Slideshow: Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront takes center stage

With a free concert of local artists providing a sound check of sorts, the new Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront officially opened this week and is kicking off its inaugural season this weekend.

The 7,500-capacity venue on the Tredegar hillside ran out of tickets for its Sunset Soundcheck concert Wednesday evening featuring Richmond artists Andy Thomas, Deau Eyes and the Prabir Trio. The event served as a test run for the amphitheater’s opening season that starts Saturday with Rick Springfield taking the stage.

Red Light Management and Live Nation Entertainment have booked over 30 shows with such names as Widespread Panic, “Weird Al” Yankovic and the Dave Matthews Band, whose manager, Coran Capshaw, led the $30 million development through his Charlottesville-based Red Light Ventures.

Classic rockers Kansas and 38 Special had been booked tonight as the season opener, but the concert was rescheduled to later this month because of a band member’s illness.

But the venue’s first performance actually took place Wednesday morning, hours before the free show, with a miniconcert by the fifth-grade string ensemble from St. Andrew’s School in nearby Oregon Hill.

The first song played? “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”

Fifth-graders in Oregon Hill’s St. Andrew’s School Advanced Music Ensemble perform at the opening ceremony.

The performance concluded a formal opening ceremony that included Richmond Mayor Danny Avula, past and present members of City Council, and representatives with Live Nation and Allianz Partners.

The insurance company, which has a major office presence locally and provides event ticket insurance through venue promoter Live Nation Entertainment, nabbed the naming rights to the venue last fall. Since then, Virginia Credit Union also signed on as a sponsor, with its own signage at the venue for the amphitheater’s Virginia Credit Union Concert Series.

Wednesday’s ceremony included remarks from Kelly Flanigan, Live Nation’s president for the Virginia, D.C. and Maryland region; Ricky Horwitz, Allianz’s chief sales officer for global travel; and Rebecca Street, Live Nation’s general manager for Allianz Amphitheater.

Street, who grew up in Richmond, said the venue was designed with the community in mind and with input from neighbors and the city. Local architecture firm 3North designed the venue, and Charlottesville-based Martin Horn was the lead general contractor, working locally with downtown-based Conquest, Moncure & Dunn.

“With stunning views of the James River and the downtown skyline, the venue truly immerses concertgoers in the heart of this city,” Street said in the ceremony. “From the beginning, our goal was clear: to build a gathering place that reflects our rich history, celebrates its beauty and invites the community to come together. This space is designed to be accessible, inclusive and welcoming.

General Manager Rebecca Street discusses Allianz Amphitheater following Wednesday’s ceremony.

“We listened closely to our neighbors, and what we heard was a desire for something locally grounded and full of soul,” she added. “Today, with the opening of Allianz Amphitheater, we take that vision and bring it to life with world-class music, unforgettable experiences and a commitment to being a long-term partner with this city.”

In his remarks, the mayor noted that Richmond has long been passed over by artists in favor of venues in other cities. With the amphitheater, Avula said, “Now we’re changing that.

“We’re going to bring huge names and tons of fans into the city more than 30 times a year, and this gives us a place that we can be proud of and that we can not only see great acts and have great parties, but also develop some revenues, which we all could use,” Avula said. “We’re pretty excited about that.”

A release that went out after the ceremony included comments from Capshaw, who said the amphitheater “speaks to Richmond’s thriving music scene and our dedication to bringing great artists to vibrant communities.”

Deau Eyes’ Ali Thibodeau chats with fans as Andy Thomas performs Wednesday.

Capshaw added: “We’re excited to collaborate with Live Nation and the city of Richmond to create a destination where artists can shine and fans can experience live music in an unforgettable setting.”

The venue showcases the site’s historic features, including stonework along the canal, an old train trestle and other ruins. 3North was also involved with the Tredegar restoration that created the American Civil War Museum and offices where the firm was once based. Tredegar’s Company Store building serves as the venue’s box office.

The venue is expected to create more than 300 jobs initially and generate $30 million in tax revenue for the city over 10 years, with 2,000 new jobs with a minimum average annual wage of $85,000 to be added over that time. City Council approved incentives and a property tax grant performance agreement to support the development through tax rebates over 10 years.

The facility will feature local food vendors as well as national names that Live Nation does business with at other venues. Existing parking in the area is expected to accommodate the amphitheater, as it does for the Richmond Folk Festival and Friday Cheers.

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