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Oak Mountain Amphitheatre '38-year run' remembered
VENUE’S FUTURE? JOHN? WELL, GUY, WE KNOW THAT LIVE NATION OWNS THE 10,000 SEAT AMPHITHEATER, WHICH HELD ITS FINAL SHOW OF THE SEASON ONE MONTH AGO TONIGHT. WELL, THIS WEEK, LIVE NATION STRONGLY HINTED THAT THE VENUE’S CONCERT DAYS WERE NUMBERED, LIKE YOU MENTIONED. SO WE DECIDED TO TAKE A LOOK BACK AT ITS ENTERTAINMENT LEGACY OVER THE LAST FOUR DECADES. THIS KID ROCK MICHAEL TRUCKS HAS BEEN IN THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS FOR NEARLY HALF A CENTURY. IN FACT, HE WORKED WITH TONY RUFFINO’S NEW ERA PRODUCTIONS, WHICH OPENED THE OAK MOUNTAIN AMPHITHEATER IN PELHAM IN 1986. PROPERTY WAS MORE ATTRACTIVE, PROPERTY WAS MORE AVAILABLE. FAST FORWARD TO THIS WEEK. LIVE NATION NOW OWNS THE CONCERT VENUE. IT IS ALSO SET TO MANAGE THE NEW STATE OF THE ART COCA-COLA AMPHITHEATER IN BIRMINGHAM TUESDAY, A REPRESENTATIVE WAS ASKED ABOUT ITS PELHAM COUNTERPART, OAK MOUNTAIN AMPHITHEATER HAD A GREAT 38 YEAR RUN, A RUN THAT INCLUDED ARTISTS LIKE TOM PETTY, PAUL SIMON AND ROD STEWART. ITS FIRST CONCERT IN 1986, A SOLD OUT TEMPTATIONS AND FOUR TOPS PERFORMANCE. IT WAS A GREAT SHOW AND SO IT WAS A GOOD WAY TO IT WAS A GOOD WAY TO START. TRUCKS WORKED AS A PRODUCTION MANAGER AND A LAWYER FOR THE AMPHITHEATER. THAT HE BELIEVES HELPED LAND ACTS, WHICH MIGHT HAVE SKIPPED THE BIRMINGHAM MARKET OTHERWISE. I DO KNOW THAT THAT PROVIDED THE PEOPLE IN BIRMINGHAM AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE A LOT OF REALLY GREAT ARTISTS. BUT WHEN WE ASKED TRUCKS ABOUT THE OAK MOUNTAIN AMPHITHEATER, HIS TRUE LEGACY, HE POINTED TO RUFFINO, WHOSE ENTERTAINMENT INTUITION LANDED HIM IN THE ALABAMA MUSIC HALL OF FAME AS A RESULT OF OF WHAT HIS VISION WAS, THE THE PEOPLE OF JEFFERSON COUNTY OR SHELBY COUNTY. ONE. NOW, WE DID REACH OUT TO THE CITY OF PELHAM, BUT THEY TOLD US THAT SINCE LIVE NATION STILL OWNS THIS VENUE, IS UP TO THE GLOBAL CONCERT PROMOTER AND PROMOTER TO MAKE ANY STATEMENTS ABOUT ITS FUTURE AND SINCE THEIR REPS EARLIER THIS WEEK MADE IT PRETTY CLEAR THEY’RE MOVING DOWNTOWN, WHAT HAPPENS TO THIS LAND ONCE THEY’RE GONE REMAINS TO B
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Oak Mountain Amphitheatre '38-year run' remembered
Michael Trucks has been in the entertainment business for nearly half a century.In fact, he worked with Tony Ruffino's New Era Productions, which opened the Oak Mountain Amphitheatre in Pelham in 1986.“Property was more attractive; property was more available,” Trucks said.Fast forward to this week. Global concert promoter Live Nation now owns the concert venue.It is also set to manage the new state of the art Coca-Cola Amphitheater in Birmingham.Tuesday, a representative was asked about its Pelham counterpart. “The Oak Mountain Amphitheatre had a 38-year run,” Live Nation’s Jay Wilson said.A run that included artists like Tom Petty, Paul Simon and Rod Stewart.It's first concert in 1986?A sold-out Temptations and Four Tops performance.“It was a great show. And, so it was a good way to say it was a good way to start,” Trucks said.Trucks worked as a production manager and a lawyer for the amphitheater. He believes the venue helped land acts which might have otherwise skipped the Birmingham market.“I do know that that provided the people in Birmingham an opportunity to see a lot of really great artists,” Trucks said. When we asked Trucks about the Oak Mountain Amphitheatre's true legacy, he pointed to Ruffino, whose entertainment intuition landed him in the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. “As a result of what his vision was, the people of Jefferson County or Shelby County won,” Trucks said.Live Nation has not announced its plans for the Oak Mountain Amphitheatre once the Coca Cola Amphitheater opens next June.Wilson simply stated the company was now turning its attention to the downtown Birmingham venue.Post Malone was the Oak Mountain Amphitheatre’s final show of the concert season on October 15.
PELHAM, Ala. —
Michael Trucks has been in the entertainment business for nearly half a century.
In fact, he worked with Tony Ruffino's New Era Productions, which opened the Oak Mountain Amphitheatre in Pelham in 1986.
“Property was more attractive; property was more available,” Trucks said.
Fast forward to this week.
Global concert promoter Live Nation now owns the concert venue.
It is also set to manage the new state of the art Coca-Cola Amphitheater in Birmingham.
Tuesday, a representative was asked about its Pelham counterpart.
“The Oak Mountain Amphitheatre had a 38-year run,” Live Nation’s Jay Wilson said.
A run that included artists like Tom Petty, Paul Simon and Rod Stewart.
It's first concert in 1986?
A sold-out Temptations and Four Tops performance.
“It was a great show. And, so it was a good way to say it was a good way to start,” Trucks said.
Trucks worked as a production manager and a lawyer for the amphitheater.
He believes the venue helped land acts which might have otherwise skipped the Birmingham market.
“I do know that that provided the people in Birmingham an opportunity to see a lot of really great artists,” Trucks said.
When we asked Trucks about the Oak Mountain Amphitheatre's true legacy, he pointed to Ruffino, whose entertainment intuition landed him in the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.
“As a result of what his vision was, the people of Jefferson County or Shelby County won,” Trucks said.
Live Nation has not announced its plans for the Oak Mountain Amphitheatre once the Coca Cola Amphitheater opens next June.
Wilson simply stated the company was now turning its attention to the downtown Birmingham venue.
Post Malone was the Oak Mountain Amphitheatre’s final show of the concert season on October 15.
English (US)