Budweiser Stage Ramps Up for Another Season with the Biggest Line-Up in Venue History
The countdown begins to Opening Night at Canada's premier music venue for a big summer of music
Plus Venue Upgrades, Free Wi-Fi, New Food Options and More
TORONTO, May 14, 2018 /CNW/ - Live Nation and Budweiser Canada are excited to welcome music lovers back to Budweiser Stage for another massive summer season. This year boasts the venue's largest line-up to date with nearly 60 musical acts scheduled to take the stage in 2018, kicking off with Opening Night on May 24th featuring Broken Social Scene and Portugal. The Man followed by Kendrick Lamar with Sza and Schoolboy Q, Slayer, Keith Urban, Ms. Lauryn Hill, and more throughout the summer.
"Last year was definitely a landmark year for the venue and together with Live Nation, we are continuing to channel our shared passion and commitment for music to create the ultimate live music experience at Budweiser Stage pre, during and after the show," said Mike D'Agostini, director of marketing, Budweiser Canada. "This all starts with Opening Night, a new tradition we want to help bring to the city of Toronto that music fans can look forward to each and every year."
To celebrate the new concert season and to get music lovers excited for the upcoming acts, Budweiser Stage is counting down to Opening Night by taking its iconic Budweiser Stage Marquee around Toronto. On each day of the 10-day countdown, a coveted Budweiser Stage Season Pass will be given away to a lucky fan, which means a pair of tickets to every single show this season. Follow @BudweiserStage on Instagram to learn how*.
As part of the multi-year agreement between Budweiser Canada and Live Nation, elevating the live music experience for fans at Budweiser Stage remains at the core of every decision made, starting from the moment each fan walks through the front gate. In addition, to the list of new features and venue transformations launched last year, music fans can expect an even more amped-up venue experience with new features, food and beverage choices along with some of the hottest names in music.
"Over half a million fans came to Budweiser Stage last year and we're excited to welcome back concertgoers to enjoy the best of summer with world class artists, more upgrades, more choices and new experiences," said John May, president of media and corporate partnerships, Live Nation Canada.
New features include:
- Opening Night – Starting this year, Budweiser Stage will be kicking off the season with 'Opening Night', a special night designed to get the summer started. In addition to the existing venue elements fans already enjoy on-site like the Artist Walkway, pre-show food at Bud & Burgers, and the iconic Marquee Sign, fans will also get treated to a night packed with music, surprises, and more.
- Country Megaticket – Returning after a brief hiatus, the Country Megaticket presented by Budweiser, offers ticket holders reserved seats to each country show at the venue, access to the pre-show concert party and exclusive chances to win special surprise experiences. The 2018 Country Megaticket promises to be huge with eight shows available such as Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum & Darius Rucker, Dean Brody and Jason Aldean, to name a few.
- Budweiser Brewery Fresh – For the first time in Canada, Budweiser Brewery Fresh will be delivered straight from the local London, ON, brewery to provide music fans with the freshest Budweiser. Available at a new point of service at the top of the lawn, premium copper tanks will be serving Budweiser Brewery Fresh beginning on Opening Night.
- Upgraded Lawn Speaker System – All speakers on the lawn at the venue have been updated with state of the art Adamson Line Array Sound System. Lawn ticket holders will now be able to benefit from the highest quality audio possible in an outdoor venue.
- Venue WiFi – A venue first, concert-goers will be able to stay connected and share music memories in real-time faster with the Budweiser Stage free WiFi network on any mobile device. Fans sitting in the Box Seat area will also be able to order food and beverages to be delivered right to their seat.
- New Food Options – Fans looking to grab a bite at the venue will now have more options. Budweiser Stage will be offering new, crowd-pleasers like chicken and vegetarian quesadillas while also adding fries to the fan-favourite Bud & Burgers, featuring Webers famous charcoal barbequed hamburgers. For premium ticket-holders, Budweiser Stage has partnered with The Drake to create an elevated culinary experience with more choices and items from the restaurant's menu.
Returning features include:
- Budweiser River Bar – Designed to extend the music experience at Budweiser Stage, the venue will feature pre-and-post show entertainment on select nights for fans to enjoy at the River Bar, located within the venue gates. Last year, over 30 acts were featured, with more than 40 performers slated to take the River Bar stage this year.
- Budweiser Stage Marquee – Returning as one of the most Instagrammed icons at Budweiser Stage, the Marquee will continue to be updated to showcase who's performing and act as a welcome backdrop for music fans all summer long.
- Artist Walkway – Once again, the venue's Artist Walkway will showcase fresh new pieces by 20 local visual artists, depicting the 2018 summer music line-up in their own unique style.
- Uber Zone – Budweiser Stage will feature a designated Uber pick-up zone, offering fans more convenient transportation options to ensure a safe ride home.
- Merchandise Store – Consumers will have the chance to purchase venue merchandise, including lawn blankets, custom sunglasses, and more. Fans can check out our Merchandise Store starting on Opening Night.
For more information and tickets on the summer music line-up, visit LiveNation.com. Venue photography is available for download here.
*Must 19 years of age or older and no purchase necessary to participate in contest.
Budweiser and music
As the world's first truly global beer brand, Budweiser has invested in music – a global, social experience – as a key priority. Budweiser's well-attended and popular music events include the largest country music festival, Stagecoach Music Festival and the world's largest EDM festival, TomorrowLand. In Canada, Budweiser is currently involved in largescale music events like Rockfest and the Calgary Stampede. In addition to Budweiser Stage, music fans will see the partnership between Live Nation and Budweiser in action across the country, with Budweiser as the new, lead beer sponsor at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver, as well as at select Live Nation concerts and festivals, including Trackside in London, Ontario, One Love in Calgary, Alberta and many more.
About Budweiser Canada
Budweiser – the King of Beers – has been brewed since 1876 under the highest quality standards. Brewed in Canada for more than 35 years, Budweiser uses only the finest ingredients without any artificial ingredients, additives or preservatives. Budweiser is distinguished by its clean, crisp, distinctive flavour, the result of a unique beechwood aging process.
About Live Nation Entertainment
Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world's leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, Live Nation Media & Sponsorship and Artist Nation Management. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com.
SOURCE Budweiser Stage
Tamar Nersesian, Sr. Communications Manager, Labatt Breweries of Canada, [email protected], 416-361-5247; Leanna Rizzi, Account Manager, Veritas Communications, [email protected], 416-955-4580; Erin Smyth, Sr. Director Marketing, Live Nation, [email protected], 416-260-4226
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