Blackham Coliseum
Encyclopedia
Blackham Coliseum is a multipurpose arena in Lafayette, Louisiana
. It was built on the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
campus in 1949 as the home to the then-named SLI
Bulldogs, now called the Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball
teams. It remained the home for the men's team until the Cajundome
was completed in 1984. The women still play the majority of their games at Blackham Coliseum. It hosted the Southland Conference
men's basketball tournament in 1982.
Today it is still in use, seating 5,500 for basketball and up to 9,800 for concerts. It also features 25,000 square feet (2,300 m²) of space at the main arena with two barns adding an additional 46,500 square feet (4,300 m²) of space. Altogether, the three buildings can also be used for trade shows, rodeos and conventions. It was home to the Lafayette Wildcatters of the Southern Indoor Football League
for their 2009 season, and in fall 2009, the revived Louisiana IceGators
began play there as a member of the Southern Professional Hockey League
.
In April 2009, the venue held its first heavy metal concert, the 2009 No Fear Music Tour featuring Lamb Of God
, As I Lay Dying
, Children of Bodom
, God Forbid
and Municipal Waste.
The venue serves as home to the Grammy-styled, annual Le Cajun Music Awards Festival held every August by the Cajun French Music Association, an association of Cajun music
enthusiasts for the preservation of the Cajun music, language, heritage and culture.http://www.cajunfrenchmusic.org/music/lecajun.htm
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
. It was built on the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette, or UL Lafayette, is a coeducational, public research university located in Lafayette, Louisiana, in the heart of Acadiana...
campus in 1949 as the home to the then-named SLI
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette, or UL Lafayette, is a coeducational, public research university located in Lafayette, Louisiana, in the heart of Acadiana...
Bulldogs, now called the Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball
Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball
The Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball program represents intercollegiate men's basketball at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The school competes in the West Division of the Sun Belt Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and play home...
teams. It remained the home for the men's team until the Cajundome
Cajundome
The Cajundome is a 13,500 seat multi-purpose arena in Lafayette, Louisiana. It is home to the Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns basketball teams of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette Wildcatters of the Southern Indoor Football League and the Louisiana high school basketball state...
was completed in 1984. The women still play the majority of their games at Blackham Coliseum. It hosted the Southland Conference
Southland Conference
The Southland Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the south central United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it participates in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision...
men's basketball tournament in 1982.
Today it is still in use, seating 5,500 for basketball and up to 9,800 for concerts. It also features 25,000 square feet (2,300 m²) of space at the main arena with two barns adding an additional 46,500 square feet (4,300 m²) of space. Altogether, the three buildings can also be used for trade shows, rodeos and conventions. It was home to the Lafayette Wildcatters of the Southern Indoor Football League
Southern Indoor Football League
The Southern Indoor Football League was an indoor football league based in the Southern and Eastern United States. The most recent incarnation of the league was a consolidation of an earlier league of the same name that was formed by Thom Hager along with Dan Blum, Robert Winfrey and Dan Ryan in...
for their 2009 season, and in fall 2009, the revived Louisiana IceGators
Louisiana IceGators
The original Louisiana IceGators were an ECHL team based in Lafayette, Louisiana from 1995 until the end of the 2005 season. The team played its home games at the Cajundome and were last an affiliate of the NHL Minnesota Wild and the AHL Houston Aeros....
began play there as a member of the Southern Professional Hockey League
Southern Professional Hockey League
The Southern Professional Hockey League is a low-level professional ice hockey league based in Charlotte, North Carolina, with teams located in the southeastern United States.- History :...
.
In April 2009, the venue held its first heavy metal concert, the 2009 No Fear Music Tour featuring Lamb Of God
Lamb of God (band)
Lamb of God is an American heavy metal band from Richmond, Virginia. Formed in 1994, the group consists of vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell, and drummer Chris Adler...
, As I Lay Dying
As I Lay Dying (band)
As I Lay Dying is an American metalcore band from San Diego, California. Founded in 2000 by Tim Lambesis and having completed their first Line-up in 2001, the band consists of vocalist Tim Lambesis, drummer Jordan Mancino, lead guitarist Nick Hipa, rhythm guitarist Phil Sgrosso, and bassist Josh...
, Children of Bodom
Children of Bodom
Children of Bodom is a Finnish heavy metal band from Espoo. Formed in 1993, the group currently consists of Alexi Laiho , Roope Latvala , Janne Wirman , Henkka Seppälä , and Jaska Raatikainen...
, God Forbid
God Forbid
God Forbid is an American heavy metal band formed in 1996 in East Brunswick, New Jersey.-Biography:Building up a following in the late 1990s by touring with bands such as GWAR, Nile, Cradle of Filth and Candiria, God Forbid's first full album Reject the Sickness was released by 9 Volt Records in 1999...
and Municipal Waste.
The venue serves as home to the Grammy-styled, annual Le Cajun Music Awards Festival held every August by the Cajun French Music Association, an association of Cajun music
Cajun music
Cajun music, an emblematic music of Louisiana, is rooted in the ballads of the French-speaking Acadians of Canada. Cajun music is often mentioned in tandem with the Creole-based, Cajun-influenced zydeco form, both of Acadiana origin...
enthusiasts for the preservation of the Cajun music, language, heritage and culture.http://www.cajunfrenchmusic.org/music/lecajun.htm