Comments on: WTF *is* crowd control, anyway? http://www.indyish.com/wtf-is-crowd-control-anyway/ You might be awesome, but we are the Indyish! Sat, 22 Nov 2008 06:28:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Lise Treutler http://www.indyish.com/wtf-is-crowd-control-anyway/#comment-39727 Lise Treutler Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:59:09 +0000 http://www.indyish.com/wtf-is-crowd-control-anyway#comment-39727 i'm not lodging a personal complaint; i'm describing the thoughts and theories we came up with as a group. maybe they were unrealistic plans, but we did generate suggestions like 'if the jazz fest's planners did a little research and realized how BIG an event the bran van show would be, they could have planned this better or realized that such a show would ultimately require a bigger space.' but it is such a tribute to the band! i’m not lodging a personal complaint; i’m describing the thoughts and theories we came up with as a group. maybe they were unrealistic plans, but we did generate suggestions like ‘if the jazz fest’s planners did a little research and realized how BIG an event the bran van show would be, they could have planned this better or realized that such a show would ultimately require a bigger space.’

but it is such a tribute to the band!

]]> By: Nadine Benny http://www.indyish.com/wtf-is-crowd-control-anyway/#comment-39680 Nadine Benny Fri, 04 Jul 2008 01:52:04 +0000 http://www.indyish.com/wtf-is-crowd-control-anyway#comment-39680 hmmmm i've been to almost every main event at the jazzfest since 10 years or so, and the organization is always spectacular. i didn't think this year was any better/worse than any preceding years. i do agree they are giving more and more space to vendors, but without those vendors, there are no free shows. also, it's a pretty big stretch to compare to osheaga, which is held on a huge open field, on an island, where no cars are allowed, and goes on over the course of like, 8 hours. the jazz festival's main event is held on 4-5 blocks in the downtown core of montreal for an hour and a half. they have always had "exit corridors", and i can't see how removing these would make the crowd less packed. on the point of people passing out in concert crowds, chalk it up to the beatles, but that's nothing new. i talked to many people who opted to sit on terrasses or watch the show from a distance saying "i don't wanna be squished in the crowd". as risa mentioned, that's just the sign of a great band, and the people who survived in the 50 feet around the stage will be telling their kids about it some day (you know the mom stories that end with "but WE were lucky, so you're still not allowed". i know i will have many of those for my kids) so, in the end lise, that really sucks that you didn't get to enjoy the show (bran van!), but i think there's only so much you can do when 200,000 crowd in to a small space for a small amount of time, and at that, for a show they've waited 10 years to see. hmmmm i’ve been to almost every main event at the jazzfest since 10 years or so, and the organization is always spectacular. i didn’t think this year was any better/worse than any preceding years. i do agree they are giving more and more space to vendors, but without those vendors, there are no free shows.

also, it’s a pretty big stretch to compare to osheaga, which is held on a huge open field, on an island, where no cars are allowed, and goes on over the course of like, 8 hours. the jazz festival’s main event is held on 4-5 blocks in the downtown core of montreal for an hour and a half. they have always had “exit corridors”, and i can’t see how removing these would make the crowd less packed.

on the point of people passing out in concert crowds, chalk it up to the beatles, but that’s nothing new. i talked to many people who opted to sit on terrasses or watch the show from a distance saying “i don’t wanna be squished in the crowd”. as risa mentioned, that’s just the sign of a great band, and the people who survived in the 50 feet around the stage will be telling their kids about it some day (you know the mom stories that end with “but WE were lucky, so you’re still not allowed”. i know i will have many of those for my kids)

so, in the end lise, that really sucks that you didn’t get to enjoy the show (bran van!), but i think there’s only so much you can do when 200,000 crowd in to a small space for a small amount of time, and at that, for a show they’ve waited 10 years to see.

]]> By: Risa Dickens http://www.indyish.com/wtf-is-crowd-control-anyway/#comment-39627 Risa Dickens Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:16:05 +0000 http://www.indyish.com/wtf-is-crowd-control-anyway#comment-39627 totally, and i agree with you, the whole idea of control is off when it comes to negotiating crowds of individuals. the feeling of being controlled and contained with literally no way allowed out but though blocks of crowds stacked body to body was exactly what was so brutal and illogical. testament to bran van popularity though, that almost everyone we talked to all day was planning on going down, nostalgia music is Powerful.. totally, and i agree with you, the whole idea of control is off when it comes to negotiating crowds of individuals. the feeling of being controlled and contained with literally no way allowed out but though blocks of crowds stacked body to body was exactly what was so brutal and illogical. testament to bran van popularity though, that almost everyone we talked to all day was planning on going down, nostalgia music is Powerful..

]]> By: Lise Treutler http://www.indyish.com/wtf-is-crowd-control-anyway/#comment-39625 Lise Treutler Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:22:15 +0000 http://www.indyish.com/wtf-is-crowd-control-anyway#comment-39625 i agree, really terrible planning there! i'm really bad at estimating numbers of people, but i do know there were far too many people for that site. i agree, really terrible planning there! i’m really bad at estimating numbers of people, but i do know there were far too many people for that site.

]]> By: Risa Dickens http://www.indyish.com/wtf-is-crowd-control-anyway/#comment-39624 Risa Dickens Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:04:02 +0000 http://www.indyish.com/wtf-is-crowd-control-anyway#comment-39624 i don't know if the prob was crowd control so much as bad space management with all those vendors choking the audience area - plus i think 10 times as many people as Osheaga..ish? anyway, waaaay tooo crazy claustrophobic for me... i don’t know if the prob was crowd control so much as bad space management with all those vendors choking the audience area - plus i think 10 times as many people as Osheaga..ish? anyway, waaaay tooo crazy claustrophobic for me…

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