Perspective

We say goodbye to the Bradley Center with a reflection on the good times had there, from Kiss to D-Wade, and five memorable moments from the arena’s history.

THE BRADLEY CENTER opened Oct. 1, 1988, with an NHL game (in a nonNHL city) and had its maiden musical voyage with Amy Grant. Its last public event was an April 30 Bon Jovi concert, but our old arena has a few more stories to tell. – MATT HRODEY NOV. 9, 1989 THE 5 OT GAME The stuff of legend, this BucksSeattle Supersonics tilt described by Vice Sports as “arguably the greatest regular season game in NBA history” stretched to five overtimes and four and a half hours. The Bucks won 155-154. NOV. 1, 2000 EMINEM AND LIMP BIZKIT Remember when Limp Bizkit was bigger than Eminem? Milwaukee’s stop on the Anger Management Tour featured the Detroit rapper on his way to superstardom and Fred Durst’s rap-metal outfit on the opposite trajectory. OCT. 4, 2012 THE BRAWL AT THE BRADLEY In a weird confluence of forces, groups of two opposing youth gangs ran into each other at a Bucks scrimmage and set to pounding on each other as the remainder of the audience scattered or looked on in horror. SEPT. 25-26, 2015 GARTH BROOKS OWNS ALL Bon Jovi, Billy Joel, Elton John and even Yanni have taken the Bradley Center stage, but no one ruled the arena quite as Brooks did during these three sold-out shows – his first performances in Wisconsin in 19 years.