[Slowhand] XRoads Seating and Security

[Bruce Wilson]

I'm sure you won't be able to trot down, but there are ways to get there.  I've never been to Toyota Park (although I have parked a Toyota), so the following may or may not apply to that venue.  I'll mention three things that have worked for me and one that I could never pull off, but maybe you can.

1)  Stub down:  This is the easiest and probably most common way to move to a different area than the one you have a ticket for and has worked for me several times.  Hook up with someone who has a GA or floor ticket - they can meet you at a fence, railing, whatever's there, and hand you their ticket stub.  They won't need it because they're already in and you can use it to get in.  Give it back to them before you leave, and you can go in and out as many times as you want as long as they are willing to pass it back to you.
*Helpful detail* - when you leave the area, make eye contact with the staff monitoring the gate, tell them you are going to get a beverage, go to the restroom, etc. and will be back in a few minutes.  When you come back, say "Hi, I'm back," and they'll remember you and let you in without even asking for your ticket.

2)  Become invisible:  Basically, you want to observe when you are being observed and when you are not.  Move to where you want to go when staff are dealing with someone else; just stand where you are when they are looking at you.  This has worked in many situations over the years, including getting me into a Clapton concert a couple tours ago.  As I approached the gates, the staff appeared to be a little too busy with the crowd.  I thought I could get in without giving them my ticket.  It worked; I still have my virgin EC ticket.

3)  Have an indifferent attitude:  This probably won't work at Toyota Park but it once worked for me at a Dylan concert in a theater.  I'm a huge Dylan fan but did not want to be at this concert.  A friend and I had attended the first two nights of a three night stand by Living Colour at the Metro in Chicago.  We had previously agreed to see Dylan with another friend the third night, but by then I would have gladly returned to the Metro.  This was during the time when Dylan sang way behind the music; he rushed through each line of lyrics at the end of each musical bar.  Even the great songs did not sound great.  And the audience was weird.  Women wore fur coats; people who dared to stand up during the concert were yelled at until they sat down; in the lobby, wine was served in plastic cups which could not be taken into the theater.  Our seats were somewhere in the middle of all this.  As we walked down the aisle after intermission, an usher asked to see my ticket.  I looked at him without saying a word and continued to the front row where we sat in some unoccupied seats.  For a couple of minutes, I expected to be booted out, but it didn't happen.

4)  Be a biker:  As mentioned above, I could never do this, but I saw it work for someone else at a Grateful Dead concert; I think it was the last one at Soldier Field.  An attendee who looked as if he could be a member of a motorcycle club wanted to leave the stands to move down by the stage.  A lone staff member, incidentally about half his size, said he could not.  The attendee patiently explained that he intended to move to the front, was going to move to the front shortly, and recommended that he not be deterred from doing so.  The staff had no other backup anywhere in the area and wisely agreed.  On the other hand, do you really want to wear all that leather in July?

Have fun,
brooz

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Mel Boss 
  To: slowhand at planet-torque.com 
  Sent: Friday, June 08, 2007 11:30 AM
  Subject: [Slowhand] XRoads Seating and Security


  It's all speculation, I guess, at this point, but I'm ntl interested in SHDrs opinions on the seating and security at the guitar festival at Toyota Park. 
  We have reserved seating for the day - about as far away from the stage as one can get. I'm used to security personel keeping GA ticket holders from reserved seating, but what about the other way around? I'm hoping that we'll be able to trot down among the sweating masses for an occasional look during the course of the day. 
  What do you think?
  Mel
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