Alpine Valley Music Theatre
Encyclopedia
Alpine Valley Music Theatre is a 37,000 capacity amphitheatre
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
, in East Troy, Wisconsin
East Troy, Wisconsin
East Troy is a village in Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,564 at the 2000 census. The village is located southeast of the Town of East Troy. A small portion extends into the adjacent Town of Troy...
. The seasonal venue was built in 1977 and it features a characteristic wooden roof, covering the 7,500-seat pavilion
Pavilion (structure)
In architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...
and a sprawling lawn.
The theatre is located roughly equidistant between Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, Milwaukee, Rockford
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
, and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, and therefore draws a wide regional audience.
Alpine Valley is generally considered the Milwaukee stop on major tours and the Chicago stop when the act doesn't perform in Illinois.
Until 1993, when the San Manuel Amphitheater was built in California, it was the largest amphitheater in the United States.
Notable performers
Boz ScaggsBoz Scaggs
William Royce "Boz" Scaggs is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He gained fame in the 1970s with several Top 20 hit singles in the United States, along with the #2 album, Silk Degrees. Scaggs continues to write, record music and tour.-Early life and career:Scaggs was born in Canton,...
headlined the venue's inaugural event on June 30, 1977.
Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett
James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
played at Alpine Valley, during its inaugural summer of 1977 and he has played every year since 1995, with the exception of 2005.
The Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
played at Alpine Valley 20 times from 1980 through 1989. Their album, Dick's Picks Volume 32
Dick's Picks Volume 32
Dick's Picks Volume 32 is the thirty-second installment of the Dick's Pick's series of Grateful Dead concert recordings. It is a two CD set that contains one complete show, recorded on August 7, 1982 at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin.An outdoor theater in rural southeastern...
, was recorded here in 1982 and their concert performance video, Downhill From Here, documents concerts from 1989.
Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
have performed here thirteen times since 1977, including the venue's inaugural season.
Boston
Boston (band)
Boston is an American rock band from Boston, Massachusetts that achieved its most notable successes during the 1970s and 1980s. Centered on guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and producer Tom Scholz, the band is a staple of classic rock radio playlists...
had a four night stand here from August 6–9, 1987 during their Third Stage
Third Stage
Third Stage is the third album by American rock band Boston released September 23, 1986 on MCA Records. The album was recorded at Tom Scholz's Hideaway Studio over a six-year period "between floods and power failures"...
World Tour, the band's first since 1979.
The Theatre hosted the Monsters of Rock
Monsters of Rock Tour 1988
The Monsters of Rock Tour 1988 was a festival tour of the USA in 1988, headlined by hard rock band Van Halen as part of their promotion for their OU812 album with heavy metal band Metallica as well as other bands including Scorpions, Dokken, and Kingdom Come. It formed the first section of the...
Festival, on three consecutive nights, from May 27-29, 1988, featuring Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
, Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, Scorpions
Scorpions (band)
Scorpions are a heavy metal/hard rock band from Hannover, Germany, formed in 1965 by guitarist Rudolf Schenker, who is the band's only constant member. They are known for their 1980s rock anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and many singles, such as "No One Like You", "Send Me an Angel", "Still...
, Dokken
Dokken
Dokken is an American heavy metal and hard rock band formed in 1978. They split up in 1989 but reformed four years later. The group accumulated numerous charting singles and has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide...
and Kingdom Come
Kingdom Come (band)
Kingdom Come is a hard rock band fronted by Hamburg-born vocalist Lenny Wolf. The group's first album, Kingdom Come was that band's only international hit. It currently consists of an entirely German line-up.-History:...
.
The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in 1989. Their discography includes nine studio albums, four live albums and several charting singles. The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer George Drakoulias and released their debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, the...
filmed their "Hard to Handle" video here.
On August 26, 1990, Stevie Ray Vaughan
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Stephen Ray "Stevie Ray" Vaughan was an American electric blues guitarist and singer. He was the younger brother of Jimmie Vaughan and frontman for Double Trouble, a band that included bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton. Born in Dallas, Vaughan moved to Austin at the age of 17 and...
played at the Theatre, with his group, Double Trouble
Double Trouble (band)
Double Trouble was the backing rhythm section for Texas blues rock guitarist and lead vocalist Stevie Ray Vaughan. Originally consisting of drummer Chris Layton and bassist Tommy Shannon, Reese Wynans would later join the outfit on keyboards.-History:...
and other blues greats Robert Cray
Robert Cray
Robert Cray is an American blues guitarist and singer. A five-time Grammy Award winner, he has led his own band, as well as an acclaimed solo career.-Career:...
, Buddy Guy
Buddy Guy
George "Buddy" Guy is an American blues and jazz guitarist and singer. He is a critically acclaimed artist who has established himself as a pioneer of the Chicago blues sound, and has served as an influence to some of the most notable musicians of his generation...
, Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
, and his brother Jimmie Vaughan
Jimmie Vaughan
James Lawrence "Jimmie" Vaughan is an American blues rock guitarist and singer from Dallas, Texas, United States. He is the older brother of the late Stevie Ray Vaughan....
. After the concert, Vaughan left the theatre area in a helicopter to return to Chicago, and he and four others were killed when the helicopter crashed into a ski hill within the Alpine Valley resort.
Rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
filmed their video for "Same Ol' Situation
Dr. Feelgood (album)
*Disc one contains the original albumThe original Korean LP edition does not contain the first two tracks, "T.N.T. " and "Dr...
" at a concert here in 1990
1990 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1990.-Events:*January 21 – MTV's Unplugged premieres on cable television with British band Squeeze...
.
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
performed two shows on May 24 and 25, 1991, being opening nights of the marathonic "Use Your Illusion Tour
Use Your Illusion Tour
The Use Your Illusion Tour was a concert tour by the rock band Guns N' Roses which ran from January 20, 1991 to July 17, 1993. It was not only the band's longest tour, but one of the longest concert tours in rock history, consisting of 194 shows in 27 countries...
".
Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
played Alpine Valley 11 times from 1996–2000, 2003–2004 and 2009-2010. Their live album, entitled, Live Phish Volume 5
Live Phish Volume 5
Live Phish Vol. 5 was recorded live at Alpine Valley in East Troy, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 8, 2000.At the time of its release, the album received a mixed reaction from fans, as it seemed to be a rather standard Phish concert compared to other shows from the band's 2000...
, was recorded here on July 8, 2000. Alpine Valley is one of the sacred venues of Phish, along with Deer Creek Music Center, Hampton Coliseum
Hampton Coliseum
The Hampton Coliseum is a multi-use cultural, entertainment and sports arena in Hampton, Virginia. Construction on the arena began on May 24, 1968 and the venue opened in 1970 as the first large multi-purpose arena in the Hampton Roads region and the state of Virginia, opening a year prior to...
, Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, The Gorge Amphitheatre
The Gorge Amphitheatre
The Gorge Amphitheatre is a 20,000+ seat concert venue, located above the Columbia River in George, Washington. It offers lawn-terrace seating and concert-friendly weather....
and Shoreline Amphitheatre
Shoreline Amphitheatre
Shoreline Amphitheatre is an outdoor amphitheater, in Mountain View, California, USA, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Inside the venue it has a capacity of 22,500, with 6,500 reserved seats and 16,000 general admission on the lawn...
, among others.
The annual Ozzfest
Ozzfest
Ozzfest is an annual festival tour of the United States featuring performances by many heavy metal and hard rock musical groups. It was founded by Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon Osbourne, both of whom also organize each yearly tour with their son Jack Osbourne...
tour comes here almost every year and the CD, Ozzfest 2001: The Second Millennium, is culled from performances here.
The Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
has played a two night stand each year at Alpine Valley, since 1999, except for 2000. Lead singer/guitarist Dave Matthews
Dave Matthews
David John "Dave" Matthews is a South African–born American musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band...
has stated multiple times that Alpine Valley is one of, if not the band's favorite place to play. The Dave Matthews Band's live release, Live Trax Vol. 8
Live Trax Vol. 8
Live Trax Vol. 8 is the eighth album in the Live Trax live album series by the Dave Matthews Band. The album was recorded on August 7, 2004 at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin. The show features the band's first, and to date, only performance of "Super Freak," played as a...
, was recorded on August 7, 2004, during their two night stand at Alpine Valley. They also released Live Trax Vol. 15
Live Trax Vol. 15
Live Trax Vol. 15 is a live album by Dave Matthews Band, and is the 15th volume in the band's Live Trax series. The album was recorded on August 9, 2008 at Alpine Valley Music Theater in East Troy, Wisconsin....
, which was recorded on August 9, 2008.
Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
played here in the summer of 2005. It was their largest American show ever, as it sold out the entire venue. Their last appearance at Alpine Valley was on July 25, 2009.
Korn
Korn
Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
recorded footage for their video, "Politics", during the Alpine Valley stop of the Family Values Tour
Family Values Tour
The Family Values Tour was created by the band Korn in 1998 to be an annual rock & rap tour.The tour began in 1998 and would take the year off in 2000, due to heavy competition from other tours, such as the Anger Management Tour and the Summer Sanitarium Tour. After a four year hiatus, the Family...
in 2006.
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
played a concert at Alpine Valley, with Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, United States, formed in 1997. The band's line-up has always included founding member Josh Homme , with the current line-up including longtime members Troy Van Leeuwen and Joey Castillo , alongside Michael Shuman and...
, for their only announced solo show in August 2007.
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
, Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
and Phish have all regarded Alpine Valley as one of their favorite venues to play. Dave Matthews has stated many times that Alpine is the band's favorite place to play. Former Phish road manager Brad Sands regards Alpine Valley as his favorite venue to see the band. Pearl Jam also played the venue in 2011, as part of their 20th anniversary celebrations
Pearl Jam Twenty Tour
The Pearl Jam Twenty Tour was a concert tour by the American rock band Pearl Jam to celebrate the band's 20th anniversary. The tour consisted of a two-day festival at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin on the Labor Day weekend, and was followed by ten shows in Canada, ending...
.
The Architecture of acoustics makes this unique structure a performer and fan favorite. There is no back wall to echo and distort the sound from the stage. The shape of the ground is taken straight from the Greeks, but it is stretched out to about a 33^ slope upwards from the stage to accommodate more people and more sound. But what makes this amphitheater great is the multiple arched vaulted wooden ceiling. The wood is parallel to the direction of the sound and carries it smoothly to the top of the hill making the cheap seats (the lawn)even sound great. This effect is slightly amplified by the cone shaped arched vaults. This not only enhances the fans experience but also gives the performers great fan feedback. In the latest show "PJ 20" September 3rd,4th 2011, (is already being called the greatest rock show of 2011 ), The crowd was clearly audible singing along with each Pearl Jam song. The best Fan made Audio recordings on "YOUTUBE" came from the lawn where the speaker system did not over ride the small video camera microphones.