97X Backyard BBQ

Well, I meant to write a preview of this show weeks ago since I had been excited. After all, this had been only my second concert. The first was Nickelback, Saliva and Default back in 2001.

This year's Backyard BBQ was at Vinoy Park in St. Petersburg, FL and it was free. That's why I went. And I liked the line-up.

AWOLnation

Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Airborne Toxic Event

Hugo

Panic at the Disco

Sick Puppies

When I arrived around 2:30, I could hear AWOLnation and I enjoyed what I had heard. And then, I made the mistake of thinking I could get food and drinks and listen to the show. I do believe I waited around 30 minutes in the Turkey Leg line, only to find out, they were out of Legs. So, I went with Chicken on a Stick, and found out this stand offered no drinks whatsoever.

Then, I went to the Italian Icy line, waited around 15 minutes...Took the icy and went into the water line where it felt like a 40 minute wait. I'm glad I had the Icy or else I would have not been in a good mood. The entire time I was in those 3 lines, I heard Red Jumpsuit and Airborne play their sets. Despite standing in line, I enjoyed hearing "Face Down" and "Sometime Around Midnight".

By the time I got my water, I was pretty much done with the BBQ. I left before Panic at the Disco took the stage.

I wish the layout had been planned better. I do not understand why only 2 stands offered water, why the beer line moved faster than the water line, why there were relatively fewer vendors to cater to the crowd (The Turkey Leg stand only had so much grill to work with) and why some stands weren't labeled. I only found out there was a water line because I had to ask, there was no sign that read "Water and Drinks" that I could see.

I understand that it was a free show and some people told me that because it was free, I have no right to complain. But I'm not just complaining for myself, I'm complaining for everyone I was in line with. The layout ruined the show for me. Had there been more vendors, a real hotdog stand, or one of those vendors at the baseball games that walk around carrying hotdogs and pretzels, the lines would have been smaller and people would have been less agitated.

Regardless, I did enjoy the bands I had heard.

Lessons learned for next year:

1: I'm eating beforehand.

2: I'm bringing the biggest bottle of unopened water I can find

3: I'm wearing shorts

Would I go again next year? Most definitely!