Taste of MN

[croixflats]

Correct me if I'm wrong but its been a long time but didn't they charge for music back in the late 80's for music when they moved the music to Harriet Island. I remember seeing Stevie Ray Vaughn one year and Van Morrison another.

Come to think of it maybe that was Harriet days or something like that.

Arg I cant remember.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

Eh, Im still planning on going friday to see the maint acts Atmopshere and POS. I have never actually been into the Taste. I heard about last years $10 to get in but you got food tickets, too. I was hoping they were doing the same thing this year.

I would never pay that kind of money to walk around and pay an even more obsurd amount on food but with the bands that night Ill give it a shot.

[zamboni]

IDK, $20 for advance tickets to see 3 bands, 2 of which are "headlining" type acts, I'm not gonna complain!!

I bought 311 tickets when I lived in KC, and let them go to waste. It was absolutely pouring and it was an outdoor show, I am too old to stand around in the rain.

[Bigbartguy]

I agree, if theyre bands that you'd like to see - I'd go for it. The prices will keep the dirtbags out that ruined it a few years ago

[zamboni]

The crowd during the Offsprings set was relatively tame. Then 311 came on stage. WOW, what a difference. I figured the OffSprin would have the crazier crowd, I was wrong. My buddy and I got right upfront and the crowd surfing during 311 was non-stop. We had people getting literally thrown on top of our heads the entire time. It was a good concert, don't get me wrong, but I am too old anymore for that non-sense. Got a contact buzz from others "recreation" as well.

[Farley]

Got a contact buzz from others "recreation" as well.

From what I remember when they first came out they (311) were pretty well known for those kind of shenanigans.

I was listening to 93x and they had the guitar player from Offspring on. I didnt know they formed that band way back in 86'. Maybee the fans are getting to old to mosh nowadays and thats why the crowd was so tame. Even when Flogging Molly or Dropkick Murphys play at Harriet the crowd is fairly tame. Must be the venue.

Did you see Pepper?

[TurnUpTheFishing]

Atmosphere and POS were super good on Friday. The turnout was HUGE. I got up about 10 rows from the stage and I looked back at one point and people went as far as I could see from the stage back into the Tent area. It would have been well worth the 20 or 30 bucks but luckily a buddy got us in for free.

[zamboni]

No, we missed Pepper. We got there about 15 minutes after they were supposed to start, and only seen about a half song of theirs. They had to have gone on a little early. There was moshing during the Offspring, it was just 20 times worse during 311 and that crowd surfing like I mentioned was outrageous. They would pass the person doing it to the front where we were then pass them to the security guards standing there. Seen a kid get dropped onto the guard rail, that had to hurt a little.

[zamboni]

Hey, did Dropkick Murphys play "Shipping Off to Boston"?

Love The Departed, when that song comes on

[Farley]

Yep. Both times I've seen them they have.

If you really like a band it's cool to be in the front row, but now I just hang back by the sound board and listen instead of trying to see. Was at an Everlast show last winter at the Fine Line and there was probably less than 50 people there, you could walk up to the bar and get a drink then walk back to the stage and stand right in front of him. That was a great show.

[zamboni]

Heres some pics I took with my phone:

The Offspring:

311:

And my buddy caught this, and give it to me:

[DTro]

Looks like a wise financial decision.

Some Taste of Minnesota vendors are asked to hold checks

The delay doesn't mean the festival is broke, manager says.

Organizers of the Taste of Minnesota asked some food vendors to delay cashing their checks from food sales because there wasn't enough money to cover them when the festival ended.

'WILL ALL BE PAID': Some vendors got their money, others are waiting and some have deposited their checks but are on edge that they'll clear.

"The food vendors will all be paid," said Andy Faris, managing partner of the management team that took over the 27-year-old festival two years ago. "We are working through it diligently. We had money in escrow that we drew on, and we were waiting for proceeds on a weather insurance policy that had yet to come in."

The way it works is that patrons pay for food tickets and give them to the vendors, who redeem them after the event. Vendors said they usually get paid the day they turn the tickets in. That didn't happen for everyone this year.

Faris said the delay in some payments isn't an indication of a financial collapse. "We're planning on having a festival next year," he said.

LOSSES THIS YEAR: The event, held yearly in St. Paul on the July 4th weekend, lost money this year, despite an updated lineup of diverse musical acts and food vendors.

ATTENDANCE SLIPS: Total attendance during the four-day run on Harriet Island fell 20 percent compared with previous years, from the typical 80,000 patrons to about 64,000. The drop followed a sharp rise in the admission price -- from free two summers ago to $20-$30 this year.

Sweltering heat on Saturday and rain on Monday also appeared to keep some people away. Attendance was only about 12,000 on each of those days.

CHRIS HAVENS

[zamboni]

I know if I go next year, I will remember that vets get in for free.

[CJH]

Got a contact buzz from others "recreation" as well.

Go see one of their concerts (311) at an inside venue like First Ave, and it is "foggy" in there!!!