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Loverboy lead singer Mike Reno gives a thumbs up while performing at the PremierWest Bank Amphitheater at the Douglas County Fair.
Visitors at next month’s Douglas County Fair won’t have to look around for improvements. They’ll just have to open their ears.
The fair is going to revamp the sound system for its nightly concerts at the fairgrounds amphitheater. The new setup, using scaffolding that will raise the speakers much higher than when they were simply stacked on top of the stage, will allow the music and vocals to spread out more evenly through the crowd.
“The negative part of the old system was that to get the sound back to the bleachers, you had to amplify it really high,” Fairgrounds Director Harold Phillips said. “That meant the people in front got blasted by the sound.”
Moving the speakers off the stage — from sound wings on both sides that measure 20-by-20 feet — will improve the view of the performers from the audience. The fairgrounds also widened the stage area by removing some shrubs. The two changes will provide 2,600 square feet for band members to move around, 800 square feet more than last year.
“It costs more but it will be worth it. People will be able to really enjoy the sound,” Phillips said.
Fans of American Idol finalist Kellie Pickler have purchased the most reserved seat concert tickets for the Aug. 5 to 9 fair. Pickler’s show on Aug. 8 has sold 506 tickets, topping the 478 sold for the Aug. 6 performance by the Doobie Brothers.
Altogether, 1,800 of the $25 reserved seat tickets have been sold. Fans of country singer Rodney Atkins have bought 446 tickets, while those favoring the rock music of Bad Company and the Edgar Winter Group have bought 370 tickets.
At this time last year, 80 more reserved seats had been sold, but many more tickets were purchased for the Poison show than for the other performers. This year, it is much more even for all of the acts, Phillips said.
“I’m very pleased with ticket sales so far,” he said.
The concerts are free with paid fair admission. Only fairgoers wanting seats in front or who do not want to contend with non-reserved festival seating need to buy reserved tickets.
Fairgoers have until July 25 to buy discounted fair admission and carnival ride tickets.
Admission tickets bought before the fair are $7 for adults and $3 for children. They are $1 more after July 25. Tickets for senior citizens are $6 all the time.
Nearly 1,200 adult tickets have been purchased, along with 80 senior tickets and 140 children’s tickets. Another 108 season passes, good for the entire fair week, have been sold.
Carnival tickets are available for $20 for 50 tickets. Without the discount, ticket buyers receive 40 tickets for the same price. So far, 79 sets of tickets have been purchased.
Tickets may be purchased online at www.douglasfairgrounds.com or at the fair office near the main entrance at 2110 S.W. Frear St.
• You can reach reporter John Sowell at 957-4209 or by e-mail at jsowell@nrtoday.com.
The fair is going to revamp the sound system for its nightly concerts at the fairgrounds amphitheater. The new setup, using scaffolding that will raise the speakers much higher than when they were simply stacked on top of the stage, will allow the music and vocals to spread out more evenly through the crowd.
“The negative part of the old system was that to get the sound back to the bleachers, you had to amplify it really high,” Fairgrounds Director Harold Phillips said. “That meant the people in front got blasted by the sound.”
Moving the speakers off the stage — from sound wings on both sides that measure 20-by-20 feet — will improve the view of the performers from the audience. The fairgrounds also widened the stage area by removing some shrubs. The two changes will provide 2,600 square feet for band members to move around, 800 square feet more than last year.
“It costs more but it will be worth it. People will be able to really enjoy the sound,” Phillips said.
Fans of American Idol finalist Kellie Pickler have purchased the most reserved seat concert tickets for the Aug. 5 to 9 fair. Pickler’s show on Aug. 8 has sold 506 tickets, topping the 478 sold for the Aug. 6 performance by the Doobie Brothers.
Altogether, 1,800 of the $25 reserved seat tickets have been sold. Fans of country singer Rodney Atkins have bought 446 tickets, while those favoring the rock music of Bad Company and the Edgar Winter Group have bought 370 tickets.
At this time last year, 80 more reserved seats had been sold, but many more tickets were purchased for the Poison show than for the other performers. This year, it is much more even for all of the acts, Phillips said.
“I’m very pleased with ticket sales so far,” he said.
The concerts are free with paid fair admission. Only fairgoers wanting seats in front or who do not want to contend with non-reserved festival seating need to buy reserved tickets.
Fairgoers have until July 25 to buy discounted fair admission and carnival ride tickets.
Admission tickets bought before the fair are $7 for adults and $3 for children. They are $1 more after July 25. Tickets for senior citizens are $6 all the time.
Nearly 1,200 adult tickets have been purchased, along with 80 senior tickets and 140 children’s tickets. Another 108 season passes, good for the entire fair week, have been sold.
Carnival tickets are available for $20 for 50 tickets. Without the discount, ticket buyers receive 40 tickets for the same price. So far, 79 sets of tickets have been purchased.
Tickets may be purchased online at www.douglasfairgrounds.com or at the fair office near the main entrance at 2110 S.W. Frear St.
• You can reach reporter John Sowell at 957-4209 or by e-mail at jsowell@nrtoday.com.
