If no one has said, “What the heck is going on at Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium lately?” then let us be the first to say, “What the heck is going on at Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium lately?”
The 3,200-plus capacity venue has been open since 1951 and was most recently refurbished in the early 2000s, but if you look at the concert calendar, it’s clear the venue has risen from a few fallow years with one of the strongest event schedules in the Upstate, including shows from Clink Black, Lonestar, Queensryche, Steve Martin and Martin Short, classic rockers Kansas, and many more.
In fact, according to Director of Event Services Scott Ellis, the venue is about to have a very busy fall.
“It’s exciting to have this many shows,” Ellis said. “We’re probably going to do more concerts in October than we would do typically in a year.”
One of the most notable concerts is an appearance by country legend John Anderson, whose signature hits like “Seminole Wind,” “Swingin’” and “Straight Tequila Night” made him an icon in the 1980s and ’90s. What’s more, Anderson’s Oct. 3 concert is a stripped-down acoustic show that’s heavy on storytelling and intimacy between performer and audience.
Ellis said Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium is the perfect place for Anderson to cast his spell.
“The artist fits perfectly with the building,” Ellis said. “This is a good market for classic country music for sure. You saw it with Dwight Yoakam (who played the auditorium in February), and it’s a good fit. It’s a good room, and the acoustics are great in the theater; they always have been. We’ve actually done several acoustic shows with Travis Tritt and Vince Gill.”
Ellis credited auditorium CEO Roger Newton, who took the position in 2022, with a more aggressive booking strategy that has paid off in spades.
“We’re on everyone’s radar again,” Ellis said. “It’s exciting to have a lot of touring concerts coming back to the theater. And we’ve been able to add some staff, thank goodness, because we’re extremely busy.”
Want to go?
Who: John Anderson
When: Thursday, Oct. 3
Where: Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium
Tickets and info: crowdpleaser.com
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