A friend invited me to the Mann for the sold-out show for Fun last night, completely last minute. I'd been dying to go to this show, so I jumped at the chance. The Mann really packs a wallop, sound-wise. I had never had a lawn seat for a concert and I was afraid the acoustics would suffer, but I was totally wrong. I felt like I was standing next to the stage. Fun put on a fantastic show and the Mann has a great screen for everyone who is too high up to see the band properly. The tickets were really reasonable, especially because of the band-- only $30 for the lawn. Definitely worth it.
Food- and drink-wise, the Mann's prices were pretty typical arena fare, but there was a "local" beer garden and a few Philly food trucks, which totally stole the show. More variety and tastes? I'm in.
My only complaint is the parking. The Mann's in West Philly-- there's really no other place to park, unless you want to leave your car at the Belmont Plateau. Parking's $15, which is a lot of money when you don't have any other choice. Honestly, if you had to pick, park at the plateau and walk over to the arena, just make sure you bring a large group of people, because it's dark. Also, it's an absolute MADHOUSE to get out. I was lucky-- my car was in a spot next to the road, so I got out a little earlier than others. If you have to park in the lot, park as close to the Belmont/Montgomery Ave exit and go that way. It's less backed up than the Belmont/Girard side's exit.
What's not to love about this place!? From the hill, you have a perfect view of Philly's skyline. It's so romantic. Every concert we have been to here has been beyond amazing. The acoustics are awesome and I always get chills listening to my favorite artists here. The drinks are really overpriced (as it is with any music venue) and the lines for the drinks are so long. I don't know why it takes the bartenders so long to just pour something. It's not like they are making actual cocktails. But I do highly recommend this place, regardless. I am always looking for concerts to attend here!
Review Source:I love going to see shows at The Mann! Â This place has it all when hosting a concert, almost. Â
The tailgating atmosphere is awesome! Parking is well organized but they let you have some room between cars so you can enjoy the tailgating experience. Â I have always enjoyed a laid back tailgate at The Mann with awesome people. Â And everybody always cleans up after themselves. Even more awesome - conscientious visitors! Â Nothing like the mess left in the lot after a show at the Susquehanna Center or the Linc or CBP.
The seating and sound quality is great too, never disappoints. Â Great sound and seating in the lawn section too. Â A great place to enjoy a concert.
The staff is always very friendly and helpful. Â They really make you feel welcome there.
The only reason that I don't give The Mann a five star review is because of their food and beverage prices. Â They rape you on those. Â $8.00 for a 12 ounce can of craft beer, $4.00 for a 16 ounce bottled water, etc. Â C'mon Mann! Â Ain't nobody got time for that!
They don't even let you bring in one sealed bottled of water like they used too. Â I just feel that there is no reason to take advantage of people like that with their food and beverage prices. Â Obviously they make a lot of money and people are going to buy it, but I think they could actually make more if they lowered their prices a little because people like me wouldn't be so turned off by the super-expensiveness of everything.
That being said, I will still return because that is a small price to pay (pun intended) to see your favorite bands at a venue with great acoustics and atmosphere. Enjoy!
I've been to the Mann several times over the past few years and have always had a great experience. The venue itself has great acoustics, comfortable seats, friendly staff, and an awesome view of the Philly skyline. There is also a SEPTA bus that loops through Center City to take people to and from the Mann.
What brought me to write this review is my experience last night in particular. A few friends and I had lawn tickets to the Pixar in Concert event. With a dismal forecast calling for severe thunderstorms and a tornado warning, we were pretty resigned to skipping the show altogether (all shows go on rain or shine). The Mann tweeted a few hours before doors opened that they would allow lawn ticket holders to sit under the pavilion at no additional charge. We arrived with our picnic essentials (the Mann hosts several BYOB events throughout the summer) and were able to enjoy the lawn before it started pouring. The ushers kindly invited us to the pavilion and we were quickly seated in the orchestra section.
I really appreciated the Mann's efforts to ensure that all of their guests had a great concert experience and I'm looking forward to my next visit.
The first time I went to the Mann Center was when I saw The National. Â It was pouring outside that day, so I didn't get the best impression of this venue, but I can say for sure that it is not very welcoming when it's raining. Â The fact that you need to go "outside" to get to the bathrooms on the side left me soaked, and trying to buy drinks wasn't even worth it. Â I don't know if this was because of the rain or just the service, but I was literally the third person in line to get a beer and it took maybe 20 minutes (I am still dumbfounded by this). Â Once the rain settled down, I was able to enjoy the venue so much more. Â It's beautiful place, the sound is great, and it seemed as though everywhere had a pretty good view (I had a pit seat so I really can't say much on that aspect). Â I'd love to come back here, but if it's raining, I am definitely having drinks and going to bathroom beforehand to avoid that mess again.
Review Source:The Mann Center is an awesome music venue. Sound is great. Â It is open air so you get the nice night air on a nice night. Â You can watch the sky change colors as the sun sets. Â They over reserved seats, which are covered. Â We went to a concert when it was raining and we were towards the back but still under cover. Â It is open rain or shine and you can't get a refund if it is raining. On certain nights it is byo so check which show is byo (not for music concerts but sometimes for orchestra or other performances). Â We always park in the area down by the museums and it free. Â Or we ride our bikes and lock them up :)
Review Source:The Mann itself is amazing. The location is good, parking is reasonable.
This review is about the Skyline Stage ONLY.
Last summer I attended a concert at the skyline stage and its left such a bad taste in my mouth that whenever I get an email about a new show there, I get a very angry face! Â It's a good idea until you realize that you're sitting on a hill that slopes behind you and the concerts they have there are not conducive to just chilling in a blanket and picnicking. Instead you have to stand on rocky and tree rooted grass and get pushed into by other people. :(
Decent concert venue. I don't really care for the fact that it's an open air place but oh well. I saw Animal Collective here and was shocked when the ushers/bouncers said we could sit anywhere we wanted. That is pretty uncommon. We sat about five rows back from the stage and had a great view. Plenty of snack and drink vendors outside if one needs a break from rocking out. A good experience overall.
Review Source:This place rules!
Went here to see Animal Collective with my BFF on a Wednesday evening in early October. The weather was mild and it was the perfect evening for a concert.
Through a misunderstanding about seating, we brought chairs but weren't allowed to take them in- the concert was small enough that the lawn seating wasn't open, it was general admission in the actual seats. The staff members were incredibly friendly and helped us check in the chairs (free!).
The opener was God-AWFUL so we wandered around the area a bit while we waited for the main attraction. A security guard stopped us at the top of the hill and said we could stay around there but couldn't go on the grass. Fine by us, it was damp with dew anyways, so we chatted while taking in the view of the city and enjoyed the occasional punctuation of "GET OFF THE GRASS!" being yelled at folks who hadn't gotten the memo. Hilarious.
The show was great, sound was awesome, seats were comfy, all-in-all a great experience.
Overall if I had one place to see a show in the Philly area this would be it. Â But it still has some room for improvement.
Been here for Foster the People as well as an orchestra (Chris Botti) show lately. Â Have to say they were very different experiences. Â Had Foster the People been at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden could I say it really would've been a much different experience? Â Probably no, except parking in Camden is worse, but there's a larger lawn area and more food/drink options there for my money. Â Although it's nice the Mann does have some better beers than SBC.
Where this place shines is the orchestra shows. Â Bring your own food and alcohol. Â Lay in the grass, eat what you want, drink some wine, and listen to one of the best orchestras in the world. Â What could be better on a cool summer evening?
...ants. Â God damn ants all up in your cheese, sipping on your wine, creeping up your leg. Â This is where you lose a star, Mann. Â Control your ants. Â Everything else was perfect.
Summer nights, dancing in the grass to live music; these are some of my favorite times in life. The Mann Center is a lovely place for all this to go down. I look forward to it like it wouldn't be Summer in Philly without it. The sound is great in this cool spot, surrounded by trees... and every Summer there is at least one concert that will draw me to this amphitheater in Fairmont Park, to shake it on the lawn.
Review Source:My absolute favorite spot to see live music in Philly. It's a shame that more bands don't come here, really. I know, it's a seasonal thing, but the nice weather music season is certainly long enough.
It's outdoors, wonderful sound, great vibes, gorgeous location & view of the city skyline, what more could you want?
The parking people can be real pains in the you know what, but that is pretty standard at any large music venue I've ever been to.
One thing I haven't gotten to do yet it see the orchestra play here, and I feel as though I am seriously missing out. Need to get on it, stat.
I went to the Mann Center last Friday for the Tchaikovsky night in 97 degree heat, and the fact that it was still an awesome and enjoyable experience in that weather says a lot. My boyfriend and I had lawn tickets ($12.50 a ticket, a total steal), but when we arrived the ushers told us that the green seats were available and so we moved up, relatively uncrowded, for free.
The low point of the night was when a group of antsy kids sat right in front of us and a group of loud, food wrapper-rustling older kids sat behind us, but after choosing a new pair of seats everything was perfection. The night cooled down and it was all just sitting, listening, and enjoying. They announced that it was the solo pianist's 21st birthday, and that fact paired with the obvious difficulty of performing in the crazy heat made me appreciate the orchestra's flawless performance even more.
After the stunning 1812 overture ended we walked to the car, disappointed in the lack of fireworks at the "Tcaikovsky with Fireworks!" special, when the fireworks began with a bang behind us in what was maybe the closest and best fireworks display ever. I left feeling like it was the best $12.50 I had ever spent, and I am anxious to go back to the Mann for what I'm sure will be another spectacular show.
Tips for orchestra performances at the Mann: You can bring chairs, alcohol, and non-sealed water bottles into the Mann and onto the lawn. This show, apparently their most popular symphony event, had plenty of space available so there's no need to buy lawn tickets ahead of time and pay the Ticketmaster fees. Parking is, unfortunately, $15.
Great venue for a summertime Philly experience. Parking is worse than at most concert locations, as it is mostly (if not all) field-parking. Sometimes the exit off the Boulevard backs up for over a mile. Maybe, for once, taking SEPTA is a good idea?
Getting seats under the cover is preferable, if you're willing to pay extra for better sound quality. Both times I've attended shows at the Mann were for artists I really enjoy, so I spent more for seats (though I certainly didn't sit). The lawn is an experience all to itself: cheap, fun, and decent acoustically. Please take a date to a show here. The view and the ambiance can easily make an evening.
I've been here a couple times and I love to talk about the Mann, but if I'm going to be honest--- Mann, you ain't that great.
You used to have byo picnics in the park with orchestra and fireworks, but most of the time entrance is a strip search forcing all patrons to pay 5 dollars for a bottle of water or a paper cup of fountain soda.
Of all the places in this world that overcharge for beverages, food, etc., Mann, you always come out on top. Some people behind me bought plastic cups of miller light for 22 dollars/pair. If I sit in your lawn, I get buggy and tired. If I sit in the stands, I lose a leg and an arm paying for it.
I just don't know what to say, Mann. Even your crowd is sassy and snobby.
I've been to this spot for 2 concerts and I have to say that I like it quite a bit. The acoustics are pretty good and the surroundings are beautiful. They have good beer available but watch because the Yards runs out QUICK. For $11 you can only afford so many anyway so I guess that's alright. :)
I've done seats and the lawn and there isn't a terrible spot in the house -- the music reverberates throughout.
Saw Bob Dylan on 8/17/11 - he was ok, but the place is a dump. We had tickets in the balcony in the front for of the back section - they should have been sold as obstructed view as they had set up folding chairs right in front of us. Also that balcony was brutally hot - it was a temperate day for August (low 80's) - what would it have been like on a hot day.
Last thing - our seats collapsed half way through - they were a bit titted when we arrived and midway in we heard a snap and dropped a few inches - the bolts holding the chairs to the concrete appear to have snapped off - how this was not caught by employees is beyond me - we were all fine, but someone could have been hurt.
My first concert was Crosby Stills and Nash at the Mann. I was 8. Not a bad way to start.
30 years and countless performances later, The Mann is one of my favorite places to see a show.
Sit outside and picnic before, or if it's an orchestra night, bring it in. Seating is easy to find. Sightlines are good. On the lawn, there is something really calming about just listening to the music and not feeling like to need to watch. Ticket prices are fair. Beer is a little pricey, but I guess that is to be expected.
Being awarded today's ROTD has inspired me to write a quick update. I still love the Mann as much as I did when I wrote that review. On my most recent visit, it was scalding hot outside and we had tickets in a balcony box (BALLER STATUS)(not so much)(maybe a little bit). The good? The balcony boxes are semi private and really spacious, and the view is niiiiice. The bad? Air is not circulating up there, so it was a bit stifling. (not the Mann's fault, though) But I would suffer through more to see Dawes, my favorite band in all the world.
The Mann has another great line up this summer and early fall, and with the excellent opening bands they're luring in it ends up being more like a double or triple bill.
Still love it!
Ahhhh this place. I saw my first big show here, a Trey Anastasio concert in 2001. My memories of that show are so rich, so vivid.
Last night I was back for the first time in ten years, this time for a Furthur concert, and it was everything I remembered. The venue itself is absolutely beautiful, with ample lawn seating and a spectacular skyline view. There are seats, a pit, a balcony as well, and I had as clear a view of the stage this time as I had the last. Security gave me a light pat down on the way in, and left us all alone for the entire concert. Nobody being stupid, nobody causing problems.
There's just a feeling that some places give me, that I can't really explain but that when it's going on, I know I'm going to remember it someday and wish I could go back. This has happened twice now at the Mann.
I love the Mann - we sat on the lawn. Â Unfortunately they removed some of the lawn and replaced it with PLASTIC CHAIRS. Â Horrible. Â More people sat in the grass than on those chairs. Â I think that some chairs would have been a good idea but not so many. Â Eliminate the center section of chairs and leave some on either side but BRING BACK THE GRASS.
Also, the "convenience fee" of ~$15 was outrageous and surely will be a deterrent from my attending a concert there. Â I remember when the tickets were free. Â Now we have to pay (no objection there) but $15 per ticket for "convenience"?
The Wolfgang Puck place looked cool with great views of the city.
The Mann defines summer for me! It's a really fantastic place to see a show.
- If you can, drive to the box office to get tickets. The fees to purchase online are RIDICULOUS.
- If it's an orchestra show you can bring your own alcohol and food. Definitely worth it! Even if you have lawn seats - bring a blanket, some food, and beer beforehand and have a picnic!
- Bring bug spray if you have lawn seats
- Hike up the hill. You won't be disappointed. The view is one of the best in Philly.
- Parking is pricey and the traffic jam afterwards is a nightmare. Take the SEPTA shuttle. It's usually on time and it's an easy ride.
- The line for the bathroom gets ridiculous for the ladies. Keep that in mind - time your visit either just before an intermission.
- Beer is pricey, but they are generally large drafts and they have a good selection.
I highly recommend the lawn seats, where you can bring a blanket, wine, and snacks, and lounge under the stars while enjoying the music (and a view of the city skyline). Â You'll see everything from well dressed families with a spread from DiBruno Brothers, to groups of friends with small coolers full of Magic Hat.
I try to go at least once per summer. Â The Tchaikovsky with Fireworks is always popular,. Â The symphony starts as the sun sets, and then at the end, there is a fireworks show to the 1812 Overture. Â Last night I loved their new one, Down the Abbey Road. Â The Philadelphia Orchestra did an awesome rendition of the Beatles album, with an encore of Get Back. Â
Lawn seats are usually $10, occasionally $20. Â Parking is $15.
This place is just amazing! T and I went last night for Down the Abbey Road and the setting was perfect. We had a dreamy summer night, no bugs and Beatles music. Parking was $15 but I got such a good deal on the tickets (two for $25!) we didn't even mind. We had dinner before coming out so we didn't bring a picnic but many others did. Food and drink are WAY overpriced so BYOB if you're allowed (it varies for each event).
Next time we're going to try and get a reservation at Crescendo before the concert to enjoy the city view and try out the Wolfgang Puck fare.
This is one of my favorite venues, but I haven't had the opportunity to see many shows there.
The first was a James Taylor (!) show with my drunk aunts and their friends when I was in high school. I loved it then but I don't recall many musicians I listened to really playing there and it has always been a bit out of the way, so didn't go back until last summer.
I saw the Philadelphia Orchestra on the 75th anniversary of Music in the Park, as well as opening night of the season last year and it was gorgeous. The P.O. is always gorgeous but this was a perfect, clear, warm but not too warm June night. They showcased Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 and Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with choral. The night just seemed really magical. I enjoyed the show and people-watching from the lawn.
Folks get there seriously early so if you don't have an assigned seat, I suggest you do the same.
Before going to an unfamiliar venue, I always check their website and/or call for their rules and their website clearly states/stated that you may bring food and drink but no glass. I distinctly remember friends telling me they brought wine in so I was confused. Did they rock out with a box-o-wine? I didn't get the opportunity to call so when my husband and our friend went to the liquor store before heading out to the show, we decided we were going to bring beer in cans rather than risk getting anything taken away or having to pay venue prices for drinks. We couldn't agree on what to bring and our friend kept saying how good Boddington's is.* I don't recall trying it before, but it seemed a better choice than bringing in, say, Miller Lite in a can, so Boddington's it was. Â
We got there and everyone had these comfortable chairs, well-stocked picnic baskets with wine, champagne, flutes, and really delicious food. We had cans of beer, Snyder's pretzels, and a shitty thin blanket. That's what we get for following the rules. Jerks.
*There are many great things to come out of Manchester: The Smiths, The Happy Mondays, Manchester United.
On the list of not-so-great things? Boddington's.
I'm listening to The Suburbs and trying not to start singing and dancing in my cubicle, so a review of the Mann will have to suffice.
I saw Spoon & Arcade Fire here back in August.
O.
M.
G.
Incredible show. But this isn't Pitchfork, so if you really care to hear my thoughts, pm me.
We had lawn tickets because our thin wallets weren't willing to pay for the nice seats. We did figure out that the green chairs outside of the pavilion were fair game if you had lawn tickets, FYI. It feels a little too much like the Tweeter Center (or whatever it's called these days), but I appreciate that they don't necessarily put on the same type of shows that Tweeter or whatever puts on.
It's odd seeing an evening show that starts when it's still light out. Spoon played first, and it didn't seem like people were really paying attention, i think because it was still light out.
But, whatever. I'll pay the money to see an awesome show here again.
Jerry Mungo once sang, "In the summertime, when the weather is hot, you can go to the Mann, and catch a great show, and you hang out and you doobiedoobiedoobiedoodoodoooo".
Alright, not. But he should've. The Mann is my favorite Summer venue. I've seen Yo-Yo Ma here, and most recently Planet Earth live orchestra, Spoon and Arcade Fire. Admittedly, shows seen from inside the shell are much different from the shows viewed from outside the shell. There are some spots on the lawn where it's impossible to see the screen above the stage, and even spots where you can't hear the music-- but all of these limitations can be surpassed by arriving to the show early. The shell itself is a wonder. When it gets dark, they project stars on the ceiling- beautiful! Ye be warned, the seats are insufferable and scream for cushions-- bring your own along! Your tush will thank you.
The lawn seating is cheap, and for the orchestra you can bring along every comfort imaginable: food, booze; to quote a Mann Center security guard "the whole factory!" It's lovely to picnic at the Mann and enjoy music as the sun sets over Philadelphia. Beware though, for the non-orchestra shows, nothing but sealed bottled water is allowed past the gates.
My god, what a pain in the ass it is to get there and back (at least for We The Carless), especially when the Mann Center Loop bus is running hyper-late... after waiting 20+ minutes, Â I ended up jumping in a cab so that I could make it there before Spoon got back on the tour bus... a tragic waste of two beers' worth of money.
On the other hand, the surroundings are beautiful, we had a great view of the stage, and the sound quality was much more solid than I expected for an open-air venue - especially for a demanding act like Arcade Fire.
I was also impressed by the staff, who dealt with typical concert chaos (people blocking the aisles, climbing on the barricades between sections, etc.) without losing their shit. One guy in the row in front of us was disabled, and since he couldn't stand up for the show, he had a totally blocked view. To help him out, one of the event staff cleared out some of the people sitting immediately in front of him by promoting them to open seats in the front pit section... definitely a pretty rockin' thing to do.
And I managed to keep my warm fuzzies even while I watched the minutes ticking away in a packed bus in the parking lot after the show, so all in all, a good experience.
I had the distinct pleasure of watching Phil Lesh and Bob Weir for two shows at the Mann the weekend of July 10th. Â I was blown away by the how far removed from the bustle of the city the venue felt. Â We did lawn seats for both nights and had a spectacular time. Â The wood exterior of the amphitheater melded well with the lush trees, and the ambient light was low enough that stars were clearly visible in the sky. Â The sight line of the stage was not ideal, but hearing the music was what really mattered. Â I would not have traded my patch of grassy slope under the stars for a chair up front.
Transportation from center city was made quite simple by the 10 trolley on the way there and the Mann Loop on the way home. Â The parking area had a nice festival feel to it. Â Security, while present, was not overly intrusive on folks who were having a well-behaved good time. Â The flow through the entrance gates went smoothly, and my encounters with the staff were all pleasant and helpful.
I did not have any food, but saw a number of tasty grill selections. Â There is also a "nicer" tent restaurant catered by Starr that I did not really investigate. Â The beer selection was very good, and the prices were less extortionist than many other concert venues. Â The restrooms were clean and well-maintained, and the only time a significant line formed was at intermission. Â The concessions and restrooms were also positioned close enough that you didn't really miss anything while you were there.
I thought it was great that they let you bring in a factory-sealed water bottle (20 oz. or less) rather than forcing you to buy one for $5. Â The Mann website indicates that for some shows (like the Philly orchestra) you can actually bring a full picnic and wine. Â I am already scanning the schedule for a chance to go back to the Mann. Â My only real complaint is that a lot of the shows are scheduled on weeknights.
We went to the Mann this past Saturday, August 15 to catch the John Legend show and arrived at 630 per the advice on the website to try out Crescendo - the Stephen Starr catered tent before the show, so the review is divided into two parts one for the catering tent, the second for the Mann music venue itself.
Mann Center
Reminiscent of Wolf Trap in Northern Virginia, the Mann is a great venue with a mix of indoor and outdoor space. The stage and orchestra-seating sections lie within a massive, acoustic structure while the terrace-seating and lawns are set behind on the hill with a clear view down to the stage, though it is a bit far away. John Legend looked pretty small from here, but the sound was terrific. We moved a little closer in towards the end of the show and found the sound-quality was richer inside the structure, with more warmth and atmosphere as you could hear the audience singing back. Â I would absolutely come back for a show here, but the schedule looks a little light from here on out. June and July looked like heavier months.
Crescendo
This Stephen Starr production is a little more than a suped-up wedding tent with an amazing view of Philadelphia. Beyond it's visual appeal, the catering experience sold as 'fine dining' doesn't quite do it.
Pros
-Convenient
-Decent food
-Great and unique view of Philadelphia
Cons
-Price ($45 pp before expensive drinks)
-Food is only decent and choice buffet items run out before end (dessert in our case was the 2nd team)
-Terrible Bar - they bill this a full-service bar, but it's really a catering set-up and they stretch a little too far given the alcohol and mixers supply they have to create cocktails they really shouldn't. Case in point, my wife's disastrous margarita - a tepid blend of Cuervo and Sour Mix that sent a shiver up her spine with each sip. Also, fine dining should have more than the choice of red or white when it comes to wine.
-Bad service
I love the free shows they have throughout the summer. It's so nice to grab a bottle of wine and some food, spread a blanket on the lawn, and listen to some classical music with friends.
I'll admit, I usually tune out the music in conversation. In fact, most of the lawn-folk do this. It's ok. It's just nice to be under the stars with the cityscape in the distance.
This place is quite similar to the Tweeter Center (oh wait...Susquehanna Bank Center...at least that is what its called this week). Actually, that place is similar to the Mann. Only crappier. But I digress.
I like the Mann because it takes the "shed" concept and doesn't overdo it. The lawn is a smaller, ancillary portion of the venue. Not the majority of the venue. It has a balcony. Oh, and the wood panelling gives it a classy, intimate touch...doesn't feel like watching a show in a doctor's office.
Its hard for me to comment on the acoustics as every time I've been here, I somehow managed to get really good tickets (front half of the orchestra section, always). Not sure how but I won't complain. Sound was always great up there. But, I can say the sightlines from the rear of the venue are average at best, and you may not see much from the lawn. My last visit was for Return To Forever, and I spent a ton of dough on the VIP package (which included a buffet and open bar). It was a blast and totally worth the pile of money I couldn't afford to spend. Good eats and all that. They seemed on top of everything which is a refreshing change.
On the negative side, parking is pretty bad...lots of single-lane roads around the venue, and post-show it gets a bit rough. Thankfully my GPS found me a way down a back road that avoided the main jam. And that it isn't near any major public transportation is a bummer...wish it was on a regional rail line. Oh well.
In the end, this is my favorite outdoor venue in the area. Too bad they don't always have what I want to see (at least, what I want to pay for), but I do enjoy coming here.
You know what's kind of awesome? Â Riding your bike on a beautiful summer evening with some fantastic people, some delicious homemade food and a couple bottles of chilled white wine to see a Philadelphia Orchestra performance. Â With Fireworks!
The stage and surrounding structure are beautiful, and fit the wooded surroundings of Fairmount Park quite nicely. Â Despite it being a corporately funded venue with multiple concession locations, nothing feels too intrusive, and with a fairly lenient carry-in policy and some planning, you shouldn't even need to visit them.
My friends and I copped a lawn spot to catch the Philly Orchestra perform a number of Tchaikovsky pieces and we stuck around for the fireworks show at the end. Â Both were executed very well and contributed to a wonderful evening.
The quick breakdown:
Pluses
-Lovely setting
-Fairly cheap tickets (at least for Orchestra events)
-Food/Drink carry-ins allowed (again, Orchestra events)
-Not in New Jersey
Minuses
-The Orchestra can be difficult to hear at the far end of the lawn
-Kids as far as the eye can see
This experience was a highlight of my summer so far. Â I highly recommend that anyone who likes the symphony try to make it out to the Mann for one of the summer concert series.
The Mann is so close to my house. And by close, I mean a 10 minute bike ride. I've been wanting to go for years, and I can't believe it took me that long! Fireworks will get me just about anywhere, and I love the orchestra, too.
All I can say is - about damn perfect. And easy bike up, a blanket on the lawn, and while it was crowded, people were feeling pretty generous and accommodating. We had a nice picnic and a few bottles of wine, and I remembered a pillow to crash out and watch the stars appear.
It was filled with children. And while they were really quite behaved, it was filled with children. My guess is that it is less so on a night that doesn't include fireworks, or for non-orchestra performances. I long for the good old days I never experienced, before the Tweeter Center, when the Mann got all the good shows. I'll be coming back.
I've been to the Mann Center three times, seeing the Decemberists, Death Cab for Cutie, and R.E.M. Â It's a great outdoor venue for somewhat upscale summer concerts. Â I'm used to going to indie concerts with standing room only and a packed crowd, so it really is a luxury to be able to sit down and enjoy the show fully. Â The Mann attracts some big name artists along with their traditional classical music concerts with orchestras and solo performers. Â Over the last few years, the Mann has been adding some more "hip" and "popular" mainstream bands into the lineup, like the ones that I have seen. Â Look for more such bands in following summers...
The Mann is a bit pricey for my budget though. Â For the concerts I've been to, I have bought the cheapest seated tickets, which have been around $40-50 (they do have lawn seating). Â If you do go the economic route, I suggest buying early and requesting the balcony box seats: they have a fabulous bird's eye and unobstructed view of the stage, plus they come in under the lowest price package. Â They do sell food and refreshments at their concerts, but everything is way too expensive, like professional sports game food and drink. Â They have some fine dinning restaurants on site, but I have not ventured to try them.
The acoustics are not great at the Mann. Â In the words of Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie), the Mann is "really boom-y". Â The sound is full but slightly echos in the huge enclosed wooden structure. Â I was not impressed by the acoustics but I didn't expect to be impressed by a large outdoor venue like the Mann.
In conclusion, if an artist you love is coming to the Mann Center, by all means get tickets and go. Â I am pretty sure you will enjoy it!
A nice venue. I also caught the Morrissey show here, and for a rock venue it was much better than the standard fare.
I would really want to come back and see an orchestral performance here, the seats were really nice, very comfortable (far more so than Tanglewood) and visibility was fantastic.
Parking was on the lawn, and I'm glad I drove a SUV to the performance.
One note of caution... apparently many GPS systems list the business address of the Mann Center, which is downtown. The actual venue itself is outside the city center near the Zoo.
Although it primarily houses The Philadelphia Orchestra, and a lot of Musical Performances, it also has the occasional fun concert going on. Morrissey just played a show here, and Elvis Costello and Rufus Wainwright are getting ready to soon. I've even seen Public Enemy play a show here way back when.
Overall it's a great outdoor venue, and the sound is really good. and aside from the concert hall space, the area that it is in can be fairly secluded.
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