Last Friday, I saw Rex Orange County in concert at The Wang Theatre and it was the most seamless concert process I’ve ever experienced.
This wasn’t just because my friend handled buying our tickets or that the Wang Theatre is right down the street from my campus, but because Rex Orange County is currently on a theater tour.
A theater tour is exactly what it sounds like–A concert performed in theaters instead of concert venues. Boston has some incredible concert venues: TD Garden, The House of Blues, MGM Music Hall, Paradise Rock Club, Roadrunner, etc. But Boston also has some beautiful, historic theaters that I feel are being underutilized by artists on tour (that are coincidentally a part of Emerson’s campus): The Colonial Theatre, The Cutler Majestic, Citizens Opera House, Strand Theatre, Boch Center, etc.
Not only are these theaters beautiful but they are located right in the center of the city, amidst the bustling theater district where Suffolk and Emerson students live, study, and work.
The friend I attended the concert with broke her ankle a few months ago and had to wear a boot to the event. Injured limbs are a bummer at concerts if you have general admission tickets. There’s standing in line outside, crowding in general admission sections, stress to get inside and find a good spot, and of course, standing for the 2+ hours of the concert.
But as this was a theater tour, there was no general admission, only select seating. This eliminates the need for a long line wrapped around the building for hours prior to the concert because everyone already knows where they’ll be.
There was no line as we approached the theater so we walked up to the door, our tickets were scanned and we were free to go to our seats, and buy drinks or merch. The process of getting into the building lasted maybe 20 seconds, which is the shortest amount of time it’s taken me to get into a concert venue ever.
We had plenty of legroom and were able to sit down before the concert started which helped us keep our energy up once Rex came out on stage. And my friend with the boot could sit down whenever she needed to.
Everything about the Wang Theatre is breathtaking. The building is 95 years old but the chandeliers still sparkle. The lobby itself has marble columns, a domed, painted ceiling, and ornate gold detailing. It felt like I was in a European cathedral, not like I was about to listen to thousands of college students singing “You’re gonna wanna be my best friend baby!” This was a different kind of worship.
Traditional concert venues are great for bigger crowds to pack themselves in so there is more of an opportunity to get tickets, which is the only issue with the concert tour idea if the artist wants to make the most money on tickets possible. But I think the luxury of not having to wait in line to get into a venue is a big enough sell for me to attend more theater tours if my favorite artists are booked there.
So this is my call to booking agents for music artists: Book the artist a theater to perform in. Their fans will thank you for it.