Westside Pavilion Primes To Please Concert Crowds
Tuolumne City, CA – Just ahead of Westside Pavilion’s staging of its first concert event this season, Clarke Broadcasting was on hand for a behind-the-scenes look at venue improvements.
Hosted by Black Oak Casino Resort General Manager Aaron Moss and Executive Director of Marketing Leif Kruger ahead of the Saturday night performance by country artists Midland with special guests Dennis Quaid & The Sharks and Desure, the tour showed significant work since last year, when the amphitheater opened for its inaugural season.
Improved parking for up to 3,000 vehicles, signage, and booths for Will Call and VIP check-ins, a dedicated VIP lounge area and expanded backstage facilities for production, staging, and performers are among the new features. Adjustments made to expand the food and beverage vendor area and optimize people and parking flow will no doubt be appreciated; also, the additional shuttles that will reduce waiting time for concertgoers from and to the casino resort.
Parking remains free at both the pavilion and resort with shuttle services running continuously from the pre-show time that the gates open until about an hour after the event ends. As part of their ticket price, along with a special seating area, VIP and VIP premium guests enjoy the perks of a private entrance access to reserved parking and a VIP Lounge with a free buffet, no-host bar, shaded lounge and executive, air-conditioned restrooms.
Massive Effort Is Paying Off
Moss credits the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians tribal leadership for dedicating the resources and the casino resort staff and key partnering companies for pulling together through the massive effort of literally transforming “a patch of dirt.” Artists who have played the venue to date have responded favorably with many interested in coming back, because of the venue and its surrounding rural beauty.
Westside Pavilion can accommodate up to 6,000 people: 2,700 in reserved seats and 3,300 in the general admission lawn area where folks bring their own blankets or low-profile lawn chairs.
Demonstrating dedication and a prowess for emphasizing diversity, the programming staff have ten more concerts slated that run the gambit from country (Lee Brice-Tyler Farr, Chris Young-Lindsay Ell, and Brantley Gilbert) to rock (Sublime, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo with Melissa Etheridge, Bad Company and the Wallflowers) and alt-rock (Bush + Live+ with Our Lady Peace). Plus, soul, rap (Snoop Dog & Friends with The Isley Brothers, Warren G and Kurupt) and Latino (Pitbull).
Kruger gleefully hints announcements are shortly forthcoming for at least one or two more acts, still in the wings. To view behind-the-scenes photos, click into the image box slideshow.
