07-19-2004, 05:52 PM
I thought I would say that I'm from Sarnia. I am proud to be a resident here, but I certainly agree with most of you here: The organization of the venue and amount of people created a huge problem.
I have heard that Centennial Park fits 12-15000 legally but that there were upwards of 20000 people in the park during the Hip concert. I honestly don't know if this is true, but I would like to find out.
I was standing almost smushed against my friends at the upper west corner of the fenced off sound area.
For those of you who have never been to Bayfest save for last Saturday, the park layout had been changed from the last time the Hip played here.
Last time, the beer ticket booth was situated right in front of the beer tent and the under 19 and over 19 areas were basically cut in half down the middle of the stage all the way to the back of the park. That meant that to get alcohol you were basically stuck in a crowd no matter where you were (I waited 45 minutes for 3 beers and then it took me 30 minutes to get back to where I had been before, minus most of my family and friends)
This time the unlicensed area was put in front of the licensed area, and the beer booth was put in the unlicensed area in front of the entrance to the licensed area. Make of that what you will. I myself did not purchase alcohol at all this time, because I knew that the lines for either the entrance or booth would have been atrocious -- and they were.
I honestly don't know what has gotten into the organizers. For that matter I don't know what it takes to put on a festival, but there are couple of things that rub me the wrong way:
1. You don't need that many people to make up your ticket revenue (the Hip have played to much less)
2. This is a pet peeve, I don't know if it applies: You do not need to organize the festival on the same weekend that a major charity puts on a similar festival to make money (The Mackinaw Race while is not <i>charity</i>, many charities attempt to raise money on this weekend by also having live music) Simply put them on different weekends.
Why not try to limit the number of people? Why not try and search everyone for drugs/drinking (I know this is almost futile, but could help in curbing everyone's rowdiness)
Although I have only been to less than a handful of Hip shows, I'm a fan. I wanted to see them and not have to deal with anyone who wasn't there for the same reason I was. In fact, I had to see first aid because I had my toe crushed. The band was right on, but the crowd definitely needs to shape up.
I did not go to last year's Bayfest because of these crowd problems, but there is no way I could miss the Hip (or ZZ Top for that matter, they were awesome to see as well), and so I went. Unless they get a simly amazing live act, I'm staying home.
Can anyone else add any thoughts?
Cheers,
Wes
I have heard that Centennial Park fits 12-15000 legally but that there were upwards of 20000 people in the park during the Hip concert. I honestly don't know if this is true, but I would like to find out.
I was standing almost smushed against my friends at the upper west corner of the fenced off sound area.
For those of you who have never been to Bayfest save for last Saturday, the park layout had been changed from the last time the Hip played here.
Last time, the beer ticket booth was situated right in front of the beer tent and the under 19 and over 19 areas were basically cut in half down the middle of the stage all the way to the back of the park. That meant that to get alcohol you were basically stuck in a crowd no matter where you were (I waited 45 minutes for 3 beers and then it took me 30 minutes to get back to where I had been before, minus most of my family and friends)
This time the unlicensed area was put in front of the licensed area, and the beer booth was put in the unlicensed area in front of the entrance to the licensed area. Make of that what you will. I myself did not purchase alcohol at all this time, because I knew that the lines for either the entrance or booth would have been atrocious -- and they were.
I honestly don't know what has gotten into the organizers. For that matter I don't know what it takes to put on a festival, but there are couple of things that rub me the wrong way:
1. You don't need that many people to make up your ticket revenue (the Hip have played to much less)
2. This is a pet peeve, I don't know if it applies: You do not need to organize the festival on the same weekend that a major charity puts on a similar festival to make money (The Mackinaw Race while is not <i>charity</i>, many charities attempt to raise money on this weekend by also having live music) Simply put them on different weekends.
Why not try to limit the number of people? Why not try and search everyone for drugs/drinking (I know this is almost futile, but could help in curbing everyone's rowdiness)
Although I have only been to less than a handful of Hip shows, I'm a fan. I wanted to see them and not have to deal with anyone who wasn't there for the same reason I was. In fact, I had to see first aid because I had my toe crushed. The band was right on, but the crowd definitely needs to shape up.
I did not go to last year's Bayfest because of these crowd problems, but there is no way I could miss the Hip (or ZZ Top for that matter, they were awesome to see as well), and so I went. Unless they get a simly amazing live act, I'm staying home.
Can anyone else add any thoughts?
Cheers,
Wes