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Review content:
The Backyard needs to get its act together ... and until it does so, I don't recommend attending shows there. I attended Willie Nelson's 2010 4th of July picnic there and it was ONE OF THE WORST -- if not the WORST -- organized concert events I've ever experienced. I don't think that this facility is designed well for the large crowds it intends to serve or they just don't care whether their customers have a good experience, or maybe both.
Parking -- one of the big problems with The Backyard at its former location nearby -- is still an issue. We arrived only a few hours after the gates opened for this all day/night event and the lots were already full so we had to park across the highway and then take a big bus to the venue. Except the bus dropped us off far from the entrance to the amphitheater so we had to trudge uphill for about half a mile in the blazing heat, lugging all the supplies we brought for the day (padding, blanket, four bottles of water, etc.) to get to the actual entrance.
The lines for food were perpetually very long and the vendors ran out of food well before the event was over. We even waited on line for an hour at one point and were only a few people away from placing an order when that booth ran out, leaving dozens of us hungry and angry.
And what's with the unfinished bathrooms with shower curtains instead of real doors and no soap by the sinks? Did The Backyard run out of money and decide not to finish out the facilities? Or again, do the owners just not care about the customer experience?
Plus generally moving around the grounds was unpleasant -- very crowded, body to body, suggesting that the place is poorly laid out for a large/capacity crowd.
As far as the concert itself, although there were a number of great performers and bands -- among them, Asleep at the Wheel, Jamey Johnson, Randy Rogers and the legendary Ray Price, there were a bunch of weak acts including Willie Nelson's offspring. Granted, it's Willie's event and we love Willie but I wasn't expecting a showcase for his kids who aren't nearly as talented as he is. Furthermore, the sequence of the bands was terrible. Instead of building from lesser known bands to the top artists, the lineup was mostly random and no schedule was available so one couldn't possibly know when to catch his or her favorite acts. Worst of all, by midnight, Willie still had not come on stage to perform and I, like many others, just couldn't wait any longer ... so lots of us left disgruntled and feeling let down and even a bit ripped off. There was quite a bit of grumbling on the bus ride back across the highway to the parking garage.
I plan to avoid The Backyard -- allegedly new and improved but it's not -- unless all these issues are resolved.
Pros: Potentially a great outdoor venue if they address prolems
Cons: Parking, inadequate food service, unfinished bathrooms
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