The Music City Brings a New Series to Pinewood Bowl

Recently the Star City added a unique series of six summer concerts to Lincoln’s already full schedule of musical performances. The concerts took place at Pinewood Bowl, an outdoor theatre located in Lincoln’s lush, wooded Pioneers Park, and all featured national artists. The evergreen surroundings made a cool venue according to performers and they had a genuinely good time connecting with the audience in the intimate setting. The warm summer weather made the Pinewood Bowl a perfect location for the shows. Food and beverages, including beer, were available for the concerts, which helped make each a fun way to spend a summer evening in Lincoln.

The six 2012 summer concerts at Pinewood Bowl Theater were declared a resounding success by the Pershing Center/ SMG officials who organized the series. The six shows attracted diverse crowds with a range of musical styles from the ’60s folk rock of Crosby, Stills & Nash to the blues of B.B. King and Robert Cray to the indie rock of My Morning Jacket and Counting Crows. Pinewood Bowl’s capacity was set at just over 4,000 for reserved seat shows and at a little over 5,000 for the two general admission shows. Pop band Train’s August 2nd concert and the August 20th performance by British folk rock band Mumford and Sons sold out quickly. The other shows were nearly sold out.

“It lived up to all of our expectations and beyond,” said Pershing/ SMG general manager Tom Lorenz. “I would say it’s a foregone conclusion we’ll do it again.”

In other words, the organizers are busy planning an equally impressive series of concerts for the summer of 2013.

The Pinewood Bowl Theater was built by Lincoln in 1946-47 when the city felt the need for a larger venue to hold open air church services for the airmen stationed at Lincoln’s air base. The Capitol steps just weren’t big enough anymore! Easter services are still held at Pinewood Bowl every year.

Take time to enjoy the famous Pioneers Park, as you make your way to the Pinewood Bowl. The 668-acre site is the result of a WPA project in 1930 and includes 440 acres of native tall-grass prairie, eight miles of hiking trails, outdoor exhibit animals, and several gardens.

“We’re hoping this becomes a new Lincoln tradition, to be honest,” said Lynn Johnson, director of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department. “We would call this a total success. The shows were very well received. It was so much fun to see that big stage used the way it was designed to be used.”

Check www.pinewoodbowltheater.com for information about upcoming shows for the summer.