PNC Bank Arts Center facts for kids
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| Former names | Garden State Arts Center (1968-96) |
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| Address | Exit 116, Garden State Parkway Holmdel, NJ 07733-1974 |
| Coordinates | 40°23′36″N 74°10′32″W / 40.393414°N 74.175562°W |
| Public transit |   Aberdeen-Matawan North Jersey Coast Line
(via shuttle bus) |
| Owner | New Jersey Turnpike Authority |
| Operator | Live Nation |
| Type | Amphitheater |
| Capacity | 17,500 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1964–1968 |
| Opened | June 12, 1968 |
| Expanded | 1996 |
| Construction cost | $6.75 million |
| Architect | Edward Durell Stone |
The PNC Bank Arts Center is a cool outdoor concert place in Holmdel, New Jersey. It used to be called the Garden State Arts Center. About 17,500 people can fit inside. There are 7,000 seats, and another 10,500 can sit on the grassy area.
Concerts happen here from May to September. They feature 45-50 different shows with many kinds of music. This venue is one of the top five most successful outdoor concert places in the country. It's also one of two big outdoor arenas in the New York City Metropolitan Area. The other is Jones Beach Theater on Long Island. Both places are managed by Live Nation.
Contents
History of the Arts Center
The idea for this outdoor theater came from a law in 1954. This law also created the Garden State Parkway. It said there should be fun places along the Parkway. In 1964, Telegraph Hill in Holmdel was chosen. It was picked to be a "cultural and recreational center" for music and performing arts.
The famous architect Edward Durell Stone designed the amphitheater. It had open sides and a large, round roof. This roof was supported by eight big concrete pillars. When it first opened, it had 5,197 seats. There was also space for about 5,000 more people on the lawn outside. It's super easy to get to from the Parkway.
Opening Day and Early Shows
The Garden State Arts Center first opened on June 12, 1968. The first show featured pianist Van Cliburn and the Philadelphia Orchestra. The Arts Center was run with the New Jersey Highway Authority. This group also managed the Parkway. Famous singer Judy Garland performed here on June 25 and 26, 1968.
At first, the Arts Center had lots of classical music and popular music. They also offered many free daytime programs. These were for schoolchildren, older adults, and people with disabilities. Starting in 1971, a special group also held International Heritage Festivals. These celebrated different cultures like Scottish, Slovak, German, Polish, and African American heritage. These festivals stopped in 2015.
During the colder months, the Arts Center is usually quiet. However, they do have a Holiday Light Spectacular show around Christmas. There's also a banquet hall on the property. In 1995, the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans' Memorial was added to the Arts Center grounds.
New Name and Bigger Space
In the 1990s, the Arts Center changed its focus. They started having less classical music. The people running the venue wanted to make it bigger. This would help it compete with other large outdoor theaters.
Before the 1996 season, they made a big expansion. They added 2,000 more seats. Some of these new seats were outside the original roof. They also made the lawn area twice as big. They did this by removing trees and raising the ground around the venue.
In 1996, PNC Bank bought the right to name the venue. They paid $8.5 million for 10 years. So, the name changed to PNC Bank Arts Center. Some state senators, Joe Kyrillos and John O. Bennett, were not happy about this. They felt the name "Garden State" was part of New Jersey's history. They tried to pass a law to move state money from PNC Bank.
Holiday Light Spectacular
The PNC Bank Arts Center has one of the most amazing drive-through light shows. It's in the tri-state area. You drive about 2.5 miles (4 km) through a forest of lights. Over 5 million lights are used in more than 225 displays. The show usually runs from late November to January 2.
The lights are set up in the parking lot on a special road. As you drive, a radio station plays Christmas songs. At the end of the display, there's a Winter Village. It has a snack bar, an ice rink, and a shop. You can buy smaller versions of the light displays there. Some very large displays stay up all year. The show was stopped in 2008. But it came back for the 2014-2015 holiday season after seven years.
Performers and Music Festivals
One of the most popular performers at the Arts Center is James Taylor. He has played there almost every year since it opened. He is one of the few artists to perform three nights in a row. Interestingly, Bruce Springsteen, a famous New Jersey musician, didn't play there much until 2006. He played two concerts as part of his Seeger Sessions Band Tour. On July 1, 2014, he joined Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys on stage. They sang "Barbara Ann" and "Surfin' U.S.A." together.
Glen Campbell recorded his album, Glen Campbell Live, here on July 4, 1969. This album did very well on the music charts. The next year, Dionne Warwick had a hit song, "Make It Easy on Yourself", recorded at the venue. Parts of Jackson Browne's 1977 album Running on Empty were also recorded here. The Allman Brothers Band recorded part of their live album, An Evening with the Allman Brothers Band: 2nd Set, at a show on August 16, 1994.
The amphitheater has also hosted many music festivals. These include the Area Festival, Crüe Fest, Crüe Fest 2, the Gigantour, Lilith Fair, the Mayhem Festival, Ozzfest, Projekt Revolution, the Uproar Festival, and the Vans Warped Tour.
A Disagreement Over Music
On August 24, 1990, singer Sinéad O'Connor was set to perform. The venue usually plays the American national anthem before the main show. O'Connor said she didn't know about this rule until just before her show. She refused to go on stage if the anthem was played. The venue agreed and didn't play the anthem, so she performed. However, they later said she could not perform there again.
O'Connor explained that she had a rule not to play any country's national anthem before her concerts. She said she meant "no disrespect." But she would not perform after an anthem in a country that "imposes censorship on artists." This event caused a lot of discussion. Some radio stations stopped playing her songs.
Concert Crowd Issues
On June 28–29, 2000, there were some issues during two concerts by the band Phish. After the band broke up, Phish's guitarist Trey Anastasio played at PNC several times. Phish returned to the venue on May 31 and June 1, 2011, and again on July 10, 2013.
Venue Rules and Safety
On May 18, 2007, Gwen Stefani performed the first show of the season. There were many reports about young people not following rules in the parking lot. This led to a lot of local news coverage. Several people needed medical help.
The venue then announced a strict policy. They would not allow rule-breaking in the parking lot. For the next concert, Fall Out Boy on June 6, more state troopers were present. They were there to help keep everyone safe. People living nearby said that following rules had always been a challenge at the venue.
To address these safety concerns, rules about drinks in the parking lots were changed on August 17, 2007. This policy has since been updated. Now, certain events allow "tailgating" and drinks in the parking lots. PNC later shared a list of which events would allow tailgating. Shows for younger audiences usually do not allow it. Shows like Kenny Chesney's concerts often do.
See also
- List of contemporary amphitheatres
- Live Nation
- List of New Jersey music venues by capacity
