Paramount Theatre in downtown Huntington, the newest concert venue on Long Island, announced Monday the first performer to take the stage on their opening weekend next month will be Elvis Costello & The Imposters.
Tickets for the Friday, Sept. 30 show and six other big-name acts running the gamut of genres—including The B-52s, Pat Benatar, Blue Oyster Cult, Jack’s Mannequin, Weird Al Yankovic and NOFX—go on sale 10 a.m. Friday. The announcement comes a month after the Pixies became the first band to start selling tickets for a concert in November at the theatre.
“The Paramount is bringing talent to Huntington that previously only New York City and large venue concertgoers could enjoy,” Huntington Town Councilwoman Susan Berland said in a statement. “Having seen The Paramount and its extra touches, I have no doubt that once they’ve performed there, artists will want to return, and so will the concertgoers.”
Located on New York Avenue a block and a half north of Main Street, the venue is the former home of the nonprofit Inter-Media Arts Center (IMAC), which closed its doors in 2009 after 26 years of hosting jazz, folk and blues concerts.
The 1,500-capacity venue has been undergoing renovations for months. Among the changes, there will be a VIP lounge on the balcony and a member’s only “Founder’s Room” with a separate entrance in addition to the general admission floor.
“With both the architecture and the vibe of the venue dedicated to quality sound, hospitality, and experience, The Paramount is sure to be a hotspot for all of Long Island, and especially for Huntington,” the founders said in a news release.
As a testament to their belief that the Paramount will breathe new life into the self-described “heart of Huntington,” the venue’s website has the sound of a heartbeat pumping in the background on their homepage.
Tickets can be purchased at www.paramountny.com, www.ticketmaster.com, to charge by phone 800-745-3000 and select Ticketmaster outlets.
The dates of the debut concert calendar are as follows: Sept. 30 Elvis Costello & The Imposters; Oct. 4 The B-52s; Oct. 6 Pat Benatar / Neil Giraldo; Oct. 8 Blue Oyster Cult; Oct. 12 Jack’s Mannequin; Oct. 22 Weird Al Yankovic; Oct. 23 NOFX/Anti-Flag; Nov. 5 The Pixies.