Nissan Pavilion - thoughts?

Originally posted by Jaguar:
Honestly, I haven't been either but I stopped going to the Cap Center many years before they tore that place down and I equate them to similiar experiences. Have heard and read a whole lot of things about the place that fit exactly everything that I hate about large arenas. You are just way too far away, sound often echos or gets lost, the crowds are too much for me, and the parking is insane. Plus, you usually pay much more for a ticket without the intimacy of smaller venues. The 9:30 Club is about the largest that I prefer to go. But that's just me.

I might consider MCI, which I've never been to either, for a rare occassion but haven't the slightest desire to ever venture into the Nissan experience. It would take all of the original Beatles; early days style; performing for me to take the plunge. [/QB]

As far as arenas go, you may want to consider Patriot Center. while the acoustics in nearly every arena ever are pretty much a lost cause, the Patriot Center's never been too bad for me.

Plus, since it's an older arena, and a collega arena, it's not too overly huge, either.

As far as Nissan goes (granted I'm biased here, as I still consider myself a member of the 9:30/IMP family, even in Atlanta), literally give yourself at least 3 hours, and don't be surprised if it turns into more, to get there. There's one two-lane road to get there. Sure, you can come in from either direction, but it's still just a two-lane road (after you've spent forever on 66).

Originally posted by ggwâ?¢:
Nissan makes DAR look good.

i don't know if i'd go that far, but i'd definitely drive farther away rather than go to nissan (i live ~1.5-2hrs from nissan)

Originally posted by Venerable Bede:
it takes 3 hours to get there and 6 hours to get back.

thats just simply hilarious!!!!

It has the same problems any big venue will have. Long lines for the pisser and big prices for everything. I've been there a few times and I don't recall the sound being any crappier than any other big venue. Same goes with the parking - stuff like that is to be expected. I'd still see a show there if I'm crazy about the artist but I end up paying some insane price for excellent seats. And as someone without tons of dough to throw around, that means I don't go there often.

i have NEVER EVER sat in traffic for more than 30 minutes either coming to or leaving Merriweather.

ever.

I think overall, the hassles of nissan, suchas Traffic, only 2 exits, and crazy prices for food, really out-weigh the good you get out of the show.

I was considering nine inch nails. because i really want to see them live and i haven't yet. Plus i wouldn't mind seeing Bauhaus and TVOTR either. but i'm really on the fence. just because it's nissan

Originally posted by jesse:
I think overall, the hassles of nissan, suchas Traffic, only 2 exits, and crazy prices for food, really out-weigh the good you get out of the show.

anyone who goes to concerts for the food really creeps me out! ;)

i woke up on my bus less than 50 yards from the stage at nissan, and i was afraid it was still going to take me an hour to get there.

actually, that day was just fine. every other time i've been there was a royal pain in the ass, no matter how early i went or how late i stayed.

i've been to almost every major amphitheater in this country, and they're all essentially the same from the audience's perspective. personal bias aside, merriweather is one of maybe three that stand out as something different (in a good way). the others are the shoreline amphiteatre near san fransisco and the blossom music center in cuyahoga falls, ohio. most of the others are just a blur.

Why would you drink and drive in the first place?

Originally posted by mrpee:
Don't forget the sobriety roadblocks that the Prince William County boys in blue routinely set up after big shows. Like shooting fish in a barrell and those fuckin' bullets hurt!

Originally posted by thatguy:
i've been to almost every major amphitheater in this country, and they're all essentially the same from the audience's perspective. personal bias aside, merriweather is one of maybe three that stand out as something different (in a good way). the others are the shoreline amphiteatre near san fransisco and the blossom music center in cuyahoga falls, ohio. most of the others are just a blur.

Alpine Valley is nice. Deer Creek too, from what I recall. Jones Beach is interesting, if nothing else. But yeah - most of them are pretty much the same. We're lucky to have MPP and Wolf Trap in our area.

thoughts on Nissan?

I would get sued

Originally posted by Mike Rohsopht:
i have NEVER EVER sat in traffic for more than 30 minutes either coming to or leaving Merriweather.

ever.

Ditto.
Park at the mall. Walk 5 or 10 minutes to get back to your car after the concert and then I'm on 29 back to Baltimore in another 5 mintes.

It would take the act of some imaginary godlike figure, with me living in Baltimore, to get me to go to Nissan. It's just not worth the hassle

I agree with everyone. Avoid Nissan completely. All it takes is one horrible experience and then you'll hate it as much as the rest of us.

Originally posted by Lamb007:
If you really love the band, the quality of venue shouldn't deter you. But if you are on the fence, this is a really lousy place to see a show. If you go, take the afternoon off and leave an hour earlier than you were planning.

The only problem with that is when you go to see your favorite band, leave about four hours before the show starts (from Bethesda…i.e. 10 minutes from DC), and it takes you nearly SIX to get to the venue and you miss all but two songs by your favorite band.
It's only been that bad once, but it's always still pretty bad. It should take less than an hour to get there and instead, it always takes 2-3-6. and then there's getting out of the shows. it's just…it's a real pain, and it's getting really old for us to have to drive down there and it keeps getting worse each time.

again, if it's one of your favorite bands…do it. but take the day off.

PS Next time we decided we're going to segway. It will actually be way faster. And I'm not kidding…

Let's see. 7 years ago I saw Dylan and Paul Simon at Nissan. Great show and stayed until the bitter end. Afterwards, it took 3 hours to leave the parking lot as EVERY parked car (7,000?) funneled there way to what appeared to be ONE exit. It was the most enfuriating, painful, sh*tty way to end the night.

I had tickets to see DMB there two weeks later. The place was packed, bursting at the seams. From the moment the concert started, we tried to guess when it would end so we could get the f*ck out of there. After about 2 hours we literally started running for the car. we booked out of there and were on the highway within 20 minutes. FREEDOM! Of course, we missed the last 7 songs of the show.

Add the fact that the place is a soulless corporate void that has no redeeming qualities and its hard to like Nissan.

If the show isn't crowded, that's helpful. But, if you go to packed show there I'd research online what setlists the band is playing and be prepared to leave pre-encore. It takes the fun out of the show but you've got to be in self-preservation mode and plan every move.

Segway, huh? You really do live in Bethesda…

Nice venue, but the traveling time is absurd.

:)

ever seen nisson's parking lot when it rains? how about when it rains during a show and then you go out into the parking lot? clear channel is dropping alot of their prices as show dates near and they have lots of seats left.

Originally posted by Bombay Chutney:
Alpine Valley is nice. Deer Creek too, from what I recall. Jones Beach is interesting, if nothing else. But yeah - most of them are pretty much the same. We're lucky to have MPP and Wolf Trap in our area.

i forgot about alpine valley. for the audience, that place did seem nice. backstage was weird. it's built on a big ass hill. the stage and all of the decks and such are level, but everything else is on a ridiculous slope. makes it a pain to get around. hell, it was a pain to just stand still that day. ever try to stand on a steep incline for any extended time? my calves were killing me. that, and you have to park your bus way down at the bottom of the hill and take a shuttle van back and forth.

jones beach has a great view behind the stage, but otherwise i wasn't impressed. they do host the least appealing way to get backstage, though. once the crowd is in, there's only one way back there that doesn't involve going through the crowd. you have to go down a couple flights of stairs to pass through a dank, wet, smelly, rat infested hallway that leads under the crowd and the water, and back up the stairs at the other end. not pleasant at all.

didn't hit deer creek.