Since 2001, the Pine Knob title had survived solely in spirit on the venue rechristened DTE Vitality Music Theatre, conjuring the outdated summer time allure of loud and festive live performance nights north of Detroit.
Now, that basic title is headed again to the marquee: Pine Knob Music Theatre is once more the official designation for the beloved Clarkston amphitheater, which routinely ranks among the many top-grossing within the nation.
The Pine Knob renaming was revealed Friday morning by venue operator 313 Presents, following the expiration of DTE Vitality’s 20-year naming deal in late December. New companions United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) and Trinity Well being have been additionally introduced as a part of a multiyear settlement that can hold “Pine Knob” intact for a while to come back.
The corporate additionally unveiled a emblem that harks again to the Pine Knob unique — together with the classic, Seventies-style font — with a brand new twist on its woodsy summer time theme.
The revival of the Pine Knob title, coming because the amphitheater embarks on a fiftieth anniversary celebration, will probably be music to the ears of Michigan music followers, lots of whom continued to make use of the outdated moniker years after the change.
For concertgoers who got here of age within the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s, it may also function a shot of nostalgic consolation after practically two years of pandemic-induced upheaval within the live-music world.
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Affection for the outdated title ran deep, changing into a badge of authenticity for performers and audiences: One of many best applause traces for a visiting artist was an enthusiastic “Whats up, Pine Knob!” from the stage, whereas attire makers discovered a cottage trade with shirts and different objects sporting the slogan “I Nonetheless Name it Pine Knob.”
The resurrection of a basic title marks a uncommon reversal within the fashionable leisure and sports activities world, the place company naming sponsorships have grow to be a multibillion-dollar enterprise and key income supply. Only a handful of A-list live performance venues have withstood the renaming pattern, amongst them New York’s Madison Sq. Backyard, L.A.’s Hollywood Bowl and Colorado’s Crimson Rocks Amphitheatre.
And now Pine Knob, one of many oldest and most profitable U.S. amphitheaters constructed explicitly for in style music, will rejoin that listing of venerable names.
313 Presents touts the Pine Knob renaming as a nod to the previous and a brand new imaginative and prescient for the long run. The corporate is a three way partnership between the Ilitch and Tom Gores leisure operations, additionally overseeing exhibits at Little Caesars Area, the Fox Theatre and several other different venues. The amphitheater was acquired by Gores in 2011 when he bought the Detroit Pistons, the Palace of Auburn Hills and associated pursuits from the Davidson household.
“It’s an ideal milestone. It’s excellent for the fiftieth anniversary. The summer time music season is a ritual for individuals in our a part of the world,” stated Howard Handler, president of 313 Presents. “That is the place you spend loads of nice summer time nights. We’re actually excited for the ‘22 season and the way forward for this complete factor.”
The journey to restoring the Pine Knob title began in 2020, when “we realized the potential to reimagine the partnership mannequin,” Handler stated.
Handler, a metro Detroit native who headed off for govt advertising work with the NFL, Madison Sq. Backyard and Main League Soccer, returned to Michigan in late 2019 to take the 313 reins. He stated he was struck by the enduring resonance of the Pine Knob title practically 20 years after it was retired.
“We realized that DTE was unlikely to return (as naming sponsor), that their priorities had modified, and that we have been ready to have some totally different conversations,” stated Handler, citing talks with UWM and Trinity Well being. “We instructed them our primary concept — ‘hey, we’re fascinated about bringing the unique title again’ — and each of them have been actually, actually excited. They thought it was the neatest factor, and so they needed to take part.”
It concerned what Handler referred to as “an intensive course of to replace the model,” together with analysis that exposed youthful audiences have been accustomed to the Pine Knob title. 313 Presents officers additionally interviewed a whole lot of venue company, distributors and artists.
Troy agency Simons-Michelson-Zieve was enlisted to design the brand new emblem, charged with tapping Pine Knob’s emotional connection within the area whereas giving the symbol a contemporary spin.
“We landed on the clear favourite that touches the suitable buttons by way of music, summer time, enjoyable and open air. We put it via the wringer,” Handler stated. “We hope it strikes the suitable steadiness between tipping our hat to the wealthy recollections and nostalgia, whereas being a recent tackle the scenic panorama that’s symbolic of Michigan’s premier summer time live performance vacation spot. It’s classic, however it’s additionally meant to look towards the long run and be very a lot a twenty first century model.”
The Pine Knob rechristening comes as a part of an anniversary season that can formally mark 50 years on June 25 — the date in 1972 when David Cassidy inaugurated the venue with a day live performance. The Clarkston amphitheater, opened by Joe Locricchio and Gary Francell and operated by the Nederlander household, grew to become a go-to summer time spot for touring bands and native acts comparable to Bob Seger, who finally performed 33 dates on the venue.
The venue acquired by Invoice Davidson from the Nederlanders in 1990.
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As summer time amphitheaters — “sheds” in trade parlance — more and more grew to become the spine of the touring enterprise, Pine Knob soared. By the ‘90s, it commonly ranked first in attendance amongst North American amphitheaters, typically drawing practically 1,000,000 concertgoers yearly.
The venue reassumed that throne in 2019, the final full yr of exhibits earlier than the pandemic, main the nation with 598,617 in attendance, based mostly on knowledge compiled by the commerce journal Pollstar.
DTE Vitality bought naming rights for Pine Knob forward of the 2001 season in an preliminary 10-year deal valued at $1 million yearly. It adopted the merger of Detroit Edison and Michigan Consolidated Gasoline, as DTE grew to become the corporate’s public-facing title. The utility launched into a high-profile branding marketing campaign throughout the area, putting its emblem at middle ice in Joe Louis Area and behind centerfield at Comerica Park.
DTE renewed the amphitheater deal in 2010 with one other 10-year contract, although new phrases weren’t disclosed.
DTE Vitality stated in a Friday assertion it bought the naming rights in 2001 “to solidify the corporate title amongst customers in its service territory.”
“Having achieved our objective, we made the choice to let the contract expire and return these {dollars} again to DTE operations,” the assertion learn.
Pine Knob’s new companions will function prominently on the venue: United Wholesale Mortgage will take over unique naming rights on the west entrance and parking zone. Trinity Well being will do the identical on the VIP entrance and parking zone.
The 2022 anniversary season is shaping as much as be amongst Pine Knob’s busiest in a few years, stated Dave Clark, president of Reside Nation’s Michigan division. Reside Nation books and promotes the majority of the schedule in Clarkston.
This summer time’s calendar already features a host of exhibits initially scheduled in 2020 and 2021, however postponed amid surges of COVID-19 instances, and coming weeks will carry a barrage of recent present bulletins, together with Pine Knob mainstays and first-time headliners, Clark stated.
Clark celebrated the revival of the Pine Knob title as a transfer that can click on with older music followers whereas serving as a dose of “retro cool” for youthful patrons.
“That venue has confirmed to be the glue that holds artists and followers collectively,” Clark stated.
Contact Detroit Free Press music author Brian McCollum: 313-223-4450 or bmccollum@freepress.com.
