I was at the very first concert that was performed at the Verizon Wireless Arena in November 2001. In fact, prior to the arena being built, I worked with a local community group to help bring the arena to town. I even called my local representative and tried to convince him that it was a good idea. And, I attended the grand opening celebration. I have to admit that it was exciting to finally walk through the doors of that place with its external flying saucer-like appearance.
The civic center looms over the city now, an arc twisting its way over a rejuvenated city. The lights are back on in Manchester, and all because of a building constructed in what used to be a parking lot on a street with two dead ends that darts north-south across the city.
However, if it wasn't for the hockey franchise that came to town, the arena may never have been built. But, it's the acts that the building attracts that have revived a city that had lost its heartbeat.
Besides my first concert (Aerosmith), I also saw Creed, B.B. King, Blue Man Group, Cher and several other acts over the years. I've also seen a few hockey games there (and I'm no hockey fan). Now that it's been six years (soon there will be a generation that will have grown up with the arena cemented in place), I have begun to wonder what others think about the arena and the acts they bring to town.
Personally, I love the intimacy of the arena. I love bumping into old friends at shows. I love that you don't have to struggle with long lines of traffic (if you know your way around) and I love that you don't have to commute to Boston to see the bands that previously never would have made a stop in the Granite State.
Have you seen a great show here in Manchester? I'd like to hear your experiences. Who would you like to see perform in the coming years? Be realistic. The arena can only hold between 10,000-11,000 people. So, don't expect the Rolling Stones to show up anytime soon. But, there are plenty of acts that work for Manchester. So let's discuss the possibilities.