YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – A moment with excitement – and confetti – in the air at a concert by rock band Kiss is the winner of a photo contest that celebrates the 20th anniversary of Covelli Centre.
The photo was taken by Edward Uberti of Hermitage, Pa., at the 2016 concert. It shows a storm of confetti flowing over a sea of fans in front of the stage.
As the grand prize winner, Uberti has won a pair of club-level tickets to 10 shows at Covelli in 2026.
The contest was created by JAC Management, which operates the city-owned arena that opened Oct. 29, 2005.
The photos in the competition were posted on the arena’s website. Voting, which was done by fans, took place last week.
Uberti’s photo will be featured on Covelli’s social media platforms and highlighted as a part of the anniversary celebration.
“I’ve seen Kiss three times now and Covelli was the smallest venue,” Uberti said. “The thing that I remember was that despite the fact that it was a smaller venue, Kiss came with everything! They had their full stage production and used it all. Covelli Centre was more than capable of doing their show justice.”
Uberti said the band made an announcement during that show that stuck with him. They said that back in the ’70s, when they weren’t as big, Kiss did shows in smaller cities – including Youngstown. As a way to say thanks to the cities that supported them before they got big, the band was again doing shows in the smaller cities.
Since opening its doors, Covelli has hosted hundreds of concerts, sporting events and community celebrations.
Pictured at top: The winning photo in the Covelli Centre contest.