Live Nation gives first look at Citizens Live at the Wylie as construction continues
PITTSBURGH —
Soon, Pittsburghers will have a new place to watch concerts, comedy shows, and other live performances when Citizens Live at the Wylie opens Oct. 1.
On Tuesday, Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 was invited inside for a first look at the construction progress.
The venue is located in Pittsburgh’s Lower Hill District neighborhood which served as the source of inspiration for much of the design.
“For us, we build venues that have soul,” said Sara Silvestri, the Design Manager with Blueprint Studio. “We want to become part of that neighborhood. We want to become sort of ingrained and woven into the fabric of those communities.”
The first stop of the tour was at the top of the main stairs in an area referred to by the designers as the “piano bar.”
Upon completion, the space will feature a number of nods to Pittsburgh’s past, including a Charles “Teenie” Harris photo gallery.
Harris was a renowned photographer who captured the heart and soul of the Hill District through his photos.
“A lot of the details that you’re seeing in this space are really inspired by the things that we saw in his work,” Silvestri said on the tour.
For example, the palm trees behind the bar were based on similar scenes portrayed in Harris’ pictures.
An upside-down mirrored piano that will hang from the ceiling will pay homage to the old Crawford Grill, a legendary Hill District jazz club.
“That’s something that we discovered while looking through Teenie Harris’ photos,” Silvestri added.
The next stop on the tour was the balcony overlooking the stage. According to Tom Loudermilk, the Market President for Live Nation Pittsburgh, the venue holds up to 4,300 people.
The capacity is reduced to 2,700 for performances with a seated floor setup.
Two of the venue’s bars are located on each side of the balcony, so guests don’t have to miss the show to get a drink.
“I think it’s an incredibly intimate space. I think no matter where you are, you have an amazing view of the stage and the artist,” Loudermilk told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 Reporter Jordan Cioppa.
The same can be said about the artist’s view of the audience.
Designers said the furthest seat in the house is under 150 feet away from the edge of the downstage.
“It’s at 124 (feet). And that 150-foot mark is the furthest distance you can be from somebody before you start to lose the fidelity of the features of their face,” Silvestri said.
A ticket to an event also gains guests access to an outdoor roof deck which looks out to Downtown Pittsburgh.
“This is not going to be a premium or VIP space,” Loudermilk said. “Any fan can come up here. There’ll be lounge furniture, there’ll be pavers, there’ll be floral décor, there’ll be things up here, there’ll be a bar.”
Lastly, the tour ended on the stage, where performances will begin in two months.
Tickets are on sale for more than 30 shows.
“We don’t want anybody playing Philadelphia and playing Detroit and skipping Pittsburgh. We want to bring as many artists to Pittsburgh to experience the community, and to continue that cultural legacy moving forward,” Loudermilk said.
Role Model will be the first performer to take the stage on Oct. 1.