Dude, I've had season tickets for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Center for the last 12 years. I've lived within walking distance of the (outdoor) summer home of the CSO, Ravinia Festival, for the last 15 years, and I regularly attend symphony and pop shows there.Originally Posted by Dragoro
I worked the door at a punk rock bar in Hamtramck every weekend for a year in 1982.
I know the difference between bad sound and good sound.
DTE has good sound relative to outdoor venues and compared to arenas like the Palace and the Joe and Cobo (and the United Center and Allstate Arena).
Compared to the huge outdoor venue here in Tinley Park in the Chicago area (formerly known as The World, Tweeter Center, and now First Midwest Bank Ampitheater), Pine Knob / DTE is fucking Carnegie Hall because this place is a huge cavernous cement hell hole, like seeing a concert in the parking lot of Oakland Mall.
It also depends on the TYPE of show you're seeing at DTE. When I saw the Stooges reunion at DTE (first show was canceled due to the east coast blackout), no, that wasn't "good sound" but it was the fucking Stooges, who the fuck cares?
Sting brought his own PA equipment to DTE and that was very good sound (relative to an outdoor venue with zero acoustics). When I saw Neil Young at DTE doing a bunch of acoustic stuff, Neil brought his own PA and it was great sound even on the lawn. Sure, Meadow Brook is a technically better outdoor venue but THIS IS NIN, HERE. We're comparing it to other venues appropriate for NIN. Obviously, that ain't gonna be fucking St. Andrews. Or Meadow Brook. Or Symphony Center in Chicago (acoustically perfect). You want shit outdoor sound? Come to Chicago and see NIN at Lollapalooza, where the sound is bouncing off of skyscrapers.
