Bangor, Maine

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mainejeff

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I never thought that they would actually build a permanent facility but the newly named Maine Savings Amphitheater will be opening in less than 2 months with a 16,000 person capacity including 6,500 permanent seats courtesy of Hussey Seating, over 200 permanent bathroom stalls, concessions and vastly improved sightlines thanks to some major grading work and infrastructure. I'm still not totally sold on the location in terms of being shoe horned into a space on the riverfront but for convenience to Downtown Bangor and I-95 the location can't be beat. Hopefully they do some landscaping around it because it's a pretty ugly mass of concrete and steel looking at it as you pass by on Main Street. That being said.....there is no doubt that this facility will be a major player on the New England summer concert scene and a boon to Bangor's economy for 4 months out of the year...a look at this summer's schedule bears that out.

I captured these pics from a WABI report.....the link: https://www.wabi.tv/2022/04/25/two-months-first-show-bangor-concert-venue-overhaul-underway/

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It took them a few tries, but I guess they finally found a site plan they could settle down with? I haven't been to a show there since the stage was set with its back to the river, and didn't realize they had moved it again.

I wonder when Waterfront is going to take its stage out of Rock Row in Westbrook. That's still sitting there with the medical construction going on around it.
 
I think Bangor is the next place in Maine that will really take off in the next 10 years.

Downtown Bangor is interesting, historic, and lively. A much more pleasant downtown than Lewiston or Augusta, I'm always surprised by the quantity and quality of the restaurants and eateries in Bangor. (11 Central, Evenroods, Blaze, Grindhouse, Bagel Central) With more housing, downtown Bangor could easily have the same "energy" as the Old Port.

It's an hour from Acadia and the Midcoast, 1-2 hours from the Moosehead Lake and Baxter State Park. 2 hours from Portland. the age of Remote work, Bangor is a great place to live if you're outdoorsy.

I think extending the Downeaster to Bangor through Augusta and Waterville would be an amazing opportunity for Bangor. Unlike Portland, a passenger train station in Bangor would drop you right in the heart of Downtown. It would be a great way to really help kickstart more growth and economic development in Bangor. The biggest challenge in that area is its relative isolation from the rest of New England and the Northeast.
 
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A few more pics of the Maine Savings Amphitheater courtesy of Q 96.1....

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This facility has a ton of new infrastructure....these pics were probably taken about a week ago so there will definitely be some unfinished stuff when the first concert rolls around in another week. Maybe the most impressive thing....that tile work in the restroom! 😮
 
That looks incredible! And, it's been a few years since I went up for a concert, but I'd say that, while the tile work is indeed impressive, I'm more impressed by the arrival of actual restrooms, period!
 
We're heading up there for a concert in mid July. Last time we were there a few years ago, I commented to my wife and friends how un-memorable the place was compared to other large New England outdoor venues. Still too much dirt, gravel, crushed stone, porta potties, etc. at the time. These updates definitely have them on the path towards a first-class outdoor amphitheater.
 
There is still a huge dirt area lining the outside of the facility. Hopefully they plant some trees/perennials this fall. I'd love to see red pine, blue spruce or other evergreens....they would grow in quickly and give the amphitheater a more enclosed feel. This place is pretty ugly from the outside looking in.....they need some major landscaping...especially considering their prime location on the river and entering downtown.
 
Tonight's the night for the first concert in the newly renovated Maine Savings Amphitheater.

One more photo of the facility looking out at the seating from the stage. The concrete area can be used for seating or a pit/standing depending on artist preferences.

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Looks great and what's with the structural steel on the right, is that part of the venue or something else?
 
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Some photos from a day trip to the Queen City.
 
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Completed in 1973, One Merchants Plaza was the first modern office building constructed in the city and helped spur the renewal of the downtown area.
 
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The former Fleet Center (followed by Merrill Bank) was the first and remains the only modern high rise in downtown Bangor. Completed in 1976, it has a lower drive through banking level with 8 floors above and reaches a height of 100'.
 
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The seven story former Freese's Department Store (left) was rivaled by only Porteous, Mitchell and Braun in Portland as Maine's premier shopping experience for many decades. It now houses the Maine Discovery Museum with apartments on the upper six floors.
 
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