So, How Was It? [Archive] - Stagecoach Festival Forum

Cooter

05-07-2007, 07:23 AM

it was amazing! so different than coachella and in a lot of ways, better. the best was the mid 80's temps on saturday, tons of clouds in the sky keeping us cool. sunday was clear skies and a lot hotter. the crowd was soooo laid back. everyone was sitting in their chairs and on their blankets just rocking out. i would choose a stagecoach crowd over a coachella crowd, at least for this year...rednecks > frat boys. you could leave the beer gardens with up to 2 beers. way more family oriented. i am guessing there were close to 35,000 a day, maybe even 40,000...to look out at the crowd while george strait was playing, i was more than impressed in the turn out for a first year festival. you could see heads packed in almost all the way back to the merch tent. spent most of my time at the palomino stage and the apaloosa tent and it was a great time. i am a coachella vet and will be a stagecoach vet in the near future if they go ahead with it next year...and i am not even a fan of country, just into events in themselves(the backstage access i receive makes it a lot more enjoyable for me for both events, as well).

as for that review in the oc register...i hate "critics", they're name says it all-they are there to criticize and it sucks that they can't just go as fans and enjoy themselves.

Cooter

05-07-2007, 08:15 AM

this l.a. times review is much more on point in my opinion...

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/music/coachella/stagecoach/la-et-stagecoach7may07,1,3108947.story?coll=la-entnews-coachella-center-st

Glockgirl

05-07-2007, 11:00 AM

I have nothing but the best to say about the entire weekend, the Indio police department, the Acts and the entire Stagecoach staff. We camped and had the BEST time! The restrooms were clean, there was never a wait. The showers were warm, good pressure and there were plenty so the wait was less than 10minutes.

We spent Friday night at the Clubhouse and had a great time meeting new people and visiting with old friends!!! The clubhouse wasn't open after the concerts Sat & Sun so the RVs in the main row turned up the tunes and allowed the campers to have a great time>

We were thanked a few times for being the country fans and not coachella fans by both the staff & the Indio P.D.

Inside, the Saturday was great. I have NO idea what the crowd level was but Sunday doubled Saturday yet, the lines moved fast and the staff stayed friendly.

I felt sorry for those who stayed in hotels. ALOT of the experience fun was on the camp grounds and they had to both STAY in all day AND walk forever from the parking lot.

The money was worth it and I'm up for Stagecoach 2008

ajlover

05-07-2007, 11:08 AM

I think this was an AWESOME weekend. They did a very good job for the first festival. Very few things that I would change.

BlkTib

05-07-2007, 11:24 AM

york707

05-07-2007, 11:27 AM

My wife and I had a fabulous time. What fun. Nice people. Courteous staff. More fun stuff to see and do than we could in 2 days. The music was great and the Polo Gounds were very nice. Variety of food was good. Access to toilets was good. We got there Friday morning and left Monday morning. We will definitley be back.

I took lots of pictures. Can we post them somewhere?

Yes! Please do. When you post a message, there is a button that looks like mountains. Click on that. A window will pop up -- put the address of your picture in it (from flickr, photobucket,etc). It's easist to do it that way. It's tougher to post stuff as attachments as separate files.

Barb

05-07-2007, 11:54 AM

Thank You for asking for an opinion. The festival was amazing. Camping was extremely accomidating, and special thanks to Kevin and Santa. I guess if you want true honesty, a couple of things might improve things for next year. Consider a beverage stand in the VIP area, even non alcoholic. Also, upon entering and exiting the stage area/VIP zone, there were no designated paths to get back to the vendors area. Sure hope there was no medical emergency that required quick stage area access. THANKS AGAIN, all of the stages, and security were great.

Glockgirl

05-07-2007, 12:14 PM

Barb, you are right security was great! I wanted to give a shout out where it is due. The security guys in the BLUE shirts were VOLUNTEER marines from 29 Palms & Penalton. We saw them break up a few fights between drunk men. They jumped in took care of business and swept the offenders off the grounds. I saw one security guard help find 3 kids to their missing parents. (kids were older not young ones, it was just THAT crowded).

And BTW... I was also happy to see they had a lady signing UP on the stage!

ladygrip

05-07-2007, 01:03 PM

FESTIVAL WAS AWESOME, HAD A BLAST. I ENDED UP GOING BY MYSELF BUT I MET ALOT OF PEOPLE AND MADE SOME NEW FRIENDS. GREAT SHOW, GREAT FOOD. I LOVED THE PEDDLE MECHANICLE RIDES, WHAT A GREAT IDEA. CANNOT WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR!!!! I AM GOING TO CAMP NEXT YEAR, SEEMED LIKE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT TIME IN THE CAMPGROUND, THANKS TO THE STAFF AND THE LOCAL PD.

york707

05-07-2007, 01:06 PM

http://www.newscientist.com/blog/technology/uploaded_images/capslock-712820.jpg

formervalleyresident

05-07-2007, 02:01 PM

The mane stage performers were awesome. Especially George Strait (as usual). What totally sucked beyond belief was the parking situation. With an event as huge as this was there should have been shuttle service to and from the parking areas (like Disney Land has or any of the casinos have). There are people out there that (especially the older folks) have various health problems and shouldn't have to walk such a long distance, especially in the heat. Not all health problems warrant a state handicap placard but it doesn't make it any less difficult for some people to walk the distance from the parking lot to the entrance and then points in between. In other words, I think a lot more should have been done as far as providing more than bicycle riders with 2 seater carts to get the "lucky" few to and/or from the main entrance. The restrooms (out houses) were disgusting for the most part from all accounts that I was hearing (thank God I can hold it for a very long time). I found that the people hired to make things easier for attendee's were clueless for the most part but very friendly so that made up for the lack of knowledge. Questions I had asked were very basic such as where to get a program (which were supposed to be handed out upon entry but weren't) which I located on my own and then hunted down the people who should have known and didn't and told them were things were. Had 2 tickets for Sunday but didn't go because the person I was with wasn't in the best of health for the parking/walk situation so there was $160.00 plus down the drain. Would I go next year in my good health? No way!

BlkTib

05-07-2007, 02:16 PM

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x202/BLKTIB/Stagecoach124.jpg

BlkTib

05-07-2007, 02:17 PM

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x202/BLKTIB/Stagecoach036-1.jpg

BlkTib

05-07-2007, 02:18 PM

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x202/BLKTIB/Stagecoach061.jpg

BlkTib

05-07-2007, 02:19 PM

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x202/BLKTIB/Stagecoach097.jpg

BlkTib

05-07-2007, 02:21 PM

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x202/BLKTIB/Stagecoach033.jpg

BlkTib

05-07-2007, 02:26 PM

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x202/BLKTIB/Stagecoach006.jpg

BlkTib

05-07-2007, 02:32 PM

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x202/BLKTIB/Stagecoach009.jpg

BlkTib

05-07-2007, 02:35 PM

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x202/BLKTIB/Stagecoach130.jpg

BlkTib

05-07-2007, 02:36 PM

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x202/BLKTIB/Stagecoach043.jpg

BlkTib

05-07-2007, 02:37 PM

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x202/BLKTIB/Stagecoach134.jpg

york707

05-07-2007, 02:39 PM

Awesome! It's interesting to see how they converted the Coachella set up to Stagecoach set up.

Also, for future reference, BlkTib, you can post more than one picture in a post. Great pics, though.

BlkTib

05-07-2007, 02:41 PM

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x202/BLKTIB/Stagecoach040.jpg

BlkTib

05-07-2007, 02:47 PM

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x202/BLKTIB/Stagecoach106.jpg

york707

05-07-2007, 02:53 PM

How many of those people planted at the Mane Stage ventured out to explore the grounds, would you say?

haileydee

05-07-2007, 02:54 PM

I thought it was awesome!!!!
The only things I can suggest is that the BBQ competition/Booths be more centrally located, it is country western food mind you. The food was awesome! The Headliners were FANTASTIC!!!!

BlkTib

05-07-2007, 03:15 PM

Most in the area we were in (Reply to York707).

People were very nice. Someone would watch your stuff while you were gone and then you would watch their stuff when they were gone. People said excuse me and please when the had to walk by and through your area. The wind would knock over empty chairs for people that were gone and the folks around just set them back up. It was really great. I have been to about 10 concerts. None for 2 days, but I could not imagine a nicer crowd, overall. There were some drunks, but no problems that I saw. We only saw 1 40ish female escorted out in handcuffs. Seriously intoxicated. Don't know if she was arrested or just removed.

Cooter

05-07-2007, 03:41 PM

Would I go next year in my good health? No way!

that sucks, but this is a music festival and i have never been to one run any better...and i've been to alot. the parking situation-we are out in the middle of the desert where everything, and i mean everything, has to be brought in. this isn't disneyland with a nice paved parking lot in the middle of a huge metropolitan area, for goshsakes. and if your friend is in poor enough health that they can't walk a few hundred to a thousand or so feet then maybe it's time to get that little blue parking placard.

The restrooms (out houses) were disgusting for the most part from all accounts that I was hearing (thank God I can hold it for a very long time).

so what you're really saying is that you never even went in one. i have never heard anyone say "oh, what a beautiful experience going to the bathroom in that porta potty!" and i probably never will. so what you heard was probably a pretty standard reply, even if they were in better shape than people realized. i have never seen porta potties as clean as they are at coachella/stagecoach.

Glockgirl

05-07-2007, 03:44 PM

Most in the area we were in (Reply to York707).

We only saw 1 40ish female escorted out in handcuffs. Seriously intoxicated. Don't know if she was arrested or just removed.

I'd love to hear this woman had on jeans and a white/blue cap sleeved shirt. There was this completely drunk mom fighting her way to the front by the black fense, pushing her 10& 8 yr old daughters who were crying saying "its ok mom, we don't want to be in front". We watched her as she left our area after a physical altercation with a few women. We all watched her be chased by security (sad for the kids)...

This crowd I have to say was so nice. It was like you made friends with those around you and everyone took turns taking food & drink orders and bathroom breaks while the others watched the chairs.

We also took turns checking out the other stages, the kid areas for some and the art around the grounds. I was msotly impressed by the sound system & clean bathrooms/showers in the camp area. The worst of it all, was the trash left by everyone at the end.

CMT.com has about 150 misc pictures posted if you want to see more!

heavenlymoon76

05-07-2007, 04:38 PM

Although I had an absolutely awesome time, I did have two minor complaints/improvements that could be made next year. My husband and I came to see the mane stage acts and we were seated in the Gold Circle area, Sec 3 Row 1.

**The first improvement would be to have more than one women's restroom trailer in the VIP section next to the mane stage. There were only 5 stalls and on Saturday, 1 stall broke so that left only 4 stalls. The wait inline was horrendous. On Sunday, the wait in line wasn't too bad, but I think there were a lot less people drinking alcohol, he he he.

**The second improvement would have to be a little better security closer to the stage. My husband and I had gold circle seats in Sec 3 Row 1.....really great front row seats (we were the only two in the row). A couple of wheel chair bound handicap were also allowed to sit in Sec 3 Row 1, so that they would be able to see the stage and no one would be standing in front of them. Unfortunately, security let anyone with a VIP wristband close to the stage to take pictures and stand on the side to watch the concert. Letting people take pictures was kind of annoying (because every 5 seconds someone was standing in your way taking a pic) but not really a big deal because everyone should be able to get close enough to take a couple of pictures of their favorite artists. But letting people stand on the sideline was just ridiculous. Before you knew it, 20 or more people had pushed their way to the front of the stage and were now standing in front of us and the wheel chair bound. We paid a lot of money for those seats and kinda felt jipped that for the last three artist's shows on Sat and Sun we were having to dodge people's heads to see or ask people to please step aside so we could see. If I would have known that we were going to be allowed to stand by the stage, I wouldn't have wasted money on front row seats.

I'm trying not to sound like a sour-pus, because other than those two issues we really did have a GREAT time and all the artists on the mane stage gave 110%. There's no doubt about it, we will attend next year if there is another Stagecoach...we just probably won't waste money on gold circle seats in Sections 3 or 4.

P.S. On the plus side, everything else about Gold Circle was worth the money. Great food, great drinks and a nice shaded area with nice decor! Also met some really nice people seated around us :)

dillydally

05-07-2007, 06:26 PM

originally posted by Glockgirl 04-24-2007, 07:05 AM
- I can already tell ya unless the prices drop dramatically I won't attend next year.

originally posted by Glockgirl Today, 11:00 AM
The money was worth it and I'm up for Stagecoach 2008

Kudo's to Glockgirl (and hopefully most if/after they actually attended) for appreciating where the money was spent.

I thought it was a bit pricey at first too but was overwhelmed the whole weekend. It was a huge festival that must have taken hundreds of staff not to mention the talent, the setting up, etc. Sure there were a few snafu's but man, for a first festival I was wowed.

The weather was amazing.

I have never seen so many kids at a music festival having a blast.

I loved that the lines for the bathrooms were shorter at the other locations besides the ones near the entrance (seemed like a lot of folks never went any further past the mane stage, their loss I guess).

I was too chicken to ride the mechanical bull but enjoyed watching others.

I am shocked that a signed Alan Jackson guitar went for $19,000 at the auction.

Camping was insane. I have never seen so many RV's in one spot. Considering it wasn't a real campground they sure seemed to put a lot of effort in trying to keep things organized. I even checked my email at some tent spot near the middle they had set up.

I could go on and on and will for sure be back in 2008.

:)

aclady

05-07-2007, 07:09 PM

Had a great time! We stayed in the RV area, which was fun and met alot of great, friendly people. Next year, I will purchase VIP seats..then you are free to come and go and not worry about leaving chairs on the grass or "rushing to get somewhat close" to the stage. Loved all the music!

The only (and I mean only)complaint I had was the difference in security from Saturday to Sunday. On Saturday as we entered from the RV area, we were allowed to bring in (2) bottled waters per person and snacks. Everyone was very polite and got the crowd through the entrance quickly.

On Sunday, we happened to get into the "wrong aisle" of the six or so going across. The "security person" checking that aisle was really bad. He went over everyone with a fine tooth comb, made us empty our pockets, no water bottles and my son couldn't even bring in the bag of Kettle Corn that he had purchased the day before..he told us "No outside food". After waiting in that heat for son long, he had to go back to the motorhome to empty his backpack. We were in that line for so long in the heat, while all the other aisles moved rapidly. A girl was suffering from heat exhaustion waiting for this "person" to play his little power trip on all of us. There wasn't any consistency in the security. People in the line next to us were bringing in bottled water, etc. Friends of ours who entered from the general entrance brought in water, snacks, etc and were never checked.

We will definitely be back next year! Thanks for a great time!

dillydally

05-07-2007, 07:36 PM

i hear ya about security..

But I tend to think of it differently. Like when I go over the speed limit and don't get caught OR when a cop lets me off with a warning (I know I am not supposed to speed, even if it's just a mile over the limit with no one around making no sense that it should only be 35, haha or 75). Then some other time I get pulled over for speeding and get hit with a ticket, ouch. But I really can't argue that it should be ok because I was speeding yesterday. I read the rules that said no outside food or beverages. I too was able to get by with a water bottle on saturday and not on sunday. I know some folks who got stuff in both days and others that were really upset they had to throw out stuff both days. :confused:

roxi

05-07-2007, 07:55 PM

it was the best time i had in a long time i loved all the music and stages and displays i want to thank everyone who was there and stayed out of trouble so hope to see u all soon

cmick2121

05-07-2007, 11:24 PM

Riv_4_fun

05-08-2007, 12:04 AM

Had a great time!! I was a little worried after trying to figure out the ticket situation, all of the different options, the big $$$$$$$$$$$$ , but I'll tell you it was very organized and we met some really great people. Only things I would change is more restrooms and a wider path to the main stage along the beer garden side (Stage Right).

We would forsure go again but we would take Monday off instead of missing Kenny due to the fact we had to get home to go to work, on that note it would be nice to get the set times out earlier. Thanks !!!

instinct

05-08-2007, 02:20 AM

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x202/BLKTIB/Stagecoach043.jpg

Omg.. Looks so weird.. like Coachella, but not.

I'm surprised they kept the Dome and The Organic stage, I thought those were a little to "rave" for Stage Coach.. I hope people enjoyed them though.

Glockgirl

05-08-2007, 04:20 AM

This was an awesome weekend, a good time by all. The people were great everywhere. The only weird thing to me is I am a huge Kenny fan and he is the #1 act in the US right now and he never did a encore set, George Strait came back and played 20 extra mins. Did anyone think this was weird? But this was a great event and please do it again next year.

I'm with you on this one! Brooks & Dunn before Kenny even did an encore set. I did notice people leaving during his last song so I wondered if that effected anything. We hung around completely expecting an encore.

anyone know what the fireworks were about on Sunday night?

york707

05-08-2007, 05:07 AM

They all had a "set" amount of time... I imagine they could make it look like they did an encore if they wanted to, as long as it was within the alotted time.

Kymery

05-08-2007, 08:30 AM

I thought the security was a bit too lax on Saturday. They never even asked us for our tickets when entering from the RV area. We went in and out several times. But on Sunday, wow...they patted us down, scanned our tickets, then rescanned them so we could go back to the RV and get back in.

We went to several stages on Saturday, but Sunday we stayed at the Mane stage for the most part. I missed some acts I really wanted to see, blame it on too many beers. I loved how they were laxed considering what we read on this site about Alcohol. There was plenting flowing in the RV area, people brought their dogs, played frisbee, horseshoes and whatever other game you could play. BBQ's were allowed also. I was very happy they allowed to take drinks out of the designated areas at the concert.

Taylore

05-08-2007, 09:09 AM

It was great!! We had a blast. Everyone was very friendly. Someone let my daughter and I stand with them so she could be closer to see Jason Aldean better (she's 7 and he's her favorite). The food was really good, so were the Texas Twisters (which were the only really long lines). My daughter got autographs from everyone that was signing them, we were bummed that Pat Green cancelled. It was great that Uncle Kracker showed up with Kenny Chesney. The Marines did an awesome job with security, not like I would have expected anything less, after all, it it The Marines. If I could buy my tickets for next year right now I would. Did anyone get any pictures of Jason Aldean, if so could you please post one, my daughter really wants one for her room. Thanks.

HotRodg57

05-08-2007, 10:25 AM

It was awesome!:D Only 1 complaint. We hooked up with friends ( Us, San Diego them, San Bernardino) the week before to give them our tickets for camping, as they were taking Friday off and going to be in line when the gates opened, to get good spots. Well When they started letting people into the camping area, they were directed to the far corner of the lot:eek: We went to a lot of trouble to ensure we were close to the entrance (1 handicaped in the group) and were told to park about as far away as we could have been:mad: Other than that, it was great! Normally, I'm not a big fan of cops, but, the Indio PD was great! The security going into the shows kinda sucked as mentioned. Some lines moved quickly with not much frisking, emptying, etc.. but some guys were a little overboard. The RV camping was a blast. Can't wait to see who's going to be there next year:D
Rodger

Glockgirl

05-08-2007, 10:26 AM

maduro_1

05-08-2007, 10:47 AM

First, as to the Register review, the reviewer doesn't really get "country music". Ryan Adams, Beck, Cracker, Camper Van Beethoven, Bon Jovi? No, don't think so... try Merle and Jerry Lee on the Palomino Stage.... or maybe add the Blasters, Dale Watson and some real Texas Honky Tonk like Kevin Fowler and Aaron Watson. That would break the nice dance floor in out at the Mustang Stage. I had VIP's for the Mane Stage and got bored with the over commercialization... so on Sunday I hit all of the other stages and closed it out with Junior Brown. What a terrific weekend! Yeahaw!

Complaint:
They mane stage sound needs to be turned down. I'm as much of a hell yeah party guy as the next fella, but when an angel like Emmylou can hardly get through on song... there is a problem. Respect each others artistry, thanks.

Lessons learned:
I'm to old to tent camp, but to young hearted to complain! I left late on Sunday night instead of spending another night with the young rebs... but god love their good times.

Dancing:
How could anyone pass on that big dance floor while Asleep at the Wheel was belting out the hottest Western Swing this side of Austin? Geez!

Regrets:
~I didn't bring the kids... they would have had a blast.
~My wife was out of town... how much fun can me and my buddy have listening to George belt those awesome tunes! It was a perfect opp for me to text her a "gawd, i miss you" message!
~Missed Bela Fleck sitting in at the Bluegrass Stage

Highlights:
George, Junior Brown, Kris Kristofferson, Emmylou, Marty and the Old 97's.

see you next year!!!!!

mjbad

05-08-2007, 11:04 AM

Maduro, You must have missed the Flatlanders set? quite awesome....you hit the nail on the head...absolutely nothing commercial @ the Pal, App, and Mustang venues......Kristofferson and his refernces to the mosh pit commercial stage...classic......too bad the late great Townes in his mystical powers couldn't have short circuited the mosh pit commercial stage amps!!

nascargirl1599

05-08-2007, 02:44 PM

[QUOTE=aclady;2928]

On Sunday, we happened to get into the "wrong aisle" of the six or so going across. The "security person" checking that aisle was really bad. He went over everyone with a fine tooth comb, made us empty our pockets, no water bottles and my son couldn't even bring in the bag of Kettle Corn that he had purchased the day before..he told us "No outside food". After waiting in that heat for son long, he had to go back to the motorhome to empty his backpack. We were in that line for so long in the heat, while all the other aisles moved rapidly. A girl was suffering from heat exhaustion waiting for this "person" to play his little power trip on all of us. There wasn't any consistency in the security. People in the line next to us were bringing in bottled water, etc. Friends of ours who entered from the general entrance brought in water, snacks, etc and were never checked.
[QUOTE]

oh man, i know who ya are talking about and he was a total jerk. i passed out while waiting in line and had to be taken to the first aid tent on one of those cart things. they parked it in the shade up under the search area. i got there no problem, but that guy gave my boyfriend a hard time. he wanted to search everything before he would let him in to come with me to the first aid tent, even though we were going back to the one in the camping area. the guy told him he had too many chairs and too much stuff(he had both mine and his) as well as my purse, camera and his sweatshirt. even told him he couldnt bring my purse in because its metal(its a license plate). i had to ask the emt to talk to the security guy and explain that what happened and why he had so much stuff. luckily they let him in.

wasnt all bad though. when i was released they told me to sip a bottle of gatoraid that they had given me. by the time we got to the entrance, i had half left. the security guy (diff. one) said i couldnt bring it in because it was open. i explained what happened earlier and he was ok with me bringing it in. said if anyone gave me problems about it, to come find him. the concert rocked. i cant wait to go back next year. i just hope its not so hot:cool:

lenore

05-08-2007, 05:05 PM

Thinking back to all the festivals we have been to over 10 years (maybe 12 or more) this was close to the top.....maybe WEFEST in Minnesota is better but they have been running for 25 years.

For a first year event, it was about as good as it could get. There are always the usual issues - porta potties stink or not enough, line ups too long, some support staff seemed uninformed or confused or inconsistent in applying rules, expensive booze...blah, blah, blah.

BUT, let's all keep in mind that constructing a virtual city with 50 live acts to support 30K+ fans a day on four stages for a few days is not easy. The logisitics must be unreal. A little patience, walk a step slower, pace yourself and plan your day well and many of these issues dissappear.

The entertainment was excellent, the concert venue was expansive with lots to see and the surrounding area was spectacular, especially as the sun was going down.

We camped out in tents and, even though most folks there were in RV's and the campers were younger than us, we had a great time - even with that damn Dexter from Sacramento yelling all night long. He was entertaining 'thou so I did not mind giving up most sleeping hours.

I will go to this event for as long as it will run. Congrats to the promoters, volunteers, bands and vendors for a top level experience.

Suggestion for next year - mist tents and folks with spray sunscreen guns walking around in the venue. Also, scheduled transportation from parking to camping to help folks move gear in areas where no vehicles are allowed - at least during peak times when everyone is showing up.

BTW - Bert, who manned the shower truck in camping was awesome - he kept that trailer and sinks immaculate.

ajlover

05-08-2007, 06:37 PM

I too think they should be able to offer some kind of shuttle service. I know they are used to the "rock" crowd from the Choachella concerts but there are a lot of older people that go to country concerts and it was difficult for a lot of them to walk so far from the parking lot to the venue.

Another thing they should consider is if they are going to advertise that the performers are going to do their full sets they should allow the time for that. I know for a fact that Alan Jackson and Brooks & Dunn didn't do their full set as their sets are at least 1 1/2 hours long and they were both only given an hour. Just don't advertise full sets when that's not the case.

I think it was an AWESOME weekend and am looking forward to going next year.

york707

05-08-2007, 06:57 PM

Did they specifically advertise "Full Sets"?

ajlover

05-08-2007, 09:54 PM

I'll have to go back and find where I read "full sets" but I know it was stated somewhere!

maduro_1

05-09-2007, 08:15 AM

Full sets...
Yes, it was advertised that groups would do there full sets. But... that seems to be "festival" policy. I've seen B & D numerous times... but when they played the KZLA bash it was less than an hour... if you ran off to get a beer you missed 1/4 of the show! On the other side, it made me check out the variety. I feel bad for the folks that didn't check out the rest of the scene.

ladygrip

05-09-2007, 09:15 AM

so, capital letters were intetional,I HAD A GREAT TIME, whassup with you YORK? Hope you had a blast as well. Please do not police our grammar, we all had a great time, maybe next year, I will buy YORK a beer.

york707

05-09-2007, 10:20 AM

I would love a beer from you... I didn't go, but I am and was honestly curious to hear some reviews of the weekend.

The distaste for all caps is a pretty universal thing, I think. Nobody likes to read that. I was trying suggest that in a playful way.

I don't think I ever made reference to grammar.

I'm glad everyone had a great time. If they up the non-Mane Stage caliber of acts, I might go next year...

ttrevino69

05-09-2007, 03:00 PM

I had a really great time, I couldn't get close enough to get any good pictures so if anyone has any of George Strait,Sara Evans,Kenny Chesney, I would appreciate them if you could email them to me. I will definately be back next year, I am already saving. Thank you to all that helped organize this. Yes I have a complaint about the Sunday Security also, they went over board, but that is all. Very nice people also

Glockgirl

05-09-2007, 03:40 PM

Cooter

05-09-2007, 09:31 PM

photobucket, then click on the little mountain with the sun icon in the reply box on this site...has a yellow background, second from right....and put the addy in there. or upload to photobucket and copy and paste the line with these: into the reply box here.

formervalleyresident

05-09-2007, 10:11 PM

that sucks, but this is a music festival and i have never been to one run any better...and i've been to alot. the parking situation-we are out in the middle of the desert where everything, and i mean everything, has to be brought in. this isn't disneyland with a nice paved parking lot in the middle of a huge metropolitan area, for goshsakes. and if your friend is in poor enough health that they can't walk a few hundred to a thousand or so feet then maybe it's time to get that little blue parking placard.

so what you're really saying is that you never even went in one. i have never heard anyone say "oh, what a beautiful experience going to the bathroom in that porta potty!" and i probably never will. so what you heard was probably a pretty standard reply, even if they were in better shape than people realized. i have never seen porta potties as clean as they are at coachella/stagecoach.

There are a lot of older people who go to country concerts who can't walk that far and are not elgible for that "little blue parking placard" and considering that it was out in the desert and pretty warm if not hot, there should have been some thought put into the parking situation. God willing you live long enough one of these days you just may find yourself in a similar situation as some older people. As much money that was generated and given the locations of some parking areas common courtesy and thought should have been used. A half a mile is not " a few hundred or thousand or so feet".

As for the filthy porta potties there is no need to use one muchless look inside when a 7 year old opens the door and refuses to even go in. I guess it doesn't bother you when used toilet paper some how can't seem to make it in the potty or people can't aim rather they stand or attempt to squat but, that's your deal. I happen to think that is unsanitary and piggish.

Cooter

05-10-2007, 09:02 AM

There are a lot of older people who go to country concerts who can't walk that far and are not elgible for that "little blue parking placard" and considering that it was out in the desert and pretty warm if not hot, there should have been some thought put into the parking situation. God willing you live long enough one of these days you just may find yourself in a similar situation as some older people. As much money that was generated and given the locations of some parking areas common courtesy and thought should have been used. A half a mile is not " a few hundred or thousand or so feet".

As for the filthy porta potties there is no need to use one muchless look inside when a 7 year old opens the door and refuses to even go in. I guess it doesn't bother you when used toilet paper some how can't seem to make it in the potty or people can't aim rather they stand or attempt to squat but, that's your deal. I happen to think that is unsanitary and piggish.

i am actually 29 and already have a "little blue parking placard" due to a lung disease(i am technically functioning on one lung at this point) and i walk as far as any "healthy" person does at that festival, as well as doing it for 3 days the weekend before at coachella. it's a festival in the middle of nowhere and i just have to accept that...and i do, i know what i'm getting into.

as for the porta potties--you can't blame the promoter for attendees being "piggish". you know what you can do? walk to the next porta potty over and try that one. there was row upon row of porta potties and i'm sure plenty of them were in usable condition.

york707

05-10-2007, 10:13 AM

Whether or not you can handle two days out in the desert, and all the walking that goes with it, is just one of many considerations a person should take into account when deciding to go to a festival held in the desert.

ladygrip

05-10-2007, 10:17 AM

York, no offense taken, if you attend next year, I will buy you a few beers and a cruzan confussion. I cannot wait till next year, I had sooooooo much fun.

york707

05-10-2007, 10:32 AM

I'm a festival junkie, so I hope I can go... and I keep getting more stuff offered for me from you... :)

Glockgirl

05-10-2007, 12:12 PM

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b395/wagnfun/kfront.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b395/wagnfun/Kback.jpg

Upfront & Backstage...
Thanks Cooter!

Glockgirl

05-10-2007, 12:13 PM

wow, I made kenny huge.. sry but I dont' know how to resize!

Glockgirl

05-10-2007, 12:16 PM

as for the porta potties--you can't blame the promoter for attendees being "piggish". you know what you can do? walk to the next porta potty over and try that one. there was row upon row of porta potties and i'm sure plenty of them were in usable condition.

From someone who camped for 3 days have to say I was highly impressed wtih how CLEAN the portas were. I HATE portas but ours were cleaned out every few hrs.

Arlenec

05-10-2007, 03:53 PM

We came down from Alaska specifically for this event (it was my 60th birthday present) and it was wonderful. The artists we saw were great for the most part. True, you had to walk what seemed like miles to and from your car, and it was hot but we were prepared for that. I got to see four of my top favorite stars all in one setting. The event was well done. It was a little awkward leaving the area as the security directed us to places we did not know and we had a bit of trouble finding our way back to familiar streets to get back to our hotel in Palm Springs. I would have liked to see different vendors rather than the same ones in three different places throughout the area but it was good. Next time we will bring our RV down. :) Arlene

deegee83

05-10-2007, 09:17 PM

Thanks so much to those of you who posted their photos here! You rock! Great photo of Kenny...especially from the back, LOL :D
What an awesome festival. It was my first one ever. We got VIP seats in the second section but had the first row right in front of the soundboard tent and a big aisle in front of us marking the space between sec. 1 and sec. 2 so lots of room to rock out!!! LOVED IT! Also I had an aisle seat and was able to see directly to center stage. Awesome.

I thought overall things were managed very well. It was impressive how much thought they put into our experience! The bluegrass acts were amazing. So much talent! On the Mane Stage the headliners Alan Jackson, B&D, George and Kenny did awesome performances. Cheers to all of them. I loved Miranda Lambert. She just keeps getting better and better. Jason Aldean had everybody on their feet. Gary Allan rocked the house. My friend had a m&g with him just before the show, said he was very nice but it was a rushed thing.

The best thing about the festival was the crowd. What a mellow group. (Maybe it wasn't so great for the artists that we were so mellow, now that I think about it.)I expected it to be a drunkfest. It wasn't. Very few were going crazy. Most of us came from far away, paid a lot of money, and were there for the music, not the partying. It was really a pleasant experience because people were reasonable with their booze during the show.

Having said that, there are always ways that things could be improved. Here's my list. (As if anyone will read this, LOL)

The VIP area toilets were totally insufficient, both days. They needed more so badly. The women were crashing the mens room constantly! We learned real quick to go to the bathroom "in advance of need" or whenever the line was short.

(We got some great shots of Kenny's Marley from the restroom line though!!!)

Bandanas were so badly needed at merch sales...there were none. They would sell like hotcakes if they sold 'em next year.

Announcements at the first day lineup for security (horrifically long, with tons of people in the hot sun) were nonexistent until the last half hour. Would have been nice. We all thought gates opened at 11. Also we thought we would have access to will call once we passed through security, only to learn that will call was to the left of security, outside the festival...and was open at 9 am. (we knew it was supposed to be open early, but we had no idea where it was...no signage!) It just woulda been nice for a bullhorn or two to yell out to the people in line that anybody who needed to pick up tickets should go to will call. located out and to the left of the security tent. Lots of PO'd peeeps ended up at will call at noon on Saturday. That could have easily been prevented.

Things we learned -- tips to pass on for next year's attendees:
Bring water and snacks for the security line on the first day..and wear a hat and sunscreen.

Keep some water and snacks in your car for after the show. It took an hour each night to get out.

Bring Kleenex and hand wipes. It's a dusty place.

Take a beach towel for hanging out at the smaller stages/saving a spot.

Bring nail clippers if you are in VIP to clip off your seat holder with. Some people were burning them off, twisting them off, etc...it was insane after the Kenny show was over.

The only way to get into the VIP section is a teensy little gate next to the soundboard tent...not near the front rows. Learned this one the hard way.:(

Countrygurl

05-11-2007, 08:36 AM

Here are some pics that I posted on the myspace page:

http://a354.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/18/l_395281b466507f133b1cf50414e535b1.jpg

http://a443.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/52/l_641c971a14b35ada25a4e15cce8eb4e2.jpg

http://a79.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/62/l_12c118e6d9c6c58160d52d96efbdbd96.jpg

http://a885.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/63/l_8b1d7cbd5a72a7ae5beb78993120d10c.jpg

http://a862.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/41/l_1a24e5732fd9f80ff6eff46f930c4d45.jpg

http://a962.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/38/l_9236c65682414123a8c0fbb22e081611.jpg

http://a916.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/43/l_cb89a36887ffb52e281ff6aaa54a75db.jpg

http://a10.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/59/l_6be93e35898482c6517374a665c91449.jpg

http://a141.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/14/l_f7646f58f9b7b42721c2dedf3b02ae94.jpg

http://a983.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/18/l_ed479c53d2c3beebbd672f8d5dc40c2e.jpg

http://a801.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/43/l_e1f1f9a8b5fef01df24ed5687b9eaad8.jpg

Glockgirl

05-11-2007, 11:11 AM

Countrygurl, Thanks for posting the pix! I love the night one with the tents lit in the background. Anyone else visit the "donation" table?? In the left hand side of the photo of the shirtless cowboys, this group of campers set up a table where everyone was donating items & signing the table. They got money, ticket stubs, lipstick and even a credit card! ha ha it was fun!

deegee83

05-11-2007, 12:39 PM

awesome pics cowgurl...hey, where were those hot shirtless cowboys when I was there???LOL Dangit

honkytonkangel

05-11-2007, 02:28 PM

What a friggin blast!! I'd like to say a big THANKS to the G.V. folks who were well prepared for those of us who never received our tickets!! :D When I arrived at the campgrounds Fri eve the man (Santa, I think) had a printout of us who bought our tix in Jan and I didn't have any hassle getting my camping permit so was able to set up camp and get my drink on in no time!! And a big middle finger salute to Ticketmaster who basically lied to my face, well, ear, telling me my ticket lost in the mail was an isolated incident....funny, why then did G.V. have a special list of those people who bought tickets early and never received them?? Oh, that's because THEY WERE NEVER PRINTED SO HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THEY WERE MAILED TO US!!!! Sorry, just had to let that out. :mad:
Anyways, that weekend was off the charts definitely worth every cent (I retract my previous statements concerning cost-when I am wrong, I admit it!!)

I can't wait to go next year and I'd like to say thanks to all the people in the camping areas who made a lone camper feel like she was there with a bunch of friends!! :D

Countrygurl

05-11-2007, 07:10 PM

I'm so glad to hear that. It was a struggle for me to try and explain how things would work and I was praying that once you guys got there and experienced the whole thing you'd see the light. :)

Thom

05-11-2007, 07:32 PM

We had a great time
Next year come see us at the BBQ contest

formervalleyresident

05-13-2007, 02:38 PM

originally posted by Glockgirl 04-24-2007, 07:05 AM

originally posted by Glockgirl Today, 11:00 AM

Kudo's to Glockgirl (and hopefully most if/after they actually attended) for appreciating where the money was spent.

I thought it was a bit pricey at first too but was overwhelmed the whole weekend. It was a huge festival that must have taken hundreds of staff not to mention the talent, the setting up, etc. Sure there were a few snafu's but man, for a first festival I was wowed.

The weather was amazing.

I have never seen so many kids at a music festival having a blast.

I loved that the lines for the bathrooms were shorter at the other locations besides the ones near the entrance (seemed like a lot of folks never went any further past the mane stage, their loss I guess).

I was too chicken to ride the mechanical bull but enjoyed watching others.

I am shocked that a signed Alan Jackson guitar went for $19,000 at the auction.

Camping was insane. I have never seen so many RV's in one spot. Considering it wasn't a real campground they sure seemed to put a lot of effort in trying to keep things organized. I even checked my email at some tent spot near the middle they had set up.

I could go on and on and will for sure be back in 2008.

:)

I thought it was a signed George Strait guitar that went for $16,000.00

Yee-Howdy!

05-18-2007, 09:17 AM

How was it ? That had to be the most fun anyone could have with there clothes on! That's how fun it was...:D

extragood

05-18-2007, 09:36 AM

Hi, we loved every minute of the Festival! George was fabulous!!! We had great front row seats to the mane stage! VIP area very cool! Took lots of pics, will post a few of my favorites! We will be back next year for sure, lockers were a great idea! Thanks to everyone, it was well organized!http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z235/extragood/Indio1.jpg

extragood

05-18-2007, 09:40 AM

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z235/extragood/Indio106.jpg

extragood

05-18-2007, 09:42 AM

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z235/extragood/Indio115.jpg

extragood

05-18-2007, 09:42 AM

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z235/extragood/Indio107.jpg

extragood

05-18-2007, 09:44 AM

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z235/extragood/Indio6.jpg

extragood

05-18-2007, 09:44 AM

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z235/extragood/Indio87.jpg

extragood

05-18-2007, 09:46 AM

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z235/extragood/Indio14.jpg

extragood

05-18-2007, 09:48 AM

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z235/extragood/Stagecoach1119.jpg

extragood

05-18-2007, 09:49 AM

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z235/extragood/Indio99.jpg

extragood

05-18-2007, 09:50 AM

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z235/extragood/Indio100.jpg

extragood

05-18-2007, 09:50 AM

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z235/extragood/Indio104.jpg

extragood

05-18-2007, 09:52 AM

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z235/extragood/Indio108.jpg

extragood

05-18-2007, 09:53 AM

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z235/extragood/Indio79.jpg

extragood

05-18-2007, 09:54 AM

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z235/extragood/Indio27.jpg

extragood

05-18-2007, 09:56 AM

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z235/extragood/PDVD_071DVDNTSC.jpg

lovecowboys

05-18-2007, 10:31 AM

:p Well all i can say is after reading all the positive feedback about the concert, I'm really sorry i could not attend, but i will definetely make it next year, sounds like y'all had a great time, and i can't wait.

just a couple of suggestions, you should have some tank tops for the ladies to buy, not all of us like the men's style tee shirts. also a shuttle does sound like a good idea.

another thing i was not sure about was if you could buy tickets for just one day or you had to get them for both days?

so if any of you single cowboys out there would like a date for next year, let me know (;)

happy trails

lorrie

lorih163

05-18-2007, 11:58 AM

It was wonderful! I won tickets from my local country music station here in Tucson, AZ and I made the 8 hour trip with my RV to the festival. I hope that it continues to be an annual event and that anyone that has a chance to go will do so................the artist lineup was extraordinary, the vendors were great and the camping was really nice, especially the inflatable movie screen set up for early arrivals into the campground on Friday night! There was always something to do, which was really great!

Good job!!

Kcloscar

05-18-2007, 12:15 PM

This was the most fun I have had in such a long time, worried about the crowd, drinking, fights......NO WORRIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cant wait to do it again! Pictures. anyone got pictures of george that you can send me? My camera died!!!! Kenny too!!!
Thanks for a wonderful time everyone was great!!!!

cntrygrl571

05-18-2007, 07:52 PM

I had an fantastic time. The music was great. I would like to suggest some kind of markers in the parking area that are plain to see. I spent a good hour or more trying to find my vehicle saturday night. I also agree about having a pathway for the people who were in the VIP area. Sunday the crowd was much bigger and I had to miss seeing artists on other stages because I didn't want to hassle with trying to get through the general admission blankets, chairs, and people that were all around. I would also like to see more food choices added. I think that selling one day tickets to people would also increase the chances for more people to be able to go and enjoy the festival. Not everyone is able to go both days, possibly for financial or work reasons. I'm looking forward to seeing what the line up is for next year.

frog4angels

05-18-2007, 08:26 PM

Glockgirl

05-18-2007, 09:43 PM

The festival was amazing!! The only thing I would possible reconsider is making aisle ways for those of us not in VIP, but other than that everything was very nicely planned out(restrooms, water stands, food stands, security, etc.). Did anyone notice the lights during the night? I thought it was very cool, I had never seen anything like that before?!!

Thanks extragood for those photos! They are great!

Frog, are you talking about the lights in the VERY FAR back that looked like lightening? We noticed those during a guitar solo.. F A N T A S T I C !!!!

Hugs2you

05-21-2007, 06:17 AM

First of all.. Those are some AWESOME photos that you guys posted!!! :)

My young daughter and I had a great time at Stagecoach and would do it again in a heartbeat... However, I do hope they make a few changes for next year! Wondering if anyone else shares my opinion or concerns...:confused:

It seems with the "kids get in free", and the "Halfpint area" that they not only allowed kids but encouraged you to bring them, so in regards to the camping... I think there needs to be a "family friendly" area... We love to camp, so we got there Friday night put up our tent, and with curfew not being till 2am we were expecting a noisy night!

The noise wasn't the problem... Our "neighbors" were so drunk, vulgar, and crude that I wasn't sure what to do. You could not only hear them having sex, you could see them~! Many other neighbors were yelling at them to turn there blaring radio down since it was now approaching 4am! But I would rather here George playing on the stereo, then here the "noises" from the tent that was basically touching mine!!! Then in the morning, it was a bragging session, and putting down women for being so slutty! Every other word was a four letter word! It was extremely hard to keep my daughter from hearing these guys. :(

I mean they had us smashed in there like sardines, and had a HUGE amount of grassy space available... Why not let people have some space???

I am in no way a prude, however... I feel that if they are going to encourage children they need to ensure that the environment is kid friendly all the way around! As, a mother this was not an environment that I want my young child subjected to!!! :rolleyes:

And the only other thing, was how far away you had to park, and then carry your camping gear! Being a single parent, and trying to plan a nice trip, turned into ALOT of work! Making 6-7 trips back and forth to your vehicle is a bit ridiculous! Needs to be a better way! :eek:

Anyway, other than that... Everything was AWESOME!!! Showers, bathrooms, food... everything was GREAT... :D

Music lineup and venue was unbelievable... Definitely will be back, but might have to settle for a boring hotel due to the mentioned issue!

Just wondering if any other parents had any problems!

Loved it though... Met alot of awesome people, and got an awesome suntan!!!

KittyLeigh

05-21-2007, 09:30 AM

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x202/BLKTIB/Stagecoach043.jpg

Hey! That's me in the middle of your pic with the Miller Lite hat! Weird to see yourself in someone else's picture! haha :D

CountryGurl - where WERE those shritless cowboys? I sure didn't see them! :confused:

Thanks to everyone who posted some AMAZING pics! I had a GREAT weekend!

The only complaint I had was the handicapped parking being full when we got there the first day. I understand that they only have so much space for handicapped parking, but they should've had shuttles for those people with the placards who had to park further away. My friend had just had foot surgery and COULD walk, just not very far. I'd have still done the walk, but it would've been nice for them to have a shuttle for her and others with the placard who needed it.

As for the cost - I think it seemed like a lot of $$ for a concert at first, but when I thought about it, there are at least 6 or 7 artists that I saw that I'd probably pay around $50 to see JUST their show - so if I look at it that way, it was a deal!

Already can't wait until next year!!:)

ttrevino69

05-22-2007, 12:35 PM

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z235/extragood/Indio14.jpg

Thank you so much for the pictures, I was so far back that I could only see them on the big screen, it kind of sucked but at least I was there and had fun. I love George Strait......:)

kyleandbeccasmom1

05-23-2007, 06:41 AM

Stagecoach was nothing less than awesome! I had been on a real low emotionally for a few weeks before (life kicking me in the butt) but the weekend in Indio brought me back and I'm still smiling every time I hear a song by one of the performers on the radio! Saturday was great, but Sunday was by far the best...Gary Allen, Jason Aldean (they both rocked beyond belief!) then Sugarland, Brooks and Dunn, and omg...KENNY CHESNEY!!! My son fell in love with Miranda Lambert (he stood next to her in the autograph tent and took pictures of her) "Mom...don't tell my girlfriend!!!!!" (he's 15) and my daughter got alot of great pictures of the artists on stage Sunday. We also got Jason Michael Carroll to autograph my cowboy hat, and we got Gary Allen's guitar pick! We had a blast....and we'll definately be there again next year. We all have some great memories to last us thru the year...talk about psychotherapy that works--I'd much rather go to a concert than a shrink!!!!

Glockgirl

05-23-2007, 02:59 PM

K & B mom.. Post those Miranda pic!!!! Would love to see them!

melcash

06-27-2007, 07:52 AM

My husband and I had never attended an event like this but it sounded fun so we purchased RV campground tickets and Event tickets for Saturday and Sunday. We were immediately impressed with the organization by the event organizers when we exited the freeway Friday about 1pm. The signs directing RV's along the road all the way to the campground area was marvelous! Everything else was also very well organized....checking into the campground with ease with a motorhome, the alcohol id methods, security by all of the area city police forces and the event security staff, and the event itself was wonderful and so was the crowd! The exclusive entrance for the campers and the in and out of the event area for campers was a big plus for us.......being able to change clothes for the daytime versus nightime, etc. and loved being able to arrive Friday and leave Monday. Wonderful! We will definately attend the event again at the Empire Polo Grounds: such a fabulous setup!