Friday, December 9, 2005
Goudie expected to pack Pepsi Centre
By Gary Kean
CORNER BROOK � The Pepsi Centre is anticipating what could possibly be the single busiest day of advance ticket sales in the history of the facility.
That�s because tickets for a concert featuring Canadian Idol finalists Rex Goudie and Melissa O�Neil go on sale next Saturday.
The Canadian Idol competition, won by Calgary�s O�Neil this fall, created a lot of buzz in Newfoundland and Labrador when Goudie, who is from Burlington on the Baie Verte Peninsula, survived all of the cuts until just he and O'Neil were left standing.
Although he wasn�t named Canadian Idol, Goudie�s popularity has not waned one iota. He has signed a contract with Sony-BMG Records and his debut CD, which will be titled Under the Lights, is set for release Dec. 13.
Now, both Goudie and O�Neil have been booked to perform together at the Pepsi Centre in Corner Brook on March 25. They will also play Mile One Stadium in St. John�s March 23 and the Gander Community Centre March 24.
Greg Childs, general manager of the Pepsi Centre, is expecting a mad rush for tickets when they go on sale at the Corner Brook civic centre�s box office Dec. 17.
�We have been involved in discussions either directly with Rex or with other groups trying to bring him here ever since we held the Canadian Idol grand finale here at the Pepsi Centre in September, so we�re very excited to be able to host both Rex and Melissa in one show,� said Childs. �We feel the Pepsi Centre has gained some momentum now after the success of ticket sales for concerts by George Jones and Willie Nelson, and we are confident of the success this show will have too.�
That confidence comes from an inundation of phone calls and e-mails from residents all over western Newfoundland who have heard Goudie might be playing a show in Corner Brook and want to know how they can get tickets.
�The appeal certainly goes far outside Corner Brook, judging from the calls and e-mails we�ve been getting from every corner of the region,� said Childs. �We�re expecting a lot of interest from early to mid-teens and we are preparing for the busiest one day of sales, at least since I have been involved with the Pepsi Centre.�
The possibility of three consecutive sell-outs � although there are still some tickets left for the Willie Nelson concert May 13 � is a welcome development for the Pepsi Centre, which has been trying to shake off its bad reputation for poor advance tickets sales in the past.
�We�ve worked hard to try and improve on that history and I think we�re on the cusp of turning the corner,� said Childs. �I think more entertainment events coming to eastern Canada are looking at coming to the Pepsi Centre and this region.�
Meanwhile, there will be two lucky western Newfoundlanders taking centre stage during Goudie�s sold-out album release concert at Mile One Stadium in St. John�s next week. Jennifer Walsh of Pasadena Academy and Marquita Walsh of Baie Verte High School are among five students who have been selected to perform as the opening acts for the concert.
The other students are Kerri McPhee from Menihek High School in Labrador City, Jacob Lewis of Amalgamated Academy in Bay Roberts and Samantha Chaulk from Mount Pearl Senior High School.
The students, who were voted on in a series of regional talent contests, will get to perform one song each before the live audience Tuesday night.
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