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hihat
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Posts: 638
(11/2/07 8:05 pm)
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|  "I Want My Money Back!"
As a lifelong John Fogerty fan, I never thought I'd say that about one of his concerts, but I'm afraid our experience at the Hammerstein tonight was far from a happy one.
Basically the problem was that the room was oversold way beyond capacity. People with so-called "floor" tickets couldn't all fit on the ballroom floor.
Instead we had to stand out in the lobby by the bar, where the acoustics were beyond terrible, the sightlines extremely limited, and the chatter from the crowd at the bar all but impenetrable.
In addition, though the doors were supposed to open at 7:30, a surly and inept security staff couldn't load the audience into the auditorium until about 9pm; John didn't start until 9:15.
Then I'm afraid his new opening fell flatter than a pancake.
You see the Revival wheat field up on a screen. John's silhouette rises up in front of it until -- after what seemed an eternity -- you realize it is actually John, who starts playing -- "River is Waiting".
I'm sorry, John, but a song about dying is NOT the way to start a concert, especially for one of the world's great rock & rollers. The effect was alienating, enervating, grandiose -- everything a John Fogerty show shouldn't be.
Finally, he finished the song -- the sound was so bad where we were that I can't even tell you if the band was playing or John was lipsynching to a sequencer track.
Then he played "Good Golly Miss Molly" with the band, but the damage had been done. And why open the main show with a cover when you're one of America's greatest songwriters?
He followed with "Bad Moon Rising" -- clearly he's trying to shake things up here -- and then I think "Longshot", but the sound was still so bad that my friend and I decided to split and ask for our money back.
We weren't the only ones. We saw a stream of other people exiting as well, all complaining about the overcrowding and poor sound. Another woman said people had already spilled five drinks on her, trying to maneuver foamy cups of beer through the tightly packed throng.
We asked to speak to a manager, and finally an overmuscled young man with a cell phone talked to us, but his attitude left plenty to be desired.
He claimed that the crowd was well within the venue's rated capacity, but I'm going to share my experience last night with the FDNY and see what they have to say.
At any rate, I would appreciate it if someone from Concord or the Fogerties or whomever could tell me who I can write to ask for my money back.
I was very much looking forward to the concert and am now bitterly disappointed. I hope the Fogerties will make sure in the future that venues handle fans with care and comfort, both of which seemed to be in very short supply tonight.
Until I can be confident again that a Fogerty show will be a pleasurable experience and not bedlam -- I'll stay at home.
Well, maybe if Bob Seger comes around...
Edited by: hihat at: 11/3/07 7:37 am
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WVHILLBILLY57
Registered Member
Posts: 11
(11/2/07 8:16 pm)
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| Re: "I Want My Money Back!"
OUCH.
I was afraid of that STANDING ROOM (GA) in the front...that is why we picked Philli and 2nd night so they could work out the bugs!
SO NOW THE REVIEW:
We have been waiting on the word to get to us...
first word on this forum was posted just after the show opened.......was that he opened with RIVER then went on to cover Little richard (I thought he would drop that song from the list for this tour).
I feared as much...as he usually opens with
Travelin' Band
Green River
Who'll Stop The Rain
sure hope things are re-structured a bit or at least the sound is better tomorrow night.
thanks for sharing as you have a right to your opinion too!!!
ANY OTHER REVIEWS????
Edited by: WVHILLBILLY57 at: 11/2/07 8:22 pm
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ghostrider
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Posts: 6
(11/2/07 8:45 pm)
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| Re: "I Want My Money Back!"
Hihat is right that security was surly, the wait to get into the venue was a nightmare, & the sound for the first chunk of the show really sucked.
The opening with "River" was a bit strange. I didn't mind the song as much as the elevated pedestal thing.
However, I've been to a # of shows at the Hammerstein, & it was no more crowded tonight than it's ever been. It seemed even tighter for the Black Crowes. "Overcrowding" doesn't compute based on my experiences.
The sound improved as the night went on. I don't want my money back so I'm gonna talk about the rest of it in a new thread.
Edited by:ghostrider at: 11/2/07 9:00 pm
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Dr Ed Case
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Posts: 135
(11/2/07 8:57 pm)
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|  Sound
Quote:
the sound for the first chunk of the show really sucked.
No Tim Holder on the front of room board ... Eh?
oh well...
Dr Ed
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johnniebgoode
Registered Member
Posts: 3064
(11/2/07 9:13 pm)
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Weeks Girl
Registered Member
Posts: 18
(11/2/07 9:35 pm)
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| Re: Sound
My husband and I had VIP tickets. We were in Hammerstein by 6:35 pm.
Security had a very good reason for not opening the doors to ticket holders. John was still on stage doing his soundcheck. We could only hear him, and catch a glimpse here and there since we were behind closed doors at the cash bar in the balcony.
Be patient. It is the opening night of his tour and Hammerstein Ballroom is not the best place acoustically. We still had a blast. John's energy and songs are electric.
Enjoy. We'll be going next week to Mohegan Sun and Atlantic City. Taking our 5 yr old to Mohegan Sun.
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Makkari
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Posts: 603
(11/3/07 4:01 am)
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shadrack
Registered Member
Posts: 21
(11/3/07 5:17 am)
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hihat
Registered Member
Posts: 639
(11/3/07 7:17 am)
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| Re: Sound
Shadrack, I hear what you're saying about "River Is Waiting" being a hopeful number, but any musician knows -- YOU DON'T OPEN A ROCK & ROLL SHOW WITH A SLOW NUMBER!!!
Otis had the unenviable task of following Sam & Dave on the Stax/Volt tour. Did he start his show with "These Arms of Mine"? No -- he opened with an uptempo version of "Shake"!
If John wanted to open with a Revival song -- another questionable decision when BOTB and TB are standing by, not to mention UATB, RAOTW, or any other of his stompers -- there are many more rousing numbers.
One of the things I liked best about Creedence was they didn't NEED any fancy lighting effects or smoke bombs going off or stupid outfits or anything but the most intense rock & roll you ever need. If memory serves me, the Joshua Light Show stopped playing during one of their shows at the Fillmore East and nobody missed it (as great as the JL was!)
So -- the new opening was a nice photo effect but my friend and I felt it opened the show on a decidedly subdued note, especially for those of us who were already unhappy campers due to the overcrowding of the venue.
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hihat
Registered Member
Posts: 640
(11/3/07 7:26 am)
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| Re: "I Want My Money Back!"
Ghostrider, my ticket said it entitled my friend and I to admission to the "floor".
I take that to mean the floor of the ballroom.
We were not able to stand in the ballroom because of the crowd packed in there. We had to stand back in the lobby by the bar.
As far as I'm concerned, that violates the terms of the sales agreement, and I am going to try to get my money back.
I am sorry to say that this is the third Fogerty show where I've had to apologize to the friends I brought along. The first, where we were upstairs at the Beacon, was ruined by terrible sound up in the balcony. The second, downstairs at the Beacon, was marred by the volume of sound crossing the threshold of pain during "Ramble Tamble".
And then last night's debacle -- it was a complete waste of my money and my friend's time.
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Flash Cadillac
Registered Member
Posts: 2171
(11/3/07 7:28 am)
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| Re: "I Want My Money Back!"
You have a better chance of getting your money back than I do of getting my money from txmag!!!!!!
TAF
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hihat
Registered Member
Posts: 641
(11/3/07 7:38 am)
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| Re: "I Want My Money Back!"
You're probably right that I won't get my money back, but I am going to give it a try.
I write a mean letter, and it will only cost me a first-class stamp and stationery...
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Seen the Rain
Registered Member
Posts: 3131
(11/3/07 8:07 am)
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| Re: "I Want My Money Back!"
Give it a shot, Hihat! You're right... what do you have to lose? 
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Makkari
Registered Member
Posts: 604
(11/3/07 8:38 am)
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shadrack
Registered Member
Posts: 22
(11/3/07 8:48 am)
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| Re: "I Want My Money Back!"
__________________________________________________
Shadrack, I hear what you're saying about "River Is Waiting" being a hopeful number, but any musician knows -- YOU DON'T OPEN A ROCK & ROLL SHOW WITH A SLOW NUMBER!!!
___________________________________________________
I have to agree on that point. I could see RIW as a short intro before exploding into an up tempo number.
I always liked Goin Back Home as an intro to "Zombie".
River Is Waiting is a strange intro song.
Also, sorry to hear about all the mess ,especially after anticipating a Fogerty concert.
These shows aren't really cheap these days. $
Hope you get to make another show with a better outcome.
I would like to see the silhouette intro as he explodes into something like Hoodoo Man!
As far as the mix, you're only as good as your sound man!
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zopman
Registered Member
Posts: 2
(11/3/07 8:52 am)
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| Re: "I Want My Money Back!"
I posted this on the "Hammerstein" thread, but thought I'd chine in here, too:
I, too, had been really looking forward to do some serious foot-stomping at the concert (never saw John live in person before - just on video, most recently his tour with Bruce). But ghostrider is right, the sound mix on the bass was ABSOLUTELY ATROCIOUS!!! & frankly, I didn't hear much change, even through "Ramble Tamble." It was especially apparent on the opening of "Born on the Bayou," when John starts with just that classic guitar lick, & then the drums & bass are supposed to kick in HARD, but instead, it was all just rumbling thunder, you couldn't hear ANY notes from the bass, just a loud rumble that almost obliterated everything, & on one consistent note BOOMING FEEDBACK throughout the show! I'm surprised John either didn't notice, or didn't want to say anything. No wonder they took so much extra time on the sound check, but obviously it didn't help! Sure made what should have been an otherwise excellent performance (by ALL band members) really suck!!! The soundboard guy sould be given a swift butt-lashing, or just get his ass tossed out altogether. How do I voice my rant to powers that be on his tour? I, too, want some sort of compensation for my disappointment, for I do feel ripped off from what should have been a great show! :">
Edited by: zopman at: 11/3/07 8:56 am
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shadrack
Registered Member
Posts: 23
(11/3/07 9:03 am)
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| Re: "I Want My Money Back!"
I agree that the sound man should get 50 lashes.
It's been a while since I played, but, you never know what the band sounds like when you are on stage.
Only amp volume and monitors. Maybe he was unaware that the mix was so nasty??
Not protecting John, but, a possibility.
I remember ST. Louis 1986 was a terrible mix. John got so frustrated he grabbed a hand mike for a few numbers.
John, get a new sound man before Dec. 3 !!
Someone should have attempted to correct the problem before the show proceeded that far.
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