Alpine Valley 2014

[RumFan]

I received a note from Alpine via Facebook saying they were in fact having shows this summer.. they didn't say Jimmy specifcally, but if they are having 'shows' I think its a good bet Jimmy would be one of them.

[PackerPhan]

I hate waiting for this date as much as everybody here. And it was interesting to look back and see how similar all of our posts were last year at this time and how everyone just wants it announced already and how we are fearing there won't be an Alpine date. The first hint was when someone posted a tour shirt listing Alpine last year. I really hope it's not until 4/19 his next show.


viewtopic.php?f=46&t=90310&hilit=alpine+2013&start=160

[CaptainP]

I hate waiting for this date as much as everybody here. And it was interesting to look back and see how similar all of our posts were last year at this time and how everyone just wants it announced already and how we are fearing there won't be an Alpine date. The first hint was when someone posted a tour shirt listing Alpine last year. I really hope it's not until 4/19 his next show.


viewtopic.php?f=46&t=90310&hilit=alpine+2013&start=160

3rd year in a row, I believe

[PackerPhan]

I hate waiting for this date as much as everybody here. And it was interesting to look back and see how similar all of our posts were last year at this time and how everyone just wants it announced already and how we are fearing there won't be an Alpine date. The first hint was when someone posted a tour shirt listing Alpine last year. I really hope it's not until 4/19 his next show.


viewtopic.php?f=46&t=90310&hilit=alpine+2013&start=160

3rd year in a row, I believe

I believe you are right!

[Islandhopper]

Hey CaptainP- do you happen to have any inside info in regards to a Buffett show at Alpine this year? I have been following this board for the past few years as a non-registered user but finally broke down- I cannot handle the suspense. I noticed you have been pretty spot-on in the past. Any insight? We need an Apline Buffett show! Anyone else craving boat drinks??!!??......

Cheers!

[RumFan]

With Bristow now confirmed for 8/16, does that mean Aug 23 is going to be it for Alpine?

[shred5]

I agree about Buffett going somewhere else other than alpine. His ticket sales for alpine have declined and other than reserved, prices have not gone up much.. I remember his shows selling out in seconds and now they dont sell out. I have made every show at alpine since he moved there other than one.

I will say this after the last few years I will not be going to alpine show for a while.
Several reasons.

One the gigantic charge to get in the lot early. Two years ago maybe the traffic was so backed up because of it. Took almost 2 hrs to get in the lot and I ended up getting in only 1/2 early and paying that out outrageous fee. Basically I paid it to sit on the highway for 2 hrs. I asked the cop how come traffic wasn't moving he goes it was because alpine was collecting early entry fees and they made them stop.. I get up there and they are still collecting.

The other is the word is out underage drinkers have little chance of getting caught. Allot not all cant handle their alcohol.

I used to go with about 30 people and the last two years it is down too two.

3 years ago there was this moron next too us starting fights. He punched a friend in the face and knocked him down for no reason. Next I see my brother who probably never got in a fight with anyone has the guy in a headlock because he was punching him.. Next he tackles a friend of mine and they go rolling down the hill. The whole time his girlfriend is going dont hurt him. We are like get him out of there. This stuff is going on during the concert.. no one was even talking to the guy or looking at him. He would just randomly hit someone in the face.

Last year the place smelled like puke. One guy was passing out next too us and kept falling on us, on the other side a guy was passed out laying down. In front of us their were kids texting the whole time not even watching the concert.

I know its not all kids and there are some good ones but as the crowd gets younger the fun factor is dropping. Buffett concerts were the highlight of my summer but the last few years the fun has been declining. I have no issues with people drinking and having fun at all but too the point you are passing out, puking, causing fights... every year we bring a generator in to make margaritas.

The issue Alpine has is the locals dont want the noise and the traffic. Plus the problems with drunk people have climbed.
I used to work at alpine during its biggest years.
You know people moved next to a outdoor music theater and they complain about the noise..Really you didn't expect their to be noise? you move next to a pig farm do you not expect it to smell?

The other issue is most bands can not come close to filling that place even half way. Who wants to play at a 1/2 empty place. It is just a matter of time before alpine is gone. Sad since I spent allot of my teenage years there..

[CaptainP]

Hey CaptainP- do you happen to have any inside info in regards to a Buffett show at Alpine this year? I have been following this board for the past few years as a non-registered user but finally broke down- I cannot handle the suspense. I noticed you have been pretty spot-on in the past. Any insight? We need an Apline Buffett show! Anyone else craving boat drinks??!!??......

Cheers!

Afraid not. My inside sources are no longer there....

[CaptainP]

The issue Alpine has is the locals dont want the noise and the traffic.

Then they shouldn't live next to an Ampitheatre.

[MikeJW]

Alpine is on its last legs, location in the middle of nowhere has always been terrible, no hotels within a reasonable distance, nobody wants to drink and drive anymore---from Chicago and I used to go every year, but it's just not worth it trying to get home 90 miles at midnight (you can take a train from downtown to Tinley at least), nobody can fill 40,000 anymore other than possibly Jimmy and maybe Bruce. They aren't going to invest in any improvements for two or three shows a year.

I know Jimmy's ticket sales are down and it's asking a lot of sell 40,000 tickets.

[BigR-KyParrothead]

Alpine is on its last legs, location in the middle of nowhere has always been terrible, no hotels within a reasonable distance, nobody wants to drink and drive anymore---from Chicago and I used to go every year, but it's just not worth it trying to get home 90 miles at midnight (you can take a train from downtown to Tinley at least), nobody can fill 40,000 anymore other than possibly Jimmy and maybe Bruce. They aren't going to invest in any improvements for two or three shows a year.

I know Jimmy's ticket sales are down and it's asking a lot of sell 40,000 tickets.

sadly, I think you are correct.

when the day comes, i will miss Alpine.

[MikeJW]

Agreed, Alpine is the best pure venue to see Jimmy, the tailgating is perfect, the sound is amazing (helps you are in the middle of nowhere), it's just all the other things that bring it down.....too large of a venue in 2014, no public transportation, no hotels, rural location.

Nobody builds concert venues anymore without hotels and public transportation, Alpine is true '70's and '80's venue.

[PackerPhan]

Alpine is on its last legs, location in the middle of nowhere has always been terrible, no hotels within a reasonable distance, nobody wants to drink and drive anymore---from Chicago and I used to go every year, but it's just not worth it trying to get home 90 miles at midnight (you can take a train from downtown to Tinley at least), nobody can fill 40,000 anymore other than possibly Jimmy and maybe Bruce. They aren't going to invest in any improvements for two or three shows a year.

I know Jimmy's ticket sales are down and it's asking a lot of sell 40,000 tickets.

Just to add on, for fun I was looking now to see what kind of tickets I could find to the IL show an hour after the sale went on. I was still able to pull lower pavillion in Row P. I remember the days where I would have 2+ computers going at the time of sale just to get tickets as they would sell out so quick.

[BottleOfRum&aLime]

Take it for what it's worth, but the President of the Dubuque club sent out an email a little while ago that started out:

Sorry about the VERY short notice, but it is beginning to look like there is not going to be an Alpine Valley Show this year and I have been told our Venue will be Chicago.

Almost as depressing as the weather.

[coralreefer]

Take it for what it's worth, but the President of the Dubuque club sent out an email a little while ago that started out:

Sorry about the VERY short notice, but it is beginning to look like there is not going to be an Alpine Valley Show this year and I have been told our Venue will be Chicago.

Almost as depressing as the weather.

This could be true, which would s***, or this could just be a ruse to panic people to buy tickets for the Tinley show. Ticket sales appear to be VERY weak for this show as I was just able to pull sec. 105 row x and 104 row aa pairs a full 28 hours after the on sale time. As usual, they want as many seats as possible to this show sold before they announce the relatively near Alpine show. This is just a guess as I have no inside info, but that seems to be the way Jimmy has operated in the past.

I'm holding out hope that there will still be an Alpine show, but with DMB and Phish (both Alpine regulars) skipping Alpine this year, it is a bit worrisome. If there is no Alpine this year, however, I will NOT be attending the show in the fiery garbage dumpster located in Tinley Park. Call me crazy, but I don't like paying $170 to have the parking lot gestapo constantly harass me about drinking one beer inside my car (yeah, they were actually pounding on my windows after I went in my car 15 minutes after they said I couldn't drink outside in the lot!) Not to mention the clusterfvck getting in and out of there, and the supremely crappy sound unless you are in the first ten rows or so. Man do I hate that place LOL!! If it were a choice between TP and a burned out crack building on the corner of 63rd and Stoney Island, I would arm up, don a bullet proof vest and start partying in 'da hood!

EDIT: Wow, you can't say svck? Lame!

[RumFan]

My fear is that there seems to be one open slot left on the tour..the Aug 23 date.. and neither Alpine or Detroit have been announced yet..

[Nighthawk]

Take it for what it's worth, but the President of the Dubuque club sent out an email a little while ago that started out:

Sorry about the VERY short notice, but it is beginning to look like there is not going to be an Alpine Valley Show this year and I have been told our Venue will be Chicago.

Almost as depressing as the weather.

This could be true, which would s***, or this could just be a ruse to panic people to buy tickets for the Tinley show. Ticket sales appear to be VERY weak for this show as I was just able to pull sec. 105 row x and 104 row aa pairs a full 28 hours after the on sale time. As usual, they want as many seats as possible to this show sold before they announce the relatively near Alpine show. This is just a guess as I have no inside info, but that seems to be the way Jimmy has operated in the past.

I'm holding out hope that there will still be an Alpine show, but with DMB and Phish (both Alpine regulars) skipping Alpine this year, it is a bit worrisome. If there is no Alpine this year, however, I will NOT be attending the show in the fiery garbage dumpster located in Tinley Park. Call me crazy, but I don't like paying $170 to have the parking lot gestapo constantly harass me about drinking one beer inside my car (yeah, they were actually pounding on my windows after I went in my car 15 minutes after they said I couldn't drink outside in the lot!) Not to mention the clusterfvck getting in and out of there, and the supremely crappy sound unless you are in the first ten rows or so. Man do I hate that place LOL!! If it were a choice between TP and a burned out crack building on the corner of 63rd and Stoney Island, I would arm up, don a bullet proof vest and start partying in 'da hood!

EDIT: Wow, you can't say svck? Lame!

As long as your in Section 102, 103, or 104 you are perfectly good. You get what you pay for sitting in lawn at ANY venue. Be glad he is not playing Ravinia, there you can't even see the stage from the lawn. Back to Tinley, the only show you CAN tailgate at is BUFFETT. Trust me, Tinley will allow it after that so-called abortion at Meigs Field last year. It is true you can't tailgate at other shows, I know this all too well only living 15 minutes from the venue. The way around it is to keep walking with your 12 pack or 1/5th of whiskey.

[ChzHeadParrothead]

Much has been said about the possible demise of Alpine Valley, but I feel strongly that Jimmy will be playing there this year.

Others can correct me if I'm wrong, but the Detroit and Alpine dates has seem to be the last ones announced over the past few years.

Holding with Jimmy's tour pattern over the last few years, there seems to be two open saturday dates yet to be filled....

July 26th and August 23rd

Detroit on the 26th, and Alpine on the 23rd.

It's gonna happen!!

[BottleofRum]

As Larry pointed out in another thread he has been doing concerts in groups of four dates for a few year's. This year seems to be following the same patten. 4 shows in a week then time off, 4 shows, time off ...etc .. July 26th would be a 5th show on that leg so that woudl be out of the norm.

I'm sure a show will be added on August 23rd somewhere. It's hard to believe he'll skip Alpine.

[ChzHeadParrothead]

As Larry pointed out in another thread he has been doing concerts in groups of four dates for a few year's. This year seems to be following the same patten. 4 shows in a week then time off, 4 shows, time off ...etc .. July 26th would be a 5th show on that leg so that woudl be out of the norm.

I'm sure a show will be added on August 23rd somewhere. It's hard to believe he'll skip Alpine.

That is true, but the group of four shows have always stretched Saturday to Saturday. The shows in July are very unusual. They include a Bethel show, along with a Monday, and a Wednesday show. That is something I haven't seen before. I don't think the set of shows in July would end on a Wednesday. That's why I'm thinking another July show will be added.