x
Breaking News
More () »

Documentary captures 50-year history of Newport Music Hall

The venue has a unique place in music history.

Five decades of live music. Not a lot of concert halls can brag about that.

“One of the greatest live music venues of all time,” says Jason Corron, Executive Producer "If These Walls Could Talk."

The documentary which airs Wednesday night at 8 p.m. on the Promowest Facebook page, details the stories and never before seen backstage video of the legends who played here.

A place that is one of the most unique venues in music history.

“Longest continuously running rock club in the country, 50 years. I often wonder if Columbus, Ohio fully understands the types of the act that have come through here and the historic value of this building in and of itself," Corron said.

Don't take his word for it. Here's what B.B. King said in the documentary: “The most educated audiences I've ever played was New York, Memphis, Chicago and here in Columbus, people know what you're doing, and they know when you made a mistake."

To give you an idea of the giants who have graced this stage groups like Queen, Pearl Jam, REO Speedwagon, Foo Fighters, James Brown, Melissa Ethridge, twenty one pilots, Green Day, Ted Nugent and Snoop Dogg to name a few.

“Anybody who is anybody has come through these doors,” Corron said.

Before it was the Newport, it was called the Agora. In 1984, Promowest changed the name to the Newport Music Hall.

“They had their inaugural show with Neil Young, came out with a bang and haven't looked back since,” Corron said.

The Newport has a special place in the heart of Ohio's own Jerry Depizzo of O.A.R. He was a student at Ohio State and talked about his dream of someday making it there.

"I remember vividly walking down High Street towards downtown and looking at that marquee and just think to myself what if one day I could do something to put me on that stage," he said.

Before You Leave, Check This Out