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| - Ok. I am averaging this to 4 stars as Friday was a 3 star and Saturday was 5 stars! Here's why:
Firstly, this was the first year that Rock in Rio operated in the USA. It needs a lot of work, which I am sure will be apparent in many reviews. I will also start by mentioning that if you are only going for one or two shows, general admission is ok. If you are going for several shows or for the day, then VIP is the way to go.
Friday: We had general admission and went in about 4:30 pm. Where were all the activities? The Ferris wheel was not working, the shows during the day were lame. No Doubt came on at 11:40 pm and was the only good show/big name. The problem was that by that time, it was freezing!!! There were no heating lamps anywhere so we left 40 minutes into the show as too cold. Also, as it is on a flat plane, we could barely see anything in front of us. The Rock in Rio Brazil, UK, and USA towns have very little to offer. There is food, which was actually really good, and only one shop here and there, yet nothing exciting. There was plenty of grass to sit on and only a few tables here and there. We ended up leaving and coming back, and learned you can only leave the venue once during the day. If you leave a second time that day, you cannot get in anymore for that day, no exception. We stayed at the SLS so it was a long walk (15-20 minutes each way). The entrance is a loop around the Circus Circus area and the loop is really long. The closest hotels are the Hilton and Circus Circus (Skyrise tower and Manor Lodge). Overall, Friday was a flop yet it was the first time for this event in America, so I am taking it easy on the criticism! Expect to walk at least 5-10 minutes, if not more. Also, when you get there, look for stations saying 21 and do not forget to bring your ID card. Without the 21 wristband, which you get inside the venue, they cannot serve you anything! So we left Friday with disappointment. At the hotel, I got VIP tickets for the next day as I greatly disliked Friday's experience and wanted to see if VIP makes a difference....
Saturday: WOW!!!!!!! VIP is the only way to go! Plush white couches/beanies everywhere! For those who got or get hungry, Wolfgang Puck food (high end restaurant grade) was served all day long that is absolutely delicious with so much variety from appetizers and finger foods to entrees and desserts. ALL you can drink is not an exaggeration and it is excellent quality! From Belvedere Vodka to Bacardi Rum to so many others, the choices were endless! It is air conditioned. It is spacious! It is beautiful! It is relaxing!!! The outside 'patio', which is huge, is brilliantly done. It has steps so you can see over the person in front of you. We were right in front! The line up on Saturday was wayyyyyyyy better than Friday, despite many unknowns. The highlights: Linkin Park at 9:30pm (until 10:45pm) followed by Metallica who came on at 11:40pm (until 2:10AM). These two bands made Rock in Rio a worthwhile and amazing weekend!!! We got there at 4:40 pm and did not have to go back to our hotel which was also nice. We still got out to the general floor as the Ferris wheel was working and had loads of fun. VIP was great to get back to to chill out.
We met a couple from Brazil: they said Brazil has 100,000 people that attend each year!!!! There are at least 6 or more big names per day there. So, we have room to improve, but there is promise. Advertisement has to be better and clarity on what you can expect needs to be better. Next time, I prefer to pick one day and go VIP. If there are more days with MANY big performers, I would likely dish out the money and go VIP each time. Yes, it was that good! I love music, so I hope to see this get big!
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