April 16, 2016 Capital Theater show in Wheeling, WV

[williehagfan1]

John sill has it. He is terrific. But The Capital Theater is very poorly managed. The crowd consisted of at least 80% drunks, which spoiled the show for we decent fans. The band had to turn their amps up loud enough to be heard over the crowd which muffled the sound. John should know this coming from a long time fan. But, at least let it be known that I will never go back to a show at The Capital Theater in Wheeling, WV. I even talked to the Manager after the show, and he seems to be more concerned with losing the drunks as patrons than he does decent people. It's a shame. I have been attending concerts since 1972. This crowd was more unruly than the crowd at old Cleveland Stadium in 1978 for The Stones with 88,000 people. It's the managements fault. The problem is the booze. i go to concerts for the music, not to get drunk. But, I'm in the very small minority. It's a shame.

[MrSickboy50]

Hhhmmm, at the show I went to, there was a sign in the venue that said, "By the request of the artist, all drink sales will stop beginning at 8pm" or something like that. There weren't any drunks here. I was as a casino, too.

[tmihalik4]

Willie,

I agree with you 100% on all accounts.  My seats were in the pit 2nd row.  Before the Mellencamp performance began I saw a few men carrying in 4 beers at a time in a fast food style drink holder.  I immediately thought what venue sells my than 2 beers at a time?  Nowhere I know of.  The security was worthless.  A few fans jumping into the pit right in front of the security.  Very disappointing when fans pay extra for the VIP experience to be up there and then have no control over it.  Unlikely that I will go to this venue again - a nightmare of a town and venue.

[williehagfan1]

Hhhmmm, at the show I went to, there was a sign in the venue that said, "By the request of the artist, all drink sales will stop beginning at 8pm" or something like that. There weren't any drunks here. I was as a casino, too.

  Thank you very much for your reply to my post. What you said about the venue where you saw John just solidifies my opinion of the venue that I was at. It was a shame.

[williehagfan1]

Willie,

I agree with you 100% on all accounts.  My seats were in the pit 2nd row.  Before the Mellencamp performance began I saw a few men carrying in 4 beers at a time in a fast food style drink holder.  I immediately thought what venue sells my than 2 beers at a time?  Nowhere I know of.  The security was worthless.  A few fans jumping into the pit right in front of the security.  Very disappointing when fans pay extra for the VIP experience to be up there and then have no control over it.  Unlikely that I will go to this venue again - a nightmare of a town and venue.

Thank you very much! I'm sorry that you had to experience what you did, but it does tell  me that there are at least some other decent people still out there. What a shame. How about the time when John was talking to the audience and stopped. He told the people that he was just waiting for them to get done talking before he went on. Mellencamp was even upset.

[MrSickboy50]

Yeah Mellencamp has said many times that he does not want to perform in front of drunk people. Who really would want to be around drunks, anyways? They just get in the way of enjoying the performance. I saw John live last year and there might've been drunks there but I was in the front row so I couldn't tell. None of the drunks seem to be in the front, most are in the back and sides from what I can tell. They're probably to drunk to find the stage LOL

[MrSickboy50]

Willie,

I agree with you 100% on all accounts.  My seats were in the pit 2nd row.  Before the Mellencamp performance began I saw a few men carrying in 4 beers at a time in a fast food style drink holder.  I immediately thought what venue sells my than 2 beers at a time?  Nowhere I know of.  The security was worthless.  A few fans jumping into the pit right in front of the security.  Very disappointing when fans pay extra for the VIP experience to be up there and then have no control over it.  Unlikely that I will go to this venue again - a nightmare of a town and venue.

Thank you very much! I'm sorry that you had to experience what you did, but it does tell  me that there are at least some other decent people still out there. What a shame. How about the time when John was talking to the audience and stopped. He told the people that he was just waiting for them to get done talking before he went on. Mellencamp was even upset.

Wait, you're telling me that John had to STOP HIS SHOW for some assholes to quit talking? OMG! How fucking rude! What else happened!?

[williehagfan1]

Yeah Mellencamp has said many times that he does not want to perform in front of drunk people. Who really would want to be around drunks, anyways? They just get in the way of enjoying the performance. I saw John live last year and there might've been drunks there but I was in the front row so I couldn't tell. None of the drunks seem to be in the front, most are in the back and sides from what I can tell. They're probably to drunk to find the stage LOL

Thanks! There were 2 girls right in front of me in their early twenties. They each had 8 beers apiece. They missed half of the show going back and forth to the restroom, and talked to each other the entire time that they were in their seats. I just can't fathom why anyone would buy a ticket to a concert and pay more for beer than what their ticket cost. Why don't they simply stay home instead of spoiling things for the real fans.

[williehagfan1]

Willie,

I agree with you 100% on all accounts.  My seats were in the pit 2nd row.  Before the Mellencamp performance began I saw a few men carrying in 4 beers at a time in a fast food style drink holder.  I immediately thought what venue sells my than 2 beers at a time?  Nowhere I know of.  The security was worthless.  A few fans jumping into the pit right in front of the security.  Very disappointing when fans pay extra for the VIP experience to be up there and then have no control over it.  Unlikely that I will go to this venue again - a nightmare of a town and venue.

Thank you very much! I'm sorry that you had to experience what you did, but it does tell  me that there are at least some other decent people still out there. What a shame. How about the time when John was talking to the audience and stopped. He told the people that he was just waiting for them to get done talking before he went on. Mellencamp was even upset.

Wait, you're telling me that John had to STOP HIS SHOW for some assholes to quit talking? OMG! How fucking rude! What else happened!?

Yeah, that's what I'm telling you. John made the decision to stop his story that he was telling us I suppose because he was even bothered by these rude, crude drunks. Then, he continued his story. But, he did let them know in a nice way that they disrupted the show. If I'd have been John I wouldn't have been as nice. I'll give him credit for that. I'm very serious. it was total chaos in this venue. I even saw girls take cans of beer out of their purses that they brought in themselves. There was no security at all at The Capital Theater. The poorest managed venue that I've ever experienced since my first show in 1972.

[MrSickboy50]

Oh my goodness that makes me MAD. I mean I'm even younger than those girls by a few good years and I have like 100x more respect for John than them! What immature, rude, and unappreciative idiots! I 101% agree wit you- they should've never came in the first place. That disgusts me when there is a legend on stage and everyone just ignores the hell out of him. I would've kicked them out to be honest. They can go continue their conversation outside. What assholes. Also the management DOES sound too loose. At the shows I went to, the management was a little too strict. No pictures, no drinks, no STANDING. Can you believe that? The no drinks is great, and I don't care much for pictures but why can't we stand? It was HORRIBLE. I wanted to  dance SO bad!

[williehagfan1]

Oh my goodness that makes me MAD. I mean I'm even younger than those girls by a few good years and I have like 100x more respect for John than them! What immature, rude, and unappreciative idiots! I 101% agree wit you- they should've never came in the first place. That disgusts me when there is a legend on stage and everyone just ignores the hell out of him. I would've kicked them out to be honest. They can go continue their conversation outside. What assholes. Also the management DOES sound too loose. At the shows I went to, the management was a little too strict. No pictures, no drinks, no STANDING. Can you believe that? The no drinks is great, and I don't care much for pictures but why can't we stand? It was HORRIBLE. I wanted to  dance SO bad!

I respect and sympathize with everything you're saying. I agree with you that the girls that i talked about should have been thrown out. But, honestly, the way that the management permitted the drunks to conduct themselves they would have had to throw 3/4 of the audience out. This is why I will never go back to The Capital Theater in Wheeling, WV. I had mentioned that I talked to the Manager after the show, and he sincerely seemed to care more about losing the drunks than people like my family and i when I told him I will never come back there. Here's a real joke. I went to the same place in 2012 to see Willie Nelson, and I experienced the same thing that night with the drunks. I spoke to the head of security that night(after finding out who he was), and he told me that Willie Nelson said that he would not perform unless beer was being sold. I never believed him. When I told the Manager that the night of John's show(4/16/16), he said that no entertainer can tell them that beer has to be sold or they won't perform. So, I got two different stories. All the management there does is lie. In the section we were in there were no ushers or any security. The Manager told me on Saturday night after John's show that they have security in every section. Well, there wasn't any where we were sitting. Again, this venue is terrible, and as far as I'm concerned, there is no management. I sure wish that John Mellencamp knew about what actually went on during his show Saturday night. I'm sure he'd be giving them a bad time. Thank you.

[BENTLEY1018]

No offense but if the theatre in question is run as a for profit business they make 90 percent of their money from alcohol sales not from having a performer at the venue. I have also seen security in many venues afraid of customers so they stand back and watch and avoid confrontation. Mellencamp's promoter made a deal with that venue. Blame them. Just like they chose a casino in the middle of nowhere Michigan the night before.

[williehagfan1]

No offense but if the theatre in question is run as a for profit business they make 90 percent of their money from alcohol sales not from having a performer at the venue. I have also seen security in many venues afraid of customers so they stand back and watch and avoid confrontation. Mellencamp's promoter made a deal with that venue. Blame them. Just like they chose a casino in the middle of nowhere Michigan the night before.

This venue was once called The Capital Music Hall. It opened in 1928. It was the second longest "real" country music venue after The Ryman in Nashville. They never sold alcohol all those years. They closed for a few years beginning in 2009 for some renovations. So, you're telling me that they made hardly any profits during all those years. I'm sorry, but I can't believe that a music venue could possibly stay open for that many years barely making a profit. They consistently got the biggest names in Country music for years. Of course, neither you nor I know what questions are asked by a promoter when booking an act, unless , of course you're in the business yourself. No, I'm sorry. I had attended at least 30 sold out shows at The Capital Music Hall through the years, but never experienced anything like I did on Saturday night. It's the booze. When you have a human being drinking anywhere from 8 to 12 beers during a 2/1/2 hour period, those people do and say many things that they normally wouldn't. Sure, there may be some blame that can be put on a promoter, but not what I experienced. You had to have been there. It was the same with Willie Nelson's show in 2012 at the same venue, and Willie has a different promoter. Thank you for your interest.

[MrSickboy50]

Oh my I really DO want to know why they picked a casino in the middle of nowhere in Michigan!? Like seriously John must REALLY be an advocate for small towns then 'cause I could've sworn I saw a tumbleweed roll across the road LOL

[williehagfan1]

Oh my I really DO want to know why they picked a casino in the middle of nowhere in Michigan!? Like seriously John must REALLY be an advocate for small towns then 'cause I could've sworn I saw a tumbleweed roll across the road LOLTumblin' Tumblweeds!