Frank Productions started as a family-run, full service concert promotion company, bringing the likes of Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and Bruce Springsteen to Wisconsin. Over the next five decades, we have become one of the largest concert promoters in the United States.
Herb and Sylvia Frank move to Madison, Wisconsin with their young family to run the Capitol Theatre for RKO Pictures. This work creates Frank Productions in its first iteration as a company.
Herb and Sylvia sign a lease to run the box office at the Dane County Coliseum in Madison, WI. Madison Ticket Agency is formed, and Frank Productions begins ticketing and promoting live events in Madison and around the region.
Herb Frank is bound to a chair onstage by longtime friend and client, Johnny Cash, at Dane County Coliseum. The story hit newspapers and becomes an iconic moment in our company history.
In the following decades, Herb & Sylvia’s sons, Larry and Fred Frank, solidify Frank Productions’ reputation as a boutique promoter, dedicated to bringing artists to Wisconsin as well as expanding its reach nationwide. Notable clients from this era include Alan Jackson, Shania Twain, Brooks & Dunn, Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and more.
Frank Productions, together with Darin Lashinsky, opens National Shows 2 (NS2) in Nashville, TN. The name honors “National Shows,” a 1970s family-run concert promotion company led by Darin’s father, Philip Lashinsky.
Frank Productions appoints Charlie Goldstone as President of a new subsidiary called Frank Productions Concerts (FPC). This brand is created to operate the next generation of live events both regionally in Wisconsin and with national touring as a focus.
Frank Productions welcomes Joel Plant as its new CEO as the company moves into a new chapter of focused and strategic growth. The company’s expansion begins with the purchase of the High Noon Saloon in Madison, Wisconsin – its first owned-and-operated venue.
Frank Productions Concerts and fellow Madison company, Majestic Live, merge and rebrand as FPC Live with Charlie Goldstone, Scott Leslie, and Matt Gerding as Co-Presidents. This merger brings three additional venues into the company’s portfolio: Majestic Theatre (Madison, WI), The Blue Note (Columbia, MO), and Rose Music Hall (Columbia, MO).
Frank Productions, and its two operating companies (FPC Live and National Shows 2) enter into a partnership with Live Nation. As part of the joint venture, FPC Live assumes operation of Madison’s historic Orpheum Theatre.
The Sylvee, named after Sylvia Frank, is opened in Madison, WI. The venue welcomes a sold-out crowd for Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats.
The Charleston Music Hall (Charleston, SC) partners with National Shows 2 and FPC Live becoming the seventh operated venue.
National Shows 2, FPC Live, and Live Nation re-open the Music Farm in Charleston, SC, bringing back the popular venue to the local music scene.
FPC Live and Live Nation break ground on our new state-of-the-art 4,000-cap venue in downtown Milwaukee, WI. The venue is expected to open in early 2026.
Through FPC Live and National Shows 2, Frank Productions continues its mission from the last 50 years of connecting artists with their fans. From our clubs to global tours, our teams are always working towards our next milestones of success.