Beaver's new concert stage opens this weekend: Here's what you need to know
BEAVER ― The first concert at the Beaver Pool House Civic Center takes place Saturday, starring the Kenny Rogers Band featuring national recording artist Don Gatlin on vocals.
The show begins at 6 p.m. from the outdoor stage of the civic center, located at the former Beaver pool house.
Things for concertgoers to know:
Tickets: available in advance by calling 724-650-3960 and will also be sold at the door the day of the show. The cost is $30 for a furnished seat, $25 for bring-your-own chair.
Parking: is free in the center's new lot, as well as existing lots next to the Shaw Park tennis courts and pavilion, and in front of the Beaver Area High School auditorium.
Concessions: Bottled water, pop and chips will be sold.
BYOB: Adults 21-and-older may bring their own beer or wine.
The concert begins at 6 p.m. with Beaver County classic rock group The Project Band followed by outlaw country/ hillbilly rock and roll group the J. Craiger Band.
The headlining Kenny Rogers Band includes guitarist Randy Dorman, keyboardist Steve Glassmeyer and bassist Chuck Jacobs, all key parts of the touring group during superstar Rogers' late-1970s/'80s reign on the country and adult contemporary charts, The band also includes Gene Sisk, Brian Franklin and Mike Zimmerman who played with Rogers for 24, 19 and seven years, respectively, as well as touring with Crystal Gayle, Alan Jackson, Tracy Byrd and other country stars.
The show's frontman Gatlin, a charting country act with his brother, Darryl, in the early 1990s, has been based in the past few decades in Nashville, finding success as a songwriter and national touring act with his group, Savannah Jack.
Gatlin said this about the Beaver show.
"Growing up in Beaver County playing all the county fairs and carnivals like Patterson Township, Chippewa, and the Shaker Woods Festival in Columbiana, were all great memories when I was a kid. Then I moved to Nashville and got to pursue my dream, which is still going strong to this day and to return to Beaver County at such a beautiful venue as the brand-new Beaver outdoor amphitheater with the Kenny Rogers Band is beyond wonderful. These guys are the guys; it’s not a tribute, they toured with Kenny for 40 years all over the world. And myself and my band Savannah Jack got to open for Kenny Rogers 66 times, and I got to write two songs ("Something's Wrong in Vegas" and "I Won't Forget) for the great Kenny Rogers.
"When I was living in Brady Run, I used to think about how great it would be just to meet Kenny Rogers never dreaming I would be on the road with him," Gatlin said. "I hope all my friends from the past show up. It’s going to be a special night and I hope to make some new friends July 13 I truly love Beaver County and the Pittsburgh area. I am a die-hard Pirates, Penguins and Steelers fan. I've got some really special shows coming up this year including some cool TV spots, but nothing is more exciting than coming to Beaver July 13 with the Kenny Rogers Band."
Future uses
The name of the new venue has changed several times since construction began, though according to Beaver Manager Dan Madgar, borough council has chosen the name Beaver Pool House Civic Center. The center already has opened as a rentable facility for graduation parties, meetings, weddings, bridal showers and other events.
"This is good for a few concerts a year," Madgar said. "We're not looking at having a concert every week."
Beaver Area Memorial Library is partnering with the borough to host a Wonders of Wildlife event at the new center.
A veteran's breakfast also is being planned for autumn.
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This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Beaver's new concert stage opens this weekend: Here are things to know
