By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times
From comedy shows to R&B concerts, the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) has attracted some of the biggest artists in the entertainment industry including R&B legend Mary J Blige and music superstar Chris Brown with Lil Wayne and Patti LaBelle and Chaka Khan on the way.
Fairfield’s Jordan Garrison has been in attendance for many of the shows including this month’s Millennium Tour 2025 featuring Trey Songz, Rick Ross, Omarion among others and plans to attend many more coming to the Legacy Arena at the BJCC not to mention the BJCC Concert Hall, she said.
“The shows were convenient because they’re so close to home,” Garrison said. “Being able to attend a concert that’s closer to home and doesn’t require me to pay for travel or book a hotel is a huge plus.”
Garrison added that the food and beverages at the arena were amazing and “it was easy to find parking in the deck or even on the street at some shows. Entry into the BJCC is also easy and quick to navigate.”
Nicole Klein, Sr. Director of Sales and Marketing for the BJCC, said a lot has gone into the Legacy Arena and as well as attracting artists as diverse as the Birmingham metro area.
She credits “the investment in Legacy arena” as one selling point.
The arena underwent a $175 million renovation in 2020 and reopened in late 2021 with about 15,000 new seats, a new lighting system, a new sound system, new club levels for socializing, new audience suites, new artist suites, and new concessions outlets.
“They were really pivotal,” said Klein of the upgrades. “When the arena was modernized in 2021 that really put it (BJCC) back on the map. Coming out of COVID there was a hiring and of a lot of different people, me included. “
Birmingham also has “an affluent African American population and that’s something that is very important,” Klein continued. “We’ve been able to become a major stop especially for” many top African American artists.”
Case in point: “Success breeds success,” Klein said. “When we sell out a Chris Brown show in 10 minutes, that promoter wants to bring more of their artists, and that manager wants to bring more of their artists to Birmingham because they know we have a market to sustain it.”
Brown, R&B singer/songwriter entertainer, brought his 11:11 Tour to Legacy Arena last July. (He is set to perform again on Oct. 11 at Birmingham’s Protective Stadium as part of his “Breezy Bowl XX” world tour, the BJCC and Live Nation announced on Tuesday).
Gabby Anderson, who lives on Birmingham’s Southside, said she is a fan of many of the shows. “It would be awesome to see more Black artists doing shows here … The more we have artists that come and have well attended shows it will generate more interest for more concerts and events to be held in the city,” she said. “Birmingham is growing, and it would be nice to see the sector of entertainment expand more as well, specifically with Black entertainers that would diversify the entertainment offerings for events here in the city for locals and tourists.”
Klein, a Birmingham native, who spent six years working at Madison Square Garden before returning to the Magic City, said she learned a lot working in one of the world’s busiest arenas. She understands that fans like Garrison want to see artists that don’t require a long drive.
“I was excited to come back and bring that New York-attitude to Birmingham,” Klein said. “I think for a longtime people in Birmingham have felt like, since we’re in Birmingham, that just what we get, and we have to go to Atlanta, Nashville, or New Orleans to see the biggest acts in the world.
“I’m very excited and very proud of what we’ve been able to do over the past three years in attracting the top talent … when I started it was a lot of me reaching out to my contacts and making sure that they were aware of everything going on in Birmingham. About how much the entertainment district has boomed. “
The Uptown Entertainment District anchors the northern end of downtown and boasts attractions like The Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, Topgolf, Protective Stadium and City Walk BHAM not to mention the $50 million Coca-Cola Amphitheater which opens this summer.
As for what’s next at the BJCC Klein said, “it runs the run the gamut from comedy to R&B to gospel and really everything between. We have a Lil Wayne show (May 3) — that was a really big get for Birmingham — and another show that we’re excited about is our Four Legends show, featuring Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight and Stephanie Mills (May 17). The show is selling so well. We’re expecting a lot of families to come to that show together.”
UPCOMING SHOWS AT The BJCC
Sat. May 3
Lil Wayne
Legacy Arena at the BJCC
Sat. May 17
Queens 4 Legends. 1 Stage
Legacy Arena at the BJCC
Sun. June 1
When A Women’s Fed Up
BJCC Concert Hall
Fri. June 13
Southern Soul Blues
Father’s Day Weekend
BJCC Concert Hall
Sat. June 14
Ali Siddiq
In The Shadows Tour
BJCC Concert Hall
Tues. June 24-Sun. June 29
Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
BJCC Concert Hall
Sat. July 12
Joe
BJCC Concert Hall
Sun. July 13
Dreamgirlz StagePlay
BJCC Theatre
