On January 29, 2014 nominations were announced for the 49^th annual ACM Awards. Included in this year’s nominees for Venue of the Year – Small Capacity is the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis, MA. The Melody Tent is a quaint little powerhouse of a venue located about 60 miles south of Boston and a stones-throw over the Cape Cod Canal. It’s known for having not a bad seat in the house and for over 60 years has played host to huge names in both comedy and music. For both natives and visitors to Cape Cod, one’s stay isn’t complete without taking in at least one show at the Melody Tent.

This is the first year the Academy is recognizing venues with differing seating capacities. “Venue of the Year” now includes three separate awards based on venue capacity.

• Venue of the Year – Small Capacity recognizes venues with a maximum seating capacity of 4000 seats
• Venue of the Year – Medium Capacity recognizes venues hosting 4001-11,000 seats
• Venue of the Year – Large Capacity recognizes venues supporting a minimum of 11,001 seats

“The Board felt that these changes more accurately reflect the nature of touring and wanted to make a change to be more inclusive than ever” said ACM Board President, Darin Murphy. “These changes will make it possible for the Academy to honor venues of all types and sizes that do great work supporting the country music genre year-round.”

But the guests aren’t the only one’s having a good time under the Tent. On Sunday, June 30, 2013, country music’s Gary Allan descended on Cape Cod, MA – where amidst the heat, humidity, intermittent rain and burning floodlights, this California-bred, hard rockin’, hard livin’ true-to-the-genre country phenomenon hit the center of the slow-turning stage and for 90 minutes gave his eye-level audience a “Tough Goodbye”. Before departing Allan shared:

“Cape Cod, I like this place. We’d love to come back if you guys will have us.”

Yes, Gary, us guys would be honored to have you light up the summer night again and do hope to meet you under the Tent in 2014.

“We’re honored to be chosen by the Academy members as an outstanding venue. Small capacity venues have difficulty gaining recognition nationally, we applaud the ACM’s Board for understanding the changing nature of touring and shining a spotlight on the smaller venues nationwide”, noted Cape Cod Melody Tent Executive Producer Vincent Longo.

The 49^th Academy of Country Music Awards airs LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Sunday, April 6, 2014 at 8/7c on CBS. The evening will be hosted by four-time ACM Award winner Blake Shelton and reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year, Luke Bryan.

The 2014 Academy of Country Music (ACM) “Venue of the Year”-Small Capacity Nominees Are:

• American Music Theatre – Lancaster, PA
• Austin City Limits live at The Moody Theater – Austin, TX
• Cape Cod Melody Tent – Hyannis, MA
• Georgia Theatre – Athens, GA
• House of Blues, Boston, MA

Congratulations to all the nominees. Good luck. And thank you for playing host to some of country music’s finest!

For more on the ACM nominees, click here

For a complete calendar of summer Melody Tent events click here

Be sure to tune in Sunday, April 6, 2014 8/7c on CBS as the 49^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards airs LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.