EVERETT – Apparently, Everett’s kiss is on Hall and Oates’ list.
According to the concert information Web site Pollstar and www.hallandoates.com, the duo will play the Everett Events Center Oct. 23, along with Michael McDonald of the Doobie Brothers and Average White Band.
The groups were ’70s and ’80s hit makers, with Hall and Oates scoring No. 1’s with “Maneater,” “Kiss on My List” and “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do).”
Everett is listed as the last stop on the groups’ Rock and Soul 2004 Revue tour, which begins in Tampa, Fla., next month.
Everett Events Center spokesman Eric Blankenship said he couldn’t confirm the date, through he knew it was listed on several Web sites.
“I can say that the date listed on Pollstar, at this time, is a little premature,” Blankenship said. “There have been some discussions of that tour, but at this point nothing is confirmed.”
The events center had trouble reaching its financial and operating goals during its first eight months, mainly because arena officials thought it would attract more A-list concert performers its first year. Eight, to be exact.
So far, it has only had a couple of major acts. But the arena has had a string of other successes, including the only Washington state showing of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum &Bailey circus.
Two entertainment industry magazines this month also listed the Everett Events Center as one of the most successful venues of its size.
In the July 24 issue of Billboard magazine, the arena was ranked sixth in the world for venues in the 5,001- to 10,000-seat category.
The ranking does not include hockey games and was based on total gross ticket sales in the arena’s first six months. The arena also ranked fourth in attendance and third in number of shows.
Earlier this month, Venues Today ranked the arena second in the world for its size. Both magazines release such rankings every six months.
Blankenship said he believes such national and international recognition will help draw bigger entertainers to Everett.
“Obviously, from the booking standpoint, it comes into play directly,” Blankenship said. “What this does is add credibility to the events center.”
He added that it tells the music industry “you can play this venue and still be successful.”
The arena may not have had as many big-name musical acts as it had hoped for, but the number and variety of other shows has exceeded expectations, he said.
There have been bull riding and boat shows, Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Wiggles, wrestling and Christian rockers.
Blankenship said the snowball effect is how things happen in the music biz.
The events center’s success may count on it continuing.
“All the events that we’ve had, we anticipate them all coming back,” he said. “And we add additional events on top of that, and all of a sudden we’re a pretty busy building.”
Reporter Jennifer Warnick: 425-339-3429 or jwarnick@heraldnet.com.
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