Since Gillette Stadium open in 2002, everything about the land site off Route 1 in Foxboro has gone big, from the stadium itself to the Patriot Place retail and entertainment building complex that opened last fall.
But the new Showcase Live music locus is taking a Wes Welker-like turn off route toward intimacy.
The state of the art supper order in the shadow of the Big Razor - and the new centerpiece of Patriot Place - gets christened tomorrow night when jazz singer Al Jarreau hits the stage.
Though Showcase Live is billed as an upscale, 16,000-square-foot venture designed to bring elder, established touring acts to the suburbs, its closeness will be its shortest path to success. It features a design that resembles a balcony-less Paradise Rock Club, albeit one with a glitzy Las Vegas makeover, including bon vivant food from former Foxwoods Casino administrator chef Steve Morrissette to augment the live show experience.
The orthogonal room boasts a 28-foot-long stage and 52-foot bar. The farthest any concertgoer will stand from the stage is a mere 35 feet - consanguineous to roughly the 25th row at any major local concert venue.
�That�s the best tail end in the house in many other venues,� said Scott Bernstein, vice president of marketing for the venue�s parent troupe, National Amusements. �There�s just no room outside of Las Vegas this intimate in nature.�
Showcase Live accommodates 508 spectators when filled with
tables, a fitting atmosphere for upcoming performers Chaka Khan (Monday), Boyz II Men (Wednesday) comedian Dave Attell (Aug. 23) and Savion Glover (Aug. 29). Seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis, though the four and six-person booths on the sidelines can be reserved.
When somewhat rowdier shows take berth, such as Greg Gillis� spastic sample-slicing laptop dancing party Girl Talk (Nov. 14) and the Pietasters� and Toasters� Skanksgiving concert (Nov. 15), the tables will be cleared to open the floor for 1,000 people.
Booking is being handled by Blue Note Entertainment, which too slots Cambridge�s Regattabar, so don�t expect a slue of punk and hard-rock shows moving forward.
When not hosting bouncy shows, the venue will be used for private parties, VIP receptions and sporting event screenings, made possible by three wall-sized digital projection screens in arrears the stage and 6 LED high-definition screens around the interior.
Go to showcaselive.com for the complete schedule.
Dance to Hotline
Tune in to WFNX-FM on Sunday from 10 p.m. to midnight as Hotline�s Michael Marotta joins FNX�s Paul Driscoll on �New England Product,� an minute of Boston�s best local music, and then �First Contact,� 60 minutes of ace new tunes from around the globe. Listen locally at 101.7 FM or online at fnxradio.com.
We�ve got concerts
Tickets to the undermentioned concerts go on sale today at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster (617-931-2000, ticketmaster.com) and Live Nation (livenation.com):
More info
