I was at the side along the fence, and started counting how many people were being brought out from crowd surfing. I counted 17, and many were repeat offenders. This came as no surprise to me.I was front row Sean for Atlantic city so being were I was for this show was fine with me.Still a good view and lots of breathing room. Great show, maybe a bit dull compared to AC, but Russell Crowe was a nice touch.

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Lyndz

I didn't go to Shamrockfest. I have mixed feelings about having missed it however, between the blurb in the Washington Post about the 'celebrity' addition to the GBS set and going to The Olde Brogue in Great Falls for Patty's day and hearing not one but TWO GBS songs, I don't feel cheated. Still kinda wish they'd reconsider the Wolf Trap date and atleast give me another 2 days to get back from the beach. A whole year with no GBS show. Cherry is sad.

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Phenominal Cosmic Powers!
Itty bitty living space!

lawyerchick92:

Willow - We ran into Terry wandering around early in the day and he told us the Tossers missed their plane.  He also said there was a possibility CL may go on early and play more songs so we kept hanging around the stage hoping to get some confirmation.  Someone finally told us that The  Danny Mcllaughlin Band was moving over from the Tenon Tours Stage to the Bud Lite Stage and taking over the Tossers slot.

 Yeah, Terry is the one who told me they missed their flight too, which is why I asked. I was confused that someone said Tossers/CL/GBS was a great line up, when I didn't think the Tossers had played.

 

Paulawalla:

** quick note, the Tossers didn't play, another band had to fill in because they couldn't make it in time. it was the "Dave -something' band i think... this is all interesting discussion. i think the main problem is that hiball entertainment (the company that organizes shamrockfest) advertises this as a 'kid-friendly' event. the website advertises a carnival area for kids, and maintains that the event is family friendly. YEAH RIGHT.

1) Wow. They really said this was kid-friendly? I had no idea, and that's a really bad marketing decision on their part.

 

Paulawalla:

i am definitely a carbon leaf "newbie", but honestly find it interesting that folks were more obnoxious during their set than GBS's, since GBS was not only the headliner, but actually played drinking songs. the truth is that the REALLY obnoxious people had no idea who was playing, and just bought tickets to drink. there were folks behind us screaming, "come on stage great big sea! whoever you are!"

(Cut out the middle of your post so this doesn't get too long)

 

 
2) Carbon Leaf are/were pretty big in the DC area. DC101 (the station that sponsored the show) supported them a lot in the early aughts, when Echo Echo came out, and The Boxer was a really big local hit. Odds are good that a lot more people who just came to drink had heard of CL than GBS.

DC101 is the big "rock" station in the area, so the crowd they bring in is more rambunctious, and most of the other bands on the bill were more hardcore than any of the headliners... that probably explains a lot of the crowd surfing - or maybe the DC crowd is just different, because those nuts are what I'm used to at any festival show.
 

Hubby and I went to go see a DC101 sponsored (or atleast promoted) concert (Collective Soul, Live and Counting Crows) and that crowd was just as rowdy. Lucky us got a seat (not in the GA area but it was basically a sit where you want at the baseball stadium) and didn't have to really deal with the obnoxious ones. Most of those people were there just to party and get completely trashed. If you listen to DC101 (especially Elliot In The Morning), I'm not surprised at the caliber of the crowd.  Maybe I'm just getting too old (and I'm only 27).

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Phenominal Cosmic Powers!
Itty bitty living space!

Cherry, I am 26 and I felt WAY too old for that crowd. Honestly, I felt too old for the typical college frat party atmosphere when I WAS in college. It's just not what I'm into. I enjoy having a tipple, a dance and a laugh as much as the next person, but not to the point where I'm killing everyone else's good time, as these people were.

Definitely no Shamrockfest next year, GBS or no GBS.

 

I just want to thank all here that steered me away from this venue with my kids, ages 6 and 9.  We let our 4 already purchased tickets go to waste after people gave me the recap from last year.

And just so you know, although it is advertised as a "family event", I contacted the organizer and she pretty much told me - kid friendly early in the day, definitely not kid friendly in the evening.

At least the tix were cheap!

 I will be pre-ordering the Wolf Trap tix tomorrow (at least I hope so) and can't wait to take the kids to that show! 

I always find that GA shows are a bit of a crap shoot - you never know what you are going to get.  For the most part, if it is a GBS only GA show (like Friday night at the HOB), not too much of an issue - GBS fans are considerate and respectful of each other's space and that makes for a great time.   Need a bathroom break or a beverage run?  No worries, we'll hold your spot.  It's all good.  All bets are off when you throw in unknown variables.

I have been to Irish Fests before - Milwaukee's several times, and that one has the same entrance fee ($15 but only $5 if you're in before 4:30 pm) and beer sales policies (PLENTY available) and have never had any issues - people go for the MUSIC.  Shamrockfest was a frat party, with the music being an afterthought for many of the attendees.  This can be validated by the mass exodus that happened when the beer sales ended at around 8:00 pm or so.  Nova had a couple of friends that were coming to the fest SPECIFICALLY for GBS, and when arriving at around 7:45 pm, they felt like salmon swimming up stream due to the number of people that were leaving.  Additionally, the people at the front gathering tickets asked them if they really wanted to still go in as beer sales were cut off.  Wait, this is a music fest, right?!

At the end of the day, GBS was FABULOUS (as always) and having Russell Crowe join them on stage was the icing on an already yummy cake!  It was kind of scary getting to that point with the crowd surfing (I was right up front and there were MINIMALLY 20 people that were pulled out over my head, with one falling on it) and people pushing trying to get up front.  But I'm with Chiarascura...  I'll sit Shamrockfest out next time, GBS or no GBS.

Kim

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live simply - love generously - care deeply - speak kindly - leave the rest to God

Okay...just watched the clips of the Russell Crowe songs that are posted on the front page.  What in the world is all over Séan's guitar?  Is it writing?  Or duct tape? 

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--Tina

Come on, now. Let's lock the world outside! Hang your jacket from the door...grab a chair and raise a jar!

raiseajar:

Okay...just watched the clips of the Russell Crowe songs that are posted on the front page.  What in the world is all over Séan's guitar?  Is it writing?  Or duct tape? 

This Machine Kills Pints in blue duct date

ChiTownKim:

 GBS fans are considerate and respectful of each other's space and that makes for a great time.   Need a bathroom break or a beverage run?  No worries, we'll hold your spot.  It's all good.  All bets are off when you throw in unknown variables.

 I noticed that on the cruise when I was attending the two Lido GBS shows. I was there, and if I needed to run to the bathroom or grab food, someone was willing to stretch out and hold my space.  I even had people at the Sail Away show pulling me in front of them because I was shorter than them.  Definately a great group of people. And the people I was hanging out with during CL and GBS at Shamrockfest, too. Everyone took care of each other and we did our best to stick together and make sure we weren't getting shoved or losing spots. 
 

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Becca ~ The Girl with the Kitty Ears
S&DIII: 1283
http://www.flutterbydesign.org ~ http://annaonthemoon.livejournal.com

Still editing pics, but thought I'd post this one...

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live simply - love generously - care deeply - speak kindly - leave the rest to God

What in the world is on his guitar? Someone had fun with tape!

Anne

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And when the winds of change begin to blow,
I'll whisper, "You're my lighthouse" in case you didn't know.

Sons of Maxwell

visit my website!:
Anne's Philly Phan Site at http://www.gbsfanatic.com

AnneInPhilly:

What in the world is on his guitar? Someone had fun with tape!

Anne

 

"This Machine Kills Pints"

 

It's a reference to Woody Guthrie, who usually put "This Machine Kills Fascists" on his guitar. 

Thanks! For being a folkie, I am pretty ignorant about some fok stuff. I didn't know that about Woody Guthrie.

Is it Séan's guitar? Or did he borrow someone else's? I have never seen him put anything on his guitar before. Alan has his little guitar man scribble on his and Séan has the Here Fishy Fishy sticker on his bodhran. I wonder whose mischief that was! Maybe Britt got into the drink a little early.

Anne

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And when the winds of change begin to blow,
I'll whisper, "You're my lighthouse" in case you didn't know.

Sons of Maxwell

visit my website!:
Anne's Philly Phan Site at http://www.gbsfanatic.com

Stop.

Rewind.

Freeze.

did someone say that GBS was at the OLDE BROGUE?!?! that bar is practically in my backyard!!!!!!!!!!!!! i was out of town for pat's day (college visits), and now i am absolutely shocked. GBS was THAT CLOSE TO MY HOUSE?!?

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it's not so bad.

**before you get mad at someone, walk a mile in their shoes. Because then you will be a mile away, and you will have their shoes**