Camden NJ, most dangerous city in America

marcos

Forbes magazine rated Camden, NJ the most dangerous city in America. I live in downtown Philly right across and this scares the shit out of me to be that close. I've been to many PJ shows there and the sound is usually bad and the shows not so memorable. Although the 98, 2000, and 08 shows were great it's beginning to not be worth the headache. I understand that PJ don't like the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia for which I don't blame them as it has no personality as it feels exactly like the United Center in Chicago and TD Bank Garden in Boston.
But i don't think I'll be going to Camden anymore and I'm kinda of hoping PJ doesn't anymore. The entertainment center has been in Camden for more than ten years and city conditions have only worsened. I use to vacation in resorts placed in third world countries if you left the resort. I stopped vacationing in such places and now I'm feeling a similar vibe in Camden. Maybe PJ can just play more shows in New York, which is probably not an easy task, but traveling to NY is fairly cheap now with the Megabus or local NJ train line which begins in Trenton at a well lit train station. Having said that (larry david reference), I'll probably still go to Camden when they play.

Evacuation Rules

I flat out refuse to go there. It's a horrible place for a concert venue and shame on Pearl Jam for playing there. It's like going to Compton, CA to see a concert.

ItsOK921

I went to Rutgers (in Camden) and had to walk a few blocks to the school and nothing ever scared me, a few bums here and there but nothing that bad. Lets not forget, one of the best hospitals/trauma centers (Cooper) is there. So if something bad does happen, you're in the right place. Yes, the E-Centre or whatever they call it nowadays sound sucks. But on the good side, its right next to the water, a great view of Philly, and we get to enjoy the wonderful days of summer in giant (fun) parking lots, And sometimes it is nice to just sit back on the lawn and relax and listen to music. Big deal if its the most dangerous city in America, you DO NOT take side streets in Camden unless you really know where you're going and theres always plenty of cops in that area.

Evacuation Rules

ItsOK921 wrote:

Lets not forget, one of the best hospitals/trauma centers (Cooper) is there. So if something bad does happen, you're in the right place.

Thanks, that makes me feel a whole lot better.

Biggest Wave

It's not like when you go there you're walking the streets of Camden, you're in a venue.
A venue that is as secure as any other venue I've ever been in. I've never had a problem there.

I hope you all stay home next time they play there. Better seats for me.

hopethatuchoke

marcos wrote:

I've been to many PJ shows there and the sound is usually bad and the shows not so memorable. Although the 98, 2000, and 08 shows were great it's beginning to not be worth the headache.

lol. Well, they have played shows there in 98, 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2008. You thought 3 of the 5 shows/tours were great so I guess the shows were memorable afterall?

I hate shows over there and wish they would stick to Philly. I think Jeff said he hates playing there too.

YieldToNothing

cheapest crack rock in america.

i loves me some camden

BoltOfLightnin'

Biggest Wave wrote:

It's not like when you go there you're walking the streets of Camden, you're in a venue.
A venue that is as secure as any other venue I've ever been in. I've never had a problem there.

I hope you all stay home next time they play there. Better seats for me.

I'm with you! I have been going to shows there since the place opened and never had a problem (except for a few traffic jams getting to a parking lot!). If people want to stay away, maybe I'll actually get a decent seat next time!

jerrylovesjam

I've seen 75% of my shows in Camden and nothing has ever happened. The area where you are is one safe because your surrounded by fans and cops. Please also realize that these studies/stats whatever you call them are not legit. Different precints, different towns classify crimes differently, to make their towns appear safer. Listen, I'm not sticking up for Camden, it is a rough town, but the arena area is perfectly safe. You have tourist attractions like the Aquarian and USS New Jersey so the area is nice and clean for that reason. Your chances of getting shot in Downtown Philly are just as good in Camden. But hey, the more people that stay away, means better seats for me.

My biggest point is your relying on the city, government and precints to give you accurate info.Come on I live in New Jersey and learned a long time ago that most are a bunch of liars!!!

jerrylovesjam

Also Marcos, I'm sure your heard about a guy unfortanately being beat to death right outside Citizens Bank Park while a Phillies game was being played and I think there were 3 or 4 Philly cops shot in like a 6 month period this past year. Just surprise your so scared of Camden when the same thing is happening right in your backyard. You can hang with me and my wife at the next Camden show. You'll be fine!!!

Zoso

not surprised that is was voted the worst in the nation.. I live 10 mins from Camden in Collingswood. Collingswood is a great safe little town but yeah am scared of going to Camden. PJ should play at Citizen Bank Park or the Mann Center instead (even though it's a little small they could play 3 shows there).

Get_Right

other than the cops being assholes to the concert goers
I have never had a problem in camden (knock on wood) and love seeing shows there
I have enjoyed all the shows there since 2003

I thought the folks walking around the tower in upper darby were a lot shadier than the folks you encounter at the camden venue

Zoso

Get_Right wrote:

other than the cops being assholes to the concert goers
I have never had a problem in camden (knock on wood) and love seeing shows there
I have enjoyed all the shows there since 2003

I thought the folks walking around the tower in upper darby were a lot shadier than the folks you encounter at the camden venue

agreed if EV ever plays solo near philly just play in downtown philly maybe the TLA.

Rubberbandman

newark nj is also up there

pearljgirl2010

Rubberbandman wrote:

newark nj is also up there

eek...yeah...Newark is not a place you wanna get lost in. unless you get lost in the Portuguese area, in which there are some fabulous restaurants!!!

Rubberbandman

and they put a brand new stadium there
go figure

ceska

What's the big deal? You get off the highway, go 2 blocks to the parking lot. You got the concert venue, the aquarium, and the baseball park, and the old RCA factory which is now luxury apts. with a trendy bar that is a popular pre-show gathering space. Not exactly middle of the downtown ghetto, which I've never had to go through in all my times going to shows there anyway. As others have said, lots of police around during shows too.

I wouldn't necc. say that PJ don't like the Wachovia Center in particular, it's just that in the summer they usually play the outdoor venues.

Drop The Leash 10

marcos wrote:

I understand that PJ don't like the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia for which I don't blame them as it has no personality as it feels exactly like the United Center in Chicago and TD Bank Garden in Boston.

the fuck?! no personality? both those buildings are fuckin incredible.

marcos

jerrylovesjam wrote:

Also Marcos, I'm sure your heard about a guy unfortanately being beat to death right outside Citizens Bank Park while a Phillies game was being played and I think there were 3 or 4 Philly cops shot in like a 6 month period this past year. Just surprise your so scared of Camden when the same thing is happening right in your backyard. You can hang with me and my wife at the next Camden show. You'll be fine!!!

I agree with most of the posts and yours that the venue is safe and that Philly could sometimes be just as dangerous. I think my point was more that it's not really a good venue for sound and that the New Jersey goverment may not be doing enough to make Camden a better city. There is nothing else to do around that venue except drink in the parking lot. I simply thought ten or so years ago when the venue opened that things may improve with that city and it just seems to get worse. It seems the only people that are safe are concert visitors. I mean the goverment must be receiving some extra money with all the venue and ticket fees nowadays and it would be nice if the neighborhood were fixed up more or a better and safer transit system so you don't have to drive all the time. The ferry always looks overcrowded. So I'm not scared of Camden, I'm just saying it's starting to feel like vacationing at a resort in a third world country. The police would never let anything happen to a concert goer, the headlines of that may cut into the concert business.

cutz

Yea, all of us around here(South Jesey/Philly), know that Camden is fucked up. I haven't had, or seen any problems when i've gone to shows ther. But, i don't care if that Venue is in Beverly Hills, it SUCKS for a concert.

12345AGNST1

ceska wrote:

What's the big deal? You get off the highway, go 2 blocks to the parking lot. You got the concert venue, the aquarium, and the baseball park, and the old RCA factory which is now luxury apts. with a trendy bar that is a popular pre-show gathering space. Not exactly middle of the downtown ghetto, which I've never had to go through in all my times going to shows there anyway. As others have said, lots of police around during shows too.

I wouldn't necc. say that PJ don't like the Wachovia Center in particular, it's just that in the summer they usually play the outdoor venues.

I never understood the complaining either.

I loved the atmosphere around the venue, and I thought it was really cool that it is off the river into philly too. The walk there from the train station was fine also.

eeriepadave

Well I was never really a fan of the Tweeter,/Susquehanna/E-Center. I thought it was pretty cool when it first opened and my first visit was in '98 to either PJ or Metallica. parking always sucked and is kinda expensive. I try to avoid at all costs. Although the last few years it has gotten better. I only went there once this year for the NINJA tour which was ok. Radiohead the year before at the Tweeter center was pretty sweet. Haven't sen PJ there since '98. Wanted to go last year with MMJ but had tix to the Phillies game instead.

Wiggins Park (which is pretty much right there is pretty cool to see a concert). XPN festival is held there. Also saw a concert on the USS New Jersey Battleship which was pretty cool.

Sharon_Hearts_PJ

I definitely prefer the S-center over Wachovia. And living about 15 minutes away from the Riverline, which quite literally drops you off at the door, makes it a much preferred location over most other nearby venues. Especially now that the Spectrum is done.

Regarding the sounds, yes it can suck. But if you're in some of the few sweet spots, it can sound fairly amazing.

And just to reiterate what most have said, as long as you don't venture too far from the venue (more than a couple blocks), there truly isn't any more to worry about than anywhere else in any metropolitan city. Have y'all been to the Tower Theatre? Wouldn't want to hang around there more than 10 minutes after a show letting out on any given night, trust me.

Jeff Murray

Camden isn't the best of areas, but I can't say I hate the venue there. There are shady places around a lot of venues. Unfortunately I've taken a few wrong turns trying to get out of there, but then found some flashing lights, so I knew I was ok. You go in, you get the hell out, and in between you enjoy the tailgate and the show.

Kind of shocked Detroit didn't take top honors again! I remember when Camden was knocked out of the top spot and the mayor had a press conference bragging about it. My question back then was - Did they improve or did everyone else just get worse?

CJMST3K

My parking experience in Camden at the PJ show:

There was a parking spot right outside of the fenced "paid" parking. Right next to a bar or small restaurant or something. I asked the cop who was watching the crowd if I could park there and this is his response, almost verbatim:

Me: "That sign says it's ok to park there, is that right?"
Cop: "Do you know where you are? Do YOU know where YOU ARE?!?"
Me: "um..."
Cop: "You are in the CRIME CAPITOL of the United States!"
Me: "oh, I'll go move my..."
Cop: "Oh you can leave your car there. Don't let me change your mind. I just can't guarantee it'll be there when you get back".

If this is how their policemen describe their OWN city, that's a strong indication that it's not the best neighborhood. ...plus with all the scrap iron yards every-other block, it looked too much like the Terminator movie in real life.

jerrylovesjam

CJMST3K wrote:

My parking experience in Camden at the PJ show:

There was a parking spot right outside of the fenced "paid" parking. Right next to a bar or small restaurant or something. I asked the cop who was watching the crowd if I could park there and this is his response, almost verbatim:

Me: "That sign says it's ok to park there, is that right?"
Cop: "Do you know where you are? Do YOU know where YOU ARE?!?"
Me: "um..."
Cop: "You are in the CRIME CAPITOL of the United States!"
Me: "oh, I'll go move my..."
Cop: "Oh you can leave your car there. Don't let me change your mind. I just can't guarantee it'll be there when you get back".

If this is how their policemen describe their OWN city, that's a strong indication that it's not the best neighborhood. ...plus with all the scrap iron yards every-other block, it looked too much like the Terminator movie in real life.

At least the cop was honest! Hey, Camden is crap theres no arguing that, but Pearl Jam plays there and I've always enjoyed myself. Also Marcos, I completely agree with you, I would rather see them play somewhere else in the area, but if that's where they are playing, thats where I'm going.

Johnny Abruzzo

Like some other people said, Camden is pretty bad, but I don't really care. What I do care about is that the whatchamacallit Center is a piece of shit concert place. Someone said "if you get a sweet spot it sounds good" - um, you have to be in a sweet spot?

Also, getting to the place is always a debacle. I waited in about a 2 hour line to get on a ferry to see Radiohead, and got to my seat during their first song. I heard the traffic on the bridge was just as bad. And Radiohead was trying to cut down on their fans CO2's .

Here are other places they can have the shows:
FU Center - whatever, it's there, at least you can get to it.
Mann - amazing venue - maybe not big enough, but it works. Plenty of parking.
Tower - same as Mann - and it's 2 blocks from 69th St Station, so very easy to get to via public transit.
Citizens Park - I guess that'd be ok - might be too big for PJ.

eeriepadave

Johnny Abruzzo wrote:

Like some other people said, Camden is pretty bad, but I don't really care. What I do care about is that the whatchamacallit Center is a piece of shit concert place. Someone said "if you get a sweet spot it sounds good" - um, you have to be in a sweet spot?

Also, getting to the place is always a debacle. I waited in about a 2 hour line to get on a ferry to see Radiohead, and got to my seat during their first song. I heard the traffic on the bridge was just as bad. And Radiohead was trying to cut down on their fans CO2's .

Here are other places they can have the shows:
FU Center - whatever, it's there, at least you can get to it.
Mann - amazing venue - maybe not big enough, but it works. Plenty of parking.
Tower - same as Mann - and it's 2 blocks from 69th St Station, so very easy to get to via public transit.
Citizens Park - I guess that'd be ok - might be too big for PJ.

Citiizens Bank too big? Nah holds about 45,000. How about the Linc?

Actually i would love if they played in a small venue like the TLA, Electric Factory, Troc, or right down the road from me at the Note in WC

Jearlpam0925

You're all nuts. Tailgates across from the Pseudo Tweeter Center are the bee's knees. :thumbup:

Ledbetterman10

Camden NJ, most dangerous city in America......to have Pearl Jam rock your balls off in.

Jearlpam0925

Ledbetterman10 wrote:

Camden NJ, most dangerous city in America......to have Pearl Jam rock your balls off in.

Ya see, now THAT makes sense.