NBTT Tour - Venue profiles

[mitch1982]

I had a thought last night, wouldn't it be neat to find out some of the history surrounding the selected venues for the NBTT 2010-11 tour? 

In anticipation of the Toronto shows in February, 2011 here is some information about Massey Hall. I know that this hall is very historic and I'm assuming that there are more spots on the tour with an equally as interesting past!

Built and dedicated in 1890's by the Massey family (yes, of Massey Ferguson fame) this music hall has featured the best of each era.  It still reigns to this day as the premiere site to see great talent in an intimate setting.

In 1892, industrial baron Hart Massey (1823-96) bought land at Shuter and Victoria Streets and hired architect Sidney Badgley to design a memorial to his son Charles Albert Massey.

Massey Hall soon became internationally famous as Canada's most important venue for concerts and lectures, attracting many of the world's leading celebrities; it also hosted weddings, movies, boxing matches, beauty contests, religious and political rallies, typing contests and chess tournaments. Declared a "heritage" building during the 1970s, Massey Hall remains a vital part of Toronto's cultural and entertainment scene.

The Hall has hosted a large variety of acts including The Toronto Symphony, George Gershwin, Oscar Peterson, a 13-year old Glenn Gould had his debut here, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bob Dylan, Maria Callas, Keith Richards, Colin James, Blue Rodeo, and the Dalai Lama.



I leave it to the rest of you to choose to contribute any information about the local venue you saw John and the band perform in. 

[marianne123]

I really love this idea!  Everything about NBTT has a story or a rich history.  From the recording locations and the individual histories of each spot, to the format it was recorded in, so it's a great suggestion to explore the different venues.  Thanks.  I look forward to reading what folks post.

[mitch1982]

Thanks and I'm looking forward to seeing what others post about their hometown venues.

[geislesa]

Morris Performing Arts Center, South Bend, IN, site of this past Saturday's show - 10/13/2010.

Went to my 2nd ever concert there back in 79 or 80, saw UFO and Blackfoot, wish I remembered more of it, lol. I do remember that this place was an absolute shit hole before the renovations in 98.

http://www.morriscenter.org/history.html

The Palace Theatre was built in 1921 as a vaudeville house and part of the Orpheum theatre chain. In its early days, vaudeville shows ran continuously with a new act every ten minutes. Patrons could obtain admission for just 22 cents and enjoy the day’s new acts as they made their way on and off the stage.

At its inception, the interiors of the theater were glorious. Old roses, blues and creams predominated and not one singular architectural style could define the whole of the structure. The architect, J.S. Aroner from Chicago envisioned the theater as a little palace; a place in which theatergoers could feel as if they were royalty. A trip through the theater was intended to make a patron feel as if she had just made a trip through Europe. With many different architectural styles including Baroque, Spanish Renaissance, Greco-Roman and even a little Art Deco, patrons entered intricately detailed and carefully planned interiors when they entered “The Palace.”

The theater has seen its good days and its bad days. Through the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s, the theater hosted such guest artists as Amos and Andy, Houdini, Imogene Coco, and even Frank Sinatra; crowds would attend in staggering numbers. The Palace even hosted the world premier movie “Knute Rockne: All American” starring Ronald Regan, Rudy Vallee, Bob Hope and Kate Smith in 1940. Twenty-four hundred people enjoyed the premier inside the theater and twenty-four thousand gathered outside the theater with the hope to catch a glimpse of the big stars. But with the advent of television, Uncle Milte and the nightly news became family rituals and low attendance records at the theater threatened the livelihood of the Palace. In 1959, the board of the Palace Theatre voted to demolish.

Later that same year, however, the theater was saved from the wrecking ball by Mrs. E.M. Morris. Mrs. Morris purchased the Palace for an undisclosed sum and sold the building to the city for $1.00. In recognition of her valiant efforts, the theater was officially renamed the Morris Civic Auditorium.

Although the theater underwent a small renovation in the early 1960’s, the years had not been kind to the Morris. After a lengthy planning and fundraising process, the theater began a complete restoration and renovation process in May of 1998. At the end of its restoration and renovation in 2000, the new Morris Performing Arts Center boasts a brand-new, state-of-the-art stage house and the interiors have been restored to their original 1921 splendor.

[mitch1982]

Thanks for the background on the Morris.  What a beautiful building, very European.  The restoration looks like it was a success and I love how it's bright and cheerful vs. the dark feel of some of the older buildings.  Hope the concert was great!

[littlesusie39]

IU AUDITORIUM
http://www.iuauditorium.com/site/general_info.html
go to the link to see the pics

The Indiana University Auditorium is a large multi-purpose auditorium in the heart of the IU campus. It is used for concerts, broadway shows, speeches and many other types of performances. Among its many ammenities it has 3,154 seats, a balcony section, orchestra pit, a 4,543 pipe Schantz organ, a 3,700 square foot stage, hospitality rooms and a 4157 square foot Foyer.

The Auditorium was built during the Great Depression as part of the Works Progress Administration program. The Auditorium was the first building designed for Indiana University by New York architectural firm Eggers and Higgins. The Auditorium opened on March 22, 1941. Closed for a $13 million renovation and restoration in 1997, the Auditorium reopened in 1999.

On permanent display in the Auditorium’s Hall of Murals are the highly acclaimed Thomas Hart Benton Murals, which depict the industrial and social progress of the state of Indiana. Originally painted by Thomas Hart Benton for display at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair, many of them found new homes in the Auditorium. During the renovation, these murals were delicately cleaned and restored, and now are as vivid as the day they were installed. Also on display is the Daily Family Art Collection, which features the work of Indiana artists.

~ a personal note, I have attended Christmas parties that are held in the foyer of the aud, it is so beautiful!