In a press release this evening, two promoters have announced that they are joining forces to finish the renovations to the historic State Theatre on Congress Street and will be scheduling shows to begin in the fall. "The Bowery Presents, an independent promotion company based in New York City, and Alex Crothers of Higher Ground Presents, an independent promoter and a fixture in the New England music scene, have announced today that they have signed a deal with Stone Coast Properties to reopen the State Theatre in Portland, Maine. Music industry veteran and Portland local Lauren Wayne will serve as General Manager of the State Theatre and will lead the charge in booking the venue, with the first shows slated to begin this fall. The historic theatre has been closed since 2006, and the new partnership between The Bowery Presents and Alex Crothers will continue the upgrades to the historic theatre started by the owners."  Jim Glancy, of The Bowery Presents, says, "Once we visited Portland and toured the State Theatre, we fell in love with the City and saw the potential in the theatre that will appeal to Portland’s creative community." General manager Lauren Wayne added, "With further refurbishing, the State will once again serve as an amazing, beautiful showcase for bands—and it will be exciting to have local audiences as well as audiences from all over New England enjoy this historic venue. The renovated State will be a great addition to Portland’s thriving creative economy.” The renovations will include reseating which will bring the theater's capacity down to 1,450 from 2,300 when it first opened in 1929. For bands that want a venue that's more intimate than the Civic Center, less formal than the Merrill and larger than Port City Music Hall, the renovated State will be just the ticket.

Tags: arts, live in portland, music