By CHRIS NIXON
Once upon a time, not too long ago, the sport of kings carried heavy baggage in the minds of anyone under the age of 40 – crusty old men reeking of cigar smoke donning fedoras and spending their paychecks on the ponies.
The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, one of America's classic racetracks, has managed to reshape the perception of horse racing through clever ad campaigns giving the sport a classic retro appeal. Along with the shift in marketing strategies came a series of live concerts, free with admission to the track.
“In an effort to attract a younger demographic, we began concerts – known as 'Wild Fridays' at the time – with a show by the Rugburns in 1994,” said Josh Rubinstein, vice president of development with the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club for the past 10 years. “The concert series took off during the '01 season when a total crowd of 27,000 was on hand for the races to see a former professional surfer turned up-and-coming musician named Jack Johnson.”
So from a business perspective, has the series, now called 4 O'Clock Fridays, worked?
Read more of the UNION-TRIBUNE event review by Chris Nixon.
THE 2008 LINEUP
Gavin Rossdale
7 pm Fri, July 18, 2008
Super Diamond
7 pm Fri, July 25, 2008
Pinback
4 pm Fri, Aug. 1, 2008
The Bravery Concert at Del Mar
4 pm Fri, Aug. 8, 2008
The Wailers Band
4 pm Fri, Aug. 15, 2008
Black Francis Concert
7 pm Fri, Aug. 22, 2008
Steel Pulse Reggae Concert
4 pm Fri, Aug. 29, 2008
For more information please visit delmarscene.com
last modified July 17, 2008Reader reviews
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