Styx, REO Speedwagon to open amphitheater

BRIDGEPORT — The Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater and entertainment promoter Live Nation shared in an announcement Tuesday which bands will be headlining the Bridgeport amphitheater’s grand opening.

The opening, which is set for July 28 at 7:30 p.m., will feature bands REO Speedwagon and Styx, according to a release.

“It’s truly an honor to have two iconic bands open our magnificent facility, especially REO Speedwagon having roots in the Connecticut area, specifically [using a] recording studio in Bridgeport and coming up with songs while they were staying in Westport,” said developer Howard Saffan.

The official opening has been a long time coming for the venue, which was originally set for a 2019 opening. The space has already been used for graduations.

In February, Saffan had been aiming for a March announcement on the venue’s initial performance, which he hoped to have in June. Saffan said to Hearst Connecticut Media on Monday that the timeline changed due to the pandemic, given that many performers hadn’t committed to tours until recently.

“If you asked me 30 days ago how many concerts we would have, I would’ve told you we’d be lucky to have 10. Now it looks like our season will consist of almost 25 concerts,” he said, crediting that to Live Nation’s efforts.

He also expected other events — such as a beer fest, a WWE event, and a Mass — to happen during the amphitheater's season from July 28 through Oct. 31.

Saffan said the venue “should be a huge boon for entertainment” in the state, and it has nearly 12 concerts booked for next year at this point.

“We look forward to having the residents of Connecticut, Westchester County, enjoy the fruits of all of our hard work in the years to come,” he said.

Those interested in attending the grand opening can start purchasing tickets on LiveNation.com on June 25 at 10 a.m., according to the release.