The Brown County Music Center is regaining its footing from the pandemic, scheduling shows that had been postponed or canceled due to COVID-19.

Now that their doors are open and performers are ready to take the stage again, the calendar of shows at the BCMC is filling up with acts of all genres as the fall season rolls around, bringing national acts to Nashville.

The audience depends on the artist, Webb said. The larger the artist, the farther visitors will travel to see a show.

Bob Weir was a show where guests traveled from out of state, and Webb said he expects the same for Jeff Beck, who takes the stage in October.

Beck will be joined by actor and musician Johnny Depp. More than half of available tickets have been sold for that show and Webb said it will be pushed to sell out.

“I am very excited for some of the larger names,” Webb said, mentioning Beck and Rick Springfield, who will perform in January.

A couple of comedians have been confirmed for 2023, whose names will be released soon.

“We’re very excited about getting in the comedy game,” he said.

“Very excited about everything that’s moving forward.”

The music center is still under the two-year mark, Webb said, so to break into certain performing groups like Bobby Weir with the Grateful Dead or Lindsey Buckingham, a former member of Fleetwood Mac, is an accomplishment.

“We’re excited that we continue to grow and find (new acts),” he said.

He said it’s not just great for the music center, but they’re excited to bring different demographics into Brown County.

“Every time we get a new genre of artist, we’re excited because it hopefully brings new people to experience Brown County and Nashville,” he said.

The center continues to grow its social media following, with nearly 43,000 followers on Facebook, which Webb called their “money-maker.”

As of July 21, a total of 20 shows had graced the stage and 17 were announced. Four or five were not announced at that point.

Close to 29,000 tickets have been redeemed at the box office this year so far, with more than 15,000 tickets sold for shows still to come.

Webb said the BCMC has seen an increase in attendance since health checks were removed a few months ago.

Webb presented the Convention and Visitors Commission a breakdown of tickets sold, with more than 10% going to Marion County residents.

Bartholomew County made up 7.54% of sales, 6.58% to Monroe County, followed by Johnson, Hamilton, Morgan and Jackson Counties.

Brown County had purchased the fewest tickets, making up 2.44% of sales.

Total liquid assets for the music center as of July 21 were $1,579,453.06.

BCMC received $1.795 million from the Shuttered Venue Operators grant program last summer, approved as part of a federal COVID-19 stimulus package.

After the initial grant was awarded, BCMC received another round of funding from the program, bringing the total amount received to $2.737 million.

That money ran out in June, Webb said.

The music center started charging for parking in July, adding a $10 fee. Those funds that will be reinvested into parking lot upgrades.

“Unfortunately it’s an operational decision I had made based on finances and things that need to be done,” he said in July, the weekend before it was implemented.

More than a month after the change, Webb said the transition has gone fairly smoothly.

“Change is difficult for a lot of people, understandably so,” he said.

The initial plan was to coordinate with local charitable groups, who would volunteer in the parking lot and have a portion of parking fees donated to their organization.

That has not worked out so far, Webb said last week.

If people don’t want to park at the music center, they can be shuttled from Brown County Inn or the Seasons, an initially free service that is now $5 per rider.

The cost will directly offset the shuttle cost, which Webb said has been an operational loss for BCMC since opening.

Webb said the move will help continue upgrading the parking lot. The first phase was doubling the amount of spots which comply with the American Disabilities Act.

Currently the parking lot is gravel, which has been a safety issue for some, Webb said.

By the end of this month, about a quarter of the lot is expected to be paved, Webb said.

“The ultimate desire is to give guests best experience we can,” he said.

If the parking lot fills to its capacity, an extra $5,300 per show can be generated, adding an extra estimated $312,000 of revenue per year.

Eventually, a 50- to 60-spot parking lot, called the “VIP” parking area, will be added where guests can park for a higher fee of $20 per spot.

With a VIP lot, an extra $75,000 could be brought in on top of the $312,000.

He told the CVC in July that there was not a rush to pave, but that process will start this month.

Webb said the BCMC had a “great June” financially, but they also had issues arise with security cameras and the HVAC system.

“I need one month where nothing goes wrong and everything goes right. We’re just continuing to work,” he said.

Checking in with finances

Brown County Convention and Visitors Commission President Barry Herring said in July bringing in $360,000 per year for parking is more than half the annual mortgage payment.

“That again makes the likelihood of tapping into innkeepers tax that much less,” he said.

There are two entities in the county that are contracted to either receive innkeepers tax as part of their budget or have it pledged to cover mortgage payments when there is not enough operating revenues to do so: The Brown County Convention and Visitors Bureau, which is contracted to market Brown County using the tax funds, and the 2,000-seat Brown County Music Center.

The CVC manages innkeepers taxes, a 5% tax on overnight room rentals in Brown County and contracts with the CVB for marketing. Before the venue was built, the CVC and other government boards signed off on pledging the innkeepers tax as a backup revenue source for the music center if there is not enough operating income to cover mortgage payments.

So far, $749,585.51 has been deposited to the Brown County Auditor’s Office in innkeepers tax, about $17,000 less than this time last year.

CVC Vice President Kevin Ault said he does not believe that innkeepers tax will exceed the $1.2 million amassed in 2021, but it will be close.

“Month to month, it’s staying pretty close to the same (as last year),” he said.

So far, the music center has not had to tap into innkeepers tax to pay the mortgage, Webb said.

In 2020, the CVC approved an amendment to the administration agreement to change how the $1 million capital improvement fund could be spent. Originally that fund was to be set aside for major building repairs and had to be at $1 million before profit from the music center could be split between the county and the Brown County Community Foundation.

The administration agreement states that once the capital improvement fund was at $1 million, remaining profits would be split 25/75 between the county and BCCF with the foundation receiving 75 percent. No money has been given to the county or the foundation yet under that agreement, which is separate from the payments made to the county in lieu of property taxes.

The amendment allows the music center to also spend the $1 million capital improvement fund on ticket refunds and operating losses.

Herring said last year he expected the music center to make enough profit in 2022 to give back to the county and the community foundation.

The amendment was also approved by the venue’s building corporation, management group, the State Bank of Lizton and the commissioners.

Webb told the CVC in July that the music center will be announcing sponsorships with companies like Pepsi, which will have an effect on revenue.

“If we can get that stuff going, it’s more found money and these numbers start changing drastically,” he said.

CVC member Jim Schultz said in defense of poor numbers, 2022 is still technically a “COVID year,” recovering from cancellations made through the pandemic.

Webb shared with the CVC at their July 21 meeting that the BCMC was in a cash shortfall of about $216,000.

While the music center generates a “fair amount” of revenue from ticket sales, Webb said that money is not recognized until after the show plays off.

“A show like Emmylou Harris has a large amount of cash in our bank (account), but it’s not our money ‘til she plays,” Webb said last week.

“That money goes to her first and foremost, then to expenses and overhead. If there’s anything leftover that goes into the operating income field.

“We have cash but we don’t,” he said.

The hope is that after everything is paid, there will be funds that go back into the operating income, but it cannot be recognized until it’s official.

There are four full-time staff members, and paid part-time staff of stagehands and the box office department.

Webb said they continue to hire and are always looking for good people in stagehands or interns in the office.

They also don’t turn down any volunteers, he said, and those interested can join the volunteer team through the website.

The venue will move away from a cashless venue in the near future, he added.

Rocking on

As the music center heads into its fall season, audiences can choose from the extensive list of diverse and well-known performers.

Grammy-winning Emmylou Harris will take the stage on Sept. 9. As of last week, only 50 tickets were left.

The small-town venue is no stranger to the music industry’s biggest names, with people like Lindsey Buckingham, formerly of Fleetwood Mac, performing Nov. 3. He has released seven studio and three live albums as a solo artist.

Guitarist Jeff Beck will take center stage on Oct. 19, joined by actor and musician Johnny Depp. Beck has earned eight Grammy awards.

Lee Greenwood will perform on Oct. 20. Greenwood is most known for his signature song “God Bless the U.S.A.,” which was originally released and successful in 1984. Greenwood has earned multiple Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music awards, a Grammy award for Top Male Vocal Performance and many other honors.

Easton Corbin will perform on Sept. 16, followed by Tracy Byrd on Sept. 22.

Corbin has amassed seven Top 10 singles and three American Country Awards and Byrd became a household name in 1993 when his single, “Holdin’ Heaven,” hit No. 1 on the Billboard country charts.

Groups like Air Supply, Sawyer Brown, the Marshall Tucker Band and Yes will perform locally throughout the fall as well.

Air Supply will be here Sept. 30. The Australian duo celebrated a 40th anniversary in 2015 and continues to perform for audiences all over the world.

Country group Sawyer Brown will perform on Oct. 8. The band auditioned for the TV show “Star Search” in 1983 and won the $100,000 grand prize that came with a record contract. Their hits include “Step That Step,” “Some Girls Do” and “Thank God for You.”

The Marshall Tucker Band will perform on Oct. 21. The band is known for its hits including “Heard It in a Love Song” and “Can’t You See.”

The rock group Yes will perform at the music center on Nov. 5, on tour for the 50th anniversary of its album, “Close to the Edge.”

“Menopause the Musical” will take center stage on Oct. 1. The musical is now in its 20th year and 16th as the longest-running musical in Las Vegas history.

County artists Lorrie Morgan and Pam Tillis will perform on Oct. 7 as part of their Glitz and Glamour Tour. Combined, they have recorded 28 top 10 hits and have sold more than 18 million records.

Joe Satriani will perform on Oct. 23. The guitarist has released 19 studio albums and is the founder of the all-star “G3” extravaganza. Satriani released his new album, “The Elephants of Mars” on April 8.

As we head into the holiday season, shows to the music center will share Christmas favorites.

Phil Vassar and Deana Carter will perform on Nov. 26 as part of their “Coming Home for Christmas” tour. Vassar is a two time ASCAP Songwriter of the year and Carter is a folk singer and songwriter from Nashville.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy will perform its Wild &Swingin’ Holiday Party on Dec. 7. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy is an American swing and jazz band known for unique arrangements of classic holiday songs.

Tickets for these shows and others on the venue’s 2022 schedule are available at browncountymusiccenter.com.

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