Setting the stage: Lonestar Amphitheater getting a facelift with Tacos & Tequila as the grand reveal
Lubbock's entertainment options are soon to be expanded — that is, if Jason Hyken and Thomas Boucher have anything to say about it.
The duo, representing Maximus Production Group (MPG), have come together to give the Lonestar Amphitheater a makeover, both in aesthetics and acts. The introduction to what the group plans to do at the venue will be the Tacos & Tequila Music Festival on Saturday, Nov. 5.
The day-long event will begin at 3 p.m. that day and feature a number of food trucks, a full bar and live music, courtesy of Collective Soul, Toadies, Bowling for Soup, Texas Hippie Coalition and others.
Work on the Amphitheater — just the Amphitheater, not the Events Center or Pavilion, as it has been referred to in the past — began back in July. Hyken and his group signed a three-year agreement to oversee all things related to the venue.
Some of the initial work has been cosmetic, such as painting the facility inside and out, cleaning up the bathrooms and adjusting parking setups. Though there have been shows since the group took over and will be a few shows leading up to it — including Tuesday's "A Day to Remember" show, which MPG is co-presenting with Live Nation — Tacos & Tequila is what entertainment seekers can expect more frequently.
Hyken said he and Boucher were looking to help revamp a venue such as this for some time. He first learned about the Lonestar Amphitheater through a phone call from someone he doesn't know — and still doesn't know. After sorting through options in other locations, including in Las Vegas, they decided to circle back and give a closer look at Lubbock.
The deal came together quickly after that, and the goals are ambitious.
"Going into 2023 and 2024, we are planning on producing eight to 12 shows in 2023 on our own, but then also facilitating outside promoters," Hyken said.
Between Sept. 1 and Nov. 5, the Amphitheater will have hosted four concerts, three brought in by DIN Productions and the Live Nation show. Hyken said they will still work with those promotions, and others, to continue supplying the venue with shows, but MPG will be hosting plenty more on their own.
And for shows they aren't hosting themselves, Hyken said it's their job to supply facility management and upkeep.
Hyken has a few ideas on shows and acts he'd like to bring to Lubbock next year, but right now, the focus is on the grand event.
A number of food trucks — the number changes by the day — have committed to the event. One of the drawing factors is each vendor has been asked to create their own menu item specifically curated for the Tacos & Tequila Music Festival.
Before the trucks could be put on the bill, Hyken said they needed to make sure everything lined up to their vision for the festival. The full service bar, on the hill above the general admission pit, has also been refurbished and will feature 10 bar tenders for the event.
The bar will include many drink options; not just tequila.
"We don't want lines," Hyken said. "We don't want lines for the food. We don't want lines for the beer. We want to do everything right where other promoters do wrong."
What's known as the pavilion, which generally houses merchandise tables and concessions, will be utilized as simply a passthrough area for visitors. Those services are moving out to the lawn for easier access. The standing bars in the pit will also be removed to accommodate more customers.
Event goers should also expect better sound quality at Tacos & Tequila. Hyken said they've purchased an L-Acoustics rig, "the Cadillac flagship of all sound systems. We don't have to, but we're going to."
Hyken noted the growing population of Lubbock, Texas Tech University — and the school's willingness to help the company navigate its new town — and the proximity of the town to other major cities for why they chose the Amphitheater to be their next project.
With such a long trip to see the major acts, why not try to bring them to Lubbock?
The group will go out to the Pollstar conference in February, along with ticketing partner See Tickets, to pitch the Amphitheater to concert bookers and tour managers. Many of them already know of the venue, but the reputation could use some massaging. That's where Maximus Live comes in.
Tacos & Tequila will be the company's launching pad for what they hope will be a successful three-year endeavor.
Tacos & Tequila Music Festival
When: 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5
Where: Lonestar Amphitheater (602 E. 19th Street)
Announced musical acts: Collective Soul, Toadies, Bowling for Soup, Texas Hippie Coalition, Jackson Taylor & The Sinners, and Logan Samford.
Confirmed food trucks: Taco Guapo, La Patrona, Rico's Empanada's, Roll 'N Brothers, Mi Mesa, Angel Star Food Truck, Rock 'N Taco, Mi Kocina, Yoli's Kitchen, Boomerang, BBQ, Nirvana Burger, Howdy Homemade Ice Cream and Jordan's Fruit Salad.
Tickets: Visit lonestaramphitheater.com.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Lonestar Amphitheater is getting a facelift with Tacos & Tequila as the grand reveal
