A concert at Pick-Staiger actually turned out better than I expected…read more
First, specifics about the hall itself.
- Excellent acoustics. I was in the balcony, about half way up, and I could hear the rustle of paper as the conductor turned a page. Wow! I should add that the hall was only about half full, but since there were a lot of college students there, their noise level quotient is higher than the average baby boomer's.
- The house lights go down for the concert, but it's not pitch black. The hall just becomes dim. I could see the musicians on stage perfectly, no problem, and yet, I didn't feel like a cast member in "Scream 4Ever", expecting some scary creep to pop out of the darkness.
- Excellent sightlines.
- Would you believe, I had leg room? Yes, it's true. And I'm a tall woman. I actually had leg room. My knees were not jammed against my chest. Wow. That never happens. And during intermission, I did not have to stand on my seat, to allow other patrons to pass by.
- The seat itself was okay, nothing special, but it was comfortable enough. It shows that the hall is a little older. So is my ass (older, I mean, not comfortable), so a little more padding on the chair would have been good.
- The seat numbers were marked clearly enough that I found my seat, quickly and easily, and did not need to pull out magnifying glasses to read the numbers. Good thing, because there were no ushers around. Hire some students! They need all the help they can get to repay their student loans.
For the venue:
- Ample ladies' room, and clean.
- Easy to turn in my groupon for my ticket. Tickets lines were well-marked and organized.
- If there were water fountains, I didn't see them. They must be some, right? If not, that's a ding against the venue.
- No refreshments being sold, anywhere. (See above about water fountains.) I would have paid for a drink of something; didn't have to be alcoholic. Maybe this is some sort of weird Evanston or university ordinance. Refreshments, please.
- Temperature was comfortable. I had an overcoat and was wearing a sweater (layering is so Chicago, I know), but I was perfectly comfortable in my turtleneck.
- There was some kind of free student performance in the lobby before the show. Very nice! Wish there had been some information about who they were, though. I'm assuming students. Give these people a little advertising, please.
- This was a Sunday evening concert, so there was plenty of parking close by.No problem with Northwestern University parking stickers, assigned spots, etc. I got in and out quickly and easily. This might have been tougher if the crowd had been bigger, but, like I said earlier, the hall was only half full.
Bottom line: recommended. Good venue for music. I would definitely be happy to hear any musical act here. Or play, for that matter, given the solid acoustics.