Changing perceptions: Competition heats up for Sioux City's entertainment dollar

"Our comedy nights have turned out to be one of our most popular series," Hard Rock's entertainment manager said, walking up to the stage. "We're lucky that Omaha has a pretty good comedy club circuit and national comics will perform here prior to or after their shows down there."

Streeter calls this practice "routing" -- when a name performer will pick up a Sioux City engagement while performing elsewhere in the Midwest.

"Things are changing, but Sioux City still isn't a destination place for many entertainers," he explained.

Erika Newton understands where Streeter is coming from.

Newton, executive director of Sioux City's Events Facilities Department,  books the acts that will be appearing at both the 2,500-seat Orpheum Theatre as well as the 8,500-seat Tyson Events Center.

"People always ask me why don't you book Katy Perry into the Tyson?" she said with a smile. "Well, Katy Perry won't play in an arena that seats 8,500 people."

Indeed, Newton regularly competes for the same name acts as larger arenas in Sioux Falls, Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska.

"We continue to book shows, create partnerships and talk to promoters who are willing and able to bring content to Sioux City," she said. "The market has never been more competitive."

Streeter said Hard Rock's brand name has helped him bring rock acts into the intimate Anthem or Battery Park, an outdoor space that holds up to 3,200 people. But it doesn't have cachet for more country or pop-oriented entertainers.

"Hard Rock is a great venue for hard rockers or classic rock bands," he said, "but all kinds of genres have sold out here."

Streeter, 34, began his career as an Omaha-based independent promoter when he was 21.

"When I moved to Sioux City, I knew I wanted to bring more diversity to the shows I booked," he said. "So far, the entire community has really embraced the concept."

While Streeter has concentrated on the usual genres -- blues, rock and country -- he'd like to try booking indie bands or, even, electronic dance music (EDM).

"Sioux City's a much smaller market than Omaha or Sioux Falls," he said. "That's why I'm looking for bands that have never played here before or the emerging young artist who is ready to hit."

"I want them to see the next big thing at Hard Rock," Streeter said with a smile.

When working with promoters, Newton often directs their artists to the more intimate Orpheum as opposed to the larger Tyson.

"For instance, the Avett Brothers (who appeared at the Orpheum in November) work better in a smaller venue," she explained, "while a big-name country act plays better at the Tyson."

Like Streeter, Newton said she'd like to change artists' perception of Sioux City.

"Sioux City is thought to be a 'country' town because country acts do well here," she admitted. "Rock acts tend to be harder to book because the rock audiences tend to be more fragmented than country."

Still, Newton is conscious of over-saturating a market with a particular type of music.

"I'd hate to book back-to-back country acts or back-to-back classic rock acts," she said. "Whenever possible, I want to try something different."

Which is the same game plan that Streeter has for Hard Rock acts.

"I don't want to book the same band twice in a calendar year," he said. "Our philosophy is to book artists that can touch anybody and everybody. you can't do that when you're booking the same kinds of acts all the time."

In 2016, Streeter wants to book more local acts.

"I loved booking Deep Purple (a classic rock band that once featured the late Sioux Cityan Tommy Bolin) for Battery Park last summer," he said. "That shows that Sioux City is a terrific music town."

Newton also acknowledged the race for a the entertainment dollar has expanded greatly.

"Research shows that most people will splurge on one big concert a year," she said. "If they're splurging, we want them to splurge at the Tyson or the Orpheum."

Which means Newton needs to book a good variety of acts that draw in the biggest number of people.

Still, that doesn't mean she can't dream.

"My ultimate dream act would be Neil Young playing the Orpheum" she said.

Newton's dream act for the Tyson Events Center actually came true when heavy metal band Motley Crue played the facilities in 2014.

According to Streeter, his dream acts for Sioux City's Hard Rock would be either Prince or the Foo Fighters.

"There's nothing wrong with dreaming big," he said with a smile.