Alpine Valley Tailgating - New Rules

[alpinevalley]

Brian
Do you know if their is going to be any premire parking this year ? I don;t see it listed on ticketmaster yet. Paid the extra $15.00 last year and was out of the parking lot and on the road in 20 mins. Thanks

There will be premier parking again this year. The cost is $20 and is available on the day of show by entering at our main theatre entrance.

Regards,
Brian

[headparrot]

I know this isn't Jimmy related, but Brian...it seems to me that there was a riot at Alpine some years back...possibly Guns and Roses cancelling. Were you working back then and care to share any memories.

Also, were you working the night of Stevie Ray Vaughns last performance? Thanks for your insight to all matters Alpine related. See you in July!

[7lords]

I know this isn't Jimmy related, but Brian...it seems to me that there was a riot at Alpine some years back...possibly Guns and Roses cancelling. Were you working back then and care to share any memories.

Also, were you working the night of Stevie Ray Vaughns last performance? Thanks for your insight to all matters Alpine related. See you in July!

I attended that show The week before the start of my sophmore year in college. Can't say SRV is the reason I went though - Clapton was the reason, SRV was a pleasant bonus (never really heard much of his stuff before then).

[alpinevalley]

I know this isn't Jimmy related, but Brian...it seems to me that there was a riot at Alpine some years back...possibly Guns and Roses cancelling. Were you working back then and care to share any memories.

Also, were you working the night of Stevie Ray Vaughns last performance? Thanks for your insight to all matters Alpine related. See you in July!

There have been no riots at Alpine Valley that I recall (I have been there 10 seasons). I know there was a GNR riot in St. Louis when they had to cancel their show. I am glad it was not at our facility.

Also, I am a little young to have worked at Stevie Ray's last performance. I have heard the stories from those who were there and have hiked to the hill and his ultimate resting spot. A very somber moment indeed.

Regards,
Brian

[dean_siu]

I was also at SRV's last show there....the finale of Sweet Home Chicago with SRV, Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Buddy Guy, and Jimmy Vaughn was one of the magical moments I've ever seen live.

[sholleran]

Brian -

Although Tiki's idea of Fast Track passes for beer lines is interesting (They'd be smarter to sell fast track beverage pass for $10.00, fast track bathroom for $250.00. ), I actually went ahead and bought the Ticketmaster e-ticket ( "ticketFast" ) because there are supposed to be special entrances for those tickets, presumably with shorter lines. ("Get in first with this ticket! ticketFast lets you skip the lines! Look for signs at the venue.")

Will ticketFast be available at every gate?

Will the ticketFast lines be dedicated to ticketFast holders?

thanks -

Steve

[parrothead42]

Brian,

Thanks for the input.

My wife and I have been doing Alpine for more years than some of these pholks have probably been alive, and it has always been a good time.

Looking forward to yet another.

We have friends coming in from nine states and Canada for the weekend.

The only other venue that even comes close is Great Woods, and that appears to be on the endangered list now, too.

Darrell of "Darrell & Lisa"
http://www.angelfire.com/on/parrothead42
parrothead42@insightbb.com

[alpinevalley]

Brian -

Although Tiki's idea of Fast Track passes for beer lines is interesting (They'd be smarter to sell fast track beverage pass for $10.00, fast track bathroom for $250.00. ), I actually went ahead and bought the Ticketmaster e-ticket ( "ticketFast" ) because there are supposed to be special entrances for those tickets, presumably with shorter lines. ("Get in first with this ticket! ticketFast lets you skip the lines! Look for signs at the venue.")

Will ticketFast be available at every gate?

Will the ticketFast lines be dedicated to ticketFast holders?

thanks -

Steve

TicketFast is a new system designed by Ticketmaster. We will indeed have a special gate (or special "lanes" at a gate) set aside for these tickets. Please watch our website, listen to the audio loop, and watch for venue signs for which gate will be used. Of course, if everyone has TicketFast tickets, the lines may be just as long, but I don't think that will be the case.

Also, and I cannot stress these two points enough:

1. Please keep your ticket or TicketFast printout with you at all times. It is the only proof of where you are supposed to be seated within the theatre. Without it, in fairness to all, and to avoid the ticket-passing scams, we are forced to have you sit in the lawn or possibly even eject you from the theatre.

2. I know everyone wants to stay in the parking lot as long as possible, but we would appreciate a nice staggered entry into the theatre. The more people that enter at once, the more the lines grow and the longer the wait for everyone involved. Anything you can do to spread the word would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Brian

[CheeseHead in Paradise!]

Thank's for all the tips, Brian! As hard as it will be to pull myself away from the party in the parking lot, I think going in early beats standing in a slow moving line and missing the start of the show!

[sholleran]

Thank's for all the tips, Brian! As hard as it will be to pull myself away from the party in the parking lot, I think going in early beats standing in a slow moving line and missing the start of the show!

I agree. Although I recommend ya'll head in around 6:15 to give me a head start for the front of the lawn.

Also, don't forget crap in the car & have to go back for it, going thru the line twice is half as much fun, to be sure (from experience).

[iuparrothead]

2. I know everyone wants to stay in the parking lot as long as possible, but we would appreciate a nice staggered entry into the theatre. The more people that enter at once, the more the lines grow and the longer the wait for everyone involved. Anything you can do to spread the word would be greatly appreciated.

I've literally been picked up by the huge, moving crowd and carried into the venue without ever showing my ticket to anyone with my feet barely touching the ground!

[alpinevalley]

Thank's for all the tips, Brian! As hard as it will be to pull myself away from the party in the parking lot, I think going in early beats standing in a slow moving line and missing the start of the show!

I agree. Although I recommend ya'll head in around 6:15 to give me a head start for the front of the lawn.

Also, don't forget crap in the car & have to go back for it, going thru the line twice is half as much fun, to be sure (from experience).

On the opposite extreme, be sure to leave all of your prohibited items in your car too. Many people come to the gates laden with things that are not allowed into the theatre. For the Buffett shows, only extra clothes, blankets, and beach balls are permitted into the theatre. No bags larger than 12"x12", Camelbaks, bottles (even empty ones), cans, food, coolers, cameras of any kind, video recording equipment, audio recording equipment, glow sticks or glow jewelry, laser pointers, lawn chairs, umbrellas, footballs, frisbees, weapons, and a few others. Be sure to check out our website and download the What You Need To Know On The Day of Show sheet for the complete listing.

Remember, the more people we need to search through and the more things that we find and need to turn away, the slower the lines move.

Regards,
Brian

[Mplsfins]

How about your personalized license plate around your neck?
Last year some little security guard with an attitude that must have been 12 said nope that could be used as a weapon. Luckily a wiser more experienced and personable security person said ok as all it is made of is thin aluminum and if your tried to hit somebody all it would do is bend. Hell a pop can is thicker that my MN Jolymon plate.

Jason

[alpinevalley]

How about your personalized license plate around your neck?
Last year some little security guard with an attitude that must have been 12 said nope that could be used as a weapon. Luckily a wiser more experienced and personable security person said ok as all it is made of is thin aluminum and if your tried to hit somebody all it would do is bend. Hell a pop can is thicker that my MN Jolymon plate.
Jason

Actually, in this case, the 12 year old was right and the wiser, security guard was incorrect. While I trust you as a good parrothead, anything that can be used as a projectile and thrown like a frisbee (especially when made of metal, thin as it may be) is not allowed into the theatre, especially for this show.

Buffett's security is the tightest and the best in the country. I love them and they are very nice, but also very strict about what gets let into the theatre. There have been too many incidents of people doing things, throwing things, etc. that spoil it for the rest of the fans.

That is why all of our beverages must be poured into cups for this show, no bottles, even plastic are allowed. That is why glow sticks are not allowed (Jimmy was hit with one close to his eye at another venue). That is why frisbees are not allowed (once again, a dumb fan threw it hard at him on stage). Please, please, please err on the side of caution here. I want everyone to have a great time at the show including you, Jimmy, and his security folks. It's a delicate balance that can be ruined with one simple incident.

I don't want to seem overly harsh as I know 99% of the fans are great. It's the 1% that cause 99% of our headaches and problems. Unfortunately, we don't know the good from the bad and have to enforce the same standard policies for everyone.

Regards,
Brian

[Mplsfins]

Thanks for the info.
I will be sure to take it off before I venture inside the venue.

Jason

[gworm]

Brian- I would be curious to get your insight on the other thread that I just posted about ticket limits for Buffett shows (on this same forum)- may be outside of your area of expertise but thought I would ask anyway-thanks.

[dcschwar77]

Are limos and stretch limos going to be charged the fee? I got one last year and wasn't charged, and wanted to know if I should be prepared to cough up the cash.

Dave

[alpinevalley]

Are limos and stretch limos going to be charged the fee? I got one last year and wasn't charged, and wanted to know if I should be prepared to cough up the cash.

Dave

Limos will not be charged the fee.

Regards,
Brian

[Tiki Bar]

Last year some little security guard with an attitude that must have been 12 said nope that could be used as a weapon.

That "weapon" definition is pretty broad! They denied (last year, but not in 2002 ) my wearing my portable Tiki Bar in, because the torches could be used as weapons!

While I understand where they're coming from, I'm entertained by the visions in my imagination of the Battle of Alpine Valley, where the crowd is beating eachother with tiki torches, license plates, frisbees, glow sticks, etc. I guess what makes it most amusing is that Parrot Heads are there for a good time, and are generally laid back.

The 2002 Alien Girls were given a hard time by security, and had to remove their glow necklaces and turn their lights off, but Jimmy saw them in the pavilion and liked them so much he invited them on stage for the Hokey Pokey (they weren't chosen in the contest) and talked about them throughout the show. My point being, that if those are Jimmy's rules, he does allow for exceptions.

[Joe Merchant]

Brian....

Thanks for all the info you've been providing within this thread. So if I've read this correctly, without actually saying so, you've agreed to open the lots at 10AM for any registered Buffettnewser? That's great!!!

Quick question for you....what harm could a glow in the dark necklace really cause? I would think you'd be ok with these. We had some a couple of years ago and they sure helped me find my group in the lawn. And please don't try telling me that someone could tie five or six together and form a bullwhip......after 10 hours in the lot no one is capable of tying anything together.....