Wednesday, April 7, 2004

Council shifts 1 of 4 Bravo concert dates

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By GREGORY FOLEY
Express Staff Writer

With speculation mounting about which artists will play in Ketchum this summer, the City Council Monday, April 5, endorsed a request to change one of four previously approved dates for concerts on the Park and Ride lot.

The decision came after the council on March 15 approved a permit for Boise-based concert promoter Bravo Entertainment to hold concerts in Ketchum on June 29, July 6, Aug. 4 and one evening from June 22 to 24.

On Tuesday, hours after the council endorsed a plan to switch one concert from the June 22-to-24 slot to July 15, a concert-related Web site posted the names of three of the potential Bravo performers.

The Web site, www.pollstar.com, listed Jonny Lang as the June 29 artist, The Allman Brothers Band as the July 6 band, and Journey as the planned performance for the Aug. 4 date.

However, city planner Danelle Stern said Tuesday that Bravo—or the city—could not confirm that those performers were contracted to play on those dates.

"Those are the confirmed dates but are not necessarily the confirmed bands," she said, noting that Bravo does not plan to confirm the names of the bands until the artist for the new July 15 date is booked.

On Monday, Councilwoman Terry Tracy voted against city approval for use of the Park and Ride lot on July 15. Tracy said she was convinced a concert on that date would draw people away from a planned July 18 fundraising event for the Expedition Inspiration nonprofit organization.

"There are only so many people with so much money willing to go to so many events," she said.

She added: "This is a terrible thing for the whole community."

Council members Baird Gourlay and Randy Hall disagreed with Tracy.

"We’re not trying to close doors, we’re trying to open them up," Gourlay said.

Bravo is expected to announce the confirmed list of artists by next week.

Bravo plans to call the Park and Ride Lot—located at the corner of Warm Springs and Saddle roads—the Ketchum-Sun Valley Pavillion.

Council members last month tentatively agreed to allow Bravo to sell 4,000 tickets to each approved event.

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