Published: January 13, 2007 08:48 pm         

Mark Bennett: Hulman Center in midst of its longest concert dry spell

TERRE HAUTE — The last words sung during a Hulman Center concert may be crude, but prophetic.

Last March 3, country star Gretchen Wilson wrapped up her encore song “Redneck Woman” by asking for “a big ‘hell yeah’ from all the redneck girls like me.” The gals in that crowd of 5,375 obliged her with a rowdy “hell yeah.”

If you ask fans of live music in Terre Haute if they’d like to see more concerts in Hulman Center, they will probably respond the same way. Unfortunately, they’ll have to wait.

Hulman Center is in the midst of its longest stretch without a concert since Charlie Pride put on the first show on Feb. 15, 1974. The current dry spell, as Hulman Center director Charlie Potts calls it, stands at 10 months, eclipsing the previous record span from a Dec. 12, 1998, KISS concert to a Sept. 13, 1999, show by Christian comic Chonda Pierce.

The drought may reach a full year.

“I’m scrambling, I’m trying,” Potts said, “but I don’t have anything in the can.”

The year 2006 was a “real dry” one for Hulman Center concerts, he said, with only two country shows on the list. Guitarist Brad Paisley entertained 4,919 fans on Jan. 28. Less than two months later, Wilson and warmup act Van Zant rocked as much as they twanged for the “hell yeah” audience.

Only once has Hulman Center had so few concerts in a single year, with just two in 1999. There were six the year before in 1998, and six the year after in 2000.

To prevent 2007 from being just as dry as 2006, Potts said Hulman Center must overcome two obstacles — the rising fees artists want up front and guaranteed to play, and the hesitation of touring acts to visit a market the size of Terre Haute. A national act costs Hulman Center about $100,000, once the artists’ guarantees and production expenses are included, Potts said.

So unless a tour promoter is confident enough to cover that himself, Hulman Center has to find the money.

“Either a promoter decides to take that risk or we have to spend $100,000 to buy that show,” Potts said.

Potts, who replaced longtime director Cliff Lambert in 2005, emphasized that he’s “not whining, I’m just learning.” And he has some ideas. First, he wants to get a steady flow of performers coming to the Indiana State University campus by utilizing two smaller venues — Tilson Auditorium and the theater-wedge configuration in Hulman Center. He realizes acts willing to play for less than a couple thousand people will be “lesser names, but [the goal is] to get some action in here.”

That could help put ISU back on promoters’ maps, leading to some full-scale Hulman Center shows, Potts suggested.

He also would like to form a community consortium to pool the money needed to lure in concerts.

“We’re going to have to look at co-promotion with a collection of local sponsors,” Potts said.

At Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, the University Board Concert Committee includes eight students and a representative of the Student Life Office, with a goal to “provide quality major concert entertainment at an affordable cost to EIU students.”

The board sponsors two or three shows a year and is funded by a concert fee students pay along with their enrollment costs each semester, said Mallory Taylor, a senior and the board’s concert coordinator. They work about six months ahead to land each act, and have rockers The Goo Goo Dolls coming in for the March 4 spring concert, where tickets are $12 for students and $17 for the general public.

In recent years, they’ve landed, among others, Aretha Franklin, Dave Chappelle, Alabama and Diamond Rio.

“We try to be diverse in what we bring here, and try something different every time,” Taylor said.

The tight Indiana economy doesn’t make it simple to bring bands into Muncie, said Bob Myers, director of Emens Auditorium on the Ball State University campus.

“It would be fair to say the economy in east-central Indiana has been challenging, and we’ve tried to maintain a decent level of programs,” Myers said. “But I have seen a decline in ticket sales.”

Still, a variety of acts came to Muncie last year, including Gretchen Wilson, punkers The Strokes and O.A.R., jazz musician Chris Botti, Christian band Third Day, blues legend B.B. King, country veterans the Oak Ridge Boys, comedian Ron White, country singer Dierks Bentley, rocker Ben Folds, and Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Famer Bo Diddley — all in the 3,400-seat Emens Auditorium. Country star Keith Urban played in Worthen Arena, which holds 8,500.

The acts’ up-front demands are “up substantially,” Myers said. He has to choose carefully, because if those costs drive ticket prices beyond $50, the turnouts will be hurt.

“There is the [public] perception that the tickets here at Ball State University should be less than what they are in Indianapolis,” Myers explained, “which is a barrier for us, because our costs are not less.”

For country shows, tickets need to be $35 or less, he added. Most are in the $25 range.

By contrast, Evansville’s 12,000-seat Roberts Stadium had a banner year in 2006.

“It’s probably the best year we’ve had in a very, very, very long time,” said John Bolton, general manager for SMG, the firm that manages that venue.

Ticket sales there rose from $4.1 million in 2005 to $6.1 million last year. Roberts Stadium, also home to the University of Evansville basketball team, drew a record 18 concerts in 2006. That lineup was dominated by country acts such as Paisley, Wilson, Urban, Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney, Trace Adkins, Montgomery Gentry and Martina McBride. But it also had shows by rockers Stained and Hinder (a sellout), and Nickelback (also a sellout), John Mellencamp and Motley Crue. Teen sensations The Cheetah Girls also sold out.

“We had a lot of good shows that sold really well,” Bolton said. “But I think that’s against [the industry] trend [in Indiana].”

Artists with very limited tour schedules are hard to land in markets such as Evansville.

“If they’re only going to do 50 tour dates, I’m going to have a tougher shot than if they’re doing 70 dates,” Bolton said. “The larger the concert tours, the better the chances that the Evansvilles and Terre Hautes and Bowling Greens are going to have to get shows.”

Here in Terre Haute, Potts said he’s aggressively looking for those artists. In the meantime, the non-basketball entertainment available has included a solidly attended WWE pro wrestling show on Jan. 6. And Potts expects a rodeo to bring in a strong crowd later this year.

“But that’s not what people are crying for,” he acknowledged.

Mark Bennett can be reached at mark.bennett@tribstar.com or (812) 231-4377.

All Hulman Center concerts from 1974 through 1989, with the artists and the attendance:

1974 — Charlie Pride 8,060; Humble Pie 4,932; J. Geils Band 4,386; Boots Randolph, Brenda Lee & Floyd Cramer 2,905; Sha Na Na 5,134; Doc Severinsen 2,390; REO Speedwagon 6,115; Dolly Parton, Bobby Bare & Mickey Gilley 1,922; Three Dog Night 6,313; Franki Valli and the Four Seasons 7,124; Mac Davis 7,694; Soviet Georgian Dancers 2,250 (TW); Black Oak Arkansas 5,744; Merle Haggard 3,318; Up with People 2,657; Doobie Brothers 7,023.

1975 — Bachman-Turner Overdrive 7,578; Grand Funk 8,291; Helen Reddy 3,906; Seals & Crofts 4,619; Aerosmith 7,508; Ballet West USA 1,050 (TW); Bob Hope 4,528; America 3,120; Eagles and Dan Fogelberg 2,369; Tammy Wynette, Johnny Paycheck & Jerry Lee Lewis 2,716; Glen Campbell 3,698; Elvis Presley 10,244; Chicago 6,806; Guess Who 4,266; THSO with Phyllis Diller 1,500 (TW); Jethro Tull 5,004; Loggins and Messina 4,604; Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty 8,408; KISS 9,962; REO Speedwagon 3,898; Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass 932 (TW).

1976 — Sweet 3,498; Freddy Fender & Billy “Crash” Craddock 6,137; Elvin Bishop 4,869; Franki Valli and the Four Seasons 6,178; Marshall Tucker Band 11,143; Lynyrd Skynyrd 3,349; Charlie Pride 7,794; Aerosmith 4,026; Harry Chapin 2,192; Ted Nugent 4,211; Robin Trower 3,160; Barry Manilow 6,900; Electric Light Orchestra 5,523; Blue Oyster Cult 5,378; Herbie Hancock 1,115; Neil Sedaka 7,281; Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty 6,524; Lettermen 3,093; Gordon Lightfoot 3,818; Earth, Wind & Fire 4,020; Kansas 5,060.

1977 — Utopia with Todd Rundgren 1,277; Charlie Daniels Band 2,619; Billy “Crash” Craddock & Ray Stevens 4,426; KISS 11,026; Black Sabbath 6,591; Boston 7,983; Yugoslavian Folk Ballet 1,800 (TW); Bread 5,389; Johnny Cash 4,453; Olivia Newton-John 4,891; Ted Nugent 8,241; The Osmond Family 6,841; Doobie Brothers 4,674; Alice Cooper 11,200; Mel Tillis, Barbara Mandrell & Johnny Duncan 3,582; REO Speedwagon 4,995; Beach Boys 9,024; Tom Jones 6,303; Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty 4,965; Lettermen 1,830; Kris Kristofferson & Rita Coolidge 5,758.

1978 — Emerson, Lake and Palmer 4,373; Styx 6,399; Ronnie Milsap and Jerry Reed 2,639; Bob Seger 4,673; Foghat 6,273; Foreigner and Bob Welch 4,700; Frank Sinatra 9,736; Black Sabbath 5,989; Waylon Jennings and Jessie Colter 2,988; Bob Dylan 7,789; Boston 7,217; John Denver 9,039; Steve Martin 7,343; Ted Nugent 5,411; Kenny Rogers, Dottie West & Eddie Rabbitt 6,202.

1979 — Harry Chapin 1,506 (TW); Tom Jones 3,229; Charlie Daniels Band 9,459; Peter Frampton 5,078; Bob Hope 7,767; Kenny Rogers 10,584; Statler Brothers 8,932.

1980 — Conway Twitty, Ronnie McDowell & John Conlee 2,049; Marshall Tucker Band and Firefall 4,290; Bill Gaither Trio 3,287; John Denver 8,696; Cheap Trick 3,960; Larry Gatlin, Kendalls and Bellamy Brothers 2,923; Molly Hatchet and Roadmaster 4,657; Dionne Warwick 3,899; Van Halen 4,122; ZZ Top and Alvin Lee Band 3,318; Ozark Mountain Daredevils & Tools 1,907; Oak Ridge Boys, Tom T. Hall & Charley McClain 4,795; Indianapolis Ballet-Nutcracker 1,522 (TW).

1981 — REO Speedwagon and .38 Special 10,164; Statler Brothers and Brenda Lee 5,455; Charlie Daniels Band 5,217; Beach Boys 8,261; A Chorus Line 2,516 (TW); Kenny Rogers 9,951.

1982 — Ozzy Osbourne 4,022; The Imperials 1,494 (TW); Alabama 5,490; Loverboy 7,040; Dancin’ 2,296 (TW); The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas 2,189 (TW); The Hinsons & The Rex Nelon Singers 722 (TW); REO Speedwagon and Survivor 10,041; THSO with Paul Williams 2,560; Heart and John Cougar (Mellencamp) 9,558; Michael Murphy and Terri Gibbs 1,337; Statler Brothers 5,381.

1983 — KISS 4,027; Alabama and Janie Fricke 6,934; Judas Priest and Heaven 2,737; Hall and Oates & Steel Breeze 6,872; Journey and Bryan Adams 9,518; Oak Ridge Boys, Shelly West & Grass Roots 7,934; Indianapolis Ballet–Nutcracker 1,126 (TW).

1984 — Hank Williams Jr. 5,055; Loverboy and Streets 8,216; Evita 1,176 (TW); Artie Shaw Orchestra 2,215; The Imperials and Michele Pillar 2,061 (TW); John Cougar Mellencamp, Dan Ross & The Brunettes 6,784; Barbara Mandrell and Lee Greenwood 5,400; Kenny Rogers, Helen Reddy & The Righteous Brothers 6,958; John Conlee, Carolina Fever & The Don Morris Band 7,000; Styx 5,437; Ratt, Blackfoot and Mamas Boys 4,996; Quiet Riot, Whitesnake & Armored Saint 3,976; George Jones and John Anderson 2,662; The Cathedral Quartet & The Speer Family 1,278; KISS and Queensryche 3,792; Beach Boys 2,899.

1985 — REO Speedwagon and Survivor 9,500; Guy Lombardo’s Royal Canadians 2,500; Sammy Hagar and Dokken 3,930; Foreigner and Guiffria 5,609; Gene Watson and Ronnie McDowell 550 (TW); Bryan Adams with Cock Robin 6,258; Happy Together 1,120 (TW).

1986 — Alabama and the Charlie Daniels Band 6,508; KISS and King Cobra 4,788; Exile, Steve Warner and The Forester Sisters 7,000; Willie Nelson 5,317; Petra with DeGarmo & Key 1,573 (TW); Anne Murray 3,718.

1987 — Ratt with Poison 4,105; .38 Special with Georgia Satellites 4,543; David Copperfield 1,759; Statler Brothers with Sylvia 3,777; Hank Williams Jr. and Steve Wariner 5,837; Randy Travis, Keith Whitley & The Don Morris Band 7,500; The Drifters, The Marvelettes & Bobby Lewis 3,000; John Cougar Mellencamp 9,089.

1988 — KISS with Ted Nugent 4,444; George Strait with Highway 101 3,828; Restless Heart, Kathy Mattea & Jubal 7,000; Petra with Geoff Moore 1,260; Poison with Britny Fox 8,687.

1989 — Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith & Gary Chapman 3,122; Guess Who, Grass Roots and Orleans 910 (TW); Statler Brothers with Girls Next Door 3,080; Cinderella, Winger & Bullet Boys 5,375; Sandi Patti with Billy Crockett 3,111; Ratt with Kix and Great White 2,997; Alabama with Jo-El Sonnier 4,837; Earl Thomas Conley, Southern Pacific & Foster and Loyd 5,500; Great White and Tesla 4,387.

All Hulman Center concerts since 1990, with the artists and the attendance:

1990 — Charlie Daniels and Sawyer Brown 4,116; Motley Crue and Faster Pussycat 9,500; KISS and Slaughter 3,061; Poison and Warrant 8,299; Conway Twitty, George Jones & Vince Gill 3,885; Jay Leno 2,264 (TW); Statler Brothers and Ricky Staggs 2,939.

1991 — Bad Company and Damn Yankees 8,869; David Copperfield 3,588 (TW); Sawyer Brown and Mary-Chapin Carpenter 2,622; CATS 7,585; Conway Twitty, George Jones & Mark Chestnut 3,474.

1992 — Reba McEntire, Sawyer Brown & Brooks and Dunn 7,189; Travis Tritt, Mark O’Conner & Marty Stuart 3,415; Hammer and Boys 2 Men 3,333; Victor Borge 1,641 (TW); Conway Twitty, George Jones & Vern Goslin 2,847; Bad Company with Larry Crane 2,781; Vince Gill and Pam Tillis 7,691.

1993 — Reba McEntire, Hal Ketchum & Mark Collie 7,483; Alabama, Diamond Rio & John Michael Montgomery 6,477; Alan Jackson and Billy Dean 5,174; Anne Murray 1,407 (TW); Sawyer Brown, Tracy Lawrence & Chris Ladoux 5,767; Travis Twitt, Trisha Yearwood & Little Texas 6,726.

1994 — Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings & Tammy Wynette 4,718; Vince Gill and Larry Stewart 6,961; Brooks and Dunn, Aaron Tippin & Victoria Shaw 8,556; Sawyer Brown, Toby Keith & David Ball 5,550; Toad the Wet Sprocket & Wild Colonials 2,038 (TW).

1995 — Alan Jackson & Lari White 7,636; Diamond Rio, Bryan White & Pearl River 4,177; Brooks and Dunn, David Ball & Tractors 5,531; Eddie Money, Max-a-Million, Tag Team & Benny Mardones 2,171; Reba McEntire, Tracy Byrd & Rhett Akins 7,237.

1996 — John Michael Montgomery & Neal McCoy 7,186; Vince Gill and Patty Loveless 5,277; Wynonna Judd and Blackhawk 3,776; Ray Boltz and David Robertson 3,643.

1997 — Alan Jackson & LeAnn Rimes 8,414; Movies, Music & Magic (Fascinators) 1,545 (TW); Clay Walker and Mark Wills 1,943; Tim McGraw, Martina McBride & Sons of the Desert 5,107; Adam Sandler 2,553 (TW).

1998 — LeAnn Rimes & Bryan White 5,929; Ray Boltz 2,514; Ziggy Marley & Melody Makers 1,075; Carrot Top 1,678 (TW); Shania Twain 5,356; KISS and Ecoline Crush 4,696.

1999 — Chondra Pierce 1,561; Garbage with Lit 1,277.

2000 — ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd 6,086; Summer Jam 2000 2,400; George Jones 1,445; George Carlin 1,204; Matchbox 20 5,312; Laff Jam 2000 688.

2001 — Chondra Pierce 2,117 (TW); Bob Dylan 4,208; Gallagher 2,197 (TW).

2002 — Kenny Chesney 6,214; Ray Boltz 1,305 (TW); Summer Jam 2002 1,157 (TW); James Taylor 4,317.

2003 — Rodney Carrington 2,598 (TW); Toby Keith 7,042; Merle Haggard 1,344 (TW); Gallagher 1,683.

2004 — Rascal Flatts, Cletus T. Judd & Brian McComas 5,486; Brooks and Dunn, Joe Nicols & Josh Turner 5,623; Rodney Carrington 1,870; Gretchen Wilson & Big and Rich 7,154.

2005 — Rascal Flatts with Blake Shelton 5,132; Larry the Cable Guy 4,058; Toby Keith with Ted Nugent 5,657; John Mellencamp with Donovan 7,644; Gallagher 882

2006 — Brad Paisley 4,919; Gretchen Wilson 5,375.

Note: (TW) denotes theater-wedge configuration used.

Source: ISU Public Affairs Office