Sports Venues and House Bands

Does anyone remember the house band at the Bradley Center? It was StreetLife, featuring Warren Wiegratz. The band was set in one of the corners of the lower level, and they played during halftime at Bucks games, and during the breaks between the action on the court. They would also be called upon to play the national anthem from time to time. Mr. Wiegratz is a Milwaukee-based jazz musician, and still performs festivals and private parties throughout Wisconsin. His band takes me back to a time when sports venues had house bands.

The Green Bay Packers had a house band at Lambeau Field through the 1995 season. They would be the bumper music for kickoffs, and at times the brass section would squeeze out a tune during time outs. The musicians that made up the band were all very talented. You had to be, if you were going to tough it out in the cold and snow.


Badgers Marching Band at Camp Randall

When you head to Camp Randall Stadium, it's none other than the Badgers Marching band that will entertain you. It's unfair to call them a "house band." They are one of the best marching bands in the country, performing in parades and stadiums throughout the United States. The Fifth Quarter is when they get their chance to shine. It comes right after Badgers home games, and many fans stick around for the performance.
As time marches on, it seems like house bands are disappearing. Stadiums need more than a dixieland or jazz ensemble to keep fans excited. Sports fans expect to be blown away by more than the sites and sounds of the game on the field. Tucking a band in the corner of a venue just doesn't get the crowd fired up. There may always be a place for a marching band, but house bands at sports stadiums have probably seen their best days pass them by.

Kenny Chesney at Lambeau Field Green Bay | Acoustics in a Football Stadium and Monitors

I have only been to one stadium show. That was Pink Floyd at County Stadium. Green Bay plays host to Kenny Chesney at Lambeau Field this summer. The venue may be one of the biggest he's ever performed in, and certainly the most famous. Famous for football, not concerts though.

Kenny Chesney Mixes Country with Caribbean

Say what you will about modern country music. It's polished to such a shine, that the purists of that style tend to stay away from artists like Kenny Chesney. There are modern country stars that stick to the old school style. Kenny is not one of them, if I may be so bold to say that. He has put together a perfect formula. He mixes one part country with one part Jimmy Buffett style tropical Caribbean party fun, and the fans love it. If you know anything about Jimmy Buffett, his music isn't the best, but going to one of his shows is the perfect excuse to party your butt off. Same for Kenny Chesney.

This tour will feature his best work. After taking a year off, Chesney is coming back to play all the songs his fans have come to love. He's touring huge venues like Lambeau Field. His stage will be set up around the five yard line of the south end zone, with walkways that will extend out to the 15 yard line. This is big. All his shows will be big. With a stage set up like that, how will the fans find his sound? How will Kenny find his own sound in a booming venue like Lambeau Field?

Kenny Chesney will wear in ear monitors via custom made earplugs. The acoustics in a stadium of that size will require not only stage monitors for the various members of the band, but in ear monitors. I was fitted for mine this past Monday. I can't wait to try them out. I have performed in large venues, and found the monitors to be too far away to be useful. Sometimes, as an opening act, the monitors are set in place for the headliner, and the sound crew will not move them for you. You are not important, so you suffer with a lousy stage mix. That's life. Soon enough, I will be able to plug into the stage mix directly, and hear things like never before. I can't wait.

Green Bay Resch Center Just Steps From Lambeau Field

Every time I take a trip up to Lambeau Field, I am impressed by the area just to the east of Packer country. Not only will you find the Don Hudson Center, you can't miss the Green Bay Resch Center.

Who calls the Resch Center in Green Bay their home? First, you will find the Green Bay Phoenix college basketball team. From there, the Resch Center plays host to concerts. I see only two concerts coming up at the Resch Center. On February 27, Rascal Flatts will perform with Darius Rucker. Martina McBride and Trace Adkins will play on March 27th. Yes, Darius Rucker is a country singer now. I doubt that you will have time to get up to Green Bay today, but The Harlem Globetrotters will be performing there tonight. If you like the Globetrotters, I suggest grabbing a few Bradley Center tickets for their New Year's Eve performances. That's an annual event.