The Paramount turns 5: Ranking the venue’s 10 biggest moments so far
After rehearsing there for his European tour, Billy Joel decided to play a "spur of the moment" charity concert on Oct. 16, 2013 at the Paramount in Huntington. Credit: Erin Geismar
In five short years, The Paramount has already permanently changed Long Island.
Consistently ranked one of the Top 20 clubs in the world by Pollstar magazine, the venue has even changed the look of downtown Huntington by adding a radio station studio that people can watch from New York Avenue. “The venue wants to thank all of Long Island for this unprecedented success and hopes that the next five years will be just as successful, as we push forward to become the No. 1 venue in the U.S.,” The Paramount’s directors said in a statement. Here’s a look at 10 of the biggest moments in The Paramount’s history so far:
10. Elvis Costello (Sept. 30, 2011): The first official concert showed exactly what The Paramount owners wanted for the venue — an A-List act who would normally play in Manhattan playing Long Island so that fans could enjoy great music closer to home.
9. John Kasich (April 4, 2016): The Paramount was the center of the 2016 presidential race that day as Fox News hosted a town hall there with the Ohio Republican governor.
8. Shawn Mendes (June 10, 2015): The WBLI-sponsored concert with the Canadian sensation drew plenty of screams, it but also showed how up-and-coming Long Islanders like Melanie Martinez and Robbie Rosen could hold their own.
7. Chris Algieri (July 18, 2014): The Greenlawn boxer had fought at the venue several times, but this time the WBO junior welterweight champion was honored for his victories, shortly before challenging boxing legend Manny Pacquiao for a new title.
6. Rod Stewart (Aug. 30, 2016): The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer kicked off The Founder’s Room Legends Series, in which arena artists play rare club shows in The Paramount’s members-only, 450-capacity Founder’s Room.
5. Kevin Hart (Oct. 19, 2015): The “Ride Along” comedian had already become the first stand-up to sell out a stadium when he decided to do two surprise shows in one night at The Paramount.
4. Ed Sheeran (July 5, 2014): The British superstar, already used to selling out Madison Square Garden at that point, was rehearsing at the venue for a radio show and decided to open it to fans as an impromptu concert.
3. Taking Back Sunday (Dec. 27-28, 2011): The Long Island scene heroes loved the Huntington venue so much that they returned in 2015 to celebrate the club’s 500th show.
2. Long Island Music Hall of Fame Induction Awards Galas (Oct. 18, 2012 and Oct. 23, 2014): The star-studded affairs that inducted the fourth and fifth classes of area stars showed how wide-ranging Long Island’s influence on music has been, from Debbie Gibson to Salt-N-Pepa, with Roger Waters and Dionne Warwick in the house to pay tribute to industry greats like Ron Delsener and Clive Davis.
1. Billy Joel (Oct. 16, 2013): Like so many Paramount patrons, Joel was impressed by the space. After seeing a few shows there, he decided to use it as a rehearsal space for an upcoming European tour and enjoyed playing there so much he decided to turn his final rehearsal night there into a concert, a benefit for Long Island Cares. As Joel’s first on Long Island since 2002 and one of the smallest venues (seating capacity: 1,563) he had played publicly in years, it became the hottest ticket the area had seen in years, drawing dignitaries ranging from Gov. Andrew Cuomo to actor Paul Rudd.
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