Concert: Wow am I old.

Of Mice and Men/Marilyn Mansion and SLIP KNOT concert
Onondaga Amphitheater
Syracuse, NY
July 23d 2016


Much earlier in the summer, it may have even been spring. I was told by Kelly I must get Marilyn Manson/ Slip Knot tickets. (Not really for me), but she claimed "Marilyn puts on the best show."
 She picked up tickets early and I sat on it for a bit. Although Mark is much more a Marilyn fan and he and the boys like Slip Knot, when I mentioned to him I was thinking of getting tickets, he said "hold off." According to Mark; Marilyn Manson is NEVER coming back to Syracuse. I did, but as the summer moved forwards and I found a Groupon STEAL ($20- tickets). I decided Why not.
(Apparently there was yet another steal of a deal that included three shows for some great deal, but I am not really in to this style of music and was not heart broken to hear I could have had more bang for my buck.)
Even if Marilyn never shows, at least I will enjoy a concert with my family at the new Amphitheater and it will certainly be an experience.
All but forgotten, summer moves forwards, and soon we approach the week prior to the show, Mark is still convinced Marilyn will not show and to further re-enforce his theory, Marilyn had CA the night prior.
I also found as the weekend approached, Ben would be heading home that morning and not able to attend with us. BUMMED!!! I enlisted Gavin to search for a friend to tag along.He didn't search to hard and by mid day that Saturday I was convinced I would be with one extra ticket.
 While attending my CLOSE TO MY HEART HAF meeting, I texted Gal Pal Kelly...."see you tonight?"
her response was "I gave my tickets away." (Or something like that, she was planning on working.) "WHAT?????" She had started this whole thing after all and now she is not going. So I took a shot in the dark....trigger shoot...HIT!!! I have an extra ticket...do you want to go? Minutes later she had CA her work, and it was ON!!!

This concert venue had been a whole political and crazy debate when it first was starting, I personally had felt; there is so much "talk" in Syracuse about building this and starting that, (Destiny Mall has been a to be PROJECT for nearly 10 years, although it has made some movement it has never developed into the ONCE lead to believe AMAZING mall much like the Malls of America including hotels, amusement parks etc.) I hadn't thought the idea would become a reality. Then they built...and they tour down the once loved GRANDSTANDS at the Fairgrounds. (I saw so many concerts there. I was and still am a little upset.)
So the new amphitheater was built. Last fall was their first show.
As a kid, for years big name bands had come to Syracuse and played at the Dome (Syracuse University), Some came to the War Memorial, and still others had played at the smaller but intimate Landmark. Most if any big Bands could be seen at the NY State fair Grandstand...Then.....it all stopped. I am not staying we had no big bands, (and some of my favorites were even at FREE venues) but it seemed more and more like those popular bands were simply skipping over central NY. Buffalo-------SKIP Syracuse-----Saratoga/Albany------& NYC. It made no sense to me, but then again. I was getting older and concerts are not nearly as big of a MUST DO in my life as they once were. The new venue was a BIG change for Syracuse, and I was going to one of their shows.

We got there pretty early, (In Beale fashion.) I had re-searched the what can bring and what will NOT be allowed. We had lawn tickets, and I am OLD! So I knew I was not going to stand all evening NO way NO how....and no matter how much alcohol I pumped into my system PRE-Show or during. Chairs MUST...and allowed...
It was HOT out...Some beverages!!! Coolers with unopened bottled water is Okay. Anything else is a big NO. There is also not suppose to be tailgating pre-show, but there were some serious parties going on in the parking lot.

Bug Spray, Sun Screen and non-professional cameras..OK! Apparently NO bottles of perfume(Kelly's got confiscated.) I didn't take my camera as it stated any camera with a removable lens is considered professional. (Although I did see some in the crowd.)
Once we parked and did the MILE (s) (not really but it was a hike- and my ONLY complaint about any part of my evening) walk to the entrance. We were searched...just shy of a strip search. Chair had to be opened and checked and for a CHEEP THRILL, I got felt UP!!! (Really the women padded me up and down, Boob touch and everything...nope nothing hiding in here...it really is my FAT body.)
Do I really look like I might smuggle something in? (well actually I have been known to sneak in  snacks and beverages to places in the past.....GUILTY...FEEL AWAY!!!)

We were early enough to pretty much take our pick of land ownership to camp at for the show. Avoiding the massive Poles (can't see anything behind those.) we found a spot center stage, with just enough hill slant to keep us sitting and in view of the stage at eye level.
There really isn't a bad seat in the place.

Here is a straight on shot of the stage from my chair..

The skys were lovely this evening, and people began to crowd in. I still didn't feel like I was bunched.

Then the music began. Of Mice and Men started. I actually had never heard of them prior to the show. They were pretty good.

After a few drinks and bathroom breaks. This was ideal btw. Just up the hit was a line of portapotties and not once did we have to wait. I always needed to find two next to each other as my co-partner was feeling NO PAIN  by then.
Still pretty convinced that Marilyn was not SHOWING....we waited patiently for a sign the band would be starting. Then....YEP!!!! There he was. Opps Mark you were wrong (1st time ever.) He did make it.
 I really only know like two songs and with all the noise, I am not even sure if what I heard was what I knew. "the Beautiful People...the beautiful people...dunt dun dun."At one point the band exited the stage, and were gone for quite some time. Mark said there was something wrong. I missed anything that was happening on the stage. As you can see below, this was pretty much my view. (There are large screen tv's which would have provided me with more visual but we were seated to far in front of them. (I had slowly moved myself down the embankment to prevent what I call as FILL ins...people who feel comfortable with standing right in front of you while your sitting behind with their BUTTS in your face. I had tried to fill in any gaps between myself and the chairs in front of me. I had also enlisted the two men in front of me to act as security....DO NOT LET anyone in front of you I had instructed....THEY FAILED MISERABLY!!! When I Confronted them on allowing a mass of guys in front of them, they said...look at them....look at us. Okay so they were not really BODY GUARD material...but I digress. We still had a great location and I stood the rest of the show any ways.

Marilyn Manson completed just as the sun began to set over the lake. It was beautiful, and the winds off the shore felt amazing.

Before long SLIP KNOT was playing. ALL those "gaps" I had so desperately tried to keep filled with "MY SPACE" were soon jammed with people.

and they kept filling in.

I had to catch the show through the heads.

Slip Knot rocked HARD, really really HARD!!! To HARD for me. They were pretty amazing, but I have to admit I struggled with keeping my mind on the concert and found myself spending more time just crowd watching. These 'kids" were certainly enjoying themselves. After awhile, I gave my hubby the lets move look, we backed up the chairs and ourselves and moved up the hill. This gave me more room and a better view of the tv screen.

I'm not really sure what we are looking at here.

Their music is really just to HEAD BANGING for me and my area was becoming increasingly more like a mosh pitt. We all decided to move up the hill for some air. I got a better view of the big screen.

A bathroom break, and a T-shirt purchase for my son's first concert and we were soon heading to the car. The walk to the the car was the only thing about the show and the venue that I was disappointed about. It was a LONG walk, (Even longer when your directing a slightly intoxicated friend and slinging two folding chairs and a cooler.)
We finally made it to the car and grateful that we left a little early as I am sure getting out of here will be a NIGHTMARE! We missed the crowds leaving, so that made out exit a flash. WOW!!! What a night is all I can say. Fun was well had. Now on to our next adventure, TTFN