How's the non-pit g.a. section?

[jacksondog]

So I've been diligently following all of you posts about how the pit system works and I must say it's a little overwhlming. I've been to about thirty shows during my career as a fan and have always had a seat. This time I decided to throw caution to the wind and opted for general admission. Trouble is, there are now about four or five of us planning to go to see him (at the Sports Arena) all with g.a. tickets so I'm thinking this pit business is never going to work out for all of us and quite frankly, sounds like a total pain in the ass. So the question now becomes, if we just show up at 7:30, where are we going to find ourselves standing on the floor? Also, how tight is the crowd on the rest of the floor? Is their breathing room or is everyone just pressed against one another like sardines? If memory serves me correctly from the Rising L.A. show and the Sacramento show, there was a lot of open space up until about fifteen minutes before the lights went out. Can one of you g.a. experts shed a little light on this situation for me?

[eagle8487]

I haven't been on the floor yet this tour but from what I could see in Hartford, the floor nearest the pit was packed. Down by the sound board was quite open. If you plan is to have a good time with your friends, I'd have an extra beer or two at the preshow and stroll in at 8:10.

[Faithful Man]

We had seats for the first Philly night and GA for the Saturday night show. We stayed back to the right side of the soundboard and had a great time. The sight line to the stage is fine and there is plenty of room to dance around and have a good time.

We decided to hang back to make sure that I could handle things since I was coming back from some recent health issues. Fortunately, I have returned to Bruce touring shape and had a great time both nights!

From our view Friday night, it looked like the front of the pit was packed and there was some room (but limited sight lines) in the back of the pit. The risk/reward thing is that there is nothing like the front of the pit. The front of the back section of GA was also packed, but, as I said, once you went back to the soundboard area, it opened up and there was room.

Either way you decide, enjoy the music and just being there!! I've been doing this for years and it never gets old!!

[myhometown]

From the second level Friday night, you could see the front of the floor by the pit looked like a mass of unconfortable humanity. Saturday night, I was tight behind GA in Sec 107. The back of GA had plenty of room to move around/dance. If I was GA and not in the Pit, this is without a doubt where I would be.

[bobfrombob]

It's just as you would expect. The closer you get to the stage, the tighter it is. Back by the soundboard you could play badminton if you wanted. We were approximately centre ice in Philly II and everybody was about an arm's length away. Lots of room. The first 10 or 15 rows back from the barrier will be tight and after that, not bad at all.

[man at the top]

I did GA both nights in Philly.
Night 1 I was on the rail. it was tight, no room to dance, and you had to "stand your ground" to keep your spot.The good part was being pretty close.

Night 2 I was standing about 10 feet from bobfrombob.We had plenthy of room.The sound was great, the view was great.You could move around, walk aroiund and dance"or play air gutiar" if ya wanted to.

My take on the GA, if you dont draw a good number, take your time going in, go back to the bar and have a drink, come in at your on pace.The back of the big GA is fine.

If you have never done the pit or the rail, go for the rail, so you can do it at least once.

just my thoughts, good luck, have fun.

[EStreetJukes]

Depends on the venue.

In Philly and NJ the floor closest to the rail behind the pit was packed pretty tightly.

In Philly, the more you moved back, the more open the floor got, from the soundboard back you could have set up a basketball court.

In NJ, the floor was packed all the way to the back. I stood in front of the soundboard on night 1 in NJ and it was crowded there. Night 2 in NJ I had a seat up by the stage and I could look back and see the floor was packed all the way to the back, beyond the soundboard.

If you don't get in the pit and want a straight-on center view of the stage with great sound. Just lean against the railing in front of the soundboard.. don't worry about trying to get 10-20 feet closer by trying to get up on the rail in the back of the pit, its too much of a crush up there.

[jacksondog]

I'm going to both shows so I suppose night two I'll take my chances with the wrist-band Gods and let the chips fall where they may. And just so I'm cmpletely clear, if there are two of us drawing wrist bands and one of us draws number 100 and the other draws 500 and the number that is pulled is 50, is the person with the #500 wrist-band sol?

[Wenwen]

If you look at the MSG seating chart, there appears to be only one GA area, in other words, it's all the pit. Does anyone know how this will be handled?

[HeldUp]

Looks like I'll be doing GA at Oakland. If I don't draw a low pit lottery number (aka elbows on stage), I'm too short (5' 7") to see anything from the middle or back of the pit. Meet me at the soundboard...

Jacksondog, from what I've read, the drawing wristband numbers are given out in order. If you and your friend get a wristband at the same time, you'll be 100 and 101. The only SOL you could have is if the draw is 101...

[myhometown]

Looks like I'll be doing GA at Oakland. If I don't draw a low pit lottery number (aka elbows on stage), I'm too short (5' 7") to see anything from the middle or back of the pit. Meet me at the soundboard...

Jacksondog, from what I've read, the drawing wristband numbers are given out in order. If you and your friend get a wristband at the same time, you'll be 100 and 101. The only SOL you could have is if the draw is 101...

I saw other posts on here that said if you were polite & patient, you wouldn't be SOL if you were split up. The people running the line would work it out for you.

[Daddy-O]

Question:

If you're going with only one other person, would it make sense to get two #s that are farther apart? It would mean going up to get your number at different times, but that could be doable. So instead of getting #201 and 202, you might get #201 and later the other person comes back and gets #430. That way if the number drawn is #350, then the second person would get in and be able to bring the first person with them. You wouldn't both necessarily be SOL.

Just trying to figure odds, in hope of my first ever pit experience at an E Street Band show...

Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks,
D-O

[Wenwen]

My friend and I tried this in Philly, neither of us got in the pit but they were very strict and would not let us even stand in line together. I wouldn't advise it.

[BronxDarren]

BTW, if you're shor tlike Held Up and me, being in the very back of the GA kind of sucks cause it's hard to see. You think you can just move all the way to the very back but the soundboard, main video camera and other rigging will obstruct your view.

[Dude with a CC]

So then where should a short person (5'3) with a GA tickets try to stand? Obviously, elbows on stage is great but where after that? The wife is a short one and a 1st timer to boot. She's already complaining about not being able to see. Anyone have any suggestions?

[LesterX]

I'm only 5'2, and I've always found it's about sight lines. In Hartford, I stood behind two tall guys who were on the rail in the pit. (If you haven't seen the set up this time, there are barricades around the camera guys so not everyone in the front row of the pit has elbows on the stage.) More than one person joked that we couldn't have chosen taller people to stand behind. However, I was positioned so I could see directly between their shoulders and the view was great. Back of the pit is also a great spot for short people, since there's usually plenty of room so you don't have to stand directly behind someone significantly taller.

I almost never go to the center since the tight crush in front of Bruce makes it really hard for me to see even from a few rows back. I'd suggest going to one side or the other if you make the pit, rather than heading for the center, unless you have an incredible number.

I've been behind the pit rail also, and that's tougher for a short person. If you don't make the pit and can't get into the first couple of rows behind it, dancing at the sound board may be the best option, knowing that she's probably not going to see much no matter where she stands.

[HeldUp]

Ahh, remember the good ol' days when you could stand on your floor seat and still not see because the much taller people in front of you were doing the same thing? ;)

[Dirty Annie]

It's true what LesterX says even if you are taller it is all about the positioning. I was right of the soundboard in Philly both nights and yet there were tall men ahead of me. I had no problem in peering through the spaces to the left and right of their shoulders or repostioned myself as they swayed. I've been in the pit a few times, but quite frankly I enjoyed the freedom farther back to move more easily and make my way out the place without being slowed down by people oblivious to taking directions for alternate routes.
I laughed the other night when I was watching the marvel of theColosseum on the History channel. Legend tells it was so perfectly designed it could be cleared in 9 minutes. Of course the downside was you were seated according to your social status...and therefore I'd know the financially strapped among us, including myself would be with foreign travellers, and slaves.

[POSTAL]

Question:

If you're going with only one other person, would it make sense to get two #s that are farther apart?


Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks,
D-O


No,
that would be trying to scheme around the system and they won't let you both in.

If your numbers are reasonably close and one gets in and the other doesn't they may let the other person in.

[BronxDarren]

So then where should a short person (5'3) with a GA tickets try to stand? Obviously, elbows on stage is great but where after that? The wife is a short one and a 1st timer to boot. She's already complaining about not being able to see. Anyone have any suggestions?

Other than being in the Pit or on the rail or in the second row of regular GA, I really don't know how someone who is 5'3" is going to see the stage. So unless you get a great number or she and you are aggressive and can push your way to the second row, you might want to consider trading for seats.

If you want to have your cake it and eat it too, you can arrange a tentative trade with someone with seats who wants to sit in the GA no matter what (and maybe can't get out of work in time to try for a wristband). If you get a good number, stay in the pit and the trade is off. If it's bad, you meet them for the trade and you go sit in the seats and they are in GA.

[Beautiful Dorene]

I prefer GA over seats because I like the freedom to move around and I like the chance of getting into the pit. However, trying to get into the pit is a big pain in the a$$, but if you're willing to put in a little work - it is a blast being that close to the stage.

A few replys/comments to what other people are posting here:

1. If you're trying to get into the pit, do not have half your party get wristbands at one time and the others get them later. They won't split you up if your wristband numbers are somewhat close together. (meaning if the cut off is 100 and you have 100 and your partner has 101 - they will let you both in.) But if you have 100 and your partner has 450 - no chance. Someone I know tried this and Jerry Fox said no way - numbers are too far apart.

2. If you are not in the pit, the back of the GA floor fine. The closer you get to the stage (behind the pit), the more packed it is.

3. I am 5'2 and the back of the floor works fine for me. We stood behind the sound booth and it was great. I had a good sight line to the stage and I also watched the screens. If I don't get into the pit, I would rather hang out until 7:45 - then go into the venue. I would not want to be on the railing directly behind the pit - it's too packed.

[Daddy-O]

Thanks to all for the advice. It is much appreciated. I guess we'll get our #s at the same time and hope for the best. If we don't get in the pit, we'll just go eat & drink more before the show. Either way, we win!!
:biggrin:

[JerseyGirl2]

We were on line at about 6:00 and ended up about 8 deep in the non-pit. At that point it is definitely about sight-lines, as long as the guys in front of us didn't shift too much, the view was fantastic...