Riverbend Music Center
Encyclopedia
Riverbend Music Center is an outdoor amphitheater, with a capacity of 20,500, located in Cincinnati, Ohio
, United States
, along the banks of the Ohio River
. Riverbend was built for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
, to allow them to play in an outdoor venue during the summer months. Famed architect Michael Graves
designed the building. The venue is managed by the Symphony subsidiary, Music and Event Management Incorporated and booked in conjunction with Live Nation
.
rock concert tragedy in which 11 people died at Riverfront Coliseum. The city passed tough crowd control ordinances, which kept major acts away. Despite those factors, promoters gave the venue a chance and the fans were excited to see acts who had been avoiding the city since 1979.
Riverbend was built for $9 million on 15 acres (60,702.9 m²) of land donated by Coney Island
, a small amusement park. The land was once the home of 2 popular rollercoasters, The Wildcat and Shooting Star, the latter was demolished in 1971.
Because of its location next to the Ohio River, parts of the venue can become flooded, canceling shows. A Pearl Jam
concert in 2003 and a 2001 Oasis
/Black Crowes show are among some of the shows cancelled because of high waters.
The venue's first performance was by Erich Kunzel
& The Cincinnati Pops, with special guest Ella Fitzgerald
and Neil Armstrong
on July 4, 1984.
The Dave Matthews Band
performed and recorded their show, on June 26, 2000, which was later released as a live album, entitled Live Trax Vol. 16
.
On July 4, 2000, The Pops performed the first live concert televised from Cincinnati, which aired on PBS and featured Rosemary Clooney
and Doc Severinsen
.
Sting performed during his Symphonicities
Tour on July 20, 2010, along with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
.
The amphitheatre has also played host to music festivals, including Lollapalooza
, Lilith Fair
, Curiosa
, Crüe Fest
, Crüe Fest 2
, Ozzfest
, Projekt Revolution
, The Vans Warped Tour and The Mayhem Festival
.
album on the venue's opening night.http://www.pluginmusic.com/news/archive.php?id=2896 In January 2009 National City Pavilion became PNC Pavilion due to PNC's purchase of National City bank.
has played at Riverbend every year since since 1988. As of his 2008 appearance, he has performed for 41 consecutive sell-out crowds. There are only two other venues at which he has played more shows (Tweeter Center and Merriweather Post Pavilion
). His following in Cincinnati started at Kings Island
's Timberwolf Amphitheater, where the phrase Parrotheads
was coined. Every year since, his concerts sell out in minutes, and is one of the toughest tickets to get in Cincinnati. Because of the sellouts, he played 2 shows in 1989. As shows continued to sell out, Jimmy was one of a few artists who played multiple nights at Riverbend. He played 2 shows in 1989 and 1990, 3 in 1991, 4 in 1992 and a 5-night stint in 1993. He continued to play multiple nights through 2000. During the summer of 2001, fans in Cincinnati were disappointed when only 1 show was played that year. Even though the shows continued to sell out in record breaking time, he has just played 1 show each year since 2001.
During his 2 night stay at Riverbend in 1990, he recorded live songs for the album Feeding Frenzy
.
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, along the banks of the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
. Riverbend was built for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
As the fifth oldest orchestra in the United States, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra has a legacy of fine music making as reflected in its performances in historic Music Hall, recordings, and international tours...
, to allow them to play in an outdoor venue during the summer months. Famed architect Michael Graves
Michael Graves
Michael Graves is an American architect. Identified as one of The New York Five, Graves has become a household name with his designs for domestic products sold at Target stores in the United States....
designed the building. The venue is managed by the Symphony subsidiary, Music and Event Management Incorporated and booked in conjunction with Live Nation
Live Nation
Live Nation is a live-events company based in Beverly Hills, California, focused on concert promotions. Live Nation formed in 2005 as a spin-off from Clear Channel Communications, which then merged with Ticketmaster in 2010 to become Live Nation Entertainment....
.
History
When Riverbend opened in 1984, it was one of only 16 outdoor music amphitheaters in the United States and it helped revive the Cincinnati concert scene. Many concert promoters avoided Cincinnati following the December 3, 1979 The WhoThe Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
rock concert tragedy in which 11 people died at Riverfront Coliseum. The city passed tough crowd control ordinances, which kept major acts away. Despite those factors, promoters gave the venue a chance and the fans were excited to see acts who had been avoiding the city since 1979.
Riverbend was built for $9 million on 15 acres (60,702.9 m²) of land donated by Coney Island
Coney Island, Cincinnati, Ohio
Coney Island is a small amusement park and waterpark located in the California neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio and Anderson Township, on the banks of the Ohio River east of Downtown Cincinnati...
, a small amusement park. The land was once the home of 2 popular rollercoasters, The Wildcat and Shooting Star, the latter was demolished in 1971.
Because of its location next to the Ohio River, parts of the venue can become flooded, canceling shows. A Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
concert in 2003 and a 2001 Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
/Black Crowes show are among some of the shows cancelled because of high waters.
The venue's first performance was by Erich Kunzel
Erich Kunzel
Erich Kunzel, Jr. was an American orchestra conductor. Called the "Prince of Pops" by the Chicago Tribune, he performed with a number of leading pops and symphony orchestras, especially the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra , which he led for over 44 years.-Early life and career:Kunzel was born to...
& The Cincinnati Pops, with special guest Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
and Neil Armstrong
Neil Armstrong
Neil Alden Armstrong is an American former astronaut, test pilot, aerospace engineer, university professor, United States Naval Aviator, and the first person to set foot upon the Moon....
on July 4, 1984.
The Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
performed and recorded their show, on June 26, 2000, which was later released as a live album, entitled Live Trax Vol. 16
Live Trax Vol. 16
Live Trax Vol. 16 is a live album by Dave Matthews Band, and is the 16th volume in the band's Live Trax series. The album was recorded at Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, Ohio on June 26, 2000...
.
On July 4, 2000, The Pops performed the first live concert televised from Cincinnati, which aired on PBS and featured Rosemary Clooney
Rosemary Clooney
Rosemary Clooney was an American singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the novelty hit "Come On-a My House" written by William Saroyan and his cousin Ross Bagdasarian , which was followed by other pop numbers such as "Botch-a-Me" Rosemary Clooney (May 23, 1928 –...
and Doc Severinsen
Doc Severinsen
Carl Hilding "Doc" Severinsen is an American pop and jazz trumpeter. He is best known for leading the NBC Orchestra on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.-Early life:...
.
Sting performed during his Symphonicities
Symphonicities
Symphonicities is the tenth studio album by English musician Sting, released on 13 July 2010 on Deutsche Grammophon. The album is a companion piece to the tour of the same name, in which Sting, performing with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, reinterprets some of his songs as classical...
Tour on July 20, 2010, along with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London. It tours widely, and is sometimes referred to as "Britain's national orchestra"...
.
The amphitheatre has also played host to music festivals, including Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
, 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...
, 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....
, 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:...
, 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...
, 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...
, The Vans Warped Tour and 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...
.
PNC Pavilion
Riverbend has built an additional 4,100 seat pavilion, The National City Pavilion, adjacent to the current box office. The pavilion opened on May 24, 2008 with Cincinnati's Over the Rhine. The band performed their entire OhioOhio (album)
Ohio is a double studio album, their seventh overall, by Over the Rhine, released in 2003. The album was released as both a double CD and limited edition double vinyl LP set....
album on the venue's opening night.http://www.pluginmusic.com/news/archive.php?id=2896 In January 2009 National City Pavilion became PNC Pavilion due to PNC's purchase of National City bank.
Jimmy Buffett at Riverbend
Jimmy BuffettJimmy Buffett
James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
has played at Riverbend every year since since 1988. As of his 2008 appearance, he has performed for 41 consecutive sell-out crowds. There are only two other venues at which he has played more shows (Tweeter Center and Merriweather Post Pavilion
Merriweather Post Pavilion
Merriweather Post Pavilion is an outdoor concert venue located within Symphony Woods, a 40-acre lot of preserved land in the heart of the planned community of Columbia, Maryland. It was named for the American Post Foods heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post...
). His following in Cincinnati started at Kings Island
Kings Island
Kings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting Company and now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Kings Island is the most visited seasonal amusement park in the U.S...
's Timberwolf Amphitheater, where the phrase Parrotheads
Parrotheads
Parrot Head or Parrothead is a commonly used nickname for fans of Jimmy Buffett. "Parakeets" is the term used for younger fans of Jimmy, or children of Parrotheads.-Origin:...
was coined. Every year since, his concerts sell out in minutes, and is one of the toughest tickets to get in Cincinnati. Because of the sellouts, he played 2 shows in 1989. As shows continued to sell out, Jimmy was one of a few artists who played multiple nights at Riverbend. He played 2 shows in 1989 and 1990, 3 in 1991, 4 in 1992 and a 5-night stint in 1993. He continued to play multiple nights through 2000. During the summer of 2001, fans in Cincinnati were disappointed when only 1 show was played that year. Even though the shows continued to sell out in record breaking time, he has just played 1 show each year since 2001.
During his 2 night stay at Riverbend in 1990, he recorded live songs for the album Feeding Frenzy
Feeding Frenzy: Jimmy Buffett Live!
Feeding Frenzy: Jimmy Buffett Live! is a live album by American popular music singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. It was initially released in October 1990 as MCA 10022...
.