Promoters hope 'N Sync kicks off successful venture at Heinz Field
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| 'N Sync fans will find extensive coverage of Saturday night's historic first concert at Heinz Field in this week's Valley News Dispatch and at www.valleynewsdispatch.com/nsync.html
Check it all out here!
Through Friday If you're from the Valley and you're going to the concert, staff writer Leslie Suhr wants to hear from you. Suhr is looking for Valley 'N Sync fans to talk to Saturday while at Heinz Field so she can include their comments in Sunday's coverage.
If you go
Dropping off the kids Saturday's 'N Sync concert is expected to be a 'huge drop-off event,' says Rob Thompson, Heinz Field operations coordinator. That means that a lot of parents will be dropping their concert-going children off for the show and picking them up after the concert. Field management plans to make a 'parents room' available for waiting moms and dads. Details: 412-697-7700
Sunday See Sunday's Valley News Dispatch for concert reaction from Valley fans and for exclusive photographs from the show. Monday See Monday's Valley News Dispatch for a special souvenir page of photographs and mini-reviews by Valley concertgoers. |
Rich Engler leans back in his chair in his Penn Avenue office and ponders another first in his career.
The East Deer native is about to help Pittsburgh usher in yet another new concert era.
When Heinz Field opens for the first event in its history Saturday, the 'N Sync mega concert, Engler, as the show's promoter, will be one of the principals behind the scenes ensuring that everything goes smoothly.
'N Sync also performed the final concert in Three Rivers Stadium last summer.
It was Engler who, early in his career, staged the first free rock concert on Flagstaff Hill in Oakland.
It was Engler who, with partner Pat DiCesare, bought the then Stanley Theatre (now the Benedum) and turned it into a place for a lot of musical memories for local residents.
One of the first major rock concerts in Three Rivers Stadium was a DiCesare-Engler presentation. The final two last summer also were Engler's.
Before there was a Star Lake Amphitheatre, there was Engler's I.C. Light Amphitheatre on Pittsburgh's South Side.
The former Creighton resident does not take this most recent 'first' for granted.
'It's an honor to be involved in this new venture. It's great to be part of history, and it's a great family show, a fun show, to bring in,' Engler says. 'This opens up the door for other type of events, including concerts and festivals.'
While the $29.50 seats are sold-out, tickets ($45.50 and $65.50) still are expected to be available Saturday at the box office.
Stadium shows have a unique magic, says Ed Traversari, Engler's associate. 'It's fortunate the Steelers have graciously agreed to allow shows to be played in there,' he says. 'Stadium shows are unique. It's nice that a lot of young kids going to concerts are getting to experience it.'
Traversari says amphitheater shows have a unique appeal, as well, and Pittsburgh is fortunate to have these venues. 'But I always thought stadium shows have a special ring to them, especially with a younger crowd. They are a little more open to the largeness of the shows.'
The availability of a stadium keeps Pittsburgh on the concert map for major tours, says Jimmy Sacco, Heinz Field's general manager, the same position he had at Three Rivers Stadium.
'Heinz Field was built with the idea of doing shows here on a regular basis,' he says. 'It will rank right up there in terms of other facilities across the nation.'
Because he won't be scheduling around 81 home baseball games, as he had to do at Three Rivers Stadium, there will be many more dates open to host large-scale and smaller shows, he adds. 'At Three Rivers, we had to turn down shows because of conflicts with baseball,' he explains.
