... The police presence was out of control last night. Upon entering the free parking lot at around 4pm we were immediately given a verbal warning that if we drank alcohol on the premises that we would be arrested. We moved to the $40 pay lot (private lot) and every 15 minutes or so the cops would come by, give warnings and make people pour out beers. Most people were of age. Sure there were a few assholes... However the end does not justify the means. I think its a spirit of the law versus letter of the law issue. Are the cops going to bother tailgaters at the Jimmy Buffett concert in September? Answer: Because of the demographic maybe not...
It's a lot of aggravation to put up with to go to a concert in which your supposed to be there to have fun. Part of me says, is it really worth it if I have to put up with this bullshit. I may just boycott the comcast center or maybe Comcast in general... It certainly makes TD banknorth garden that much more appealing.
Anyone know any good cable companies?
I wonder what happens if you haven't picked up your 10c tix yet? Do they just tell you to leave? Just curious.
I can't believe I'm saying this (I don't drink, though I don't judge others who do, as long as they don't bug me), but that would almost be better. If you're told to leave, and do, you could probably make your way back in (if you were just in the parking lot) in the dark and not be noticed. That parking area is VAST. I couldn't believe how big it was.
R.i.p. Rigoberto Alpizar.
R.i.p. My Dad - May 28, 2007
R.i.p. Black Tail (cat) - Sept. 20, 2008
I didnt think mansfield was too bad (until after the show..)
We were able to play beer pong and flip cup and drink all afternoon in the great woods free lot without any hassle....just kept everything in party cups.
I thought hartford was much worse. They came through the lots with bike cops and cruisers telling us no tents (canopies) were allowed and no tables unless they had food on them.....uhh...what city ordinance do those fall into? We were in a private lot!
After the mansfield show someone set off some fireworks in front of our cars a couple times (which was cool) and a whole squad of cops came over and hassled us about it. Most were just being annoying but undertandable cop types but one of them was a fucking asshole. He was telling me how he was going to search my truck for fireworks and as he reached for the door handle i said I did not want him to and i was not going to give him permission to do so and he goes "WELL I DONT GIVE A FUCK WHAT YOU SAY....HOW ABOUT THAT?!?!" (and proceeded to use the flashlight through the window trick)
They took off but then kept coming around our area telling us we were going to get arrested or something if we werent in our cars and leaving (we were literally 10 feet from a line of cars that didnt move once in 1.5 hours wound up having to find another way out later).
In hartford the table and tent policy was horseshit but there was one asshole cop working a main intersection near the expo center. He was berating people who were crossing the street and getting instantly hostile with people who were not out of the intersection the SECOND he said "clear the intersection" (which was about 3 seconds after telling people they would walk). I saw him at one point walk over to and chest bump this kid who was walking across the street because he wasnt sprinting or something??? Then later some big really built dude was crossing the intersection and the cop goes "HEY BIG GUY. PUT DOWN THE FUCKING CREATINE AND GET THE FUCK OUT OF THE ROAD"
Gee...wonder why they have problems with rowdy crowds at some of these events....you give respect...you get respect. Act like a fucking toolbox and....well maybe the drunk fans will riot once in a while (not that i support that).
suddenly this place is sounding like the old jones beach theatre in wantaugh ny.
but seriously, all of these places are more or less identical ( live nation venues )
including jones beach , mansfield, holmdel , & camden,...
For the ones who had a notion, a notion deep inside
That it ain't no sin to be glad you're alive
ORGAN DONATION SAVES LIVES http://www.UNOS.org
Donate Organs and Save a Life
After tomorrow night, I will never be returning to Mansfield...even if PJ plays there. Disgraceful way of treating people who pay everyone's salary (lets not forget that). Arenas only for me in the Boston area.
On Camden II.....I witnessed the cop that was directing people into the parking lot go apeshit on a dude just because he had a bluetooth headseat on. I was coming out to cross the street and I heard, "Take that fucking thing off your head." Then he made him pull over and got on his shit about something. It didn't seem like the cops were too bad on drinking that night, because the lot was pretty much full of alcohol...but the traffic cops were being insane assholes. Oh and thanks for the detour that put me in the fucking ghettos of Camden at 1 am in the morning!!!
3) If a cop comes up to you and asks to see your cup, tell him yes it is alcohol and immediately poor it out. Ensure him it won't happen again. If you don't do this, you may lose your ticket, which is the worst possible outcome.
I suggest not keeping your ticket on you, or visible in your car (hide them somewhere)....and worst case scenerio if the cops are busting your tailgate and ask for tickets, tell them you are picking them up at Will Call right before the show.
It might get you kicked out of the lot, but that is better than losing the tickets!
I suggest not keeping your ticket on you, or visible in your car (hide them somewhere)....and worst case scenerio if the cops are busting your tailgate and ask for tickets, tell them you are picking them up at Will Call right before the show.
It might get you kicked out of the lot, but that is better than losing the tickets!
I would tell them you're getting them from a friend who's meeting you at the venue instead.
I saw alot of the same things other ppl did.
Cops randomly telling ppl to dump their beers.
I parked in a $40 dollar private lot, but the cops were still everywhere.
I walked up to the ticket office to get my tickets and there was a cop at the base of the walkway saying that once you left the lot, you couldn't come back to your car !!!
We came back anyway and luckily there was a different cop there.
We played dumb and the cop "let" us back to our car. Ridiculous...
Watch out for the parking lot sheriff in the $40 lot (and the 5-0). One of the attendants was going nutso yelling at people for coolers, parking in the wrong spot, games (that ball toss thing and some bean bag game were a few I saw them ask, no Demand people put away), grills. For $40 bucks you would think you would be able to have a little fun. Keep your coolers in you car, unless you constantly want the attendants attention. The guys running the lot will give you shit for having them out. The cops in that lot were carding people, so be aware. Then, at 7:00 the coppers started "herding" us into the show. The cops were walking through the lot and saying "its 7, the gates have been open, so lets start heading in". Also, they seemed to bother people with tents more than anyone else. If you have a tent, be ready for a visit from the fuzz.
Enjoy yourselfs tonight. I have a feeling after the day of rest, you guys and ladies going tonight are in for something special (kinda like Hartford...ha ha).
Jealous at work today,
Flannel
Peace"
it was the $40 lot just before the main entrance.
Have WMA ready to blast......
All that's sacred, comes from youth....dedications, naive and true.
i dont know how many times I have to type this but here is one more time DONT FUCKING PARK IN THE GREAT WOODS LOTS GO TO A PAY LOT $20 BEFORE GREAT WOODS you can do what ever you want in the $20 pay lots
i dont know how many times I have to type this but here is one more time DONT FUCKING PARK IN THE GREAT WOODS LOTS GO TO A PAY LOT $20 BEFORE GREAT WOODS you can do what ever you want in the $20 pay lots
so, when you get off the 495 south, stay left where the road splits instead of actually going towards the sign that says "Mansfield", where do you go from there? we took a right and pulled in the 40 buck lot. should we have taken a left?
where the 20 dollar lots at? directions son, directions.
All that's sacred, comes from youth....dedications, naive and true.
I'm not sure its a Live Nation issue, the Mansfield police basically implied that it was a Mansfield Town issue. I could be wrong but last night they were being real hard asses for a few hours and then i didnt see a cop for the last 3 hours. But earlier there were undercover cops, venue security and police all making the rounds, and contrary to what the earlier poster believes, they WERE taking peoples tickets, they WERE arresting people, and they WERE takin peoples beers away. With that said, just be smart about it. Dont mouth off to the cops and dont flaunt it and you will be fine.
You're right actually. It does seem to be a bit of an issue with the venue but apparently what I've now been reading is that it's a town by town issue. Certain places don't want drunk drivers, etc so they force the venue to comply. This would also explain the 11PM curfew that exists because of the damn trailer park trash living near the venue.
Honestly, buying a house next to a music venue is the same as buying one over an airport. It's your decision to live somewhere that is in the vicinity of loud noises and you probably pay less for your house because of it.
Tweeter needs to work on soundproofing the walls up around the lawn and top of the venue. I was surprised how quiet it was outside Hartford (especially when I was in line and could hardly hear the music)
I'm new to the board but would like to talk about the tailgating issues outside. In all my years of going to great woods i had never had any trouble with drinking beer out of solo cups. Within first hour of arriving i had a few cops and several security guards warn us about public drinking and even had my beer, my friends beer, and other patrons beers poured out. (bear in mind most of us jammers are now in our late 20s - 30s) I was relegated to drinking in the back of mine and my fellow jammers cars. (am i 18 again?). It put a bit of damper on the pre-jam ceremonies. If i could offer a little word of advice to everyone going to the 2nd show to please bring a non-seethru container to drink out of such as a water bottle. Keep it low key. (not complaining 'cause i still had a blast).
I had also read in another post that some people had come up w/ a code word like "Go Sox" to let everyone else know that cops were around. Seemed like a good idea.
In my opinion there's nothing better than putting the ipod on PJ - hitting shuffle, cooking burgers and steaks, drinking good beer with fellow jammers, and throwing a ball around. This does not make us toolbags, meat heads ect. ect. To me it's part of the entire experience. PJ fans are not trouble makers.
Hartford 9/13/98, Montreal 6/29/03, Mansfield 7/2/03 7/3/03 7/11/03, Boston 9/28/04, Hartford 6/27/08, Mansfield 6/28/08 6/30/08, Chicago 8/24/09, Boston 5/17/10, East Troy 9/3/11 9/4/11, Worcester 10/15 10/16, Hartford 10/25 Fenway 1&2 EV - Boston 8/1 8/2, Albany 8/6
Getting off I-495 South, there is definitely one small one right before the Tweeter Center on the same side of the road. It's a private lot and it probably would have no cop presence (that's my guess)
And for the free Tweeter parking (which blows), I usually park closer towards the exit and road usually on the end of an aisle of spots. Direct your car towards the exit and you'll get out within seconds.
And for the free Tweeter parking (which blows), I usually park closer towards the exit and road usually on the end of an aisle of spots. Direct your car towards the exit and you'll get out within seconds.
I am going tonight (cant wait!) and it is my first PJ show as well as my first show at Comcast/Tweeter/Great Woods in about 10 years. Are all patrons directed where to park or is there some flexibility as to where one may WANT to park?
1) If you have beer in the parking lot, you're breaking the open container law. Thus, you're giving the cops "probable cause" for search and seizure. Of anything they might find that's illegal.
2) As has been said, a ticket to a concert is a contract, you break the venue rules (which DO NOT have to conicide with the laws, it's a private company), you void the contract, they (the venue OR the cops, contracts are legal documents too) can take your tickets.
3) You have NO rights to do anything in the venue parking lot. It's a private space, and their rules, whatever they may be, are enforcable by the cops. (That whole "your ticket is a contract" thing is what gets you, believe me, the legal beagles that think this stuff up are not stupid.)
Personally, I don't care if you bust out the grill and have a few before the show, but I really don't understand sitting there from 4 or whenever until showtime. I'm sure I'll get blasted for being "lame" or whatever, but last time I was in mansfield 4 asshats were sitting on my car when i came out, and they had their grill close enough to my car to peel paint (which it did).
I respect those of you tailgaters that have a brain and are reasonable and smart, and just want to add something to the experience. Tickets are expensive, and we all want as much as we can get out of them. I also understand that not everyone is as dumb as the people we've all seen out there. Problem is, a certain number of those people will be at every show, so the cops have to be assholes and babysit the losers.
Finally, cops harrasing people for no reason, no matter what the rules, is wrong. If you're standing there with a beer, and they say "dump that," and you do, that should be the end of it. You know the rules, and so do they. Giving you shit if you're cooperating, though, is out of line. Like people have said, there are always a few asshole cops. Such is life.
My boyfriend and I drove up to Mansfield Mass for this show after seeing both Camden shows on 6.19.08 and 6.20.08. I am a Jersey girl and have seen PJ in Camden many times (see below) and have been known to enjoy a beer or five in the parking lot while hanging out and having a good time with friends. Never had a problem with police, not even when Solo cups are not used. I am a 37 year old responsible adult with a good job and no police record. Not looking to get in or create any trouble.
At the Mansfield show on Saturday, the police were ALL OVER everyone. We parked the car, got out a chair, poured beers into Solo cups (good beer I might add!) and before we even took a sip, cops on bikes rode over and very nicely asked us and the couple next to us to pour out our beers. We were nice and respectful and did pour our beer out - no problems from the police. After they left, we resorted to putting our beer in empty iced tea bottles and did not have a problem after we started disguising our beer. The parking lot staff and police were everywhere watching people like hawks. We did see several poor souls handcuffed and carted away. It really was a downer, feeling like we had to watch our backs the whole time. For those of you going tonight and planning to tailgate, bring some other container to disguise your beer and go in the car to pour from the beer bottle to the "in cognito" bottle.
It was a great show on Saturday! I hope all who are going tonight have a great time and enjoy the show!!!
Oh! And we couldn't BELIEVE how looong it took to get out of those lots! We waited for 2 hours before we even tried to leave.
Multiple parking lots + one exit from the venue = traffic nightmare!
I feel bad for people who live in that area and have to deal with that regularly.
"Oh dear dad, can you see me now? I am myself, like you somehow."
1) If you have beer in the parking lot, you're breaking the open container law. Thus, you're giving the cops "probable cause" for search and seizure. Of anything they might find that's illegal.
2) As has been said, a ticket to a concert is a contract, you break the venue rules (which DO NOT have to conicide with the laws, it's a private company), you void the contract, they (the venue OR the cops, contracts are legal documents too) can take your tickets.
3) You have NO rights to do anything in the venue parking lot. It's a private space, and their rules, whatever they may be, are enforcable by the cops. (That whole "your ticket is a contract" thing is what gets you, believe me, the legal beagles that think this stuff up are not stupid.)
Personally, I don't care if you bust out the grill and have a few before the show, but I really don't understand sitting there from 4 or whenever until showtime. I'm sure I'll get blasted for being "lame" or whatever, but last time I was in mansfield 4 asshats were sitting on my car when i came out, and they had their grill close enough to my car to peel paint (which it did).
I respect those of you tailgaters that have a brain and are reasonable and smart, and just want to add something to the experience. Tickets are expensive, and we all want as much as we can get out of them. I also understand that not everyone is as dumb as the people we've all seen out there. Problem is, a certain number of those people will be at every show, so the cops have to be assholes and babysit the losers.
Finally, cops harrasing people for no reason, no matter what the rules, is wrong. If you're standing there with a beer, and they say "dump that," and you do, that should be the end of it. You know the rules, and so do they. Giving you shit if you're cooperating, though, is out of line. Like people have said, there are always a few asshole cops. Such is life.
The only problem is that it is perfectly legal for those same idiots to drink 19 beers at the concert, then come out and sit on your car. The only difference is that there is no police presence at that point. They are all standing around at the front of the venue, while nobody is watching the rest of the lots or directing traffic.
This is not about cracking down on drinking, its about promoting the sale of $8 beer inside IMO. Also, if this is a "private lot" why are the police there? The police work for the public.
It made what used to be a fun place to see a show pretty much suck. As a 32 year old man, I really am past the era of hiding and sneaking sips of a beer. It was pretty embarrassing. The words of the OSU coach sum it up well (cue to the 2:20 mark):
All that being said, having tailgated before and leaving the Garden after Game 6, I have no problem with the police profiling the hell out of the drunken douchebags out to cause problems and make themselves YouTube Superstars. Hell, if they're under 24 with no shirt on and plaid shorts, profile the hell out them. Chinstrap Color Me Bad beard, profile 'em. Flat and/or tilted brim ball cap, profile 'em. But leave me alone. I'M A MAN! I'M 32! I'm kidding ... well, sort of.
By the way, if you are on private property, you're not violating the open container law. It's only a local Mansfield ordinance. Which the cops admitted to inconsistently enforcing, telling some older gentleman near us that they would not be as active when Jimmy Buffett comes Labor Day weekend.
I found getting out of that venue ridiculous. Was there only one entrance into that place? Or did I just not see it. I don't get how my parking lot didn't move for over 30 mins when the main road was? I was alone, so I had no one to hang with, so I just wanted to get out of there.
I don't get why me and my gf who drove 5 hrs from nj, were dead sober got there early and just wanted to get a bite to eat and grab 1 beer and we couldnt because we are not 25?? being 23 is not of legal drinking age anymore??
I don't get why me and my gf who drove 5 hrs from nj, were dead sober got there early and just wanted to get a bite to eat and grab 1 beer and we couldnt because we are not 25?? being 23 is not of legal drinking age anymore??
I have seen your postings a few times...I can imagine this would be frustrating, but if I recall correctly, it's like this in all MA venues (Pavillion, Garden, Comcast Ctr, etc...). I would assume the reasoning behind it is to try and prevent the use of fake IDs, but I can't say how effective/ineffective that is.
I have seen your postings a few times...I can imagine this would be frustrating, but if I recall correctly, it's like this in all MA venues (Pavillion, Garden, Comcast Ctr, etc...). I would assume the reasoning behind it is to try and prevent the use of fake IDs, but I can't say how effective/ineffective that is.
yeah i think i remember that at garden or whatever its called now but oh well i don't really care now but i just thought it was annoying and kind of unfair
I would be more accepting of the super-aggressive, super-attentive, super-authoritative approach to monitoring the parking lot before the show if Comcast didn't slash the staff to 1/10th the pre-show level - and let everyone fend for themselves - when the show ends. The parking lot after the show is an absolute mess, with zero supervision except for a bunch of pimply faced kids. I can only imagine how much a small amount of organization would have helped the process of people leaving.
As for those who would attack the Comcast Center for the anti-alcohol policies while excusing the local police, all I will say is this: in the paid lot across the street on Saturday, the owner of the lot was giving us tips on how to avoid detection from the police while enjoying our beers. The clear implication was that he - the private land owner - was being forced to provide access to the police so they could inspect the cups of his patrons.
As for those who would attack the Comcast Center for the anti-alcohol policies while excusing the local police, all I will say is this: in the paid lot across the street on Saturday, the owner of the lot was giving us tips on how to avoid detection from the police while enjoying our beers. The clear implication was that he - the private land owner - was being forced to provide access to the police so they could inspect the cups of his patrons.
Thank you for sharing and helping with my point. Either its a private lot or a public lot... can't have it both ways (Comcast/Mansfield Police). In a private lot, if the owner allows drinking. He can. Its no different than drinking in his backyard.
I grew up in Foxboro, so yeah, i remember the golden years where a solo cup was all you needed to get away with drinking. the cops enforced the rule when people were rowdy, and that wasn't really a problem. fights happen, but it's pretty rare that anybody gets beat up without playing a part in provoking the fight.
i think the cops should be plenty wary of the people who are makin' a ruckus, but leave everyone else alone. there really is a tiny percentage of PJ fans who are actually going to cause trouble, and prior security practices were sufficient to pick these people out. what changed? some people at a different show caused some trouble, and now they crack down on everybody. that philisophy has never gone over well in this country. FYI, i asked one of the cops personally why everything changed, and he cited the Tom Petty show incident as the impetus for the crackdown.
now i'm not going to throw the word "right" around like a bunch of you. sure, we don't have the "right" to drink if the owners of the property don't allow it. i'm admitting that up front, see? there is, however, a tradition among americans that spans not just concerts, but sporting events as well. this tradition involves cooking on grills and enjoying some recreational beverages while waiting for the show to start. this serves several purposes:
1. people who are traveling and who will be in a large venue for several hours can eat immediately beforhand, so that we're not hungry during the show, and we can watch the show in it's entirety.
2. people like to drink to celebrate. nobody would be having this discussion if popular opinion were not in line with that statement. most people do it responsibly.
3. beers cost 8 bucks in the venue.
4. there are no bars within walking distance of the venue, and people shouldn't drive drunk. drinking in the parking lot makes sense.
5. if nobody tailgated, then 20,000 people would be showing up between 5:00 and 6:30. that'd be a disaster, and traffic would be backed up 140, 495, 95, 123, 106... instead, the allure of tailgating spreads out the traffic flow for a solid 4 hours. this is very important!
for years and years these reasons were enough that the local constabulary would turn a blind eye to drinking in the parking lot as long as there was reasonable doubt that the tailgaters were drinking, hence the unwritten "solo cup" rule, and the "don't act like a drunk-ass fuckhead" rule.
what i think everyone get upset about is that this tradition is being trampled on by a small minority who have abused the privelege, and by the authorities who have overreacted to the situation. if you want to talk about rights, and the 4th amendment, i think the instances of cops taking their frustrations out on tailgaters without even a warning.
so remember not to confuse the case you are trying to make by complaining about the wrong thing. when you complain about rights being violated, and you're talking about priveleges, it tends to weaken the influence of your argument...which is a shame when you clearly had a good point to make.
one other thing i'd like to throw into this rant, is don't rag on the people in the trailor park. remember, the town of mansfield and the owner of the park decided to put it there because you can't do much else as a town to make money off of land so close to a concert venue, and there is a need for very low income housing. i used to know someone who lived there, and he was a nice guy who voluneered for some charities, etc, so c'mon PJ fans, don't be so judgemental of people less fortunate than yourselves.
oh, and if you like to tailgate, and you don't like sitting in your car for 1.5 hours on your way out, do what we do, and fire up your grill after the show! it's fun watching people getting all pissed off as they sit still in their cars. relax, sober up, drink some enegry drinks if you're driving, or drink some more beer if you're not....after all, there are no cops at all after the show...after dave matthews, we passed out in our car, and woke up 2 hrs later.... drove home perfectly sober!!!!!!!
Comments
It's a lot of aggravation to put up with to go to a concert in which your supposed to be there to have fun. Part of me says, is it really worth it if I have to put up with this bullshit. I may just boycott the comcast center or maybe Comcast in general... It certainly makes TD banknorth garden that much more appealing.
Anyone know any good cable companies?
I can't believe I'm saying this (I don't drink, though I don't judge others who do, as long as they don't bug me), but that would almost be better. If you're told to leave, and do, you could probably make your way back in (if you were just in the parking lot) in the dark and not be noticed. That parking area is VAST. I couldn't believe how big it was.
R.i.p. My Dad - May 28, 2007
R.i.p. Black Tail (cat) - Sept. 20, 2008
We were able to play beer pong and flip cup and drink all afternoon in the great woods free lot without any hassle....just kept everything in party cups.
I thought hartford was much worse. They came through the lots with bike cops and cruisers telling us no tents (canopies) were allowed and no tables unless they had food on them.....uhh...what city ordinance do those fall into? We were in a private lot!
After the mansfield show someone set off some fireworks in front of our cars a couple times (which was cool) and a whole squad of cops came over and hassled us about it. Most were just being annoying but undertandable cop types but one of them was a fucking asshole. He was telling me how he was going to search my truck for fireworks and as he reached for the door handle i said I did not want him to and i was not going to give him permission to do so and he goes "WELL I DONT GIVE A FUCK WHAT YOU SAY....HOW ABOUT THAT?!?!" (and proceeded to use the flashlight through the window trick)
They took off but then kept coming around our area telling us we were going to get arrested or something if we werent in our cars and leaving (we were literally 10 feet from a line of cars that didnt move once in 1.5 hours wound up having to find another way out later).
In hartford the table and tent policy was horseshit but there was one asshole cop working a main intersection near the expo center. He was berating people who were crossing the street and getting instantly hostile with people who were not out of the intersection the SECOND he said "clear the intersection" (which was about 3 seconds after telling people they would walk). I saw him at one point walk over to and chest bump this kid who was walking across the street because he wasnt sprinting or something??? Then later some big really built dude was crossing the intersection and the cop goes "HEY BIG GUY. PUT DOWN THE FUCKING CREATINE AND GET THE FUCK OUT OF THE ROAD"
Gee...wonder why they have problems with rowdy crowds at some of these events....you give respect...you get respect. Act like a fucking toolbox and....well maybe the drunk fans will riot once in a while (not that i support that).
but seriously, all of these places are more or less identical ( live nation venues )
including jones beach , mansfield, holmdel , & camden,...
That it ain't no sin to be glad you're alive
ORGAN DONATION SAVES LIVES
http://www.UNOS.org
Donate Organs and Save a Life
I suggest not keeping your ticket on you, or visible in your car (hide them somewhere)....and worst case scenerio if the cops are busting your tailgate and ask for tickets, tell them you are picking them up at Will Call right before the show.
It might get you kicked out of the lot, but that is better than losing the tickets!
I would tell them you're getting them from a friend who's meeting you at the venue instead.
Cops randomly telling ppl to dump their beers.
I parked in a $40 dollar private lot, but the cops were still everywhere.
I walked up to the ticket office to get my tickets and there was a cop at the base of the walkway saying that once you left the lot, you couldn't come back to your car !!!
We came back anyway and luckily there was a different cop there.
We played dumb and the cop "let" us back to our car. Ridiculous...
"Just a bit of a heads up...
Watch out for the parking lot sheriff in the $40 lot (and the 5-0). One of the attendants was going nutso yelling at people for coolers, parking in the wrong spot, games (that ball toss thing and some bean bag game were a few I saw them ask, no Demand people put away), grills. For $40 bucks you would think you would be able to have a little fun. Keep your coolers in you car, unless you constantly want the attendants attention. The guys running the lot will give you shit for having them out. The cops in that lot were carding people, so be aware. Then, at 7:00 the coppers started "herding" us into the show. The cops were walking through the lot and saying "its 7, the gates have been open, so lets start heading in". Also, they seemed to bother people with tents more than anyone else. If you have a tent, be ready for a visit from the fuzz.
Enjoy yourselfs tonight. I have a feeling after the day of rest, you guys and ladies going tonight are in for something special (kinda like Hartford...ha ha).
Jealous at work today,
Flannel
Peace"
it was the $40 lot just before the main entrance.
Have WMA ready to blast......
where the 20 dollar lots at? directions son, directions.
You're right actually. It does seem to be a bit of an issue with the venue but apparently what I've now been reading is that it's a town by town issue. Certain places don't want drunk drivers, etc so they force the venue to comply. This would also explain the 11PM curfew that exists because of the damn trailer park trash living near the venue.
Honestly, buying a house next to a music venue is the same as buying one over an airport. It's your decision to live somewhere that is in the vicinity of loud noises and you probably pay less for your house because of it.
Tweeter needs to work on soundproofing the walls up around the lawn and top of the venue. I was surprised how quiet it was outside Hartford (especially when I was in line and could hardly hear the music)
I had also read in another post that some people had come up w/ a code word like "Go Sox" to let everyone else know that cops were around. Seemed like a good idea.
In my opinion there's nothing better than putting the ipod on PJ - hitting shuffle, cooking burgers and steaks, drinking good beer with fellow jammers, and throwing a ball around. This does not make us toolbags, meat heads ect. ect. To me it's part of the entire experience. PJ fans are not trouble makers.
And for the free Tweeter parking (which blows), I usually park closer towards the exit and road usually on the end of an aisle of spots. Direct your car towards the exit and you'll get out within seconds.
And for the free Tweeter parking (which blows), I usually park closer towards the exit and road usually on the end of an aisle of spots. Direct your car towards the exit and you'll get out within seconds.
I am going tonight (cant wait!) and it is my first PJ show as well as my first show at Comcast/Tweeter/Great Woods in about 10 years. Are all patrons directed where to park or is there some flexibility as to where one may WANT to park?
1) If you have beer in the parking lot, you're breaking the open container law. Thus, you're giving the cops "probable cause" for search and seizure. Of anything they might find that's illegal.
2) As has been said, a ticket to a concert is a contract, you break the venue rules (which DO NOT have to conicide with the laws, it's a private company), you void the contract, they (the venue OR the cops, contracts are legal documents too) can take your tickets.
3) You have NO rights to do anything in the venue parking lot. It's a private space, and their rules, whatever they may be, are enforcable by the cops. (That whole "your ticket is a contract" thing is what gets you, believe me, the legal beagles that think this stuff up are not stupid.)
Personally, I don't care if you bust out the grill and have a few before the show, but I really don't understand sitting there from 4 or whenever until showtime. I'm sure I'll get blasted for being "lame" or whatever, but last time I was in mansfield 4 asshats were sitting on my car when i came out, and they had their grill close enough to my car to peel paint (which it did).
I respect those of you tailgaters that have a brain and are reasonable and smart, and just want to add something to the experience. Tickets are expensive, and we all want as much as we can get out of them. I also understand that not everyone is as dumb as the people we've all seen out there. Problem is, a certain number of those people will be at every show, so the cops have to be assholes and babysit the losers.
Finally, cops harrasing people for no reason, no matter what the rules, is wrong. If you're standing there with a beer, and they say "dump that," and you do, that should be the end of it. You know the rules, and so do they. Giving you shit if you're cooperating, though, is out of line. Like people have said, there are always a few asshole cops. Such is life.
At the Mansfield show on Saturday, the police were ALL OVER everyone. We parked the car, got out a chair, poured beers into Solo cups (good beer I might add!) and before we even took a sip, cops on bikes rode over and very nicely asked us and the couple next to us to pour out our beers. We were nice and respectful and did pour our beer out - no problems from the police. After they left, we resorted to putting our beer in empty iced tea bottles and did not have a problem after we started disguising our beer. The parking lot staff and police were everywhere watching people like hawks. We did see several poor souls handcuffed and carted away. It really was a downer, feeling like we had to watch our backs the whole time. For those of you going tonight and planning to tailgate, bring some other container to disguise your beer and go in the car to pour from the beer bottle to the "in cognito" bottle.
It was a great show on Saturday! I hope all who are going tonight have a great time and enjoy the show!!!
Oh! And we couldn't BELIEVE how looong it took to get out of those lots! We waited for 2 hours before we even tried to leave.
Multiple parking lots + one exit from the venue = traffic nightmare!
I feel bad for people who live in that area and have to deal with that regularly.
CAMDEN 8.29.98{}CAMDEN 9.2.00{}SPECTRUM 4.28.03{}CAMDEN 7.5.03{}CAMDEN 7.6.03{}WACHOVIA 10.3.05{}CAMDEN 5.27.06{}CAMDEN 5.28.06{}CAMDEN 6.19.08{}CAMDEN 6.20.08{} MANSFIELD 6.28.08{}EV @ Tower Theater 6.12.09{}SPECTRUM 10.28.09{}SPECTRUM 10.30.09{}SPECTRUM (RIP) 10.31.09{}MSG 5.21.10{}EV @ Tower Theater 6.25.11{}Alpine Valley 9.3.11{}Alpine Valley 9.4.11
The only problem is that it is perfectly legal for those same idiots to drink 19 beers at the concert, then come out and sit on your car. The only difference is that there is no police presence at that point. They are all standing around at the front of the venue, while nobody is watching the rest of the lots or directing traffic.
This is not about cracking down on drinking, its about promoting the sale of $8 beer inside IMO. Also, if this is a "private lot" why are the police there? The police work for the public.
Its all hypocracy to me...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN52ibaFmw8
All that being said, having tailgated before and leaving the Garden after Game 6, I have no problem with the police profiling the hell out of the drunken douchebags out to cause problems and make themselves YouTube Superstars. Hell, if they're under 24 with no shirt on and plaid shorts, profile the hell out them. Chinstrap Color Me Bad beard, profile 'em. Flat and/or tilted brim ball cap, profile 'em. But leave me alone. I'M A MAN! I'M 32! I'm kidding ... well, sort of.
By the way, if you are on private property, you're not violating the open container law. It's only a local Mansfield ordinance. Which the cops admitted to inconsistently enforcing, telling some older gentleman near us that they would not be as active when Jimmy Buffett comes Labor Day weekend.
I have seen your postings a few times...I can imagine this would be frustrating, but if I recall correctly, it's like this in all MA venues (Pavillion, Garden, Comcast Ctr, etc...). I would assume the reasoning behind it is to try and prevent the use of fake IDs, but I can't say how effective/ineffective that is.
yeah i think i remember that at garden or whatever its called now but oh well i don't really care now but i just thought it was annoying and kind of unfair
As for those who would attack the Comcast Center for the anti-alcohol policies while excusing the local police, all I will say is this: in the paid lot across the street on Saturday, the owner of the lot was giving us tips on how to avoid detection from the police while enjoying our beers. The clear implication was that he - the private land owner - was being forced to provide access to the police so they could inspect the cups of his patrons.
Thank you for sharing and helping with my point. Either its a private lot or a public lot... can't have it both ways (Comcast/Mansfield Police). In a private lot, if the owner allows drinking. He can. Its no different than drinking in his backyard.
i think the cops should be plenty wary of the people who are makin' a ruckus, but leave everyone else alone. there really is a tiny percentage of PJ fans who are actually going to cause trouble, and prior security practices were sufficient to pick these people out. what changed? some people at a different show caused some trouble, and now they crack down on everybody. that philisophy has never gone over well in this country. FYI, i asked one of the cops personally why everything changed, and he cited the Tom Petty show incident as the impetus for the crackdown.
now i'm not going to throw the word "right" around like a bunch of you. sure, we don't have the "right" to drink if the owners of the property don't allow it. i'm admitting that up front, see? there is, however, a tradition among americans that spans not just concerts, but sporting events as well. this tradition involves cooking on grills and enjoying some recreational beverages while waiting for the show to start. this serves several purposes:
1. people who are traveling and who will be in a large venue for several hours can eat immediately beforhand, so that we're not hungry during the show, and we can watch the show in it's entirety.
2. people like to drink to celebrate. nobody would be having this discussion if popular opinion were not in line with that statement. most people do it responsibly.
3. beers cost 8 bucks in the venue.
4. there are no bars within walking distance of the venue, and people shouldn't drive drunk. drinking in the parking lot makes sense.
5. if nobody tailgated, then 20,000 people would be showing up between 5:00 and 6:30. that'd be a disaster, and traffic would be backed up 140, 495, 95, 123, 106... instead, the allure of tailgating spreads out the traffic flow for a solid 4 hours. this is very important!
for years and years these reasons were enough that the local constabulary would turn a blind eye to drinking in the parking lot as long as there was reasonable doubt that the tailgaters were drinking, hence the unwritten "solo cup" rule, and the "don't act like a drunk-ass fuckhead" rule.
what i think everyone get upset about is that this tradition is being trampled on by a small minority who have abused the privelege, and by the authorities who have overreacted to the situation. if you want to talk about rights, and the 4th amendment, i think the instances of cops taking their frustrations out on tailgaters without even a warning.
so remember not to confuse the case you are trying to make by complaining about the wrong thing. when you complain about rights being violated, and you're talking about priveleges, it tends to weaken the influence of your argument...which is a shame when you clearly had a good point to make.
one other thing i'd like to throw into this rant, is don't rag on the people in the trailor park. remember, the town of mansfield and the owner of the park decided to put it there because you can't do much else as a town to make money off of land so close to a concert venue, and there is a need for very low income housing. i used to know someone who lived there, and he was a nice guy who voluneered for some charities, etc, so c'mon PJ fans, don't be so judgemental of people less fortunate than yourselves.
oh, and if you like to tailgate, and you don't like sitting in your car for 1.5 hours on your way out, do what we do, and fire up your grill after the show! it's fun watching people getting all pissed off as they sit still in their cars. relax, sober up, drink some enegry drinks if you're driving, or drink some more beer if you're not....after all, there are no cops at all after the show...after dave matthews, we passed out in our car, and woke up 2 hrs later.... drove home perfectly sober!!!!!!!
Peace!