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=> GENERAL DISCUSSION => Topic started by: vansmack on June 29, 2004, 02:48:00 pm
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Two Points for those that don't care to read about the heartbreak and agony of missing No Doubt and Blink:
(1) Nissan Pavillion is not alone in hideous congestion
(2)Ticketmaster will sometimes refund service charges. Who knew?
Missed concert spurs outrage
Traffic jam caused thousands of fans to miss No Doubt, Blink-182 concert in Devore. Refunds are being offered.
By BEN WENER
The Orange County Register
Fans who got stuck in hours of crawling traffic on I-15 while trying to get into the No Doubt and Blink-182 show Saturday night at the Hyundai Pavilion in Devore are still outraged at having missed most of the performance.
Thousands more were turned away from the San Bernardino County venue.
Allyson Holt of Placentia, who had shelled out $175 to take her daughter, Gilliane, as a high school graduation present, spent six hours inching toward the Pavilion's grass parking lots. But by 10:15 p.m., three hours after the concert was scheduled to begin and a half-hour after Blink-182 had finished, they were told the lot was full.
"(The parking attendants) told us we might as well turn around and head home," Holt said. "My daughter and her friend were crying because they could hear the music far away, and the attendants just laughed about it."
The cause of the massive delay, concert promoter Clear Channel Entertainment announced Monday, was "numerous highway accidents," which blocked lanes leading to the amphitheater.
Greg Terlizzi, spokesman for Clear Channel, says venue operators expected substantial walk-up business beyond the 35,000-plus tickets sold in advance for the popular pairing of Orange County natives No Doubt and San Diego punk band Blink-182.
"This is a freak incident," he said. By 10 p.m., he said, all cars headed toward the venue had to be turned away so that the roads would be clear for the heavy traffic about to pour out. "What happened this time was out of our control."
Holt said the scene outside the venue was near-riotous. "People were driving on the shoulders, up embankments, driving the wrong way, nearly crashing into people, all just to try to get in."
No Doubt vocalist Gwen Stefani said in a posting on the band's Web site, "The reality of people driving for hours and not seeing the show makes me feel physically sick."
To compensate, Clear Channel is offering full refunds (including Ticketmaster service fees) to people who were denied access. For each refunded ticket, the promoter is also offering a free ticket to one of five other shows.
This offer, however, isn't being extended to those who got into the show hours late - like Lyndsea Hickman, 23, of Huntington Beach, who went in a limo with a group of friends to celebrate her birthday.
They didn't make it to the lawn seating until nearly 11 p.m. She heard only a half-dozen songs before having to head back into traffic for another three hours.
"They need more entrances to the parking lot," she said. "It was so confusing because there were just cars everywhere, and no one around to direct traffic."
Terlizzi says people who found themselves in such predicaments should submit their story in writing or call Clear Channel. "We'll have to consider them on a case-by-case basis, (but) we're not going to turn a blind eye to this."
Yet the solution isn't satisfying everyone.
"That's very nice that they're trying to make it up to us with tickets to another concert, but when am I going to have another chance to see Blink and No Doubt play together?" said Gilliane Holt, 17.
Holt will get part of her wish fulfilled: Monday night, No Doubt's manager invited her to attend tonight's show at Universal Amphitheatre.
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Originally posted by vansmack:
The cause of the massive delay, concert promoter Clear Channel Entertainment announced Monday, was "numerous highway accidents," which blocked lanes leading to the amphitheater.
At least they have acts of god (ie, traffic accidents) to point to in Cali. Nissan's got nothing but its awful, awful location. Can you tell I hate that place? I won't go....Same thing happened for Pearl Jam, but it was just plain old traffic in and out of the place that had so many arriving really late to the show. Plus, Nissan's Clear Channel. Ewwwwwww.
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it took me about three hours to get from my house in kensington to nissan on the night of the blink/no doubt/living end show here. by the time i got there, the band i wanted to see (tle) was done, and no doubt was halfway done. the box office then told me that i wasn't on a list that i later found out i was actually on. i turned around and drove home. fun night.
when i was leaving, there were still hundreds of people in line, and hundreds more parking. nissan sucks.
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i've never had that kind of problem at nissan (i've only been to two shows there and never had a problem either time, strangely enough), but i have had major problems getting to the PNC bank amphitheatre in holmdel and to merriweather.
i heard the lines in to coachella were really bad, but i got there reasonably early.
i've missed most of a show because of traffic before on more than one occasion.
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There were lines at Coachella? I guess since we drove in on Friday night...
I have never been to Nissan and refuse. Not that the place has ever hosted a band that I really want to see... and at the same time it's pretty clear that they haven't put two ounces of thought into the fact that many many washingtonians aren't car owners. So screw them.
It wouldn't be unheard of for the venue to arrange something reasonable-- bus service from the Franconia-Springfield Metro station, maybe??
Reference Wolf Trap-- not transit accessible, but still, they arranged bus service (which we're more than happy to pay for) which both eases parking lot congestion and makes the shows accessible for us non-car owners.
Not to mention the drinking and driving issues-- come on, a Jimmy Buffet show that you have to drive to get to? THat's just asking for trouble.
FYI -- On Tap magazine has gone out on their own and arranged buses from the city for some Merriweather Post shows this summer. Smart.
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Years ago it took me forever to get to Nissan to see a show. Arrived 1/2 way through the opening act. I anticipated traffic, so it didn't really get to me until we were almost there. However, leaving the facility was a clusterf*. The staff is all over everyone when they come into the facility, but when the show is over, we were on our own. We waited for two hours to try and get out of the parking lot the "right" way. The staff stood around for those two hours laughing at everyone trying to get out. They didn't try to help anyone. I may have said something (asked them to help) with no action, they continued to watch everyone struggle...so..I drove my little car over a concrete block, through the grass, over the curb back into the street. <insert "Dukes of Hazzard" Yee-Hah>. May not have been the right thing to do, but NO ONE had moved in two hours. If I hadn't, I'd probably just be getting home. And this was years ago. Guess much hasn't changed. (I don't really like their lawn anyway, a little short, stumped hill.)
Before IMP took over Merriweather, there was traffic getting there, so we left for a show really early. Getting out was a dream. We'd be nervous when we saw the line of cars, but it really took us no more than 15 minutes to make it to the main highway. There were even cops out there directing traffic, etc.
For early shows at the club (6 PM), I'm bound to sit in traffic for a show at that time. So, the only way to arrive on time (from my area) is to leave at 4/4:30 pm. That can be nerve-wracking & exhausting.
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Originally posted by chimbly sweep:
There were lines at Coachella? I guess since we drove in on Friday night...
I have never been to Nissan and refuse. Not that the place has ever hosted a band that I really want to see... and at the same time it's pretty clear that they haven't put two ounces of thought into the fact that many many washingtonians aren't car owners. So screw them.
Why not just ride your bike to Nissan, like you expect everyone to do to the 930?
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Originally posted by Bollocks:
Why not just ride your bike to Nissan, like you expect everyone to do to the 930?
I think it's widely accepted that 930 is far more centrally and reasonably located than Nissan. Anyone that thinks Nissan is more convenient must either be a slave to gas prices or a horse farmer.
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Originally posted by chimbly sweep:
Reference Wolf Trap-- not transit accessible, but still, they arranged bus service (which we're more than happy to pay for) which both eases parking lot congestion and makes the shows accessible for us non-car owners.
also, if i remember correctly, there's no toll booth for the wolf trap exit off of the toll road.
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Originally posted by chimbly sweep:
Originally posted by Bollocks:
Why not just ride your bike to Nissan, like you expect everyone to do to the 930?
I think it's widely accepted that 930 is far more centrally and reasonably located than Nissan. Anyone that thinks Nissan is more convenient must either be a slave to gas prices or a horse farmer. [/b]
I would love to find out the demographics of 930 club attendees over the course of a year to see how many are the blessed DC city dwellers as opposed to the scum of the burbs.
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Originally posted by Bollocks:
Originally posted by chimbly sweep:
Originally posted by Bollocks:
Why not just ride your bike to Nissan, like you expect everyone to do to the 930?
I think it's widely accepted that 930 is far more centrally and reasonably located than Nissan. Anyone that thinks Nissan is more convenient must either be a slave to gas prices or a horse farmer. [/b]
I would love to find out the demographics of 930 club attendees over the course of a year to see how many are the blessed DC city dwellers as opposed to the scum of the burbs. [/b]
>>>Well, I'm one of the above mentioned "scum of the burbs"......and I only live about 20 minutes from Nissan....and that's with no traffic of course......I'll agree it's a hastily designed "clusterfuck"......they built the damn place without building the proper infrastructure.....I don't go there but maybe once every couple years....it has to be something I REALLY want to see....last time I was there was for Area 2 .....because of Bowie....what?......2 years ago??......I leave early to get there and I pack plenty of food & beverages and set up a post concert party in the parking lot and watch all the folks sit in lines waiting to get out of the place!....oh,and I always go on a weekend and not a school night to insure I have time to burn......these are some ideas to insure a (somewhat) enjoyable experience.....that being said I have always enjoyed Merriweather much better and have never had a problem there getting in or out for over 20 years now....except the golf cart men in the parking lot not allowing me to enjoy a fine ale before the show.....that sucks!
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Originally posted by Bollocks:
I would love to find out the demographics of 930 club attendees over the course of a year to see how many are the blessed DC city dwellers as opposed to the scum of the burbs.
I just want to note here that, as is *often* the case, you a suburbanite have brought up this issue and charactarized it as one of tension...yet I get slandered as the exemplar of the city v. suburb 'fight.' All I ever wanted was a commuter tax!! ... ;) So when O'Rotten and others refer to the "scum of the suburbs" -- that came from Mankie!!
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Originally posted by Bagalicious Tangster:
I just want to note here that, as is *often* the case, you a suburbanite have brought up this issue and charactarized it as one of tension...yet I get slandered as the exemplar of the city v. suburb 'fight.' All I ever wanted was a commuter tax!! ... ;) So when O'Rotten and others refer to the "scum of the suburbs" -- that came from Mankie!!
Thanks for that. I haven't brough up the bikey thing much-- it's just getting pinned on me now. If y'all suburbanites wanna pick a fight, you sure do know how.
and on another note...
notice the word "outrage" in the title? isn't it funny what people do and don't get outraged at lately?
things to get outraged at: traffic, missing a concert, loud neighbors, etc.
things to ignore: the political situation, injustice, lack of health care, etc.
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Originally posted by Venerable Bede:
Originally posted by chimbly sweep:
Reference Wolf Trap-- not transit accessible, but still, they arranged bus service (which we're more than happy to pay for) which both eases parking lot congestion and makes the shows accessible for us non-car owners.
also, if i remember correctly, there's no toll booth for the wolf trap exit off of the toll road. [/b]
Coming from DC and points beyond, 50 cent toll booth right before exit to Wolftrap.
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The bus that takes you to Wolftrap is located in the West Falls Church Metro station. It $5 to and from the venue.
I'm glad the folks at On Tap create the bus trip to Nissan. They did this last year for Bon Jovi and John Mayer came to town.
While I'm glad they're going for shows at Nissan and Merriweather, I wish they added a few more shows to the list. I'm in no mode to make those long trips by myself.
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it's called leave early with plenty enough time to get there...what the hell is everyone's excuse when they have to go to work?
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The reason nissan sucks soooo bad to get into is this. Back in the early 90s or 80s or whenever nissan pavillion came about, Disney was working on a project they called the "Virginia Project". It was supposed to be a smaller version of a Disney World. All that farmland that you drive through to get to nissan is what would have been the Virginia Project. The Nissan developers figured Disney would take care of the access roads. Much to their dismay, they pulled the plug on the Virginia Project a year later sans access roads leaving Nissan with one measily access road. Sucks terribly. Blame Disney.
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Originally posted by lanmanrm:
they pulled the plug on the Virginia Project a year later sans access roads leaving Nissan with one measily access road. Sucks terribly. Blame Disney.
The people didn't want it though, right? Voted highly against it I thought...and "settled" on Nissan to make people happy. So, are they really to blame? (I get what you are saying, just curious about the details...)
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Originally posted by hitman:
it's called leave early with plenty enough time to get there...what the hell is everyone's excuse when they have to go to work?
Coming up with excuses to leave work early is what is hard.
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nissan sux
that's my two cents
the last time i went there was for metallice and jerry cantrell before that it was elton john
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Originally posted by Sugartastic Tee Silk:
The people didn't want it though, right? Voted highly against it I thought...and "settled" on Nissan to make people happy. So, are they really to blame? (I get what you are saying, just curious about the details...) [/b]
Well...I guess Disney isn't completely to blame, but I'll put it this way, Disney could have fought that fight a lot longer than they did, but they just decided it wasn't that valuable of an asset. The people of that area were outraged about it. They fought that thing, but with good reason. It was going to affect all the Manassas battle fields and other historical sites. I just wish Disney had built those damn access roads before the people of VA won that war.