2012

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

2012 Jimmy Buffett Alpine Valley Parking Lot Rules

FAQs for the Jimmy Buffett Show, August 25, 2012

Here are some of the FAQs specific to the upcoming Jimmy Buffett show.

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Jimmy Buffett

Saturday, August 25

Early Entry Parking Lots (fee): 1:00pm

Parking Lots Open: 3:00pm

Theatre Gates Open: 6:30pm

Shows Begin: 8:00pm

============Alpine Valley Music Theatre FAQs==

Q: Can I get into the parking lots earlier than 3pm?

A: You can purchase early entry privileges which permit you to enter up to two hours earlier than 3pm. The cost is $20 for cars and $50 for oversize vehicles. Only cash is accepted for these fees. This is in addition to any other parking fees (such as VIP parking, oversize vehicle fees, etc.). If you do not wish to pay the early entry fee, please do not arrive to the theatre before 3pm as parking on the shoulders of area roadways is not permitted.

Q: Are tickets still available?

A: Yes, some tickets still remain, but check livenation.com for current availability.

Q: What can I bring into the theatre for the Jimmy Buffett show?

A: You may bring the following into the theatre for the show: extra clothes, small blankets or tarps, small backpacks or bags, purses, non-professional cameras (cameras without detachable lenses), low level lawn chairs (no more than 5 inches off the ground), and inflatable sharks and beach balls.

Q: What are things I cannot bring into the theatre for the Jimmy Buffett show?

A: The following is a list of common items that are not permitted for the Jimmy Buffett show: All cans and bottles of any type, all audio and video recording devices; professional cameras; large blankets and tarps; Camelbaks; high lawn chairs; umbrellas; strollers; sharp, studded or pointed jewelry or clothing; weapons of any kind including firearms, pocket knives, pepper spray or wallet chains; laser pointers or glow sticks; banners, flags, or signs; fireworks of any kind; and any other items deemed to be unsafe by theatre management. This list is subject to change at any time without notice per tour requests.

For other shows, www.livenation.com provides GENERAL guidelines for what is permitted into the theatre on the day of the show. These general guidelines are subject to change based upon the tour requests. Specific tour requirements may prohibit generally permitted items such as cameras, factory-sealed or empty water bottles, blankets, and lawn chairs.

Q: I have tickets at Will Call or need to buy tickets, when does the box office open?

A: The box office will open at when the parking lots open on the day of show. Please bring a valid photo ID and the credit card used to purchase your tickets if you are picking up tickets at Will Call.

Q: I am bringing a bus, RV, camper, or other oversize vehicle to the show; do I need to do anything special?

A: Yes, you should enter only at the main theatre entrance and you will be directed to the proper parking area. Also, oversize vehicles are subject to a $100 parking fee (cash only) upon entry. Limos are subject to a $75 fee (cash only). In addition, oversize vehicles are not permitted to park in the VIP and Premium Parking areas.

Q: I need disabled accessible parking. What do I do?

A: Enter at the Alpine Valley RESORT entrance which is ½ mile east of the theatre entrance and you will be directed to the proper parking area. Shuttle service is provided from the disabled accessible lot to the theatre (but not to/from the other parking lots).

Q: Can I park overnight at Alpine Valley? Can I camp at Alpine Valley?

A: Unfortunately, county ordinances prohibit us from allowing overnight parking and we are not offering camping for any shows this season.

Q: Where are nearby campgrounds or lodging?

A: Visit www.reserveamerica.com for local campgrounds. Search popular travel sites for hotels in East Troy, Elkhorn, Mukwonago, Delavan, Lake Geneva, and surrounding areas for lodging options.

Q: I lost something at an Alpine Valley show, what do I do?

A: Send an e-mail with a description of what you lost with as many details as possible along with your contact information to lost@alpinestaff.com.

Q: I just got my tickets and my lawn seats have rows and seat numbers on them, what does this mean?

A: All lawn seating at Alpine Valley is general admission. The row and seat numbers on lawn tickets are for recordkeeping purposes only.

Q: I just got my tickets and my seat numbers are not sequential, what’s does this mean?

A: Reserved seats are numbered as follows: Sections 101 & 201- Odd numbers (1,3,5...) with lower numbers beginning at the center aisle. Sections 103 & 203- Even numbers (2,4,6…) with lower numbers beginning at the center aisle. Sections 102 & 202- Sequential numbers (100,101,102…) beginning with 100, moving from stage left to stage right.

Q: What shows are coming to Alpine Valley this year?

A: The most recent lineup is always available at www.livenation.com and by calling our information line at 262.642.4400 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 262.642.4400 end_of_the_skype_highlighting. If the show you are inquiring about is not listed, it means that it has not been officially announced as of yet.

Q: How do I buy tickets for Alpine Valley shows?

A: Tickets for all Alpine Valley shows are available at livenation.com, ticketmaster.com, or charge by phone at 800.745.3000.

Q: How do I get to the theatre, I cannot find anything online?

A: Visit www.livenation.com, search for Alpine Valley, then click “Driving Directions.”

Alpine Valley Music Theatre | A Live Nation Venue | www.livenation.com

Monday, July 30, 2012

Adam Graham 2012 Detroit Jimmy Buffett Concert Review

Detroit — A sold-out crowd of more than 39,000 Parrotheads turned Comerica Park into Margaritaville Saturday at Jimmy Buffett's first-ever concert in the city of Detroit. And given the overwhelming success of the show, it would be a surprise if it was his last.
The Buffett experience, first and foremost, is about the environment. It's a place where adult males can wear coconut bras and grass skirts and where everyone can act like they're on Spring Break. The concert is only a small part of the festivities, coming after a long day of partying in the parking lot. And after all that partying, fans aren't looking to be challenged. They want the familiar, which Buffett is more than happy to provide.

Anyone with the slightest bit of knowledge about Jimmy Buffett could likely guess 75 percent of the setlist, from "Come Monday" to "Volcano" to "Cheeseburger in Paradise." He spiced up the songs with liberal references to Detroit and the surrounding areas, and turned "Margaritaville" — complete with an assist from Birmingham-bred basketball star Shane Battier on bongos — into a veritable love letter to Michigan. The show included more shout-outs to Detroit than even a Kid Rock concert.
More than anything, it trafficked in the familiar. It wasn't progressive or musically challenging, and it was probably very similar to a Jimmy Buffett concert in 1985, or 1995, or 2005. Buffett isn't about blowing you away with his on-stage energy like Bruce Springsteen or challenging you like Radiohead. He's about creating a lighthearted, easygoing environment, an escape from everyday troubles. Couldn't make it to the beach this summer? A day at a Buffett show will do. Work got you down, kids giving you a hard time? Hire a sitter and spend the day out in the sun with Buffett. Nurse your hangover on Sunday.

Even given that low bar, there were portions of Saturday's concert that were as painful as a bad sunburn. Fans beelined for the bathrooms in droves when Buffett's backup singer Nadirah Shakoor took center stage on "Queen of Somewhere Hot," and an early show performance of "Jamaica Mistaica" was an embarrassment to the Jamaican flag that was used as a backdrop on the stage's video screen.

And nothing was done to scale the concert to Comerica Park; the venue was bigger, but the show had the same production it would have had it been at DTE Energy Music Theatre. Even Comerica Park's new scoreboard video screen, which would have enhanced the visual experience of the show, wasn't utilized. A better use of the concert space would have made the show feel more special; other shows that have been at Comerica Park, from Jay-Z and Eminem to Kid Rock, have made much better use of the stadium setting.

Few seemed to care, however. The hard-partying Parrotheads danced in the aisles throughout the show, even doing conga lines through the sections. Fans came to have a good time and a good time was had by all, so the nitpicking seems extraneous. The ends justify the means, I guess.
The show does score bonus points for having Lionel Richie as an opener. His hits-packed opening set started the party early, and the vibe continued "All Night Long" — to the point where fans were treated to two performances of Richie's hit, once during his own set and again during Buffett's set. Richie, whose album "Tuskegee" is one of the year's surprise best-sellers, made for a perfect opener, and seems primed and ready to go out on a big comeback arena tour of his own. You simply forget how many hits the guy has until he's up there performing them one after another.

agraham@detnews.com
twitter.com/grahamorama

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120729/OPINION03/207290316#ixzz22A8yXntO

Saturday, June 09, 2012

2012 Jimmy Buffett Atlanta, GA Tailgate & Show Information

Show Date: Saturday June 09, 2012
Parking Lots Open: NOON / 12:00 pm
Box Office Opens: 6:00 pm
Doors Open: 6:30 pm
Show Time: 8:00 pm

Projected Set Times:
8:00 pm – 10:40 pm

SHOW DAY INFORMATION:
Traffic Advisory:
Due to large volumes of concert traffic and construction, expect delays. Please give yourself plenty of time to arrive at the venue. Please note, the concert MARTA shuttle from Lakewood train station to Aaron’s Amphitheatre is no longer in service. Please plan your travel route accordingly.

PARKING/GPS ADDRESSES:
There are 2 parking lots on our property. There will be absolutely, no overnight parking. Vehicles will be towed at owner’s expense.

When using www.googlemaps.com please use the following GPS addresses:

PRYOR LOT (Paved with blacktop)
1936 Pryor Road
Atlanta, GA 30315
VIP lot $25 Pre-purchased & Wheelchair accessible parking: NO RV OR BUS PARKING

LAKEWOOD LOT (Large grass & gravel lot)
2002 Lakewood Ave.
Atlanta, GA 30315
Cars $20, RV’s $40, Buses $60
Wheelchair accessible, general parking & pre-show fan club party parking:
On this day, in this lot you will find the following:
Margaritaville
Parrothead
Landshark

Porta Potty(s)
There will porta potty(s) located in multiple locations in the Lakewood Lot and there will also be porta potty(s) in the Pryor Lot. ANY PORTA POTTY(S) ATTEMPTED TO BE DELIVERED ON SITE BY INDIVIDUALS WILL BE TURNED AWAY. PLEASE DO NOT ORDER PORTA POTTY(S) TO BE DELIVERED TO EITHER OF AARON'S AMPHITHEATRE'S PARKING LOTS. Thank you for your cooperation.

Camera Policy:
Cameras are not allowed for this show. There is a strict no audio or video recording policy for this show, so please do not bring personal recording devices.

Permitted Items:
Lawn chairs w/legs under 9" tall (also available to rent on site), blankets, basketball sized beach balls, inflatable sharks, one sealed bottle of water per patron.

Items not permitted:

Strollers, lawn chairs w/legs over 9” tall, coolers, outside food or beverage (exception 1 sealed bottle of water per person), umbrellas, laser pointers, pen/pointer lights,

Monday, June 04, 2012

Jimmy Buffett 2011 Pittsburgh, PA Tailgate Pictures

Thanks to James for the great picures! I think we like the shirt off picture better!!

6/21/2011
First Niagara Pavillion
Pittsburgh, PA

Sunday, June 03, 2012

2009 Jimmy Buffett Tampa, FL Tailgate Pictures

4/25/09

Ford Amphitheater

Tampa, FL

2012 Jimmy Buffett Houston, TX Tailgate Pictures

June 2, 2012
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion
Woodland, TX

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Official Tailgating Info for Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion Jimmy Buffett Concert

Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band returns to The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands June 2. The concert starts at 8 p.m. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. Concertgoers attending the event have several parking options.

Official Jimmy Buffett Tailgating Lot is Sold Out!

The parking lot located on the northeast corner of the Six Pines Drive and Lake Robbins Drive intersection has been designated as the Official Jimmy Buffett Tailgating Lot. This parking lot opens at 10 a.m. on June 2 and closes at midnight. Overnight parking is not permitted.

In the Official Jimmy Buffett Tailgating Lot, live entertainment will be provided, along with restrooms, trash cans and recycling containers. Guests are asked to be “user friendly” by leaving glass containers, weapons, fireworks and pets at home. Small propane grills are permitted. Charcoal or wood-burning pits are not allowed. In order to ensure the safety of all guests, golf carts, Segways and motorized coolers are not permitted. Guests also are encouraged to drink responsibly.

Town Center Garage at The Pavilion

Concertgoers also can purchase parking tickets for the Town Center Garage, located at The Pavilion and accessed via Six Pines Drive. The garage opens at 3 p.m. the day of the show. Parking is $15 per vehicle based on availability. Tickets for the garage can be purchased in advance at all Ticketmaster outlets and The Pavilion Box Office. Advance purchase is not required, but guarantees a space the day of the show. Please visit www.woodlandscenter.org the day of the show for the latest parking information.

Free Parking in Designated Lots

Concertgoers also can park in any of the five free parking lots on the southwest side of The Pavilion. The free, color-coded lots are connected to The Pavilion by corresponding pathways with signs leading across The Waterway. These parking lots open at 6 p.m. the day of the show.

Please visit www.woodlandscenter.org for more information about parking, including a map showing all of the parking areas, and updated information about the concert. Information about parking availability will be frequently updated on the website the day of the show.

Great Jimmy Buffett Article in Houston Chronicle

Ultimate Jimmy Buffett fan gets sneak peek at rehearsal

Ken Hoffman, Houston Chronicle

If you're going to the Jimmy Buffett concert Saturday night at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, be in your seat by 8 p.m.

You do not want to miss Buffett's stage entrance. I'm not allowed to say what he does, but it's the best, funniest, most surprising entrance I've ever seen. And I've been to my share of Buffett concerts. Probably your share, too.

I'm a fan.

Monday I had total access to Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band's final rehearsal before their 2012 Lounging at the Lagoon tour starts in The Woodlands. The band began practicing two weeks ago in an empty warehouse near Austin. It was the first time an outsider was invited to a full-blown rehearsal. Here's what I heard and saw.

Technicians and crew arrived around 9 a.m. The stage had been set up since the start of rehearsals. It is the stage that Buffett will take on the road. The warehouse, front to back, was turned into a concert venue, complete with props, soundboard, lighting and video production areas and upstairs catering. The only thing missing was an audience. The place was eerily quiet.

If you weren't essential to the show, you had no business being there. There was a 6-foot-10 scary man at the door to keep out intruders.

Bicycles were leaned against aisle railings. The crew needs bikes to get around. There was a portable golf driving range at the back of the house. Tuesday was a day off. It sounded like everybody was planning to play 18.

Although the floor and seats were empty, the warehouse was decked out for a packed concert. Chaise lounges and "Lounging at the Lagoon" signs were set up outside the entrances for fans' photo opportunities. Pretty girls will be there to keep the line moving. The photo ops and chaise lounges were Buffett's idea.

I learned that practically everything you see at a Jimmy Buffett concert was Buffett's idea. He's the boss, and everybody in the warehouse - 11 Coral Reefers, the lighting crew, six video technicians, four sound guys, two costume coordinators, two large security men, tour manager, accountant, IT wizard, Radio Margaritaville disc jockey, stage decorator and even the guy who runs onstage to hand guitars to Buffett - knows it. He's Bubba.

The band began playing at 3:30 p.m. without Buffett. It did a jazzy song called "Give Henry the Receipt," written and performed by backup singer Nadirah Shakoor, and dedicated to Buffett's tour accountant Henry Rosquette. He was there, too.

"I handle anything involving money," Rosquette said. "I give out the per diems. I pay security. I rent the facility. I pay the caterer and the light bill. I'm petty cash. I'm basically the payroll department."

Buffett arrived a few minutes later, wearing a white baseball cap, aviator sunglasses, white T-shirt, pink shorts and flip-flops. He headed straight to video production. The entrance was his idea, which has tricky special effects. He watched every inch of tape.

Buffett removed his cap and sunglasses, kicked off his flip-flops and climbed onstage at 4 p.m.

The video wall behind the band comprises 96 big-screen televisions. The stage is decorated to look like a lagoon. Buffett's usual coconut trees are replaced by swamp grass and hanging cypress trees.

The rehearsal lasted about three hours, lengthened by cutting up between songs, Buffett banter and an occasional blooper. Buffett couldn't get the beginning notes of "Jolly Mon" right, before realizing he had grabbed the wrong guitar.

Buffett wasn't happy with the video that accompanied "Come Monday." He told the video producer, "I have some newer video I shot last year in Montana on my bicycle and on a horse. Let's use that. Trust me, it will work better."

They did several takes of "Cheeseburger in Paradise" because Buffett wants to include "Na na na na na" from "Land of 1,000 Dances" before the "I like mine with lettuce and tomato" chorus.

He played 25 songs. This was the concert.

After the rehearsal, in the warehouse garage, I got a chance to talk to Buffett.

"This band has been with you for 24 years, a few of the guys even longer. You've been doing some of these songs for 40 years. Do you really need to rehearse them?"

Buffett said, "Rehearsal is very important. I do some new songs with each tour, and we need to learn them. Plus, I like to put some fresh paint on other songs. I'm going to write new verses to 'Margaritaville.' But mostly, we rehearse to give fans the best show we can. It's why we're still doing this 40 years later. There's a right way to do things, and that requires rehearsing. We respect the audience. It's just how this band does things.

"It's like what we're doing with 'Cheeseburger in Paradise.' I got the idea in my head a few days ago to put part of 'Land of 1,000 Dances' in there. Now it's 'Land of 1,000 Cheeseburgers.' We needed to rehearse that."

Coleman Sisson, who manages Radio Margaritaville for Buffett, put it this way: "Jimmy likes a professional atmosphere. That takes work."

Sisson lives in The Woodlands. He put a good word in for me; that's how I was invited to the rehearsal.

Everything about a Buffett concert looks casual, but nothing is left to chance. You think Buffett rolls out of bed, throws on a T-shirt and shorts, and plays in front of 17,000 people?

Helen Hiatt has been his wardrobe designer for 21 years. She buys his T-shirts from a store in Palm Beach. They're adult large.

"I dye them myself," Hiatt said. "They have a nice fit. Jimmy doesn't like them baggy, so when he changes guitars, his T-shirt doesn't move around and look sloppy. The T-shirts are 100-percent cotton, but they don't shrink. The neck and arm holes are very tight, so he's comfortable. I get him five T-shirts before each tour. After a concert, I just send them to a local 'Fluff 'n' Dry' laundry service to have them cleaned. We don't do anything special with them."

Hiatt also has designed stage outfits for Janet Jackson and Paula Abdul. She created the butt-less pants for Prince. She won an Emmy Award for her work with Cher.

Buffett has never had a wardrobe malfunction.

"When people find out I do the clothes for Jimmy, they ask, 'Oh, you buy his T-shirts and shorts?' I say, 'Yeah, as a matter of fact, I do.' I've worked with a lot of entertainers. Jimmy is the best. It's been 21 years, and I still look forward to the call that we're going on tour."

Buffett rehearsed in Austin because he has friends in the area and he likes the restaurants. The warehouse air conditioner was cranking full blast. It was about 60 degrees. Radio Margaritaville deejay Kirsten Winquist sat in the row in front of me. She rubbed her hands to stay warm. Buffett hired her six years ago straight out of Florida State University.

"I will be at The Woodlands concert. Jimmy puts every one of his concerts live on www.radiomargaritaville.com, and I'll be doing a show before the concert," she said.

At 7 p.m., Buffett did his last encore and announced, "That's a wrap."

Immediately, stagehands began tearing down the stage and loading 500 cases of equipment onto a fleet of 18-wheeler trucks headed to The Woodlands - for the start of another Jimmy Buffett summer tour.

ken.hoffman@chron.com

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

2011 West Palm Beach Jimmy Buffett Tailgating Photos

*Photo credits to Chris Bradshaw.

4/26/2011
Cruzan Amphitheatre
West Palm Beach, FL

Sunday, May 27, 2012

2010 Camden, NJ Jimmy Buffett Tailgate Limbo Girls

Limbo is a traditional popular dance contest that originated on the island of Trinidad. The dance originated as an event that took place at wakes in Trinidad and Tobago, and was popularized by dance pioneer Julia Edwards (known as the First Lady of Limbo) and her company which appeared in several films, in particular, "Fire Down Below" (1957) and toured widely in the Caribbean, Europe, North and South America, Asia and Africa in the 1960s and beyond. A film "Julia and Joyce" was released in 2010 by Trinidadian/American dance researcher/choreographer Sonja Dumas which features the evolution of the Limbo and the contribution of Julia Edwards to the explosion of its popularity.

Traditionally, limbo dance began at the lowest possible bar height and the bar was gradually raised, signifying a emergence from death into life. In its adaptation to the world of entertainment, troupes began reversing the traditionally order, and Julia Edwards added a number of features that are now considered standard, such as human 'bars', formed by the limbs of other dancers, and the use of fire in the performance of limbo. Limbo dancers generally move and respond to a number of specific Afro-Caribbean drum patterns. As Limbo gained popularity as a tourist activity and a form of entertainment, pop music emerged using Caribbean rhythms to respond to the emerging craze in the United States (one major example is the song "Limbo Rock" recorded by Chubby Checker), from which emerged the popular quote that is associated with limbo that says "How low can you go?". Limbo was also brought into the mainstream by Trinidadian Calypsonian, Brigo (Samuel Abrahams) with his popular soca song "Limbo Break".

Thanks to Shawn C. for the great pictures!

8/7/2010

Susquehanna Bank Center

Camden, NJ