The new Fillmore: A mega-plex in the making

Picture a state-of-the-art music hall with a curtaining system that expands or retracts depending on the size of the acts.

Picture cocktail and bottle service and fare as fancy as charcuterie plates served while Gwar plays on stage.

That's some of what you'll get at the new Fillmore (10 E. Allen St.) .

"We're bringing life back to this side of town," said Fillmore general manager Jason Bray, during a tour yesterday of the forthcoming Fishtown venue, adjacent to Frankford Avenue.

Bray described the design as "steam punk"- a sort of Victorian-era/art nouveau decorating with exposed brick and Edison bulb-chandeliers. It's housed in the old Ajax Metal Company building and will share space with a bowling alley, restaurant and distillery.

A vintage 1968 Volkswagen microbus greets concertgoers as they enter. The microbus will serve as a space to sell merchandise.

The Fillmore, like House of Blues, is a division of Live Nation.

Ron Bension, president of House of Blues, is focused on consolidating the 12 House of Blues clubs and seven Fillmores, including the 180,000-watt sound system concert hall under construction in Fishtown.

The Fillmore is able to accommodate about 2,500 people. Within the Fillmore is the Foundry, a smaller club on the second floor, able to hold about 450. Bension described it as "a club within a club."

The beauty of the Fillmore is that the main hall can shrink down to hold 1,200 with a state-of-the-art curtaining system that allows the interior - from the audience's perspective - to appear smaller and more intimate.

"We think, from what we know about other local venues, that nobody has anything like this," said Bension.

There are 30 shows on the calendar and Bension said he expects bookings to multiply from there. The Fillmore is booked through the first quarter of 2016.

"Come early, relax, stay late . . . we've really tried to make a facility that's comfortable and provides an excellent entertainment experience," Bension said.

The Fillmore is slated to open Oct. 1 with a sold-out Hall & Oates show, presented by 98.1 WOGL FM.

WRTI 90.1 FM, Temple University's public radio station, is bidding adieu to a longtime well-known classicial-music host.

After more than 30 years on air, afternoon host Jill Pasternak is retiring.

Yesterday marked the end of her career in radio broadcasting, as station sources say she's decided to retire and spend more time with her children and grandchildren.

Many are sure to miss her soft, mellifluous voice saying, "Hello, how are you today?"

We wish her a happy and healthy retirement.

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