Story and Photos by Pat Krause:

The Doobie Brothers were the first musical group at the Acrisure Arena. Dave Chapell and Chris Rock were the first entertainers booked. The first night of entertainment saw long lines and parking problems, but they were fixed on the night of the Doobie Bros on December 16.

The Doobie Brothers - Photo by Pat Krause

I saw lines going into the Arena for people finding their seats to move along quite smoothly. People who got their parking passes online got a discount and had no problems getting parking. People were told what they could bring to the concert; most took that to heart and brought only what they were told.

It is cool in the Arena to keep the ice at the right temperature. Most people I saw came dressed appropriately for a cool night. The Arena main Ice Arean floor was covered. It looked like a sea of heads as you looked at the stage. Excitement filled the Arena. The Doobie Brothers came on stage to whoops and hollers and applause. People I talked to said it was a great concert.

The Doobie Brothers -Photo by Pat Krause

The Doobie Brothers played a lot of their top hits. They also played some of the new songs from their new album. They thanked everyone for coming and were honored to be the first group to perform. They said they had written a book and fans should look for it. They kept our veterans and thanked the people who built this fantastic building. Then they introduced each member of the band. The Doobie Brothers were also a part of the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony the day before.

Doobie Brothers at the Ribbon Cutting - Photo by Pat Krause

I talked with several as they were leaving, and they said they were thrilled to have such a prominent beautiful place for major entertainers to perform. So happy to have such an excellent Arena in our Valley. They were looking forward to going to more events. Hockey fans were so excited to see the inside of the new Arena. The parking lot has lots of lights to find your car. So no one has to look in a dark area. Walkways are also lighted, so finding your way around is easy. Lots of staff to help people who needed help to find their seats. It's a NO CASH venue, so everyone should bring credit cards.