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Turner Hall Ballroom poised to become a concert venue
The worst-kept secret in the local music industry is about to become official.
After several years of renovations and months of negotiations, Historic Turner Hall is about to join the list of Milwaukee music venues.
For several weeks, the concert industry site Pollstar.com has listed a handful of shows for Turner Hall, including a Josh Rouse date Friday, Oct. 26, a show by They Might Be Giants on Friday, Nov. 9 and a bill with Bobby Bare Jr. and Lucero on Sunday, Nov. 11.
Officials at The Pabst Theater, who apparently will promote the shows at Turner Hall, have declined comment about the specifics while details of licensing and other logisitical matters were being finalized.
Apparently, the issues have been ironed out: word on the street is that more than a dozen new shows will be announced later this week.
Monday afternoon, we typed "turnerhall.org" into our Web browser and were directed to The Pabst Theater site.
Turner Hall, which is located directly across from the Bradley Center at 1034 N. 4th St., is known to many Milwaukeeans as a bar/restaurant that is famous for pre-and post-game beverages and a longstanding Friday fish fry.
The ballroom, upstairs from the restaurant, is a two-story, 7,000-square foot space with a 31x56-foot raked stage on the east end and an expansive balcony that sweeps around the west and north ends. Concerts in the ballroom are expected to comfortably handle crowds of about 600 people.
From the late 19th century on, the Ballroom was used for a wide array of social, cultural and political events. The ballroom was damaged by fires in 1933 and 1941, but the Turner Ballroom Preservation Trust was established by members of the Milwaukee Turners and was charged with renovating the room and preparing it for public use.
It is expected that Marc Solheim, who recently quit his gig booking shows at The Mad Planet to join The Pabst staff, will be involved in booking Turner Hall.
Stay tuned to OnMilwaukee.com for more on this story. In the meantime, here is a list of dates Turner Hall dates featured in Pollstar.com:
Friday, Oct. 26 -- Josh Rouse and Maria Taylor.
Friday, Nov. 9 - They Might Be Giants.
Sunday, Nov. 11 - Lucero and Bobby Bare, Jr.
Saturday, Nov. 17 - Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings
Wednesday, Nov. 28 -- A Day to Remember, Bayside, Driver Side Impact, June, The Sleeping.
Talkbacks
jetkat | Oct. 1, 2007 at 2:08 p.m. (report)
Yep, once in a while you have to go to the live show to support the music/the band; even if it's the Rave. There are a lot of shows I don't go to because of their issues mentioned here. Mad Planet's schedule looks a little thin ; is Marc's departure from booking there going to affect the Planet's viability ?
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alba | Sept. 28, 2007 at 2:06 p.m. (report)
Some bands keep booking shows at the Rave, despite the fact that the acoustics are really bad and the place is a hole. Some bands just like certain venues maybe if they are treated well they want to come back. Springsteen played at the Bradley Center for his Devils and Dust tour and actually closed off more than half the venue with curtains and limited the seating to make it more intimate. Why didn't he play the Pabst, Riverside, or Milwaukee Theater instead, where the site lines and acoustics are better? I haven't had a good time at the Rave there since I was moshing to Little Blue Crunchy Things 15 years ago, but I still go once in awhile for a show I just can't miss. Even if the show isn't good, watching it at the Pabst make it good. Plus the drinks are 1/3 the price and the parking and safety are a lot better. I'm looking forward to seeing some Turner Hall shows.
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sandstorm | Sept. 28, 2007 at 12:40 p.m. (report)
Peter Jest cries over every successful venue other than his own. besides, i was only kidding earlier. maybe Pete's grown up a bit.
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curlyboy1978 | Sept. 27, 2007 at 8:37 a.m. (report)
Why do you people continue going to the Rave/Eagles if you hate it that much? And where is Peter Jest crying foul over the success of the Pabst/Riverside management?
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Adam | Sept. 26, 2007 at 7:41 p.m. (report)
I was at the Rave in 1994 for the band "Sugar" -- I was sitting watching the show and I swear it was raining on me. Unless it was some drunk...
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