SPOKANE, Wash. — The "Sweetness" will be concerned with Spokane Friday night, as legendary rock band Jimmy Eat World will grace the Podium stage with Manchester Orchestra and the Middle Kids on the Amplified Echoes Tour.
These bands join a star-studded lineup this year, as Spokane continues to grow into a prime concert destination for renowned artists.
Spokane Public Facilities District Director of Entertainment, Matt Meyer hopes the event will build on the Podium's reputation as a venue, as many more big-name acts are booked in the coming months.
"We haven't had any country in here yet, which is ironic because of how big of a country town Spokane is," Meyer said. "I've had multiple conversations. I know my agents are looking at it or working on it."
Those conversations are just the tip of the iceberg. Preparing for shows on this scale is never easy, especially when your venue is primarily built for sports.
"Start to finish, we're talking months," Meyer said. "And then, once everything gets locked in, confirmed and announced on sale, all of the sudden we're talking to contacts, my production manager, my marketing team, my box office is talking to people within the tour and their management and their group."
Meyer says by the time the bands arrive Friday, everything from lighting and sound to catering will be ready. 1,700-1,800 people are expected to attend Friday night's show. The STCU stage at the Podium hopes to fill a capacity niche that the Lilac City has been avoiding for years, according to Meyer.
"If you look at the landscape from the entertainment standpoint, you're looking at going to the Knitting Factory," Meyer said. "And from there, it was either you're going to the First Interstate Center or the Fox or LC Arena. Now, we have this gap that can start bringing these artists that have historically just skipped over Spokane because, financially, it never made sense for them to come through here."
Tickets are still available for Friday night's concert. Residents can find more exciting events at the Podium by heading to the venue's website.
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