Final concert at the Brown County Arena
If you grew up in the 70’s, 80’s, or 90’s in Northeast Wisconsin, there’s a good chance you saw a concert, or ten at the Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena. It was the go to concert venue for the region at a time when tours cared less about amount of seats, and more about getting to the people.
The last concert is over, the final closing ceremony is done, and now it’s time for the wrecking ball to make way for a much needed new convention center. Here’s a list of concerts that graced the building since the 1960’s as provided by Arena officials and from our station archives. Let us know if there’s one that was missed on this list. Scroll all the way down for other shows we are looking for information on.
- RELATED:
SEE PICTURES OF THE FINAL CONCERT - RELATED:
ONE LAST LOOK AT THE ARENA IN PICTURES
Which ones were you at?
Which ones do you wish you were at?
1965
- 5/17/65 – The Hullaballoos
- 11/12/65 – Sonny & Cher
1966
- 9/3/66 – Skeeter Davis, The Beau Brummels, Duke Ellington
1970
- 3/10/70 – The Association
- 9/18/70 – The James Gang, Youngbloods
1972
- 4/25/72 – The Beach Boys
- 5/25/72 – Johnny Cash
1973
- 12/8/73 – The Guess Who, Poco, Cheryl Dilcher
1974
- 6/6/74 – Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters
- 8/7/74 – Santana, Peter Frampton
- 8/21/74 – Loggins & Messina
- 9/28/74 – Steppenwolf
- 11/19/74 – Blue Oyster Cult, REO Speedwagon
- 11/29/74 – The Guess Who
- 12/10/74 – Wishbone Ash
1975
- 3/25/75 – Alice Cooper
- 5/8/75 – Linda Ronstadt
- 6/5/75 – Wishbone Ash
- 6/10/75 – Aerosmith
- 8/6/75 – Styx
- 10/9/75 – Johnny Cash
- 10/21/75 – Chicago
- 10/28/75 – Jethro Tull
- 11/11/75 – Cheap Trick
- 12/2/75 – Frank Zappa
- Date TBD: Jessie Colin Young and Leo Kottke
1976
- 1/16/76 – Johnny Cash
- 2/23/76 – ZZ Top
- 3/4/76 – Kansas, The Sweet, Eric Carmen
- 3/24/76 – Uriah Heep, Skyhooks
- 5/27/76 – Rush, Blue Oyster Cult
- 7/16/76 – Fleetwood Mac, Starcastle
- 10/6/76 – Boston
- 10/28/76 – REO Speedwagon, Heart
1977
- 2/3/77 – KISS, Uriah Heep
- 3/9/77 – Dolly Parton, Mac Davis
- 4/28/77 – Elvis Presley
- 5/5/77 – Ted Nugent, Cheap Trick
- 5/6/77 – Charley Pride
- 5/24/77 – Supertramp, Short Stuff
- 6/3/77 – REO Speedwagon, Climax Blues Band
- 6/17/77 – Heart, Mama’s Pride
- 9/4/77 – Tom Jones
- 9/23/77 – Foreigner, Little River Band
- 10/13/77 – Marty Robbins
- 10/21/77 – Blue Oyster Cult, Cheap Trick, Lake
1978
- 2/15/78 – Harry Chapin
- 2/28/78 – Foghat
- 5/6/78 – Gordon Lightfoot
- 6/9/78 – Ted Nugent, Black Oak Arkansas
- 7/12/78 – Doobie Brothers
- 7/18/78 – Van Halen, Journey
- 8/1/78 – Styx
- 8/12/78 – Seals & Crofts
- 8/23/78 – Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter
- 9/5/78 – Mac Davis
- 9/7/78 – Fleetwood Mac
- 9/14/78 – Cheap Trick
- 9/15/78 – Statler Brothers, Barbara Mandrell
- 9/26/78 – Franki Valli
- 10/25/78 – Willie Nelson, Ray Wylie Hubbard
- 11/14/78 – Chicago
- 12/8/78 – Rush, Golden Earring
1979
- 2/1/79 – Harry Chapin
- 2/26/79 – Alice Cooper, The Babys
- 3/27/79 – Supertramp
- 3/30/79 – Mel Tillis
- 6/16/79 – Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters
- 8/1/79 – Kenny Rogers, Dottie West
- 8/2/79 – The Cars
- 8/9/79 – Ted Nugent
- 8/12/79 – Sha-Na-Na, The Shirelles
- 8/16/79 – Doobie Brothers, Night
- 10/11/79 – Blue Oyster Cult, Rainbow
- 10/27/79 – Johnny Cash, June Carter, The Tennessee Three
- 12/11/79 – The Outlaws, Short Stuff
1980
- 2/13/80 – Molly Hatchet, Yipes
- 4/22/80 – Rush, .38 Special
- 4/29/80 – REO Speedwagon, Point Blank
- 7/20/80 – Foghat, Pat Travers Band
- 7/31/80 – Alice Cooper
- 8/3/80 – Kenny Rogers
- 8/12/80 – Charley Pride
- 8/23/80 – Marshall Tucker Band
- 9/7/80 – Oak Ridge Boys
- 10/1/80 – Stars of the Grand Ol’ Opry
- 10/14/80 – John Denver
- 10/18/80 – Whitesnake
- 11/20/80 – Frank Zappa
1981
- 1/21/81 – Molly Hatchet
- 1/30/81 – Slim Whitman
- 2/18/81 – Nazareth, April Wine
- 6/7/81 – Pure Prairie League
- 8/24/81 – Ozzy Osbourne, Def Leppard
- 9/3/81 – Doobie Brothers
- 9/4/81 – Statler Brothers
- 10/28/81 – Jefferson Starship, The Greg Kihn Band
1982
- 2/7/82 – Triumph, Harry Paul Band
- 2/23/82 – Loverboy, Donnie Iris
- 3/10/82 – Black Sabbath, Wrabit
- 6/4/82 – UFO, Rainbow, Riot V
- 8/4/82 – Elvis Costello, Rick Springfield, the Monroes
- 8/11/82 – Air Supply
- 8/18/82 – Van Halen
- 9/3/82 – Rush, Rory Gallagher
- 10/30/82 – Tom Jones
- 11/17/19 – Pat Benatar
1983
- 4/28/83 – George Jones & The Jones Boys
- 5/25/83 – Triumph
- 6/8/83 – Molly Hatchet, Blackfoot
- 7/25/83 – Loverboy
- 8/16/83 – Rich Springfield. Quarterflash, Sparks
- 8/17/83 – Def Leppard, Uriah Heep
- 11/16/83 – Black Sabbath, Quiet Riot
1984
- 2/14/84 – KISS, Vandenberg, Heaven
- 6/7/84 – Judas Priest, Great White
- 7/20/84 – Huey Lewis & the News
- 8/9/84 – Berlin
- 9/26/84 – Quiet Riot
1985
- 4/1/85 – Sammy Hagar, Dokken
- 5/18/85 – Triumph
- 8/30/85 – Foghat
- 9/7/85 – Henny Youngman
- 9/18/85 – Foreigner
- 9/19/85 – Kenny Rogers, Sawyer Brown
- 10/19/85 – Cheap Trick, John Waite
1986
- 2/21/86 – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
- 3/5/86 – KISS
- 3/25/86 – Loverboy
- 7/11/86 – Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica
- 8/14/86 – Judas Priest, Krokus
- 8/31/86 – Alabama, Bellamy Brothers
- 10/16/86 – Triumph, Yngwie Malmsteen
- 11/12/86 – The Monkees
- 12/6/86 – Statler Brothers
1987
- 2/6/87 – David Lee Roth, Tesla
- 3/9/87 – Alice Cooper, Tesla
- 3/11/87 – Johnny Cash
- 4/16/87 – REO Speedwagon
- 5/6/87 – The Beach Boys
- 6/10/87 – Stevie Ray Vaughan
- 7/5/87 – Ratt, Poison
- 10/17/87 – Night Ranger, Helix
- 11/13/87 – Whitesnake, Great White
1988
- 1/6/88 – KISS, Ted Nugent
- 2/23/88 – Dio, Megadeth
- 7/14/88 – Def Leppard, Tesla
- 8/27/88 – Scorpions, Kingdom Come
- 9/16/88 – Poison, Lita Ford, Britny Fox
- 10/28/88 – Stryper, White Lion
- 11/18/88 – Oak Ridge Boys
- 12/6/88 – Andy Williams Christmas
- 12/16/88 – Cheap Trick, Bullet Boys
1989
- 2/11/89 – Ronnie Milsap
- 3/22/89 – Chicago
- 4/19/89 – Metallica, Queensryche
- 4/21/89 – Alabama, Jo-El Sonnier
- 6/1/89 – Ratt, Warrant, Great White
- 8/18/89 – Cinderella
- 10/3/89 – Tesla, Great White
- 11/2/89 – Reba McEntire, Ricky Van Shelton, Clint Black
- 12/19/89 – John Denver Christmas
1990
- 3/7/90 – Motley Crue, Faster Pussycat
- 5/28/90 – KISS, Slaughter, Faster Pussycat
- 9/19/90 – Poison, Warrant (tour rehearsal ran 9/10-9/18)
- 12/14/90 – Oak Ridge Boys, Marie Osmond – Christmas Concert
1991
- 2/28/91 – Bad Company, Damn Yankees
- 4/7/91 – Scorpions, Trixter
- 4/16/91 – Karman
- 5/3/91 – Petra
- 5/18/91 – Queensryche, Suicidal Tendencies
- 7/16/91 – Nelson, Enuff Z’Nuff
- 10/12/91 – The Judds, Billy Dean
- 11/12/91 – Metallica
- 12/18/91 – Andy Williams Christmas
1992
- 2/16/92 – Skid Row, Soundgarden
- 2/20/92 – Randy Travis
- 3/31/92 – Tesla
- 4/5/92 – Reba McEntire, Travis Tritt
- 4/13/92 – Steve Miller Band
- 7/30/92 – MC Hammer, Boyz II Men, TLC
- 11/11/92 – Charlie Daniels Band
- 11/12/92 – Bryan Adams
- 11/29/92 – Bad Company
- 12/8/92 – Def Leppard
- 12/9/92 – Def Leppard
- 12/18/92 – Oak Ridge Boys, Marie Osmond – Christmas Concert
Reba McEntire at the Brown County Arena
1993
- 1/2/93 – Damn Yankees, Firehouse
- 3/11/93 – America
- 3/14/93 – Vince Gill, Mary-Chapin Carpenter
- 4/9/93 – Reba McEntire, Restless Heart, John Michael Montgomery
- 5/14/93 – Poison, Damn Yankees, Firehouse (tour rehearsal ran 5/6-5/13)
- 6/10/93 – REO Speedwagon
- 8/29/93 – Hank Williams Jr., Aaron Tippin
- 10/14/93 – Travis Tritt, Trisha Yearwood, Little Texas
- 10/30/93 – George Jones, Confederate Railroad
- 12/11/93 – Barry Manilow
1994
- 4/13/94 – Sawyer Brown, Diamond Rio, Clay Walker
- 4/15/94 – Bob Dylan
- 5/14/94 – Alan Jackson
- 6/16/94 – Billy Ray Cyrus
- 7/18/94 – Fleetwood Mac, Crosby Stills & Nash
- 8/27/94 – Kenny G
- 11/5/94 – Travis Tritt
1995
- 3/8/95 – Brooks & Dunn, David Ball
- 5/5/95 – Queensryche, Type O Negative
- 5/20/95 – John Michael Montgomery, George Ducas
- 8/4/95 – Boston
- 8/18/95 – Soul Asylum, Jayhawks, Matthew Sweet
- 9/8/95 – Vince Gill, Patty Loveless
- 9/17/95 – Boyz II Men, Montell Jordan
- 10/8/95 – Reba McEntire, Tracy Byrd
- 11/9/95 – Asleep at the Wheel
- 11/13/95 – White Zombie, Supersuckers
- 12/3/95 – Tim McGraw, Blackhawk
Concourse views
1996
- 5/3/96 – Alan Jackson
- 10/20/96 – Brooks & Dunn
- 11/7/96 – Joe Diffie
- 11/10/96 – Blues Traveler
- 12/12/96 – Vince Gill, Christmas Concert with GB Festival Orchestra
1997
- 4/7/97 – Steven Curtis Chapman
- 4/18/97 – John Michael Montgomery, Ricochet
- 5/15/97 – Barry Manilow
- 6/14/97 – Statler Brothers
- 8/28/97 – Reba McEntire, Brooks & Dunn
- 10/1/97 – Tim McGraw, Martina McBride
- 10/25/97 – Jeff Foxworthy
- 11/1/97 – Power of One – Jars of Clay
1998
- 1/24/98 – Alan Jackson, Trace Adkins
- 2/1/98 – Pantera, Anthrax, Coal Chamber
- 3/26/98 – The Vogues
- 6/5/98 – Jeff Foxworthy
- 6/14/98 – Boyz II Men
- 6/25/98 – Moody Blues
- 12/10/98 – Sawyer Brown
- 12/18/98 – Alabama Country Christmas
1999
- 5/15/99 – Candlebox
- 10/21/99 – Goo Goo Dolls
- 10/30/99 – BoDeans, Newsboys
2000
- 2/18/00 – Reba McEntire
- 4/15/00 – Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley
- 5/9/00 – B.J. Thomas, Billy Joe Royal
- 7/22/00 – Korn, Powerman 5000, Papa Roach
- 10/30/00 – Bryan White, Mustang Sally
- 11/4/00 – Power of One
- 12/4/00 – Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Scenes from the closing ceremony
2001
- 2/18/01 – Pantera, Soulfly, Morbid Angel, Nothingface
- 4/1/01 – Godsmack, Staind, Cold, Systematic
- 4/3/01 – Beatlemania
- 10/17/01 – Disturbed
- 10/30/01 – Bob Dylan
- 11/3/01 – Power of One
- 11/9/01 – Kenny Chesney
- 11/24/01 – Trans-Siberian Orchestra
- 12/6/01 – Coo Coo Cal, Lil John, East Side Boyz
- 12/13/01 – Lee Ann Womack
2002
- 3/23/02 – Toby Keith
- 6/25/02 – Nickelback, Jerry Cantrell
- 7/18/02 – Twista
- 7/26/02 – Korn, Puddle of Mudd, Deadsy
- 8/12/02 – Poison, Cinderella, Faster Pussycat
- 8/15/02 – Aaron Carter
- 10/12/02 – Incubus
- 11/23/02 – Trans-Siberian Orchestra
- 12/21/02 – Martina McBride
2003
- 3/6/03 – Disturbed, Chevelle, Taproot
- 9/21/03 – Good Charlotte, Something Corporate, Mest, Saving Face
- 10/25/03 – Marty Stuart
- 11/15/03 – Power of One – Five Iron Frenzy
- 11/25/03 – Ludacris, Chingy, Obi Trice
2004
- 1/10/04 – 3 Doors Down, Shinedown, Tantric
- 5/21/04 – Beatlemania
- 9/24/04 – DMX
- 11/6/04 – Scorpions, Tesla
- 11/13/04 – Newsboys
2006
- 7/14/06 – Lee Greenwood, Linda Davis, Deborah Allen
- 9/6/16 – All American Rejects
2007
- 1/27/07 – Fat Joe
- 2/28/07 – Goo Goo Dolls, Augustana
2008
- 8/16/08 – Sevendust, Non Point, Drowning Pool
- 12/4/08 – Staind, Seether, Papa Roach
- 12/31/08 – Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert
2010
- 2/9/10 – Shinedown, Skillet, Puddle of Mudd, Like a Storm
- 10/9/10 – Chimaira
- 10/10/10 – Dirge Within
- 11/12/10 – Gary Allan, Randy Houser
- 12/8/10 – Prong, Adema
- 12/9/10 – Chimaira, Soil
Final concert at the Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena
2011
- 11/10/11 – Luke Bryan
2012
- 4/10/12 – Mac Miller
2013
- 2/21/13 – Rain Beatles Tribute
2017
- 11/4/17 – Matthew West, Jordan Feliz
- 11/11/17 – In This Moment, Hollywood Undead, Butcher Babies
2018
- 9/19/18 – Modest Mouse
2019
- 3/9/19 – Shinedown, Papa Roach, Asking Alexandria
- 4/6/19 – Bret Michaels, Warrant, Lita Ford
