This place gets a bad rep but it's a decent place to catch a show. It's impossible to get to if you don't have a car. I've seen a few shows here and the sound is great and the lawn area isn't bad. There are a few seats that have an obstructed view so be careful of that when buying a ticket. The concessions are outrageous but when aren't they? I haven't been to a concert venue with decent concession prices in almost ten years. You can bring lawn chairs which is a lot different than most outside venues. I'll only come out here if it's a show I really want to see but First Midwest attracts a lot of country acts so I'll most likely be coming here at least once a summer.
Review Source:My wife and I just saw the Zac Brown band there on sunday Sept 30. Â They were great. Â My review is for the venue itself. Â 45 minutes to get a beer. Â 30 minutes to take a pee in the nastiest bathroom ever. Â The bathrooms are the worst I have ever seen. Â The prices for beer and food are super high. Â There is vomit everywhere. Â Its common knowledge in surrounding communities that under age kids can get drinks when sitting in the lawn. Â If I were under the age of 21, that would be awesome. Â I am not. Â Young kids at this place are soooo drunk. Â They are clearly over served. Â I saw a young girl by herself throwing up all over the place while 20-30 other people had there cameras out filming it. Â As a parent, this bothers me. Â They need to have 3 times the amount of security. Â Not young kids either. Â This venue needs to clean up there act.
Review Source:Sound is decent dead center in the pavilion, sound is okay on the sides of the pavilion, sound is alright dead center in the lawn, sound sucks everywhere else in the lawn.
The place is clean, got plenty of restrooms if you go off and find them. Don't go to the closest one, walk a bit to the farther ones and you'll have no wait. Drinks and food are expensive. Not worth buying unless you really need it. I don't like seeing shows here, but if it's the only venue within driving distance that a band I like is playing at, I make the trek.
The parking isn't as ridiculous as everyone says. There are more than one exit, but people seem to just follow the huge line and go to the entrance where they came in from. Look around and you'll see the exit closest to your car and you're good to go.
OK, so let's set the stage here (pun intended). I think demographics are important to review readers. My wife and I are in our mid-40s and live in McHenry County. We are in a middle class tax bracket and love all kinds of music but only go to about 2 or 3 big concerts annually. This was her 4th time at this venue in 15 years but it had been awhile. My first time ever. I'm used to indoor concerts and last time at outdoor venue was in late 80s at Alpine Valley and Poplar Creek. I read all of these reviews before going to Incubus/Linkin Park on August 24, 2012. I was anxious about this place as a result of reading so much total negativity. Here are our thoughts the next morning as they relate to those negatives:
Acoustics: Great for an outdoor venue! We were in section 202 row XX (in the back) seats 5 and 6.
Bathrooms: All were working through the night and only one overflow in women's room at very end of night. Not bad for a packed venue with at least 14K there! Big lines but they move fast. Hot in women's room and no doors on 2 men's sit-downs. No big deal.
Parking: signage not the best and unless you're willing to cough up $20 or $30 for VIP close-in parking, you're gonna hike it and it could be a while to get out. We did the $30 and no complaints. For those complaining, go to Joliet for the races or to Daytona or for you folks in the higher income brackets, tell me how you feel when you drive your car to your beloved Ravinia. What a nightmare those places are and they make this place look easy and organized!
Food/Beverage: prices are outrageous and even worse than Yankee stadium in NYC. Unreal. Per venue website rules and regulations, we did the following: We brought 1 bottle of water each plus a soft cooler (6-pack size) with Jersey Mike's subs and chips and cookies and sat at one of about 10 big picnic tables just inside the gates and enjoyed a nice, cheap and delicious picnic as the sun went down. Never bought the $13 king can of Lite because I buy these for $1.85 at CVS at Ogilvie Train Center in Chicago. Outrageous! Gotta use your noodles here, folks. Lots of food vendors but all is pricey and of course we cannot vouch for the quality here.
Security: expect a quick and friendly search of all bags, empty your pockets and prepare for a possible pat-down depending on the concert artist and the related fan base. Men and women assemble in separate lines. All bottle tops will be removed as they are viewed as dangerous projectiles.
Overall venue: many here say the place should be condemned. We don't get it. Not sure what these folks are used to, but as a native Chicagoan, I must say that I was not disappointed in any way, nor was my wife and she is a native of Montreal where venues are top notch. The place was packed, the concert was phenomenal, and yes, there is a lot of drinking and we saw and smelled a fair amount of pot going on, but everybody was quite civilized (even the mosh pit at the front of the stage area received kudos from Chester of LP on occasion).
We would recommend this venue to anyone who wants to have a good time. Just plan ahead. Luck favors the exceptionally prepared, my friends.
i went here to see my favorite band of all time: radiohead. i also went here with my beau's lil bro to metal mayhem. different experiences. mostly the same rants and raves. would i go again? well only for the right shows.
radiohead put on a stellar concert, but it's radiohead so that's a given. i had good seats but had to stand on my tippie toes just to appreciate what would've otherwise been a great view had there not been 6' hipsters or tall dreadlocks blocking my line of sight. i'd say pay a lil extra to get reeeaaallly close or pay for the upper level for perspective maybe. you have the option to sit on the lawn; i spared the idea for the teenagers to fight over.
metal mayhem was a festival and it switched from stage to stage whenever there was a band turnover; it was standing room only so you could choose to opt out of the moshing and relish in your inner wallflower no problem.
acoustics were pretty good for a pseudo outdoor venue. it was better than lollapalooza but worse than chicago theater.
parking was free. if you want vip you can pay to get closer. options and freebies are sweetness. make sure your insurance is good cuz while you get directed inbound for parking it's a coin flip outbound. people drive in every direction, drunk, high, whatever and i feel like i'm in a video game just dodging the nutballs safely to the exit street.
and brace yourself... booze is crazy expensive. both concerts were my most sober concerts ever. $14 drinks? $7 for piss beer? no way jose. pregame or whatever and maybe buy one to hold you over unless you are ready, willing, and able to burn through your money.
i wasn't impressed by the venue but definitely surprised me beyond my expectations.
This was the first job I ever got fired from! This was also the first job I ever got re-hired at, after going to my boss' boss' boss. Next time I have high school graduation I will not dare request off working a country festival that happens to be on the same day. Valuable lesson learned. It was also called Tweeter then.
That aside this is an ok venue. Overpriced drinks. What else is new?! Sound is ok. I definitely think there's better sound at some other outdoor venues. Sucks when you get stuck entering the parking lot. Sucks when you get stuck leaving it. Sucks when you get stuck in a washroom stall w/o toilet paper. Sucks when it rains the night before/during/after a show. Sucks that it's a drive from the city.
They do have some good bands roll in from time to time. It's also pretty easy to figure out the routine of watching from the walkway right in front of the lawn. Just keep an eye out for the teeny bopper "security" kids w/ the flashlights. They might lethargically tell you to move and then walk right past you whether you do it or not.
In any case, shows here are always an adventure!
It's a suburban shed staffed by part-time teenagers, so what do you expect? Â There aren't nearly enough bathrooms for the size venue and if you attend an event that is heavily skewed towards one gender or the other, overflows and nastiness ensue. Â All of the parking lots should be paved (gravel in 2012?) and the staff should be trained in traffic flow management. Â The sound quality is very inconsistent within the arena and they should break up the seated sections so that there aren't sixty chairs between the aisles. Â It creates constant chaos with people walking past you, plus it can get dangerously hot if you're thirty seats in every direction from an aisle breeze. Â In short, park near an exit and walk a few extra feet, bring kleenex/sanitizer and try to get seats near an aisle.
But let me at least dispel the $11 beer myth. Â Yes, the beer is $11 domestic BUT it's for 24oz cans. Â So, in essence, you're paying $5.50 each for two regular size Miller Lites - seems reasonable IMHO. Â
I don't know why on earth bands would want to play in the heat in the 'burbs when the United Center sits mostly empty in the summer, but they do. Â If you want to see the show, you've got to make the best of it!
Absolutely the worst venue I have ever had the misfortune of wasting my money at!! Saw Jimmy Buffett here on 6/30/12. While they allowed us to tailgate, it was clear this was new for them, as they had NO CLUE what they were doing!! The parking lot patrols and the "workers" (none of whom were over the age of 19) tried their best, but the rules were ridiculous...it's clear it was all about the cash, the way they stuck us all in there with barely an inch between cars. There was barely a fire lane. if there had been an emergency we would have been toast!
Then, there is the bathroom situation...so you have 20,000 fans or so tailgating for 6 hours, stands to reason we may need to go to the bathroom. How about we have a grand total of 12 port a potties!! Seriously!!! We had tons of people going to the bathroom behind a dumpster. After they charged us $30 to park in "premiere" the least they could do was to have adequate bathrooms!!! Come on guys, this is just common sense, and a step toward providing your guests with some dignity!!!!
When we got into the venue, the gate people were so strict, we couldn't even bring in glow necklaces, everyone was patted down, and made to feel like a criminal. Then, we couldn't even leave the venue by going 2 rows to the front from our section...we had to climb through the 200 section and go all the way around through the throngs of people standing around- of course, no one made them clear the aisles or anything!!! to get to the bathrooms, when I questioned this i was told "standard procedure!
The sound quality was HORRIBLE!!!!!! We were seated in section 202, and could not understand a word Jimmy Buffett was saying. Oh, and I haven't even mentioned the huge poles that were basically blocking the stage- these seats were full price, and didn't mention an 'obstructed view'.
This place is an absolutely JOKE!!! No one should go here...maybe if we stop paying their ridiculous prices, and subjecting ourselves to their stupid rules, Live Nation will smarten up and break ties with this amateur hour venue. I really don't know how any self respecting artist would want to play here after hearing about how their fans are treated!!
DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!!!!!!
This venue should be avoided at all costs. Â I have been to hundreds of shows around the country, and this place is one of the worst. Â First of all NO TAILGATING. Honestly the first venue I have ever been to that doesn't allow this. They tell you its a Tinley Park ordinance, but its not. Â They allow it for Jimmy Buffet, and Jimmy Buffet alone. Â Along those same lines, the parking lot security is a bunch of assholes. Â We went back to our car to get water and drop off show merchandise, and we were immediately surrounded by security guards yelling at us to get in the venue. Â Apparently you lose your right to be around/in your car when you go to this place. Â They were extremely unpleasant and blatantly used curse words. Â There was really no need for this as we were just gathering waters to go back. Â His exact words were "I am giving you a warning, Â you have 8 minutes to get your shit together and go back to the gate." Â Nice guy. Â I love being treated like a criminal when I am in the parking lot of venue before a show. Â I know your life probably blows ass, as you are a parking lot security guard, but you don't need to take it out on me buddy. Â As others have said, the parking lot is a disaster in general. Â It took us 2 hours to get out after the show. Â
So now you know outside the venue is a disaster, I will sadly tell you about how inside is not much better. Â First of all, beers are $11 to $13 depending on type, which is absolutely ridiculous. Â They prevent you from pre drinking outside and force you to take out a second mortgage for beers inside. Â Also, you need a wristband to carry the beer and you need a ID to purchase one. Â So even though someone has checked you ID and given you a wristband, this is not enough for actually buying another beer. Â Quite stupid, and on par for the rest of the venue's policies. I can't really comment on the sound/view of the venue, as we were very close to the band in the pavilion and everything was pretty spectacular. Â If it wasn't for the show, a visit to this place would be more painful than a prostate exam. Â Again, if you have any choice in where you are seeing a band, DO NOT COME HERE.
The only reason I even went to this place is because Radiohead played here. Â Something tells me they won't be back, and neither will I.
Worst. Venue. Ever.
Attended a show on 6/10/12. Â Within 2min of parking (in a gravel field), was told we had to go inside or be ticketed for loitering. Â Had planned on a cool drink with friends before heading inside...not allowed! Â Of course, you can purchase $11 beer and awful food inside. Â The place is in the middle of nowhere - could be a decent venue for tailgating - Â but instead it's just run down and rude.
Saw Radiohead on 6/10/12, and while the band was amazing as usual, I don't think the second coming of Christ could persuade to make to return to this venue. I don't know what I can add that hasn't been said before but here ya go:
As others have said this venue has no official website. What year do they think this is? Check Ticketmaster or Live Nation for permitted items before you go. The "don't" rules are pretty typical, but you can bring sealed bottled water and snacks, which can save a ton of money.
The parking situation was a nightmare. We arrived at the venue around 7:30pm and spent nearly an hour in the car, crawling at a snails pace to a parking spot a mile away in an unmarked, unlit section of the parking lot. Fortunately I wasn't drinking that night, and have a car with a key less entry button otherwise who knows how long I would have been searching in the dark.
Arrive EARLY if you want prime space on the lawn. I have no one to blame for this but myself. But I was quite surprised by how places have pillars obscuring the stage view.
Beers are $11. I go to a lot of concerts and this is outrageous even by hiked up concert venue standards.
The bathrooms have a huge line and were absolutely disgusting. I would recommend closed toed shoes based on the several inches of dirty toilet water on the ladies room floor alone.
The sound seemed to go in an out on the lawn, but I was still able to thoroughly enjoy the show. Didn't have any problems with the staff or fellow patrons, and it was a beautiful night. We ended up leaving the show about 20 minutes early, and that was adequate to prevent a parking lot jam on the way out. I hope Radiohead return, but not here!
Pro: It's outside and when I saw Radiohead the weather was amazing
Con: It's outside and when you go the weather may not be as amazing
Pro: Free Parking
Con: It's like a million miles away if you live in the city
Con: I did the lawn thing. Apparently you have to show up hours early to land the good spot and picnic
Con: they have a couple video screens that REALLY SUCK.. They are like projection screens and not backlit. You can't see anything on them...
Con: Getting out in your car was okay... BUt walking out of the place is a mess.. THere is no crowd control whatsoever.
Con: $11 for a beer... I'm 30 and remember when I was underage buying 18 packs of miller light bottles for $6.99 .... this is 1 beer for $11
Con: they have no website and I still don't know what the "rules" are about what you can bring in with you..
Load up the cargo shorts homie..
Every outdoor theater has a website that I am aware of. This one does not. So this is an easy list of things to be aware of, that I could not find and had to experience first hand.
1) If you are on lawn. Bring blankets and small lawn chair. If not you can rent lawn chairs for $5. Ground is gross.
2) Lots of kids - usually strung out on something.
3) Beer - $10 minimum. Food ranges from $8-15 (8.50 for a hotdog, so perspective on food prices). I brought my own snackies, no one said anything.
4) Bottled Water 4.50.
5) Bathrooms: Dont wear flipflops. The bathrooms flood and are gross. Also, they are small so be prepared to wait.
6) Parking: General - Free, VIP- $30, Ride a motorcycle, premium free parking
7) IF you general park, heads up, take a picture of where you park and surroundings. There are no markings and lighting sucks if you are parking in the back, which is most likely.
8) Sound - not great if on lawn. So sit back, relax and try to enjoy the music with the strung out kids bouncing around you.
So this list will be helpful as you are preparing for your small adventure to the burbs. Enjoy.
Sound: horrible - the speakers are like PA speakers used in a high school gym
Sights: decent if you get their early for G.A.
Food: horrible, rubbery, overpriced slop
Beer: overpriced and inconvenient
Bathrooms: nasty, toilets don't work, long lines, inconvenient
In general, this place should be bombed. Â It looks like at one point it may have been nice, but one again, Live Nation owns it, so it makes sense that it's falling apart. Â I would never go back here, not even for the Beatles if John and George rose from the grave. Â Save your money.
This place is the Wall-Mart of concert venues.
Didn't even see the show!
We get there and are surrounded by teens and I mean ALL TEENS! Â For some reason I thought it would be like the Zac Brown Show at Northerly Island..HELL NO!
Stay away from this venue unless you want to see teens acting like idiots. Â Matter of fact I consider this a good form of birth control! Â 5 fights, 5,000 drunk teens, and security of the same age...oh and don't forget sex in the lawn! Â
If you are more mature than a 14year old boy after his first few beers....do not attend an event here!
Money down the drain!!
NEVER AGAIN!
First of all, I think it should still be the Tweeter Center. Â Just like I think Willis Tower should still be called the Sears Tower, and it should still be Comisky Park.
maybe that's just me.
Nice venue for the Journey concert this weekend--great weather, good lawn seats, good company.
But $11 for a beer? Â A 25 minute wait for the ladies room? Â And a DISGUSTING ladies room at that? Â Oh dear...
But I will return for a concert. Â I will just need to really pre-game it ahead of time!
Went to see Tim McGraw/Luke Bryan/The Band Perry here last weekend..It's exactly how I remembered from going to DMB here in highschool..Lots of drunk kids running around.
We were seated in the lawn- which is cool cause you can enjoy concerts with a bunch of people. However, we could hardly hear a thing! Honestly, we couldn't even tell what songs were being played.
The Venue: The bathrooms were adequate enough- unlike other venues which seem like they can't support the large crowds. We went a little late to the concert to avoid traffic- and I'm very glad we did. The traffic to the concert was backed up all the way to the highway- and same thing with the end of the concert. We actually ended up walking back to our hotel after all of the taxis said they were already waiting for people. I suggest booking to/from transportation ahead of time..
Where to stay? We got a room at the La Quinta - cheap, continental breakfast, last-minute reservation. No frills, but it served it's purpose.
I know that drinks at concerts are expensive, but $9.75 for a beer! Yikes. I guess you gotta take the trade off  for expensive beer (they are a Miller venue) with cheap lawn seats.
Saw Motley Crue and Poison here July 1st. Â Besides my love of 80's hair bands, the venue itself is GREAT!! Â We were in the lawn and it is very open and spacious. Â The view is good from anywhere on the lawn, albeit the center is the best viewing. Â
Drinks weren't anymore expensive that going to see a professional ball game. Â It's expected. Â
Traffic getting in and out on a Friday night was FANTASTIC! Â We were parked behind the lawn seating and left when everyone else did. Â It MIGHT have taken 15 minutes, but really was quite quick.
Overall, a great place to see a show.
Went to see Rascal Flatts the other night. What a great show and a great time. Had decent seats off to the left in section 105. Still great view of stage and performers.
It's a great place to see a concert. Full line of drink and food vendors and somewhat reasonably priced for an amphitheater. When you go to a theater, ball park, or any public venue you are going to pay more.
Reason for the low rating is the parking. When you finally get to the lot you are met by a bunch of high school kids who really don't have a clue as to how to quickly park vehicles. Must have been 10-12 of them standing around while 2-3 actually pointed you to your spot.
Then comes trying to get out. After the show it is a giant cluster to get out of there. Everyone jockeying for position. No one there to help direct traffic and keep people moving. It took us 1 hour to get from the parking lot to Harlem Ave. I understand that it takes some time to move that many people, but they need more access roads to and from the lot. One way in and one way out. They really need to fix this.
Get there early so you can park closer to the exit.
I will definitely go there again. Just realize it takes awhile to get in and out.
Been going since 1991. Â Lollapalooza 1. I loved this place as a kid, but as I got older, wiser and more traveled, have come to despise it.
The fees! Â OMG, the fees. Â This place is like many others with added fees for just about everything but using the pisser, but they are much higher than just about everyone else. Â Not sure why either. Â They are in the middle of nowhere. Â It's the only thing going for the community. Â I think last time I was there, an American beer was $9 a cup!!! Â Forget the food. Â Oh and they charge to park in there lot. Â So, what are all those extra fees we have to pay to see a show here? It's not like you can take a train or bus to get it.
The community. Â So what don't you understand about building and moving your home and families to north eastern Illinois largest OUTDOOR venue?! Â Not Chicago, barley a suburb. Â (drives me nuts when they advertise a "Chicago" show) Who is the ass that started to complain about the noise coming from the giant stadium next door? Â REALLY?! Â This place was surrounded by fields when it opened. Â Anyone with half a brain should have thought twice about moving next to it.
The name. Â What's in a name? Â We'll when you change it up about every 5 years, everything. Â Whats that say about the business? Â World Music Theater, Tweeter, Bank 1, Bank 2 etc. Â It just sucks it has to be corporate. Â What good is the corporate name bringing to the place? Â Higher prices. Â Terrible sound and video systems. Â More obstructed viewing. Â Personal restrictions. Â Run down parking lot and seating. Â Where is the benefit?
Things is, this place really could be a great venue. Â If they just lower those INSANE prices all around, build better seating, redesign the sound and video system and get some management that care.
Until then, skip this place.
This is my favorite place to see a concert around the Chicagoland area.
I've been here numerous times to see different venues over the years and I can't say I've ever had a bad time.
I do recommend going lawn over most of the stadium seating...unless you're springing for some fantastic seats in the first several rows.
Their seat layout is completely flat once you get to the back rows of seats...and if you're short like me (5'3") you're not going to see much of anything.
The lawn is more laid back, where everyone is dancing and having a great time...cheaper seating and you can generally spread out and enjoy the view of the entire stage plus the huge screens propped up.
They do have noise ordinances, so the music does generally end around 10:30 - no super long sets here.
But the atmosphere is wonderful and the energy is generally amazing.
Their sound system can be hit or miss....I've been to shows where it's great and then where it's horrible....but if you are there to see a band that performs well live...then they shouldn't need heavy equipment to make them sound bad ass. They will regardless.
The only downfall is their prices on beer and other eats at the concession stands...but that's the price you pay for seeing almost anything these days.
We do sneak in our own booze...or many tailgate out in the lot before the show...so there are ways to get your drink on without paying a fortune.
Last season, they had some great deals for select events if you purchased at the box office...Ozzfest for $10.00 - how can you beat that?!
Overall I love this venue more then most others I've been too. It has that indoor stadium feel but with the outdoor touch. There's been rumors almost every year that it may close...I hope not. Aside from it's problems, it's always a fun time coming out of here.
This isn't a terrible place, but it is not a fantastic place either. It is in a great location for all of the people that are from the south suburbs.
Ridiculous prices? Yes, but what do you expect from a huge venue. $9.50 isn't terrible for a 240z. draft, considering you would most likely pay $5 for a bottle at some venue in the city. Sound quality isn't the greatest, but I haven't had a horrible time at this place. The lawn is always a good time (rain or shine), definitely a decent place for a summer concert.
We used to come here as teenagers for Ozzfest and Warped Tour and I was here for Mayhem Fest this year. I have the same complaint as always, the sound system on the main stage is always disappointing.
Even when I was 15 years old, I could tell you that the sound on the second stage or the third stage will be better than the main stage. The place is run well, though. It's very secure and well managed. I have had to talk with the police department and they were always very nice and professional.
Prices of food and beer are overpriced like any concert venue or large sports stadium/center. I never drink at these events because I just don't care to pay the insane prices. We usually eat just before we get here and then again when we leave. Free parking is a big plus.
Ridiculous prices, teenage security guards telling you that you can't bring aerosal bug spray inside (WTF?), way too many people working the parking lot....
It's your typical venue. Lawn seating is always fun although you are really far away from the stage and the sound it pretty terrible. We were able to sneak in a flask of vodka but paying $5 for a 20 ounce Sprite was crazy.
You can bring in a lawn chair as long as it's 9" or less off the ground. You can also bring in factory sealed water bottles and snacks if they are in a plastic baggie.
I went to a Lilith Fair here. Â It's pretty much a standard outdoor venue/amphitheater. Â The acoustics were ok. Â The facilities were average as far as these type of venues go. Â There are a lot of stadium seats, and if you're in general admission on the lawn, you can rent a lawn chair for $5, if you prefer.
There aren't many food options here if you're a vegetarian. Â If possible, bring food with you for all day events... Unless you love cheese pizza, nachos, or those big pretzels. The food and drinks are also more outrageously expensive than most venues of this type. Â
Beverages are by far the most outrageous. Â I also found out that the price of everything from water to beer differs all over the area, depending on the vendor. Â 24 oz domestics were anywhere from $9.50 to $13. Â Water was probably the most pricey beverage, comparatively, averaging about $5 for a 20 oz. Â Of course, this depends on the vendor, so make sure you shop around.
Ay yiyi....this is one cruddy venue! Â Came here to see Lilith one steamy summer afternoon. Â To start, this place is literally in the middle of suburbia. Â A golf course and some line of identical houses line the path way. Â I can't believe there's an amphitheater out here. Â The parking was "free" but now I'm thinking it was included in the ticket price - so we paid 3 times for the same car? Â Hmm...
Walking in and after carefully reading the notes on the website about what we can/cannot bring in....my sunscreen was taken away. Â Lovely. Â I'm super fair skinned and now at an outdoor venue for hours with nothing besides what I can spray on before they'll even let me enter the gate. Â *sigh*
The $11 domestic beers about gave me a heart attack.
The food selection was disgusting and minimal. Â
Finally caving for an $11 beer it was actually $13 for the Corona I ordered. Bah!
The constant trying to get people to buy tickets to other shows was annoying.
We ended up being a test audience for some ABC TV sitcom. Â Um, where's the freakin' music?!
I could go on and on, but let's focus on the music. Â The acoustics here are AWFUL! Â I got the best sound when I was walking down the aisles between the lawn and pavilion to go to the restroom. Â We couldn't hardly hear anything on the lawn, especially when the artist was talking. Â Annoying...
Lastly, when leaving, the $30 VIP parking got to go out the way we all came in. Â Unfortunately for us and our "free parking", we all had to go on weird, dark roads and guess which way the highway to Chicago was. Â Really not cool considering you have a bunch of "out-of-towners" in your lot.
In the end, if I hear of someone coming to town and I'm on the fence about going, then here they're performing here? Â Forget it. Â I'm saving my mileage and gas and take my money elsewhere.
I'm an ex-employee of this place (as are all the other people who went to high school within a 5 mile radius of the place) so hear me out. Â I've heard and seen many many concerts here. Â And I'll still go back. Â
The sound SUCKS. Â The show actually sounds the best from the plazas, you know, where you buy beer and stand in line to pee. Â So wait until after intermission and go do your thing. Â The artist looks the same from the TVs in the concession stands than they will from the screens broadcasting to the lawn. Â The sound is even worse from the super expensive skybox seats. Â
Yes, as we all know, the prices are outrageous. Â But they are every time I go to a concert, sporting event, anywhere I can't BYO. Â So quit bitching.
If you're actually going to spend money on seats, don't bother wasting your money on 200 level sections. Â The view is the same as it is from the lawn, and the party is up there. Â If you came here to party. Â I can't imagine taking any artist seriously here since the sound is so bad. Â
Ladies, just because you're drunk, it doesn't mean that you don't have to flush. Â Or does it make it OK to pee on the seat. Â If everyone sat down, no one would have to stand up. Â You're not going to catch a disease from sitting on a toilet seat. Â And if you're standing in the never ending line, actually walk down to the end of the stalls. Â I PROMISE you there are some open. Â And they'll most likely be clean.
Sometimes if the artist doesn't sell a certain number of tickets, they'll voucher the show. Â So you get to take your fake ticket and exchange it for a real one at the cost of anywhere from $5-$15. Â So if you get all liquored up before the show, you can have a pretty awesome night for cheap.
Security gets more and more lax each year. Â So if you want to rush the stage, walk by like you own the place. Â Which drunk people rarely have a problem doing. Â Most likely, you'll have no problem heading down. Â
After the show (the show is never over til the house lights go on), wait. Â Hang out for a few on the lawn, in your seats, til security or the temporary cleaning crew kicks you out. Â Then dillydally your way out of there. Â Hang out at your car. Â Don't even turn it on. Â You will be out of the parking lot in no time, without experiencing the headache one normally does when trying to exit the world/tweeter/FMBA
Oops, this turned into a how-to. Â Oh well. Â Hopefully some of this information can help you.
I hate coming to this venue. Â Maybe because I am spoiled with Ravinia, but this is the worst outdoor arena ever. Â If you buy your tickets through Live Nation, they charge a parking fee for EACH TICKET. Â Bogus. How many people do you know that come to concerts alone? Â Most people carpool. Â Maybe all these outstanding charges are for a collection for their still gravled lot. Â Yikes. Â
The acoustics here just plain old suck. Â We were once here for a concert for all of five minutes. Â It took us longer for us to walk around the different booths, than it did for us to spend listening to music. Â
Don't come here if you have to. Â See if the concert is available in a neighboring city.
Dear World Music/ Tweeter/ New World Music/ First Midwest... whatever,
I'm not a fan. Sorry, but you have given me plenty of reasons not to be. No, it has nothing to do with your location or the price of your tickets. Plus I actually appreciate the free parking. What then you ask, it's the sound. I mean come on, you know you're an outdoor concert arena. If you seat to close your ears bleed, you sit halfway and the sound is muffled, or you seat in the lawn and it's muffled plus you can't hear whomever is on stage. You certainly charge enough on the food and drinks to invest in a better sound system or maybe to hire a real sound guy. Obviously I think the prices for the food and drink are insane.
You do these things and I might find it worth it to visit more often. But then again you're owned by Live Nation/ Ticketmaster and I despise them and their fees!!
Thanks Music/ Tweeter/ New World Music/ First Midwest... Â ah whatever your name is!
N
Went here a few weeks ago for a concert (not a fan of the band I saw, but I got free tickets... plus I'd never been to the venue before) with a few friends. Parking was fine, although it kind of sucked that parking is included in the ticket because carpooling obviously didn't help save money in that department. We didn't have a problem finding a seat in the lawn area due to the low attendance rate of the show. Â We had a decent view. Â Overall, I had a plain experience. Â The only thing that annoyed me was when the people manning the gates confiscated my beloved college clip key chain from me. Oh, and the extremely pricey beers and foods. Not worth it.
I came here again last weekend for another concert -- a much more popular artist with a bigger (and different) crowd. Â Still managed to find parking,and a spot on the lawn among the crowd. Â I just hated that the support poles for the seated area were blocking the view most of the time, and drunk college-aged people were stumbling about and spilling everywhere. Â But that's typical, I suppose. Â THIS time, the people manning the gates made me remove the cap from my water bottle. Â What the hell? What purpose does that serve? It just increases the chances of me spilling the water (and I wasn't even thirsty!) and pissing off people standing nearby. Â My gracious boyfriend offered to hold it for me, though. He drank it. They didn't make HIM remove the cap from his bottle, though.
Never coming back here unless it's for a really big-name show that isn't playing anywhere else in the area.
I can appreciate a great show for $20, but the sound wasn't great and the food was grossly overpriced. Â I mean $11 for a beer is highway robbery. Â I also got their $7 nachos and they were hands down the worst I've had at any major venue. Â
I don't like how they have lawn seating, but they won't let you bring a blanket. Â I will not be going out of my way to come back here.
I recently visited this venue last night for the first time since....shiiii....the Area 1 Festival ? Â Wow, its been that long????......that was a great time though. Â Oh the good ole days w/ Oakenfold in the DJ tent, Outkast on stage, to be young again.
Now - $12 for beer? Â C'mon man....make sure you bring a flask in a boot or something, thats outrageous....this was a Kid Rock / Lynard Skynard show, beer or liquor is a must...needless to say, some interesting cats at this concert... Not a huge fan of either, but a ticket flew my way, and I cant pass up free. Â RJ like free.
Kid Rock put on a nice show for what its worth, but, Lynard Skynard?? Â Freebird? Â Are you serious? Â C'mon man, time to hang em up.
The venue was nice, I dont really remember the venue too well from the last concert, but it was a decent stage set up, we were in the pavilion.
Leaving wasant fun, we all know that
Okay, I am the only person who thinks this venue blows?
I'm a bit of a snob, I know. I like being close to the stage, being engrossed in the show. Yeah, I'm totally that guy. But I also like a good all day festival as much as the next guy. My first one was Jamboree '95 (yeah, I'm aging myself here, I know) and it was amazing. But management has switched hands so many times, and it just keeps getting crappier.
Pros: Great place for aforementioned outdoor festival that lasts all day. Tons of people "in the moment" and happy to rock out with total strangers. Lots of parking and room to roam.
Cons: OMG, the price. No, really. Buy a bottle of water and there goes a paycheck. Ditto on the merchandise (but I know that's pretty much the case everywhere). The security is...interesting. I'm all for keeping order, but this isn't an episode of Lock Up, ya dig? They're a little....overzealous. Oh, and don't bother eating unless you want to cough up your 401 K. Skip the bathrooms and hold it unless you're wearing industrial boots. And don't forget the sunscreen.
So yeah, there's a lot worse out there, to be sure. But a part of my heart flakes off and dies when I hear one of my favorite bands will be at the venue of eighty gazillion names.
If you can remember the name, this is a great venue. Here is what I like about it: If you are lucky enough to catch your concert on a beautiful night, as I did, you are in for an amazing experience. The lawn is a beautiful place to lay out a blanket and watch the show as the sun goes down. Ticket prices are also super cheap. I think I paid $15, including parking and fees to see NKOTB. Awesome.
Here are some of my cons: They let you bring drinks into the venue (nice!), but they make you take the cap off. So here I am, walking around with a 1 liter bottle of water with no cap on and not thirsty yet. This just was not practical. The food/drink prices are out of control ...I think I saw a pepperoni slice of pizza for $9. No joke folks.
As for the parking, it is included with your ticket price. Thats great, until you realize it is included with every ticket so you might as well bring lots of cars! You need to leave prior to the encore song or you will be stuck in that lot for days. I leave as its ending and I usually fly right out of there.
It's also a little far, but off major highways so a fast trip. I hear the Metra stop is not all that close, so not sure what to do about that.
Bring blankets ans glasses if you want to see! As others have said, dress for the weather :)
This is a place to create memories. If you get a lawn seat or pavaillion seat. Expect it to rain if you get a lawn seat. Also expect a pothead to approach you once when you are sitting during the concert. If you get a pavillion seat, expect a awesome show.
Only negatives of this place is the pricing of the food to the merch. Also, don't expect to get out of the parking lot in under an hour. Don't expect to get out at all if you are parked in the back of the lot where they usually have no lights on, so finding your car in the dark is fun when you're drunk!!!
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