Lorde Coming In September

International pop star and two-time Grammy winner Lorde is set to take the stage Friday, September 24 at the BMO Harris Pavilion on the Summerfest grounds, it was announced today, The show will be another concert co-presented by the Pabst Theater and Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. the parent organization of Summerfest. Tickets for the performance will go on sale Friday, June 6 at 10 a.m, ranging from $55.50 for lower bowl reserved and general admission tickets to $45.50 for upper bowl reserved seating to $35.50 for standing tickets in the rear of the pavilion.

The concert is being promoted as “invitation only.” Fans can register today through Tuesday, June 3 at 10:59 a.m. for a chance to get their tickets early and without hassle through the Pabst Theater website. “This is a way for us to try and eliminate scalpers,” says Pabst Theater Group’s PR Director, Andy Nelson. “This is Lorde’s way and our way to make sure there are true Lorde fans at the show.”

The announcement comes after the Wednesday, June 4 Vampire Weekend performance changed its venue from the Pabst Theater to the BMO Harris Pavilion earlier this year due to overwhelming demand. The Pavilion, which opened in 2012, is just east of the Marcus Amphitheater, set against the shores of Lake Michigan and bordering Lakeshore State Park. It boasts a sweeping, wavelike roof and a view of the Milwaukee skyline, and accommodates 5,000 patrons under its roof and another 5,000 for standing tickets. Singer songwriter Ella Yelich-O’Connor, who is from New Zealand and performs as Lorde, is one of the first internationally acclaimed artists to use the space. The Pabst Theater Group and Summerfest organizers hope to bill the space as one of Milwaukee’s premier concert venues.

Lorde’s debut album Pure Heroine sold an estimated 1.5 million copies worldwide, and her first single “Royals” reached the number one spot on the Billboard Charts in fall 2013. This performance marks the New Zealand singer’s first appearance in Milwaukee and she’ll definitely get the royal treatment. BMO Harris Pavilion Hospitality Manager Paul Smaxwill said the backstage area will be serving the finest gourmet foods options from paella to beef tenderloin. The show will open with Canadian indie pop duo Majical Cloudz.

The BMO Harris Pavilion was built with an emphasis on the surrounding sights. Colorfully referred to as being “located on Water and Water,” large sections of the pavilion are open to the surrounding landscape, giving show goers views of Lake Michigan and the Milwaukee skyline.

In addition to bleachers and reserved seats, the pavilion offers standing-room space along the edges of the theater as well as elevated viewpoints outside of the theater. A noteworthy aspect of the seating is the venue’s ability to remove up to 2,500 lower level seats to create a pit area ideal for Summerfest’s upcoming rock concerts such as REO Speed Wagon, Kenny Wayne Shepard and Cheap Trick.