We prefer to spotlight the Best Of, but this time the WORST gets Zenberg's attention.
I've attended hundreds of live performances and been to probably a hundred different venues all across the United States. I've seen the best and the worst music halls. I certainly didn't expect the very worst to be located in Park City, Utah.
Granted, Utah venues are always somewhat challenging, in part due to all the quirky laws that are both restrictive and oppressive. But I've been to dozens of shows behind the zion curtain, and thought I knew what to expect from a mainstream venue in Park City. I like surprises, but I wasn't prepared for the surprises that Park City Live served up.
At the entrance Mighty Mo and I were "greeted" by security personnel who demanded to see our IDs. They weren't interested in our tickets, only ID, and it wasn't exclusively to insure that we were old enough to attend a 21 and older event. To be admitted, required that we remove our IDs from our wallets and hand them over to a security person who then scanned them into a database. When I asked why such extreme measures were required, I was told that it is Utah State law; an excuse we would encounter throughout the evening. We were also informed that scanning our IDs would give the venue an accurate head count of attendees in addition to being a handy go-to database in the event of an emergency. Once our ID's had been scanned, we received an official stamp on our right wrists.
Once inside the doors, we presented out prepaid ticket vouchers which were scanned. We then received a second stamp on our right wrists and were allowed to ascend the steps toward the concert hall, where bellowing music of the opening act thundered through open doors.
I was thirsty, so stepped up to the bar to order a water. I had been standing there for a few minutes when four other people stepped up and were immediately served ahead of me. Thanks for making me feel invisible. I didn't have to wait much longer before the bartender took my order and promptly served up my beverage. A woman standing next to me had ordered two drinks, one of which was in a can. The woman requested that the canned beverage remain unopened to make it easier to navigate the crowd. The shocked look on her face was revealing when the bartender informed her that she was required to open the beverage before handing it to the patron. "It's Utah law" she informed the flabbergasted woman. As the woman gathered up her purse, coat and an open beverage in each hand, we made eye contact and the woman mouthed, "WTF?"
The remainder of our time in the concert hall consisted of blue shirt security personnel telling us, "You can't sit here...you can't stand here...you can't be here... you'll have to move..." I wish I had counted how many times this happened.
Fed up with the noisy unwelcome atmosphere inside the hall, I stepped out of the hall and into the mezzanine to chill for a moment. I was immediately approached by a security person and was informed that I couldn't take my beverage outside the hall. "It's water" I pointed out to the blue meanie who parroted the now familiar excuse, "Utah State law."
Back inside, we were again told that we couldn't "stand here, and couldn't be here" too many more times. Fed up, Mighty Mo raised both middle fingers and put them in face of the latest blue meanie. Good thing he didn't press the issue with her because she probably would have punched him. After that encounter, she said "let's get... out of here. I can't stay another second." So we departed as the opening act finished their set.
I would have loved to have seen Matisyahu perform. Plus, we paid a lot of money to attend, but Park City Live was far too unfriendly to endure.
The restrooms were clean and the sound system was good, but the overall vibe was toxic and unwelcoming.
The Utah State law mantra seemed like a control lever. I am aware that Utah has some really ridiculously oppressive laws, but this was over the top weird. I don't want to be made to feel uncomfortable at a venue. I'm there to enjoy good live music, and hopefully a good vibe from the venue and the people there. I've never left a venue before seeing the band I paid to see. This was a first. Congratulations Park City Live.
I've attended hundreds of live performances and been to probably a hundred different venues all across the United States. I've seen the best and the worst music halls. I certainly didn't expect the very worst to be located in Park City, Utah.
Granted, Utah venues are always somewhat challenging, in part due to all the quirky laws that are both restrictive and oppressive. But I've been to dozens of shows behind the zion curtain, and thought I knew what to expect from a mainstream venue in Park City. I like surprises, but I wasn't prepared for the surprises that Park City Live served up.
At the entrance Mighty Mo and I were "greeted" by security personnel who demanded to see our IDs. They weren't interested in our tickets, only ID, and it wasn't exclusively to insure that we were old enough to attend a 21 and older event. To be admitted, required that we remove our IDs from our wallets and hand them over to a security person who then scanned them into a database. When I asked why such extreme measures were required, I was told that it is Utah State law; an excuse we would encounter throughout the evening. We were also informed that scanning our IDs would give the venue an accurate head count of attendees in addition to being a handy go-to database in the event of an emergency. Once our ID's had been scanned, we received an official stamp on our right wrists.
Once inside the doors, we presented out prepaid ticket vouchers which were scanned. We then received a second stamp on our right wrists and were allowed to ascend the steps toward the concert hall, where bellowing music of the opening act thundered through open doors.
I was thirsty, so stepped up to the bar to order a water. I had been standing there for a few minutes when four other people stepped up and were immediately served ahead of me. Thanks for making me feel invisible. I didn't have to wait much longer before the bartender took my order and promptly served up my beverage. A woman standing next to me had ordered two drinks, one of which was in a can. The woman requested that the canned beverage remain unopened to make it easier to navigate the crowd. The shocked look on her face was revealing when the bartender informed her that she was required to open the beverage before handing it to the patron. "It's Utah law" she informed the flabbergasted woman. As the woman gathered up her purse, coat and an open beverage in each hand, we made eye contact and the woman mouthed, "WTF?"
The remainder of our time in the concert hall consisted of blue shirt security personnel telling us, "You can't sit here...you can't stand here...you can't be here... you'll have to move..." I wish I had counted how many times this happened.
Fed up with the noisy unwelcome atmosphere inside the hall, I stepped out of the hall and into the mezzanine to chill for a moment. I was immediately approached by a security person and was informed that I couldn't take my beverage outside the hall. "It's water" I pointed out to the blue meanie who parroted the now familiar excuse, "Utah State law."
Back inside, we were again told that we couldn't "stand here, and couldn't be here" too many more times. Fed up, Mighty Mo raised both middle fingers and put them in face of the latest blue meanie. Good thing he didn't press the issue with her because she probably would have punched him. After that encounter, she said "let's get... out of here. I can't stay another second." So we departed as the opening act finished their set.
I would have loved to have seen Matisyahu perform. Plus, we paid a lot of money to attend, but Park City Live was far too unfriendly to endure.
The restrooms were clean and the sound system was good, but the overall vibe was toxic and unwelcoming.
The Utah State law mantra seemed like a control lever. I am aware that Utah has some really ridiculously oppressive laws, but this was over the top weird. I don't want to be made to feel uncomfortable at a venue. I'm there to enjoy good live music, and hopefully a good vibe from the venue and the people there. I've never left a venue before seeing the band I paid to see. This was a first. Congratulations Park City Live.
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