pass party 5:30 p.m. May 19 at Great Lakes Downs racecourse in Fruitport Township.
"Even though our second announcement is later than normal, we still believe the final lineup will be completed prior to next week's Sappi Pass Party," Austin said. "We understand our patrons not wanting to commit to buying the pass without knowing the complete line-up."
Finalizing the Summer Celebration concert schedule this year is taking longer than in the past. The festival's initial announcement in February, came earlier than usual, which made Austin and other organizers optimistic about early signings.
It didn't happen.
Austin said the signing process bogged down partially because agents and managers of various acts took longer than usually to respond.
The biggest reason for the delay, though, was "a lot of acts seem to be very indecisive this year about what they were going to do," Austin said. " ... I've never seen so much indecisiveness, ever."
He also noted that Clear Channel, the nation's largest radio conglomerate, has gotten into the live concert business. With its deep pockets, Clear Channel has purchased numerous major music tours, Austin said, so "the competition is higher."
Centered at Heritage Landing county park on the shore of Muskegon Lake, 2006 festival runs June 29 through July 9.
The 11-day festival's traditional all-concert pass sales event will be at a new location, Great Lakes Downs. Previous pass parties have been at L.C. Walker Arena in downtown Muskegon.
Austin said racecourse officials made Summer Celebration a financial offer it couldn't refuse.
"We liked being at the arena," Austin said, "but (the racecourse) is certainly trying to market their facility not just for horse racing, but for other events. They came to us with a great deal that helped us save some money.
"It's a better financial deal, and it's a good facility. They are a major player (in West Michigan) as far as tourism goes, and year-round with other events that are going on out there. I think we can kind of help each other."
Not only has the location of the pass party changed, but also the procedure. The same price from prior years -- $80 for adults and $40 for youths 6-12 years old -- will apply only on the day of the party. After that, adult passes will sell for $90 and youth for $45.
Patrons who cannot attend the pass party may purchase passes through Star Tickets Plus, with the same restrictions. Both at the party and through Star Tickets Plus, sales of passes will be limited to six per customer.
Star Tickets Plus outlets are at the box office of the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Muskegon and most Meijer stores in West Michigan.
The toll-free telephone number for Star Tickets Plus is (800) 585-3737. Tickets also may be purchased online at www.starticketsplus.net or by calling, in the Grand Rapids area, (616) 222-4000. Only cash and credit cards will be accepted.
Tickets for individual concerts will go on sale at 10 a.m. Thursday at Star Tickets Plus outlets.
Adding acts like David Lee Roth and Alice Cooper to a lineup that already included The Steve Miller Band gives Summer Celebration '06 a triumvirate of vintage rockers who are still kicking it out.
A successful solo artist, Roth for years was front man for the band Van Halen. Cooper, a Michigan native whose real name is Vincent Damon Furnier, was a rock staple of the 1970s. So was The Steve Miller Band.
Classic rock has always been a staple of Muskegon Summer Celebration. However, Many of those acts have either aged into oblivion or otherwise moved on, and are no longer available.
"Classic rock has been the bread and butter of this event before," Austin said. "But a lot of classic rockers are no longer touring, and we've had a lot of them.
"I think you're starting to see a change where we might have had four or five classic rocks acts before and you're seeing three strong ones to date, and a little more current music as well. That trend will probably continue as we complete the lineup."
In responding to rumors that Cooper might play Summer Celebration, Austin had said in February that the festival has pursued Cooper for "at least 10 years (but) it never worked out." He said Summer Celebration also has been interested in Roth for several years.
"He was the guy for Van Halen through its heyday," Austin said, "and is someone who not only has some of his own hits but also performs a lot of the Van Halen hits."
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