EAST TROY — Alpine Valley Music Theatre was once one of Wisconsin's most popular places for an outdoor summer concert. This summer, the venue will remain quiet through June and July.
The nearly 50-year-old amphitheatre in East Troy only has four concerts scheduled for the summer, starting with Willie Nelson and the Avett Brothers on August 21.
Tim Thompson ran Lake Geneva record store Black Circle Records for more than a decade. He said the long history of shows at Alpine Valley helped give Walworth County a cultural identity.
"My first show was in 1978, Fleetwood Mac playing Rumours," Thompson said. "Back in the day, when summer started, and there was nice weather, boom, Alpine's schedule was full. The way they used to do it, every weekend there was a concert."
John Hackett recently bought Black Circle Records from Thompson. He said he has his own sentimental history with Alpine Valley.
"My first show probably would have been REO Speedwagon, I would sit on the lawn and see all of my rock and roll heroes there," Hackett said. "I think people would come if they had more shows. I really do."
Thompson said he's sad younger concertgoers are not able to experience a wide variety of concerts at Alpine Valley like he did in his youth.
"I don't think the kids realize how big Alpine was," Thompson said. "Unless you know or you look it up, you'd never know. You'd only know what it is now."
Watch: Alpine Valley Music Theatre fans lament lack of concerts at venue this summer
The four concerts planned at Alpine Valley this year are:
- August 21: The Outlaw Music Festival featuring Willie Nelson, the Avett Brothers, and Lukas Nelson
- August 22: Tim McGraw with 49 Winchester
- September 12: Pitbull
- September 26: Luke Bryan
TMJ4 asked Live Nation, Alpine Valley's operator, why the venue has not booked many shows this year. They sent these reasons back in response:
- Every summer concert season is unique and booking decisions are influenced by a variety of factors, including routing, scheduling, and other logistics.
- Not every artist is on the road each season, and tours are developed for a variety of venue types, including amphitheaters, arenas, stadiums, and theaters.
- The Upper Midwest is one of the country's busiest live entertainment markets during the summer.
- The region is home to a major, multi-day music festival each summer that features more than 200 touring artists. As a result, many artists already have a Wisconsin stop built into their tour schedules, and it's uncommon for a tour to play multiple dates within the region in the same year.
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