I don’t know if you saw the story last week announcing the Nightfall series lineup, but there was an intriguing comment in it from Chattanooga Presents president Carla Pritchard.
She is the person who is primarily in charge of booking the event and has done so for more than 25 years. She said that it was particularly difficult to find acts that meet the Nightfall criteria this year because other venues, particularly Revelry Room, have stepped up their game and booked many of the same acts she was considering.
Barry CourterShe was in no way complaining, and in fact readily agrees that even if it makes her job a little tougher, it is a very good thing for the city’s music scene.
Since it started in 1992, Nightfall has had a couple of goals. The first was to bring people back downtown so they would shop and eat. The second was to introduce people to music and acts they’d maybe never heard of before. Because it is free, Nightfall doesn’t have to worry about ticket sales. It has been successful in both regards, though it sure didn’t happen overnight.
Because Pritchard has done such a good job of booking quality acts, it has built up a trust with its audience. We hear people all the time say, “Never heard of them, but I know it will be good,” when talking about Nightfall.
It is important to note that this has not happened elsewhere. Chattanoogans have seemed very reluctant to check out an act who doesn’t have a hit song on a popular radio station, especially when they have to pay. Until now maybe.
Or perhaps it is out-of-town fans who are buying up tickets at the local venues. In any case, for every Elton John or James Taylor we book, we now also get Liz Vice and Lalah Hathaway.
* What started out as a kind of quirky way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a relatively small event in the parking lot at WDOD-FM 96.5 has grown into a full-blown event at First Tennessee Pavilion.
The Running of the Chihuahuas 9 is mostly a sporting event involving tiny racing canines, but it also has live music, food and drink and a general party atmosphere. The musical lineup for the event, set for May 7 from 2 to 7 p.m., will be announced on Hits96 today beginning at noon with a new act released on the hour until 7 p.m.
At that point, the station will begin playing songs from each act. Making the announcements will be a member of the syndicated “Kidd Kraddick Morning Show,” which is carried locally by the station.
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.