This review is for the Skyline Stage portion of the Mann Center only.
I just went for the first time a couple nights back and would definitely go back if the right act were in town.
Despite what I've read from others, parking was easy. Sure, it was overpriced ($15), just like everything else these days, but there was no confusion and we were guided right to our spot in a grassy area. No muss, no fuss.
The venue website didn't mention anything about allowing tailgating, so I assumed they cracked down pretty heavily on it. I was wrong. When we got out of the car, everybody was throwing back drinks and setting up chairs...all in all, just chilling out before the show. Nobody was getting hassled. So, if you're going to go and you're on the fence about tailgating, have no fear. You should be golden.
It was a short walk to the main gate...easy entry with the ticket scan, and ushers were everywhere. We headed up the steps to get to the Skyline Stage area at the top of the hill. At the top, there was a merchandise booth to our immediate left and some kind of tented restaurant to our right. A short walk to our left was some tents and some restrooms. Almost directly in front of us was a small set-up for ID checks and a small bar, and to our right stood the stage and the sound booth.
After checking out the merch, we did the ID thing, which was quick and easy, no hassle at all. The drinks -- to nobody's surprise -- were overpriced, and I winced at the $12 price tag on my 24-ounce Victory Hop Devil. Again, I stress the importance of tailgating beforehand.
We headed over to the stage to check out our first opener of the evening. The stage is huge, and the sound system was as good as you'd expect, considering it was an outdoor show.
There's a slightly-raised metal grate (no more than about a foot wide) that runs from the stage to the sound booth. It stretches about 150 feet or so.
The view at the top of the hill is nice, and you can catch a breathtaking glimpse of some of Philadelphia's majestic buildings. That was a nice touch.
The area in front of the stage is huge...all grass, and extends back to practically the top fo the steps, about 75 yards if I had to guess.
Lots of people set up blankets in front of the stage, which was a nice idea until all the slamdancers put an end to that. But, while it lasted, it was nice.
I had hoped that maybe there'd be some kind of sloping to the terrain at the top of the hill so maybe you could look down onto the band, but it's pretty flat throughout. Fortunately, since the area extends so far back, shorter people (or even kids) could probably get a good view of the show, even if you're a bit removed from the action.
Between the first and second opening acts, my brother and I went looking for bathrooms and were about to descend the stairs when an usher offered assistance, saying "I might be able to save you some walking" and, sure enough, he pointed us to some closer bathrooms. Bonus points for helpfulness.
The men's room was pretty clean, even though most of the paper dispensers were jammed up.
The rest of the show went off without a hitch. It was a nice night, the band was good and I was happy with the venue setup.
Afterwards, we got back to our car and only had to endure about five minutes of bumper-to-bumper traffic before we were moving at a nice clip. We stayed on Rt. 23, so we were lucky in that regard, but the line to get back on the Schuylkill was a mess. So, if that's what you're taking, you'll be waiting a while.
All in all, it was a nice venue and a good experience. Parking and alcohol prices were high, so I'll do my usual and deduct a star for it. But I'd easily consider going back. read more