Cruzan Amphitheatre
Encyclopedia
Cruzan Amphitheatre is a 19,000-seat open-air music venue
in West Palm Beach, Florida
. The facility, owned by the South Florida Fairgrounds, is a modern amphitheatre
used primarily for concert
s and other performance
s. The backstage area is sometimes used for concerts that are general admission standing room only (mostly heavy metal
concerts), while the amphitheater is used as the backstage area.
Since opening, the venue has gone through numerous name changes. It was initially named Coral Sky Amphitheater because the seats face into the west, often in view of a colorful sunset
. It was Sony Blockbuster Coral Sky originally. After many years becoming familiar with that name, people still use that name despite the various sponsorships and name changes since then. The first sponsor was Mars Music
(making the venue Mars Music Amphitheater), but when Mars filed for Chapter 11
bankruptcy
in 2002, the Coral Sky name was returned. After a short return to the Coral Sky name, it changed again when Sound Advice
became the new sponsor, and was renamed Sound Advice Amphitheatre. In early 2008, the venue was renamed again following a new sponsorship agreement with Cruzan Rum
.
Other events include The Buzz Bake Sale, Curiosa
, Lilith Fair
, The Gigantour
, Projekt Revolution
, Ozzfest
, Crüe Fest
, Crüe Fest 2
, The Mayhem Festival
and The Vans Warped Tour, among others.
The venue was scheduled to host the final Ozzfest tour date of 2004 here, on September 4th, but the show was cancelled, due to Hurricane Frances
.
Music venue
A music venue is any location used for a concert or musical performance. Music venues range in size and location, from an outdoor bandshell or bandstand or a concert hall to an indoor sports stadium. Typically, different types of venues host different genres of music...
in West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
. The facility, owned by the South Florida Fairgrounds, is a modern amphitheatre
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
used primarily for concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
s and other performance
Performance
A performance, in performing arts, generally comprises an event in which a performer or group of performers behave in a particular way for another group of people, the audience. Choral music and ballet are examples. Usually the performers participate in rehearsals beforehand. Afterwards audience...
s. The backstage area is sometimes used for concerts that are general admission standing room only (mostly heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
concerts), while the amphitheater is used as the backstage area.
Since opening, the venue has gone through numerous name changes. It was initially named Coral Sky Amphitheater because the seats face into the west, often in view of a colorful sunset
Sunset
Sunset or sundown is the daily disappearance of the Sun below the horizon in the west as a result of Earth's rotation.The time of sunset is defined in astronomy as the moment the trailing edge of the Sun's disk disappears below the horizon in the west...
. It was Sony Blockbuster Coral Sky originally. After many years becoming familiar with that name, people still use that name despite the various sponsorships and name changes since then. The first sponsor was Mars Music
Mars Music
Mars Music, Inc. is a now defunct chain of music stores headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The company was founded in 1996 by guitarist and former Office Depot president Mark Begelman, who created the superstore store chain after experiencing dissatisfaction with his own music store...
(making the venue Mars Music Amphitheater), but when Mars filed for Chapter 11
Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code
Chapter 11 is a chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is available to every business, whether organized as a corporation or sole proprietorship, and to individuals, although it is most...
bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
in 2002, the Coral Sky name was returned. After a short return to the Coral Sky name, it changed again when Sound Advice
Tweeter (store)
Tweeter Opco, LLC formerly Tweeter Etc. and Tweeter Home Entertainment, was a specialty consumer electronics retailer providing mid and high end electronic equipment, including flat panel TVs, plasma TVs, car radios, home theater systems, GPSs and more...
became the new sponsor, and was renamed Sound Advice Amphitheatre. In early 2008, the venue was renamed again following a new sponsorship agreement with Cruzan Rum
Cruzan Rum
Cruzan Rum is a rum producer located in Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. It is owned by Beam Inc.. Their distillery was founded in 1760 and claims the distinction of "the most honored rum distillery in the world." Weekday tours of the distillery in Frederiksted are given...
.
Other events include The Buzz Bake Sale, Curiosa
Curiosa
Curiosa is the name of a 2004 concert tour in the United States and Toronto , organized by Robert Smith of The Cure. It began with a concert in West Palm Beach, Florida on July 24 and ended in Sacramento, California on August 29....
, Lilith Fair
Lilith Fair
Lilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 to 1999, and was revived in the summer of 2010. It...
, The Gigantour
Gigantour
Gigantour is the name of a sporadically organised traveling heavy metal music festival organized by Megadeth's Dave Mustaine. The tour was founded in 2005 with dates across North America, and the 2006 and 2007 line-ups also traveled to Australia...
, Projekt Revolution
Projekt Revolution
Projekt Revolution is a music festival hosted by Linkin Park, bringing artists of various genres of music together. Linkin Park started Projekt Revolution in the year 2002 with just one stage...
, Ozzfest
Ozzfest
Ozzfest is an annual festival tour of the United States featuring performances by many heavy metal and hard rock musical groups. It was founded by Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon Osbourne, both of whom also organize each yearly tour with their son Jack Osbourne...
, Crüe Fest
Crüe Fest
Crüe Fest was a summer 2008 tour by Mötley Crüe, which commenced on July 1, 2008 and concluded on August 31, 2008. It featured Mötley Crüe themselves, Buckcherry, Papa Roach, Sixx:A.M., and Trapt. Crüe Fest was said to be "the Loudest Show on Earth"...
, Crüe Fest 2
Crüe Fest 2
Crüe Fest 2 was the second year of the Crüe Fest touring festival, created and headlined by Mötley Crüe. The tour took place over the summer of 2009, and was in the same vein as the first Crüe Fest.-Line up:...
, The Mayhem Festival
Mayhem festival
The Mayhem Festival is a touring metal festival that takes place during the summer. The inaugural iteration took place in 2008; the festival has since become an annual event across the United States and Quebec, Canada. The tour has been sponsored by the Rockstar Energy Company since the time of its...
and The Vans Warped Tour, among others.
The venue was scheduled to host the final Ozzfest tour date of 2004 here, on September 4th, but the show was cancelled, due to Hurricane Frances
Hurricane Frances
Hurricane Frances was the sixth named storm, the fourth hurricane, and the third major hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. The system crossing the open Atlantic during mid to late August, moving to the north of the Lesser Antilles while strengthening. Its outer bands affected Puerto...
.