Concert List

The Chicago northern suburb of Highland Park is host to a two very notable locations. One is the home of Michael Jordan, a mansion easily identified by a very large number 23 attached to a pair of black iron gates which adorn the property.

The other celebrated destination is the Ravinia Park Pavilion, an outdoor concert venue which has been the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1936. Musical acts from classical to jazz to pop frequent the Pavilion from May through September. The venue features 3200 seats as well as a large grassy area used for lawn seating which happens to be all the rage of those who frequent the facility. Apparently Ravinia just isn’t Ravinia unless one is seated on the lawn.

So having never partaken of the vaunted venue, when one of my all-time favorite bands was on the bill at the Pavilion, I decided to go with the rage. Breaking from my insane tradition of paying premium scalper prices for the best seats possible, I opted for the much revered and highly recommended lawn seats.

I was expecting an enjoyable evening watching one of my favorite bands perform at a highly regarded facility. What I experienced was something altogether different. Not a soul who had ever mentioned this “wonderful venue” to me had included the fact that the band cannot be seen from the lawn. Did you catch that? You cannot see the band from the lawn seats. The stage is located in what is essentially a large pit which is not visible from the lawn. Who in their right mind goes to see a band that they can’t see?

So, accepting the situation for what it was, I resigned myself to just chilling out on the grassy knoll, checking out the crowd and listening to the band. Although I don’t consider myself uncultured, I’d like to think that I’m not pretentious, which is exactly why I don’t fit in at Ravinia.

I saw some “see how cultured and refined I am” shit that looked like it was straight out of a circa 1980s John Hughes film: people sitting there with tables topped with fondue sets, cheese collections, various wines and, check this…I even spotted a pair of candelabra.

If your idea of a good time at a concert is sitting on the ground, unable to even see the band, you might as well slip into the alley behind the Riv, throw a blanket down next to a dumpster and do some quality rat watching as you listen to the band. At least rats aren’t pretentious enough to require that a candelabrum be present in order to eat their cheese.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_C._Thomson