All Over Albany

I didn't really experience the security problems like Jane did, overall it was a good time. But a few comments:

-The tent with SoCo drinks was disappointing that you couldn't bring drinks to the stages.

-$5 for BUD?!

-There were probably no more than 2k people there, it definitely could have been held in Saratoga.

-Lotus put on the show of the night.

... said Matt on Sep 15, 2008 at 11:36 AM | link

I read Albany Jane's blog about the staff. That really makes me mad. I think we need to take some action because their behavior has got to change. I know, I'll create a facebook group about it. That'll show 'em!!!

u can't handle my justice.

... said Pantaloons on Sep 15, 2008 at 11:51 AM | link

I didn't have any problem with the staff, though my interaction was limited mainly to the designated driver stall girls. That was a great program, hope to see it at other places (the All Points West event downstate had "free water" taps but you needed to have a container for that water). Wine seemed to be the best bet, $5 for a very full cup.

I was talking to a friend in the Rock Band/pseudorave tent about the no drinks in, no drinks out thing, and one of the staff there overheard us and just interjected that it was a liability issue. I didn't find that too rude.

Unfortunately I wasn't impressed by Justice's set and MGMT canceled due to an injury, so I ended up catching the Erotics (who I really hope I never have to hear again) and a really horrible jam band. I think it was Lotus. Turnout was low, the crowd was what you'd expect for a free event (one guy sprayed a few dozen people with water during Justice, lots of people doing/asking for drugs), it just didn't feel all that special. Quite a letdown.

... said B on Sep 15, 2008 at 12:01 PM | link

My friends and I also were acosted by those pesky Altamont Hill-People! One of them locked us in a porta john and made us sing Night Ranger and 38. Special songs until we agreed to remove our pretentious big black thick framed pseudo intellectual Gen-Y hipster eyeglasses! Don't they realize how self entitled and cool I think I am? I told them I was going to blog all about this kind of Injustice!

... said yaasureokrightwhatever on Sep 15, 2008 at 12:23 PM | link

Sorry, just read the blog, and this is preposterous (it's Monday, I can throw big words): tickets for multi-bands events like this one are usually pretty expensive (see "Camp Bisco" around here for example). You guys are what?, 4 or 5 in your car, and you can't split a $5 parking and get in trouble for that? Seriously.

I had a pretty good experience myself. Absolutely zero problem with the staff and their Designated Driver program was giving away water and soda for free. And a hug. OK, no hug.

MGMT wasn't playing, but this was known the day before (!), and the Altamont location had also been decided for at least a month or two. The camera crews were pretty easy to brush off (politely).

The crowd was just right, we had enough space, I wasn't glued to a sweaty hippie, and nobody got trampled (that I know); sorry again, but the best place to dance was definitely not in the VIP section: poor visibility, 3 people barely moving, *yawn* :)

Case in point, a video clip I shot that night. And by shooting I mean it very loosely. Not stabilized at all, hold on to your lunch, people:
http://vimeo.com/1737962

... said Sebastien on Sep 15, 2008 at 12:28 PM | link

I got a hug. From the cuter one.

... said B on Sep 15, 2008 at 1:03 PM | link

"It just didn't feel all that special. Quite a letdown"

Maybe you should ask for your money back.

Oh, wait...

... said Matt on Sep 15, 2008 at 1:36 PM | link

Oh and I didn't mention they had several (black and white) photo booths. Much fun could be had... for free!

But wait!
CALL NOW, and I'll throw an AOA membership, for absolutely FREE!

*Can not be sold for free separately*
*Warning: may link to poor YouTube videos*
*Not suitable for people from Wynantskill, NY*

... said Sebastien on Sep 15, 2008 at 1:59 PM | link

I had a great time at the show. The kids where cool, and I had no problems with the staff. It was the perfect end of summer show... and it was flippin free for crying out loud!

JUSTICE rocked the socks as well as Lotus. Not seeing MGMT was disappointing but hey... but there were tons of other bands doing the damn thing and doing it well.

Sure beats Alive at Five.

... said moggy on Sep 15, 2008 at 3:51 PM | link

Comparing this event to Camp Bisco is a joke--- the tickets for events like this are free for a reason- part of the price of your entry is SoCo can use your image/likeness/voice/soul in perpetuity, plus no outside food/drink etc. means the vendor licenses are really valuable.

say 3000 people were there. say (optomistically) 1/3 that many cars.
$5000 towards the venue right there...
$5 /bud
$5 for a soco-(which is gross anyhow) drink

Basically- this isn't a charity, they didn't do us a favor by coming to put on a free concert in the area. They thought there was an opportunity to sling some booze and have everybody associate soco with good music.

... said matt on Sep 15, 2008 at 5:42 PM | link

Matt, what's your point?
That they are running a business?
That it's good PR?
Duh. Nobody here has any illusion about Soco's philanthropy, but I'm impressed, as others already reported, that you could spend the whole night hydrated for free on water and soda for example.
Soco is not Camp Bisco. Justice is not The Roots.
Yet, I spent $5 on this one, and shelled $85 if I recall for one day at CB5, $150 for two if you are made of money. You can hardly beat that. Vendor lock? Who cares for that price. Yes, you can bring as many cans of beans as you want at CB, Soco is still $80 cheaper and both events certainly used my image/likeness the same way by taping the concerts.

... said Sebastien on Sep 16, 2008 at 1:42 AM | link

Lets see... it was $5 for a concert I really wanted to see (Justice) and some other bands that ended up being good as well (Matt & Kim, Lotus). No, they didn't let me bring in my camera. No, they didn't let some people bring in water even though they originally said they would allow it. Yes, everything was corporate-sponsored. But lets think about this again:

Justice...
In Albany (kinda)...
$5.

Considering I drive to NYC about 15 times a year JUST to see a concert and I end up paying well over $100 to see a single band play a tiny bar, this was like dream come true. And we have Girl Talk playing in Saratoga on Friday?! Is Albany finally becoming a city where decent bands will stop on their way between Boston/Northampton and NYC?! Please for the love of god stop complaining and enjoy some music that isn't sh!tty rap or Hanna Montanna at the TU Center!

... said Paul on Sep 16, 2008 at 3:36 PM | link

One additional comment. If you think the security, corporate-sponsorship, staff rudeness, parking price, event rules and drink prices were bad, you have obviously never been to a larger music festival.

For example, at All Points West a few months ago, they were basically strip-searching people on entry - water was $4 (although there were free taps, which was nice), suntan lotion was something like $12 for a ridiculously small bottle, Playstation, Nokia, end other brands had giant tents set up with the same come-inside-and-we'll-videotape-you policy, security was rude, parking was very high priced in an effort to 'go green' (aka force people to pay $30 for a ferry ticket), oh and tickets were $100 / day.

But you also got to see Radiohead, sooo it was still worth it.

... said Paul on Sep 16, 2008 at 3:52 PM | link

Paul: just curious, what kind of camera were you prevented from bringing in? A DSLR I assume, something big? I had my point&shoot handy as usual (see link to crappy movie above), but now I recall I didn't see anybody with anything more serious.

... said Sebastien on Sep 17, 2008 at 1:39 AM | link

Paul, I think you're totally correct that APW was crazier. But there's absolutely no comparison, APW had three stages each with music almost constantly, what, a dozen acts each day? You weren't forced into buying a ferry ticket, my friends and I parked in the city and took the light rail, ended up being less than a ferry ticket. The vendor tents were air conditioned (which is funny for a "green" festival) and actually had things to do, and I don't remember seeing cameras or people signing "use your likeness in perpetuity" waviers, though I could have missed that. It was extremely well organized and while yes, security was pat-down at the door, they let all of the things you mention in; water, sunscreen, cameras.

There's absolutely no comparison. But then you get what you pay for.

I'm not saying that the SoCo event was necessarily bad. I just had my hopes up, especially to see MGMT, and that didn't happen. I also didn't get what I expected with the Justice set... and those were the headliners. So I'm just griping. if I have any real complaint it's with the type of crowd that a free event draws... which might explain why the security was so beliggerent. There were plenty of rude, sketchy, and out of control revelers (and revealers).

Would I like to see more of these types of events in the area? Of course. Could it have been better handled and organized? Of course.

... said B on Sep 17, 2008 at 11:34 AM | link

Sebastien: You're right, it was an SLR, which I didn't expect they would let in... it was more like wishful thinking :)

B: As far as the companies using your likeness at APW, I did notice it in the Playstation and Nokia tents. You are right, APW was a totally different scale, and they really shouldn't be compared directly... I was just trying to put the downsides to the SoCo event in perspective (it could have been a lot worse ;) I do hope we continue to see a wider variety of artists coming to the Albany area and these kind of events are handled better.

... said Paul on Sep 17, 2008 at 12:20 PM | link