More than 50,000 smiling faces left the Paul McCartney concert no doubt wanting more, a spokesman for Power Promotional Events said yesterday.
“People are going to say, ‘this is my chance to see another world-class legendary act,’ ” Greg Cox said above the bustle of the Halifax Common yesterday, where crew members are already preparing for this Saturday’s KISS show.
Cox said people are more likely to come out to see KISS now that they have seen how smoothly the McCartney show went.
He said the Common is the perfect platform to stage events of this magnitude – now and in the future.
“When you can pull together such a perfect venue, it opens the door for any other act in the world.”
Halifax Regional Municipality Mayor Peter Kelly was ecstatic about Halifax’s international exposure.
“Paul McCartney is certainly an artist that brings a lot of attention wherever he goes,” Kelly said.
He added this is not the last world class act Halifax will host. He mentioned there have been several discussions of other acts to play the Common, and if all goes well, next summer will be no exception.
Paul McCartney Live in Halifax will be featured on pay-per-view starting Thursday, and might be made into a DVD, which Kelly believes will surely leave “long lasting positives vibes from around the world about our city.”
Halifax has been building a repertoire of big names since 1984, when Pope John Paul II graced an audience of 80,000 on the Common. In 2006, 50,000 fans put up with pouring rain for the Rolling Stones concert, leaving the Common in shambles. Last summer, Country Rocks brought 30,000 Keith Urban fans to the venue, and the McCartney concert brought in about 50,000 fans, which does not include the several thousands who filled the surrounding streets and apartment balconies or watched from Citadel Hill.
Cox said the success of this event has definitely put Halifax “on the map for world class entertainment.”
