We started with FM99 Lunatic Luau in May, which is always fun.The rain broke us into the reality that we have to deal with the elements in our line of work.
We just returned home from our first Dead and Company Shakedown Street of the Summer Tour and it was an experience with the heat.
My sister in law and I traveled from Yorktown VA to Charlotte NC for the Dead and Company opening show of the tour with all our Dead Merchandise from the store. We were on the edge for awhile until it was decided that they would not boycott the state for the LGBT "Hate bill" (HB2) as other entertainers such as Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam had done.
All I have to say is you would think with the loss of so much revenue to the state from all the events statewide that had been cancelled they would be on spot for the ones that did show up .I have never seen such a bunch of rookies handling a concert crowd in my life.
Lets start in the parking lot. They decided to open the lot early because vendors had started lining up along the side of the road.When the line got long enough to stretch to the main highway they opened it up,letting only 4 cars in at a time.It was like this was their first attempt ever at parking a concert crowd.There were 2 Spivey, port a pottys in the parking lot for around 1,000 cars that had not been cleaned since the last event .
Next- when the gate opened to let people in at 600- their inefficiency at this caused people to have to stand in the hot blaring sun ,on the asphalt, waiting in line to go in.It took so long.The concert was supposed to start at 7 the band held off because of the hold up at the gate.
We were so dried up by the time we got in we went straight to the concessions in search of Gatorade or water,both of which they were out of at the beginning of the show.There were ridiculous lines for everything because there were not enough workers and the ones they had must have been their first day or had not been trained.Everything we encountered was a hassle. It is a good thing this was the peaceful loving hippie crowd.Could have been bad if it was that gate crashing- I want mine and I want it now crew that I have seen at some of the events we have done.To finish off the night,the folks in Charlotte were no better at getting the people out of there,than they were at getting us parked.We were there for 2 hours waiting until it thinned out to leave.This wasn't a problem for us we had no place to go except the hotel.We partied with the other vendors and people watched,enjoying all the random hugs and sights to be seen.But if you were in a hurry to leave I am sure it was frustrating.
The show was awesome the parking lot vending was spectacular in spite of the worst heat at an event I have ever endured, but this venue was, as the kids say "An EPIC FAIL. Of all the venues I have been to,I have to say this is my least favorite and I have seen a lot of different venues.Some just make it harder than it has to be.
It is my hope to anyone reading this that your concert going experiences are better than this.We pay a lot of money to get treated like this.It is not cheap to go to shows anymore.I feel PNC Charlotte can do better.
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