The Best Seat In The House?

By Julene McCoy in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 29, 2005 6:35PM

Chicagoist made the trek from CTA's Roosevelt Station to Charter One Pavilion on Northerly Island to check out the free seats on the beach in order to experience the outside of Chi-town's newest venue and to hear Modest Mouse, of course.

Arriving early, we staked out a prime location where we could clearly see the big screen TVs. Outside the venue on the beach there is fantastic people watching, our gorgeous skyline, and the sound is good - if a little echoey. It is an outdoor venue after all. Our only complaint is the lack of restroom facilities after 9 pm when the beach house closes. Mayor Daley, can the Park District pay someone to keep the beach house open for the hour and half before concerts are over? It would be much appreciated and the Windy City Cafe could bring in more cash, as well.

On to Modest Mouse...they took the stage shortly before 9 pm, just as the city's lights began to glow in the distance, with "Bury Me With It" and "Black Cadillacs". Isaac Brock sing-screaming the lyrics in a sailor hat. The echo made the sound of the 2 drummers' beating away sound as though they were coming from the sky combined with the waves from Lake Michigan the whole effect was a little trippy.

Modest Mouse went into their slower, more melodic songs like "Paper Thin Walls" before easing into "Float On" which was the most lackluster song all evening. "Doin' The Cockroach" got the beachfront fans up and dancing again. The encore rocked us with "3rd Planet", "Broke" and fave "The Good Times Are Killing Me" ended it all with girls dancing on stage with the band.

Overall, Charter One Pavilion is a great location for an outdoor venue in the city that allows the masses to choose whether they will pay to be up close and personal with the bands they love or if they would rather sit on the beach and listen to the concert from afar.