Capshaw Shed Gets Ripped

A severe thunderstorm tore a hole in the fabric roof of Virginia’s new Charlottesville Pavilion July 13th, two weeks before its debut.

The roof was in the process of being erected when the storm damaged the main section of the tarp beyond repair.

“During the (five-day erection) process, the roof is at risk of damage from severe winds,” amphitheatre GM Kirby Hutto told Pollstar, “and it’s at the maximum risk at day four, which is when the thunderstorm struck. At that point, the roof was fully up in the air, but not yet completely tensioned.”

The 2,800-seat Pavilion is being built by music manager Coran Capshaw on the grounds of a Charlottesville shopping mall, replacing a stage that held the city’s Fridays After Five weekly showcase of local and regional talent.

The first show is a free, open-house performance by Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe July 27th, and the first ticketed event is Loretta Lynn July 30th. Both concerts are expected to go forward, with or without a roof.

Meanwhile, the venue will need to figure out a good time frame to repair the roof; it will take five days to re-erect, plus more time on the front end to take the structure down and re-stitch with steel cables. New fabric should be on site in about 30 to 45 days, Hutto said.

Because the $1 million roof was under construction, insurance will probably be handled by the contractor, but Hutto said it was too early to discuss details.

Bob Weir & RatDog, Violent Femmes, Bruce Hornsby, Nickel Creek, and Spin Doctors are some of the talent lined up for the summer.

— Joe Reinartz