ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ) – It will be “Nothing But a Good Time for the Last Time” at the Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena before the 60-year-old building is torn down this spring.
Poison frontman Bret Michaels is set to headline the final concert at the arena. The announcement for the April 6th concert came down Friday afternoon.
“We want to go out with a party and no better way for us to do it than with this announcement,” says Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach.
Streckenbach along with officials from PMI Entertainment made that announcement inside the arena.
They highlighted the fact that Michaels is no stranger to the venue.
“This will be his sixth time here with his band Poison,” explains PMI Entertainment Chief Operating Officer Brendan Bruss.
In fact, part of the music video for Poison’s hit “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” was recorded in the arena.
County officials were ecstatic to find out that Michaels was interested in returning for a sixth time to close down the arena.
“To find out that he would be very interested in closing out this space, this great venue, to me is just really special,” explains Streckenbach.
And with Michaels closing out the venue, the theme for the performance practically created itself.
“The theme of the show is ‘Nothing but a Good Time for the Last Time,’” explains Bruss. “So this will be for all the people that say, I saw my very first show, now is your chance to say I saw the last show.”
The event, which will include a battle of the bands, will benefit charities Happily Ever After Animal Sanctuary, Make-A-Wish, and JDRF – Northeast Wisconsin Chapter.
For those involved, it’s all about giving the historic venue a proper send off.
“We want to be able to make sure that we give this great building an opportunity to sing again, in terms of some of the great things that it’s done in creating those memories for us,” explains Streckenbach.
Tickets will go on sale starting at 10 A.M., Saturday, February 16th.
The arena, along with Shopko Hall and the former Packers Hall of Fame building, are all set to be replaced by a new $93 million expo center.
