What superstar recording artist will make their Spokane debut in 2024 or 2025?
Matt Meyer asked himself that question last week after learning that Spokane made a massive jump in the entertainment world.
The Spokane Arena director of entertainment was ecstatic when Pollstar, the leading entertainment industry publication, noted that Spokane, courtesy of the Spokane Arena and First Interstate Center for the Arts, had the biggest jump of any market in the world for live events moving up 29 slots from 2022 to 2023. Spokane made the dramatic leap from 102 to 73.
“We initially thought our position was in the country, but it’s in the entire world,” Meyer said, while on break during a conference in New York City. “It just wasn’t explained well when we received the news. Regardless, we’re ecstatic.”
The numbers, a $36 million gross, which is a 5% increase, should help attract major players.
“What this does from a marketing perspective is show how economically stable our community is,” Meyer said. “Spokane can and will support big shows.”
In 2023, Shania Twain, the Foo Fighters, Chris Stapleton, Adam Sandler, Tool and Journey all headlined the Spokane Arena, which has a 12,500 capacity. Each show grossed more than $1 million.
“We couldn’t be more pleased to book these shows that packed the Arena,” Meyer said.
Meyer is compiling a wish list and is working on making his dreams a reality.
“I would love to have Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band,” Meyer said. “I would also like Pearl Jam, the Killers, Kings of Leon, Jack Harlow and Lil Nas X to come to town.”
Meyer would love to attract those who rarely tour for possible one-off shows.
“It would be great to bring somebody to town like Miley Cyrus,” Meyer said. “Miley doesn’t like to tour. It would be so cool to have someone like her come to Spokane.”
ONE Spokane Stadium will help Meyer’s cause since the venue has a 15,000 capacity.
“We’re very excited about who we can book at the Stadium,” Meyer said. “We’ll have some cool shows this summer.”
The first announcement, a July concert with a popular recording artist performing at the ONE Spokane Stadium, will be made in March. Expect more significant concerts to be slated thanks to the Pollstar numbers. Another possible benefit from the Pollstar news is debunking the myth that Spokane can’t host a recording artist that is also performing in Seattle.
“We’re hoping to eradicate that (misnomer) about how a musician can’t play Seattle and Spokane on the same tour,” Meyer said. “I go back to the Paul McCartney show (in April 2022 at the Spokane Arena). That show grossed over $3 million and then there were two McCartney shows (at Climate Pledge Arena). All three of the shows sold out and the total gross was over $11 million. So artists can play Spokane and Seattle.”
Part of the reason there is a school of thought that Seattle is the lone concert destination in the Evergreen State is how many folks from other parts of Washington travel to the Emerald City for shows. However, it works both ways.
According to Meyer, many folks trekked through the Cascade mountains to catch the Foo Fighters in August.
“We can tell by ZIP codes where people are coming from,” Meyer said. “So many people traveled from Seattle and Portland to see the Foo Fighters at our Arena last summer. When you look at our success and what’s on the horizon you can see how economically healthy and prosperous Spokane is.
“We’re not this small, tertiary city. The reality is that we’re a good secondary market that will continue to grow and attract some amazing recording artists that will give the city a boost.”
