VWA @ Encore Park closes out its incredibly successful inaugural 2008 Concert season having hosted 32 concerts:

• Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: Grand Opening Celebration Concert
• The Eagles (1 of 4)
• The Eagles (2 of 4)
• The Eagles (3 of 4)
• The Eagles (4 of 4)
• Steve Miller Band with Joe Cocker
• Stevie Nicks
• Steely Dan
• moe. w/ Keller Williams
• Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: An Evening of Beethoven
• Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: an All-American Celebration
• Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
• Jesus Adrian Romero
• Altanta Symphony Orchestra: All Tchaikovsky, with Robert McDuffie
• Foreigner and Bryan Adams
• Rush
• Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: LA Boheme
• Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Julie Andrews The Gift of Music
• Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: Evening of Romance with Garrick Ohlsson
• Atlanta Symphony FREE Concert
• Charlie Daniels, the Outlaws, & Shooter Jennings (Volunteer Jam)
• Turner Classic Movie Night with the ASO
• Boston & Styx
• Stone Temple Pilots
• Rod Stewart
• John Mayer (Star 94 Starfest)
• O.A.R. (Of A Revolution) w/ Special Guest: Matt Wertz
• Alan Jackson
• The Black Crowes
• The Cardinals
• Kicks Country Jam featuring Gary Allan
• An Evening with Smoltz, Foxworthy & Friends Fundraiser

Get your tickets to "An Evening with Smoltz, Foxworthy, and Friends" with special Guest Angela Wolff as the opening act. Presale tickets go on sale Thursday October 2nd at 10am, General sales start on October 3rd. In addition to regular seats from $39 to $99, sponsorship packages start at $1,200 for two tickets, a baseball signed by Smoltz and Foxworthy, access to the Cadillac Club and VIP seating and parking. The “Hall of Fame” sponsorship package, at $29,000, includes tickets for 12 and a private reception at Smoltz’s estate, a pre-concert reception with Smoltz and Foxworthy at Encore Park and loads of other perks. For information see www.JohnSmoltz.org or call 770-841-6576.

Patrons of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and its venues in Alpharetta and Atlanta can link up to share rides and save fuel more easily, as the ASO teamed up with eRideShare.com to encourage the practice. The ASO and eRideShare.com are encouraging alternative means of travel to and from concerts and events at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park and Atlanta Symphony Hall at the Woodruff Arts Center. Concertgoers may visit asorideshare.erideshare.com, and enter the group name "ASOPatron." By using these provided online message boards, patrons will be able to link to other concertgoers in their neighborhood for carpool opportunities. In addition, the ASO's website will include a link to MARTA, where concertgoers will be able to find the rail station nearest to their homes for rail travel to Art Center Station, which is directly across the street from the Woodruff Arts Center on Art Center Way. "The power of music is more important than ever in these troubling times," said Atlanta Symphony Orchestra President and CEO Allison Vulgamore. "Our first step is to reassure concertgoers that there are cost-saving alternatives available to get to concerts and events at both Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park and Atlanta Symphony Hall. By providing the vital information and tools our patrons need, we are able to remain committed to sharing music with as many people as possible throughout the current fuel crisis." For more information, visit vzwamp.com and atlantasymphony.org. Published on northfulton.com

The Kicks 101.5 Country Jam is coming to Encore Park on Saturday, November 1st! Featuring Garry Allan, with Joe Nichols, Eric Church, and Heidi Newfield.

Tickets for The Black Crowes with Phil Lesh are on sale for $30 each (a $15 discount) when bought as part of a lawn 4 pack, only at Ticketmaster.com.

Of a Revolution, better known as O.A.R., is an American rock band consisting of Marc Roberge (vocals, guitar), Chris Culos (drums, percussion), Richard On (guitar, backing vocals), Benj Gershman (bass guitar), Jerry DePizzo (saxophone, guitar, backing vocals). Due to massive online distribution over campus networks, the band has become a hit among college students, with many songs relating to the band members' personal lives at The Ohio State University (Columbus) and growing up in Rockville, Maryland. The band was founded in 1996 by Marc Roberge and Chris Culos, who then recruited Richard On and Benj Gershman. The four of them graduated from Thomas Sprigg Wootton High School in Rockville, Maryland, then moved to Columbus, Ohio to attend the Ohio State University. While at Ohio State, they met Jerry DePizzo, from Youngstown, Ohio. The band performs the theme song for the ABC show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. During a two-hour special that aired on December 11, 2005, they provided a street-side concert, including a live performance of "So Much", the Extreme Makeover Home Edition theme, in front of the newly redesigned Los Angeles Free Clinic. In June 2008 the band's song "This Town" off their forthcoming album "All Sides" was used extensively by ESPN during its coverage of the 2008 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament and College World Series. O.A.R.'s song "Wonderful Day" is currently being used on nationally airing Ford commercials. O.A.R. is playing at Encore Park Saturday Night, September 27th.

John Mayer rocks a sold out show at Encore Park Amphitheater. This show was a "hard" sellout - some shows that sell out are a "soft" sell out in that extra tickets mysteriously and quietly become available for sale in the week leading up to the show. Did not happen for this concert. After his Chicago show, John posted the following notes on his blog: This has become more than just ticket sales and career advancement. In fact, this has nothing to do with it. These shows have transcended. This is about making 20,000 people feel okay in the world. Not alone. Full. Hopeful. JOYFUL. Read more from John Mayer's Blog.

Come to my concert, baby!

Rod Stewart is coming soon to Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park - and LAWN TICKETS just became available for $30 each in a special buy one, get one free offer if you use the special password (must buy in multiples of 2 at $30 each ticket)

When the Alan Jackson concert went on sale Saturday, August 9th, there was an online-only special price for Lawn seats bought through ticketmaster.com: $20 each. After about a week, this deal is no longer available. Lawn tickets are now the standard $39.50 each, while reserved seats are $64.50 each. Buy at the box office for a flat $5 surcharge per ticket.

But wait, it gets better.
The early bird does not always get the worm; As of the date of this posting, new seats were available in ORCH 1 B: that's second row of the right-side orchestra section, about 10 feet from the right side of the stage.

screenshot 8/19/2008 9:44pm

Boston & Styx put a solid endcap on a 4 day weekend of concerts at Encore Park Amphitheatre. The full concert weekend included the following acts:

1. ASO Free Concert (Starbucks Concert): Thursday August 18th
2. Charlie Daniels Band, Shooter Jennings & The Outlaws (Volunteer Jam): Friday
3. ASO Concert: Turner Classic Movies: Saturday
4. Boston & Styx: Sunday

Don't miss these exclusive offers for the ASO Turner Classic Movies night SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 8:30 PM (not available online or at the box office):

• Buy a table for 2 or 4 in the Orchestra level for only $35 per ticket
• Buy a seat in Sections 102 103 or 104 and pay only $25
• Buy a Family 4-pack for $75 which includes: 4 lawn tickets, 4 dogs w/ fries, 4 soft drinks, 4 lawn chairs and 1 parking pass. ALL FOR $75!!

I got lucky. I bought my tickets at the box office 8 days before the concert, and it came with a LOT C parking pass. Just 4 days earlier, a friend had bought the exact same tickets (Lawn) to the same concert at the box office, and he got Lot N (shuttle). Of course, if I had bought my tickets when the concert originally went on sale, I would have gotten a LOT A parking pass with my tickets, problem solved. By waiting, however, LOT A eventually got sold out, then subsequent purchasers get LOT N tickets. My theory is that within a week or so before the concert begins, any LOT C/Premiere parking passes that were previously withheld will start to become available to the general public to last minute ticket purchasers.

So, the theory is if you want to be sure to get a parking pass to LOT A, buy your tickets early. At some point (days, weeks, depending on concert popularity), LOT A runs out and then everyone gets LOT N. Then, if you want to take a risk, wait until the week before the concert, and you may get LOT C. I'm sure this is different for every concert though, and by waiting toward the end, one also runs the risk that a concert could become completely sold out even though it did not sell out the first week or two that it went on sale (Tom Petty, John Mayer).

Maybe Vegas has more consistent odds...

AccessAtlanta.com just posted a piece entitled: Is Encore Park too ‘Noisy’ for Classical?

In this piece, the author reviews the first year success of the ASO concerts at the amphitheatre, drawing about 5 times the crowd (25,000 over 7 events) that is normally drawn for the ASO's all summer shows at Symphony Hall downtown. However, a patron emailed the AJC remarking that the ambient noise (fans, concessions, etc) was too loud for an acceptable concert experience.

Having been to a few ASO concerts at Encore Park Amphitheatre, it is possible to hear the ambient noise from concessions and the side areas, and sometimes you can even hear the fans in the screen projectors. However, the audio mix engineers have gotten better about delivering a consistently appropriate sound level across the entire concert - bringing up the volume to highlight a clarinet solo, for example, then re-balancing the overall volume of all instruments so the sound is consistent wherever one sits. Is it a pure, isolation booth quality concert sound? Of course not - but no hard concentration was required to block out ambient noise to enjoy the concert.

All of this is moot, of course, at any concert other than a symphony concert; the volume level at non-ASO concerts is high enough where you can't even hear yourself sing at the top of your own lungs, much less discern ambient noises.

Readers of the article can view feedback from others and post their own comments.

The John Mayer concert has sold out. At least for now. Additional tickets *may* be released as the concert date draws near (within the last 5 days before the concert). If you search now, here is what you'll see:

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Family Four Packs are now available for Julie Andrews' "The Gift of Music", and for Turner Classic Movie Night with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

The four pack costs $18.75 for each ticket ($75 Total) and includes four tickets, four lawn chairs and four hot dog baskets with sodas (a $172 value).

Family four packs must be purchased in multiples of four. Valid on lawn seating only.

Posted on blabbermouth.net:

According to a posting on the RUSH fan site RushIsABand.com, RUSH filmed its July 22, 2008 concert at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Alpharetta, Georgia. The main purpose for the shoot was to get video footage of the songs "Red Barchetta", "The Trees", "Ghost Of A Chance" and "2112", along with Neil Peart's drum solo, to be included as bonus material on the band's upcoming companion DVD to the "Snakes & Arrows Live" two-CD set (released this past April), which featured the complete set performed in Rotterdam on the 2007 leg of the tour. Apparently the footage was to head immediately back to FogoLabs for processing after the show so it could be ready for the DVD — which now has a tentative release date of November 4. Guitarist Alex Lifeson and bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee will be taking the next several weeks off before putting their attention towards adding their finishing touches to the DVD and Neil is working on the packaging.

RUSH's current concert leg wrapped last night (July 24) in Indianapolis, Indiana. The group has been out behind its 18th studio album, "Snakes & Arrows", which marked RUSH's first set of all-new material since 2002's "Vapor Trails".

RUSH's songs "Closer to the Heart" and "Working Man" were recently made available for the Rock Band video game.

RUSH will receive a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame next year.

Ray's Killer Creek has begun offering shuttle service for its restaurant patrons to Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre @ Encore Park concert outings. The Service will be offered for all popular concerts (excluding the ASO orchestra concerts).

The shuttle departs from Ray's Killer Creek, at 1700 Mansell Rd. near GA 400, and brings concert goers back to their cards in the restaurant parking lot. The round-trip costs $10 per person. Diners 21 and over who show a ticket to their server can enjoy a complimentary glass of wine with the purchase of an entree. The restaurant will begin serving dinner on concert nights at 4:00pm.

for call ahead reservations for the shuttle, call 770-649-0064 or visit www.raysrestaurants.com.

"Four Pack Rock Pack" tickets are available up until the start of the Bryan Adams / Foreigner concert. These tickets provides a lawn ticket to four concerts: Foreigner & Brian Adams, Rush, Charlie Daniels Band, and Boston / Styx. At a cost of $80 this is (obviously) $20 per concert, with the following per-concert savings: Brian Adams/Foreigner: $0 savings; Rush: $20 savings, Charlie Daniels Band: $5 savings; Boston/Styx: $10 savings. Total Savings per ticket: $35.

The Black Crowes are back!

After an extended hiatus from the studio brothers Chris and Rich Robinson are back with a brand new album, Warpaint. The new release includes vintage Crowes songs from the single “Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution” to the sultry “Oh Josephine” and blues lined rocker “Movin’ On Down The Line.”


The Black Crowes have been a mainstay on the touring scene for years thanks to classic hits “She Talks to Angels,” “Hard to Handle,” “Remedy,” “Blackberry,” “Jealous Again,” “Wiser Time,” and “Kickin’ My Heart Around.”

Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park opened May 10, 2008 with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, followed by four sold out Eagles shows on May 14, 16, 17, & 20. The 12,000 seat state-of-the-art venue is located in the northern suburbs of Atlanta and is only minutes from 400 and North Point Mall in Alpharetta, Georgia. The amphitheatre’s 2008 season is hosting diverse events including concerts, community events and movie nights. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre is also proud to be the outdoor home to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.