On opening night, everybody is going to get a chance to walk the red carpet and be treated like a VIP,” says Stephanie Steele, General Manager of one of the region’s newest entertainment spots.
The sixth U.S club to boast the iconic Fillmore moniker, the new venue is a descendent of the original San Francisco nightclub that became the epicenter of 1960’s counterculture. It helped launch the legendary careers of Jimi Hendrix, The Doors and Janis Joplin, among others.
The Maryland concert lineup opens with nine time Grammy Award winner, Mary J. Blige.
“It’s going to be a very memorable night,” Steele predicts. “Being able to see a performer like Mary J. Blige in such an intimate environment is kind of a once in a lifetime opportunity for a lot of people. It’s really classy of her to help us kick this venue off and welcome people in.”
Dubbed the “Queen of Hip-Hop Soul,” Mary J. Blige is a rags to riches story straight out of a Hollywood movie script. Raised in a New York City housing project, abandoned by her father at the age of 8, Blige was a high school drop-out seemingly headed for a rather unremarkable life until a recording she made at a shopping mall karaoke studio landed in the hands of an executive at Uptown Records. One of the label’s employees, a young Sean “Puffy” Combs, was particularly impressed and took Blige under his wing, producing her 1992 multi-platinum selling debut CD “What’s the 411.”
The singer has since released a string of Top Ten releases. She’s won Grammys in the Pop, R&B, Gospel and Rap categories and has collaborated on hit songs with such artists as U2, Elton John and Jay-Z. The singer, now 40, will release her 11th CD, “My Life II, The Story Continues,” two days before her sold out performance at The Fillmore.
So what can fans expect when they enter the brand new nightclub? According to Steele, The Fillmore will feature several dramatic design touches.
“We’ll have floor to ceiling burgundy velvet drapery covering all the interior walls and there will be crystal chandeliers hanging in the main music hall,” she describes. “It will be a very visually rich and warm environment.”
In addition, vintage concert posters will hang over each of the club’s bars and large murals illustrating the Fillmore’s celebrated legacy will adorn the venue’s hallways. Not all of the club’s components will be traditional however. One issue Steele says management is focusing on is elevating the typical bar food menu.
“We are developing some high end food options,” says Steele. “It will be fancy but portable.”
Steele says it is part of management’s plan to expand the hours patrons spend at the facility. “The last thing we’re going to do when a show is over is turn on the lights full blast and push everybody out the doors,” she insists. “We want to invite people to hang around so there will be food and beverage specials after each of the performances.”
The 2000 capacity, general admission venue may be state of the art, but why should Howard County residents travel to the venue when they are used to attending shows in Baltimore or perhaps, in D.C.?
For one thing, Steele suggests, it will be the ease of getting in and out.
“Traffic is going to be much easier compared to driving into a downtown metropolitan area,” she states. “We’ve got some really fantastic infrastructure built into this area with two beltway exits. We also have three county operated parking garages within just a couple of blocks from the venue,” she continues. “After seven p.m. and all day on weekends, there will be two thousand free parking spaces folks can take advantage of and they are all within walking distance.”
Construction workers and designers are working around the clock to make sure The Fillmore is ready for opening night, but Steele says the long hours are well worth the effort. “It’s not often we get the opportunity to have a brand new facility in a brand new market and we’re putting a lot of focus on making sure this starts off right. We are thrilled to be here.”
