Bank will offer free concert By ROBYN L. MINOR The Daily News
Independence Bank will ring in its new $6.5 million location, set to open this month on Scottsville Road, with a free concert by rocker John Mellencamp on May 19.
The Court Yard Hounds - featuring sisters Martie Maguire and Emily Robison, who were previously members of the Dixie Chicks - will open for Mellencamp at Western Kentucky University's Houchens-Smith Stadium. The concert, dubbed "Sounds of Independence," is from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Independence Bank has held similar concerts to launch other new locations and will have one next year in Paducah when a new bank opens there, according to Brad Howard, president of the Independence Bank locations in Warren County.
Mellencamp, an Indiana native, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008.
He achieved his greatest commercial success in the 1980s, when albums such as "American Fool," "Uh-Huh," "Scarecrow" and "The Lonesome Jubilee" produced a string of hits, including "Jack and Diane," "Hurts So Good," "Pink Houses," "Small Town" and "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A."
Howard said at this concert, the bank will present a $50,000 check to Farm Aid, an organization benefiting farmers that was founded in 1985 by Mellencamp, Willie Nelson and Neil Young. Bank officials also are encouraging customers to donate canned goods both at the concert and at bank locations.
"Those will be given to local food pantries," Howard said.
Among the reasons Independence selected Mellencamp for the performance is because of his commitment to the farm community, he said.
"We are recognized as one of the largest agriculture lenders in western Kentucky," Howard said. "We felt like what he promotes is very much in line with what we do."
Howard said previous concerts have been held in the streets near new bank locations. "But we thought that might be a little bit difficult on Scottsville Road so we decided to partner with Western," he said.
As many as 25,000 people are expected to attend the event, which also will have seating on the field. Concertgoers will be required to have special bank IDs that are available now to current account holders or to anyone who opens a new account at the bank. The actual tickets, however, won't be available to ID holders until April 16, when the new bank opens.
Howard said once customers get their tickets, they will be offered free to the general public, probably on the day of the concert.
Jeff Younglove, director of campus and community events at WKU, said the Mellencamp concert will be the first in the stadium since its renovation. The last time the stadium hosted such a high-profile entertainer was when the National Corvette Museum opened and hosted the Beach Boys. That was followed soon thereafter by a concert by the Four Tops and the Temptations. There also have been some big-name country artists who have performed in E.A. Diddle Arena.
"Because the concert is free, we are preparing for between 20,000 and 25,000 people," he said.
In addition to stadium seating, there will be up to 4,000 people seated on the field.
Basically, the bank is renting the stadium for the concert, so Younglove said WKU won't have anything to do with ticket distribution. But WKU's concessionaire, Centerplate, will be selling regular game-day concessions.
There also will be special food items that will be sold, with a portion of the proceeds to go to Farm Aid. That is still be worked out, Younglove said.
And for the first time, beer will be sold throughout the stadium.
"This is kind of a test case to see how it goes in larger events," Younglove said. Younglove said if it goes well, the concessionaire might sell beer at some point in the future at other non-athletic events in the stadium or in Diddle Arena.
Currently, alcohol is available in club-level seating and beer is sold in the beer garden at baseball games.
The concert is a way to say thank you to the community, just as constructing the new building is a symbol of the bank's commitment to the community, Howard said.
The new building is a replica of Independence Hall, constructed at 1950 Scottsville Road by Sunbelt Construction. The 11,000-square-foot building will have room to grow for future services and products the bank intends to offer, he said.
When it opens, there will be 15 employees at the bank, most of whom will have moved from the location near Rafferty's. That location will close April 13, Howard said. Locations at 6040 Scottsville Road, 870 Fairview Ave. and 2415 Nashville Road will remain open.
After adding the new services, which Howard is not yet at liberty to discuss, about seven more employees will be hired.
The building also will have a board room and space for seminars and employee meetings. The vestibule also will be a place for local organizations or groups to promote themselves or upcoming events, he said.
Howard said the furniture is expected to be moved in next week in preparation for the April 16 opening. There will be a ribbon-cutting at 5 p.m. April 23.
http://www.bgdailynews.com/news/local/bank-will-offer-free-concert/article_439da41e-7f45-11e1-a868-0019bb2963f4.html
