“ Kids today require a lot more in being able to connect technically on their phones . But technology will never replace live performance .”
The Jonas Brothers at Mohegan Sun Arena
“ Kids today require a lot more in being able to connect technically on their phones . But technology will never replace live performance .”
— Tom Cantone , Senior VP of Sports & Entertainment , Mohegan Gaming
cert will shell out an average of $ 1,300 for the total package : tickets , food and concert swag .
Supersized production values have made it costlier to mount shows and a lot more expensive for fans . They , in turn , want more bang for their buck . “ A lot of this is post-pandemic economics-driven ,” adds Billups . “ So casinos that bring tribute bands to their little theater are going to have to up their ante .”
GREATER EXPECTATIONS
The Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut , which regularly makes the lists of the world ’ s top performance venues , “ is not at the Sphere level , but sometimes the productions are just off the charts ,” says Tom Cantone , senior vice president of sports and entertainment for Mohegan Gaming . The 10,000- seater has hosted superstars including Swift , Bruce Springsteen , Fleetwood Mac , Jay Z and Kenny Chesney .
“ The A-list contemporary artists roll in here with 28 or 32 trucks — an enormous load with the staging that ’ s produced and the rigging that goes with it ,” Cantone says . Some shows are literally electrifying . Glam rockers KISS , for example , close their extravaganza with “ pyrotechnics and explosions of confetti — it ’ s an experience to see .”
Billy Joel was the opening headliner at the OLG Stage at Fallsview in Canada
Of course , some performers don ’ t need all the bells and whistles to impress listeners . In February , at the grand opening of the OLG Stage at the Niagara Fallsview Casino in Canada , “ Billy Joel just needed to be Billy Joel ,” says Cantone . “ That ’ s all people wanted , and that ’ s what they got .”
Showrooms must be prepared to serve both ends of the spectrum . At the Live ! Casino & Hotel in Maryland , the 4,000-capacity venue known as The Hall employs “ a lot of the tech that 10,000- to 20,000-seat pavilions would use , from our PA system to the video walls and the lighting rig ,” says AV Director Ryan Dewey .
The 75,000-square-foot , three-story , multi-use arena has a $ 10 million audio-visual setup and a 60-foot-by-40-foot performance stage flanked by six LED walls and an LED ribbon that encircles the mezzanine .
“ Everything in our room is very rider-friendly ; the artists have all the tools they ’ re used to ,” says Dewey . “ We provide the house , and ( the artists ) bring the colors to paint it .”
Thanks to immense screens and roving video crews , “ there ’ s no such thing as a bad seat , even if you ’ re far in the back .”
HIGHER TECH
Production values aside , there ’ s a slew of other technologies also helping to transform the concert industry .
Electronic wristbands , lanyards and badges . More than mementoes of a big concert or sporting event , these wearables are tagged with the same radio frequency identification ( RFID ) technology that activates contactless credit cards ( it ’ s also used in the chips that help find lost pets ).
The devices can link to a user ’ s wallet , which simplifies purchases of T- shirts , posters and other merchandise . They also make it a snap for event sponsors and organizers to access consumer emails and social media accounts , seamlessly gathering data for future marketing .
The tap-and-go IDs help shorten entry lines and can be programmed to light up on cue . “ Imagine 10,000 fans wearing wristbands that coordinate with the music that ’ s being played live , whether it ’ s changing colors or pulsing to the beat ,” says Cantone . “ In many venues , there ’ s no cash anymore , so you can
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