rev:text
| - SORRY, but it's time for the LOVEFEST to end.
Of course this place is beautiful. They spent zillions to make it so. That's not the point. You don't go to a venue to look at the walls. You go for the show.
We saw Lewis Black at the Orpheum last night, and all I can do is give honest impressions.
When we first walked in, the entire place smelled like a fart. You get used to it, but it doesn't go away.
Although the bathroom facility was clean and somewhat spacious, there is ONE MEN'S ROOM & ONE LADIES ROOM, woefully inadequate for the size of the crowd. In fact, unless you have fortunate seating or sprint to the bathroom at the intermission, the line forms so quickly, you risk not making it back to your seat for the main event. We saw several people being ushered to their seats after Lewis Black hit the stage.
$7 for a 12oz can (Yes, CAN poured into a plastic cup), of Budweiser is just ridiculous. I understand you pay a premium price for refreshments at entertainment venues, but even the D-Backs, Cardinals, and trendy Scottsdale Night Clubs don't charge that much.
We sat in the 14th row of the orchestra section, what would be considered pretty good seats by most people's standards. We probably missed out on 1/3 of what was said due to horrible acoustics. If you know Lewis Black, you know that being able to hear him should never be a problem. Suffice to say, I have perfect hearing, and it wasn't just us. Throughout the show I could hear people asking their companions, "what did he say?" Only to be answered with a shoulder shrug. I don't know if they sound check an empty theatre, or at all for a comedian, and I'd bet things are different for amplified music, but it sure was frustrating struggling to hear one of my favorite comedians.
I'm glad the Orpheum is back and enjoying it's run, and things like the restroom situation can obviously never be changed (Gammage is waaaay worse, by the way), but if the sound thing isn't at least tweeked a little, they will only ever be an "ALSO RAN" venue in the Valley.
|