Over 3,000 people ventured out into the smoky haze of downtown Coeur d’Alene on Wednesday for, what Live After 5 founder, Tyler Davis, hailed “the largest local music production in this city’s history.” Shortly after the opening act, Sol Seed, two power surges shut down electrical capabilities leading to a thirty-minute delay, followed by an impromptu acoustic set by Stephen Marley, son of legendary reggae artist Bob Marley.
Damages to Marley’s soundboard, valued at $80K, were privately discussed, resulting in Marley graciously agreeing to go on with the show.
“Such a great event and great energy,” said Jake Flaherty, a CDA resident who has attended Live After 5 for three years, “and really great to see that many locals embrace his artistry.”
While Live After 5 – CDA holds the exclusive right to present concerts in downtown’s McEuen Park, Davis said this specific show was a pilot program, to see how the city would respond to a concert of this caliber. His hopes are to put Coeur d’Alene on the live-music map by bringing in larger, well-known bands once a week, and then creating an opportunity to share the spotlight with local bands as openers.
“We have the venue and clearly we have the audience to become a destination that is known for hosting large, well-known, musical acts.”
While the comments section of Live After 5’s Facebook post revealed a bit of frustration and disappointment by some attendees due to the show not being as full-bodied as expected, Davis said 95% of the overall feedback was positive.
“We found this event to be extremely successful. We learned a lot, took great notes for moving forward and making necessary changes, and we are excited for the future of the live-music scene in Coeur d’Alene.”
Currently, Live After 5 is in negotiations with three different musical acts for next summer’s lineup, and while no hints were given as to who’s up for consideration, Davis was confident that this city would not be disappointed.
Live After 5 – CDA continues its musical showcase Wednesday with Five Alarm Funk, then wraps up the summer concert series with The Rub, on September 5th.
Tickets are $5 and all shows run from 5 – 8 p.m. in McEuen Park, located at 420 East Front Ave, in downtown CDA.
For more information, visit LiveAfter5Events.com.