Posts filed under 'MetroCentre'
August 10th, 2009
You could see Zakk Wylde’s spit spewing a few feet in the air at least half a dozen times without having to worry about it spraying you.
You didn’t have to walk more than a few feet to get a beer, either from a little refrigerator or in the lobby outside the door.
You were far, far from the madding crowd on the floor.
WAYNE STATIC OF STATIC X performs Saturday at the MetroCentre. Katy Mull/Register Star photo)
That was the upside of viewing metal bands Saturday night from a suite in the newly remodeled MetroCentre.
The downside. It was hard to see the sword being swallowed during the Hellzapoppin sideshow on the stage. And because we were far from the madding crowd on the floor, with only maybe three-fourths as many as the 4,000 people that attended the Slipknot concert at the MetroCentre in 2005 (the last big metal show I saw there) we felt a little disconnected from the concert with all the open space.
We did go down on the floor to see headliner Mudvayne. For some reason, the sound of the band’s loud growls in “Dig” sounded so much better than I imagined they would have from near the rafters.
March 10th, 2009
Cirque du Soleil’s “Saltimbanco” sold more than 15,000 tickets for its nine-show run at the MetroCentre Feb. 24 to March 1. MetroCentre officials were pleased with the show overall, a spokesman said.
(Register Star photo)
July 18th, 2008
Does your Aunt Nellie of Roscoe burp to the tune of “Mary Had a Little Lamb”?
Do you have a sock monkey that’s dressed like Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick?
Does your basement in Rockford look like a Japanese tea garden?
We’re looking for your brief stories/pictures/videos of strange things in the Rockford area for a Register Star contest: “What (and Who) Is Weirder than Weird Al in the Rock River Valley?”
Three winners will each get two tickets (value of $35.50 a ticket) to see Weird Al Yankovic, known for performing humorous parodies of popular songs. Yankovic will be at the Rockford MetroCentre Aug. 10.
One of the three winners also will get two passes to meet Yankovic at the show. Tickets are courtesy of NiteLite Promotions.
Here’s how to enter:
Write in this blog in the “add comment” space in 100 words or less about your weirder-than-Al person, place or thing in the Rock River Valley. You can identify yourself by name in your blog post, but you don’t have to. We will need to publish your name if you’re chosen a winner. (I get your e-mail address when you post, but it’s not part of the post that readers see.)
You may e-mail a photo that shows something weirder-than-Al to gbraun@rrstar.com. Tell in less than 100 words why the photo represents something weirder-than-Al. Photos need to be in jpg format.
Or you can e-mail me a video in mov format that’s less than a minute. You also could drop off a video on a disc at the Register Star, 99 E. State St. Put my name on it.
Submit your story/photo/video as soon as possible but before noon Monday, July 28.
I will choose the three submissions I like best and will post them here, where readers will vote for their favorite. The top vote-getter and guest get to meet Yankovic. Along with blog posts, stories about the three winners will run in GO July 31. And readers will learn a bit more about the winners (including the grand-prize winner) in GO Aug. 7.
For more information, go to metrocentre.com or weirdal.com.
THIS PHOTO WAS SUBMITTED BY ‘AVID LEBON’ a.k.a. Rachel Manis, of her making a smiley face with her tongue. See the post in the comments section about her submission.
April 29th, 2008
I’ve been to more than a few concerts at the MetroCentre lately, but I’ve had trouble seeing when descending stairs there.
No, I wasn’t drinking. Can’t drink on the job, ya know.
But I saw more than a few people from ages 12 to 55 walk gingerly down the steps at the Three Days Grace show and other shows as well. The lights on the steps are too dim to see when you’re walking down them and the light is barely visible when you’re walking up them.
I mentioned this to a MetroCentre staffer who said he’d send my comment to the bosses, but I haven’t pushed for an answer on whether they’re doing anything about it as part of the renovations.
Just wondering if you’ve had trouble seeing on the stairs.
April 29th, 2008
Got a birds-eye view of Dierks Bentley a few weeks ago at the MetroCentre from the Press Box Group Suite. (Check out our coverage.)
Because the suite wasn’t sold to a corporate somebody two weeks before, the box was opened to anybody who hadn’t already bought a ticket for the show. Cost: $49, compared with $35.50 for a regular seat. It was mostly well worth it.
You got a free beer or soda, good-tasting chicken wings and popcorn, a private bathroom, an unobstructed view from the top of the arena, leather high-top chairs to sit in and a table area in front of you to put your drinks on and to lean on during the show. The suite can accommodate 50.
What you couldn’t see from there, though, was that opener Bucky Covington was wearing a necklace. And it’s just not quite right if you’re a big fan of the star performing to not be in the heat of the excitement on the floor.
Still, for an elbows-free experience, it’s good. It’s not available for individuals for every concert, though. Just when the staff open it up like two weeks before a show if they haven’t sold it to a group.
Sign up for the MetroCentre’s Scoop e-mail news, and you’ll get to know right away when the suite is open for individuals.
