COMPLEX BRINGS IT / MIX OF OLD / NEW COMING TO AUGUSTA January 22, 2016 / by John "Stoney" Cannon Back in the 70's and 80's, concerts at the Bell Auditorium and the venue then named the Richmond County Civic Center were frequent events featuring some of the classic artists of the day. Then sometime in the 80's Augusta decided that the Civic Center (now named the James Brown Arena) was too much leaving Augusta with a concert void and the Bell nearly dormant. Where the Bell once hosted weekly wrestling events, plays, musical, and concerts, the idea that Augusta needed a larger, more modern fixture backfired which led to decreases in most events and the eventual end of nearly 50 years of weekly Monday night wrestling. Now it wasn't that the larger Civic Center wasn't without moments. The occasional wrestling event did well and country artists like Reba McEntire brought the occasional sell out. The lack of progress at both venues created a rise in events at the Jessye Norman Amptiheater as well as artists appearing at larger clubs and a few other outdoor spots but the Bell and Civic Center remained in continual flux mainly due to mismanage by then venue board. Along the way the Aiken Convocation Center popped up featuring a crafty authority which lead to a sudden surge in events in Aiken filling that temporary void in the area. Then the unexpected happened. The Augusta Entertainment Complex was created featuring the team handling the Convocation Center and all of a sudden, the Bell and James Brown Arena was bumbling up with events while the Convocation Center seemed to almost disappear. All three venues currently operate in part through Spectra. The calendar for the Augusta area is full of many great shows featuring old and new artists all capable of selling a productive amount of tickets. Upcoming events at the James Brown Arena include Brantley Gilbert in Concert (2/04), Katt Williams (2/05), Winter Jam 2016 (2/11), Lee Brice/Tyler Farr (2/19), Harlem Globetrotters (3/11), Widespread Panic (4/19), Alabama / The Charlie Daniels Band (6/03). Currently scheduled events at the Bell include R5 (2/16), MMA Conflict 35 (2/20), Patti Lebelle (2/26), Lecrae (3/04), Boys II Men (3/13), Merle Haggard / Jason Isbell (5/17).