Lady Antebellum sets new Coliseum attendance record

Lady Antebellum performs at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, in Bloomington. (Photo by Buck Stevens/B104)

BLOOMINGTON – Another country act, another record.

Lady Antebellum set a new single-event attendance record last weekend at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum in downtown Bloomington. The country trio drew 8,307 people Sunday, nudging Kenny Chesney’s 2009 show (8,256 attendees) into the No. 2 spot.

PHOTO GALLERY: Check out B104′s photo gallery from the Lady A show.

The difference-maker was the use of standing-room-only on the main floor, instead of reserved seating, said Coliseum assistant general manager Traci Andracke.

“For Lady Antebellum, it was general admission, standing-room-only, so we’re able to fit a few more people down on the floor,” she said. “When we opened the doors on Sunday night at 5:30 p.m., we already had people waiting in line for six hours, so that was their chance to try and get front and line to get up close to the stage.”

Andracke said it’s a strategy the Coliseum will try again in the future, though it’s also up to the artist and “what they want to see” from the stage.

“Being on the floor, it can enhance your experience, if you get to dance the whole time or get the opportunity to get up-close to the stage,” she said.

Busy weekend

The Coliseum hosted five events in four days last weekend, keeping the venue’s operations crew busy.

A comedy show – the first Coliseum event ever to feature “in the round” seating – was held Friday, with big-name headliners Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall and Larry The Cable Guy. A Central Illinois Drive basketball game was scheduled for Saturday afternoon, then a Bloomington Blaze game in the evening. The Lady A show was Sunday night, and then the crew changed back to hockey for a Monday night Blaze game.

The Drive game (2,310 people) and first Blaze game (3,785) also set announced attendance records for their respective seasons, Andracke said.

“We’re thrilled to have had all of those events in the same weekend, and to have them be so successful,” Andracke said.

Ryan Denham can be reached at ryan@wjbc.com.