As of this fall, your musical aspirations will become a reality as the Fairfield Theatre Company opens the doors to The Warehouse, a brand-new music venue situated in downtown Fairfield, adjacent to FTC’s StageOne theatre.
This 640-seat, 8,000-square-foot venue will allow FTC to bring larger bands into the community without the exorbitant prices that some large venues charge. Aside from hosting a variety of bands, The Warehouse will also host film, theatre, expos, fundraising galas and community events of which will certainly generate a considerable amount of revenue for the Fairfield County community.
When announced in February, it was reported by Executive Director John Reid that FTC had reached 80 percent of its $1.5 million campaign budget. As of now, FTC reports being 90 percent of the way to their budget, allowing them to open their doors on Sept. 17 for their first-ever concert at The Warehouse featuring Rusted Root.
The Warehouse will also become the fourth installation for FTC, sharing the spotlight with the likes of the Norwalk Concert Hall in Norwalk, The Klein in Bridgeport and StageOne in Fairfield. The Warehouse will also become the third-largest venue under the FTC name, boasting three times as many seats as StageOne (the smallest FTC venue) and half as many seats as The Klein (the largest FTC venue).
Known for featuring some of the most high-quality musicians such as Umphrey’s McGee, B.B. King and Mickey Hart (of The Grateful Dead), The Warehouse will keep the tradition alive with their newly announced schedule for the upcoming season featuring the likes of Melvin Seals and the Jerry Garcia Band (Oct. 22), Misfits (Oct. 29) and the Marshall Tucker Band (Dec. 17).
Reid stated: “This is just the tip of the iceberg of the many great shows we will be announcing over the next several weeks in our new venue – The Warehouse at FTC. The creation of this venue has been a labor of love by the entire community and we are thrilled to be able to give back by offering some fantastic music, film and art right out of the gate.”
Unique to this venue will be the design element, blending the authenticity of the FTC concert experience with the technology of high-caliber venues. The building was designed by the Michael Smith Architects company, who aimed to encompass an industrial feel to the venue without losing the intimacy between the audience and the performers. A world-class sound and lighting system has also been installed into the venue to ensure the most optimum concert experience in the Fairfield County.
And what’s most convenient about The Warehouse is the fact that this new venue is on the StagBus route, allowing students to get off at the Fairfield Metro train station and simply walk over. FTC also aims to attract the college community further with future EDM and rock concerts as well as planned student discounts with the University’s StagCard program.
One of the biggest concerns for FTC though is the lack of college student participation in FTC concerts and events despite attracting over 50,000 people and $1.5 million in revenue last year. With The Warehouse, FTC aims to entice Fairfield University and surrounding universities to get out and enjoy what FTC has to offer.
The general response among the campus community has been generally favorable, with most unfamiliar with FTC but interested in their upcoming seasonal schedule. “As an avid music fan, having a place nearby offering national touring acts would be awesome,” said Kailyn Stephens ‘18.
“It’s hard to go to concerts while at school because I usually would have to pay through the roof for transportation as well as the ticket, [but] this would make concert-going a lot easier and more affordable,” she said.
The Warehouse 2015 Schedule
Rusted Root – 9/17
The Weight – 9/25
Steel Pulse – 9/30
Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes – 10/02
ALO – 10/06
Blue Oyster Cult – 10/16
Average White Band – 10/17
Melvin Seals & JGB – 10/22
MountainFilm on Tour – 10/25
Misfits – 10/29
Marc Broussard – 11/01
The Revivalists – 11/08
Steve Hackett (of Genesis) – 11/22
The Alternate Routes – 12/05
Lez Zeppelin – 12/12
Marshall Tucker Band – 12/17
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