If ProgPower had unlimited tickets...

[7thSaviour]

One thing that most people outside of bands don't consider is the back stage setup. I've been quite a few venues, but I'm still blown away with the back stage area at Center Stage. It would be impossible to put on a such a smooth sailing show if there wasn't an area like that to stage equipment and be ready for quick changeovers. Especially considering the quality of acts that PP attracts. You just can't have people tripping over each other during the setup process. Plus, it has multiple dressing rooms that are more conducive to treating the bands well and them have a good experience. Then you factor in the audio capabilities - both live and recording, enough space in the hall to get around (and we know how crowed it gets), a separate room for the vendors, etc...

Other important factors to attendees, bands and others involved like proximity to 85/75, a MARTA station that's only 30 minutes from a major airport, and many surrounding hotels are also hard to beat. Plus the layout in the concert hall is pretty cool with a decent sized floor and a seating arrangement that offers a pretty good view and sound from most locations.

It really is hard to beat Center Stage for a venue that's of its relatively small capacity of 1,200 (as opposed to a medium-sized theater (4,000), large arena (12,000), or stadium (40,000+) where features like I named are more commonplace). It really is quite amazing for its size! And for the record, the infamous Jaxx has NONE of this! I can't speak for the Tabernacle (2,600), it may be better than many places, but I kinda doubt that it would meet Glenn's needs for all of the behind the scenes stuff.

Plus, it is just right for the event in its current format -- which I happen to like! It might be a bit selfish on my part, but I actually like that it isn't some impersonal event like OzzFest or Gigantour.

Good call their, Rick. You made great points and I can't disagree with any of them. I have much respect for your opinions, as always! See you at PPUSA IX!

 

[7thSaviour]

What if someday PPUSA was able to fill up the Fox Theater, for example? Would those facilities be adequate for a festival of this caliber?

 

[Pellaz]

Once the initial wave of ticket sales is over is seems Glenn is left with a few dozen tickets or so most years. It then takes a few days/weeks to get the remaining tickets sold, and reach sellout status. With several months left before the event I'd think 250-300 or so additional ticket sales sounds about right.

I agree, for most years. For the years that sold out the fastest, maybe more than 300.

VI was killer! An easy 2,000 in ticket sales had their only been more room!

Agreed.

I know a particular couple that would be going.

At NEMHF this year, I was wearing my shirt from VIII and a couple came up to me asking about the fest. They said they wanted to go this year, but didn't even try buying tickets because they were told it was the fastest selling event ever and sold out in under a minute.

LOL! If only.....

For this year and in the past, I always refer people who couldn't get tickets before the event sold out to the "for sale" thread on this forum. Chances are, tickets can be bought by fans from fans for around face value.

One thing that most people outside of bands don't consider is the back stage setup. I've been quite a few venues, but I'm still blown away with the back stage area at Center Stage. It would be impossible to put on a such a smooth sailing show if there wasn't an area like that to stage equipment and be ready for quick changeovers. Especially considering the quality of acts that PP attracts. You just can't have people tripping over each other during the setup process.

The Tabernacle has a capacious backstage area, with several dressing rooms available. (For those who have been to the Tabernacle, that whole two-story building behind the original sanctuary is the backstage area.)

Plus, it has multiple dressing rooms that are more conducive to treating the bands well and them have a good experience. Then you factor in the audio capabilities - both live and recording, enough space in the hall to get around (and we know how crowed it gets), a separate room for the vendors, etc...

The Tabernacle has some video recording ability, but I'm not sure if it's as good as the setup Center Stage has now. (They didn't have that great setup when Glenn first booked it for ProgPower, though.)

There would be a great room below the main hall for vendors to use -- the old Cotton Club room. It's at least as big as Vinyl.

Other important factors to attendees, bands and others involved like proximity to 85/75, a MARTA station that's only 30 minutes from a major airport, and many surrounding hotels are also hard to beat. Plus the layout in the concert hall is pretty cool with a decent sized floor and a seating arrangement that offers a pretty good view and sound from most locations.

These were all factors in the Tabernacle's favor, too, as it's close to MARTA and all of the downtown hotels. Glenn looked into renting it, but -- not surprisingly -- the cost was wayyyy too high.

It really is hard to beat Center Stage for a venue that's of its relatively small capacity of 1,200 (as opposed to a medium-sized theater (4,000), large arena (12,000), or stadium (40,000+) where features like I named are more commonplace). It really is quite amazing for its size! And for the record, the infamous Jaxx has NONE of this! I can't speak for the Tabernacle (2,600), it may be better than many places, but I kinda doubt that it would meet Glenn's needs for all of the behind the scenes stuff.

Yeah, it would. But it's too expensive to rent and if a show there bombed, it would be a crushing financial blow to Glenn.

Plus, it is just right for the event in its current format -- which I happen to like! It might be a bit selfish on my part, but I actually like that it isn't some impersonal event like OzzFest or Gigantour.

Completely agreed. For ProgPower USA, I can't think of a better venue of that size (1,200 or so) in the country, for all of the reasons you described. I had a slight hand in helping Glenn book it, so I'm understandably happy with the result.

What about the Fox Theater?

It's a union hall. End of story.

 

[Kathy]

I will ask the question that some of you may have already been pondering:
Will ProgPower USA ever make the move over to the Tabernacle, especially in light of the recent renovations over there? Just curious.

I hope to hell not. While The Tabernacle is one of my favorite venues, it's definitely not set up for a festival like PP in my opinion.

 

[Wayniac]

The venue is great.. but if I was designing it (or a similar one) from scratch, there'd be some minor changes to the stage area... keeping in mind it is probably designed for a couple of bands, not multiple changeovers in a single night
But as Rick said - the number of rooms downstairs, and the audio/video capabilities put this venue well above anything else out there

 

[Stingray11214]

Unless Glenn decides to spend a ton of money to mass-market ProgPower, changing the current arrangement would be economic suicide. I doubt seriously that if you had 2-3K in tickets that you will have more than 1,500 to 2K people show up. The reason is that, RIGHTLY or WRONGLY, PPUSA has the reputation of being an "insider" festival. Taking that into consideration, there are not many "regular" fans that will make the trip to Atlanta to see one or two bands that might show up 50 miles from their homes. Take away the Zods, AMBRs and SwordLords of the world that will show up even if Glenn has William Hung headlining, how many people will you actually get? Take away the non-festival band members, industry people, street team hardcores, bloggers and promoters with significant others and how many people actually come to PPUSA now? The ONLY way I can see Glenn even fathoming moving this to the Tabernacle or expanding what he has is if the genre explodes in popularity that he will have no choice but to expand or be caught behind.