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Friday, June 8, 2007

My visit to the Tower

Tower Theater Hall

orchestra level Tower Theater Philaldelphia Orchestra seats Tower Theater Philadelphia (pit)
One last post on the Tower, as promised, adding some spare data to what can already be found in this blog after my visit there. I’m also posting more photos from the inside/outside (one of them of seats in the PIT, the first two rows had different ones though), I'm afraid the pics are not good/arty at all but when the concert was over I wasn't very much in the photo-taking mood. This post is based on my experience, so things could be very different as time passes by or other circumstances change.
I really liked the Tower, it has some special glow and it’s like you step back in time when you enter (the inside set up is still fully 30’s).You can nicely hang around before and during the concert either in the main hall, which is fairly big (on one side there’s a bar with a few stools) or upstairs (I liked that one better, it has very comfortable sofas and little TVs where you can see what’s going on onstage). Things you’ll find in the bar: food (pretzels, pop corn, a little weird things for a concert) and drinks (beer was very popular that day, cost about $6; Coke, etc 2 or 3 dollars).
The place is in good shape though some things are too worn (tough to maintain). This place has a personality of its own, and the profusion of mouldings and marble columns everywhere, the signs (all in a very Mucha-like symbolism stylish letters) and the ample stairways make it a very beautiful one.
The personnel were nice, and would happily answer questions; they also let me go look to all the levels and peek around (except the “forbidden doors”, which had serious tagged men posted before them). The sound was very good but I was not a good judge as I was in the pit (best place to be, if you ask me). Nobody asked if I was carrying a camera or said anything about it, and people were flashing their cameras inside all the time even before the concert (I believe it depends on each artist's instructions ). But people who were recording the show were asked to stop.
There was talk in the corridors before the concert started, people with the idea of abandoning their seats and conquering the Pit asap (actually some of the people in the first rows were also talking about that possibility and thinking of tactics not to hand over their positions), but it actually never happened, not even close. Ushers know all the tricks by now!. Also one of the ushers checked everybody's tickets in the first rows (a few people were sent back to their actual seats).
**Update 08/27/07: somebody just left a comment on the main tower theater info post saying that in the concert they attended yesterday "the aisleway became a general admission area and nobody was watching the area", so it seems that it depends on each concert, and that there’s no way of knowing which way it’s going to go until you’re actually there. They also remarked how hot it gets inside.** The toilets were fair enough (no queues), and there was a nice girl taking care of the women’s one downstairs, handing paper towels to wipe your hands and offering candy, etc … Regarding parking, there’s one that is fairly big, quite near the theater, it’s signalled clearly, and it costs $10. We were told by locals that people parking in the street are very often fined on concert nights, even if they park after 9 pm. That would not really be fair, but I’ve already had bad experiences with parking tickets myself, so!! (Update 06/18/07: I've just read here that there's been car breaks in the Tower's parking recently as it seems there's no one there to look after the cars all night, which stinks after the money they charge, if it's true, so if anybody comes up with a good solution for the parking issue please write).
Hope this is helpful. And just a little reminder, sorry to bring this up again, but this was meant to be an interactive site, so please come back to add your comments , share your experience at the Tower, it will be useful to others...thanks!!!

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Help please!

Hey i am looking for help with the seating in the Tower Theatre for an upcoming concert in September. It is for Kings of Leon, and they are incredible live, so i want to make sure i can see them very well, and that they can see me also! I have been going to their shows for 2 years now, and this will be the first show to kick off 5 more that i will be attending..

I have already purchased tickets and got R/C OR, row CC, seat 109. My second seat was all the way in RGT OR row D seat 25. (which isnt very good right?) I wouldve loved to have gotten pit tickets, but they were not offered i do not think during the pre-sale, because it only gave you the option of 'Best Available'.

I was wondering since i am going with my friend, that she can just sit on my lap or something like that before the concert starts (we are very small)... because we like to dance, so its not like we will be sitting down. We got two tickets, but one i think is just closer than the other.
1. Would that be practical?
2. Is my one seat very close (row CC) to the stage? Or does the pit take up a lot of room?
3. Are the aisles big?.. and do they take up a lot of room?
4. Would it make sense to try and get one pit ticket, and still have my friend sit on my lap until the concert starts?
5. If not, would it be possible to sneek our way into the pit area after the concert starts?... I HIGHLY doubt anyone would be sitting, just standing and dancing. These concerts are crazy, so i think the ushers would have to let some things slide??
6. Has anyone ever seen a concert there where people like to get as close as they can? Because the Kings concerts are like that, so would it be allowd for everyone to push their way out of the seat area close to the pit?

I just dont want to try and find pit tickets if i have a good seat (let me know if i do, because ive never been here), and can pull off a little stunt (i am very good with those things, very determined to see the boys very close, and very sneeky.. so i usually can work my magic) But if this theatre is not like that, please tell me.

I would really appreciate anyones help they give me. This concert is very important to me.. Thanks so much!

Anonymous said...

One more thing... what street do the tourbuses usually park at?

infotaupe said...

Hi there, I'd say the first seat you mention is pretty good, there's hardly any separation between pit and orquestra seats and the rows in the pit are the same size as the rest of the rows so you're in the 8th row, (7 people before you)... Second seat, not so much, it's quite far from the other. Aisles don't take up a lot of room, I'd say less than average.
Regarding the sitting on the lap, my guess is fat chance, same for sneeking your way into the pit area after the concert starts. In the concert I attended (and the others I've heard about lately) it wasn't possible (not that some didn't try), everybody was standing and dancing but remaining in their seat's area, and the ushers were quite alert and operative.
But you never know, maybe the artists give instrutions about that? You can never know for sure.
As for tourbuses, you'll easily see them right before you enter the theater, street on your left, I think it's called Ludlow St (As with everything, some artists close the road with barriers, some let you walk by).
And please, let me know about that little stunt you mention!!!!
Hope this helped, and enjoy the show!!.

Anonymous said...

thanks so much!!! it def. helped!!! its very good to know im basically only 7 rows back... i think it will be good since the next two nights i will be attending their concert it will be gen ad, same place... so thats when i will be able to get up really close. im really hoping my friend will just be able to maybe sit down next to me (in row CC) until whoever has that seat sits down. i mean its not like im trying to sneek her in, or like i dont know her or something, and shes trying to get up closer, you know? we bought two tickets, but one just happens to be better than the other... it should be our choice if we wanna cram into a seat before the show starts. i dont think there would be a rule saying 'if two people purchased a ticket and one got a better seat, they are not allowd to sit 2 to a seat until the show starts' haha. The Kings are a bit more calm when it comes to their audience... i would think they would tell the ushers to be a bit more lenient on the crowd. (fingers crossed). Their performance is pretty mindblowing and probably the best live band out there today, you cant try to control people too much at their shows.
Last month at their show, it was gen. ad but i ended up getting back a little far.. and i really wanted to get up higher. so there was this ledge that came out a bit from the railing that held people inside near the bar area. (since i was all the way to the right or the pit)... it came at least up to my hip, so when the concert started i stepped up on that and could see perfect. mind you it wasent safe at all, but the workers didnt tell me to get down one time! So i will def. inform you of my stunt i will try to perform at the Tower!

Anonymous said...

i wonder if she got laid by the band or what! sure looks like she was giving it a go...

Anonymous said...

HELPPPPP.....I HAVE TICKETS TO SEE MIKE EPPS IN DECEMBER L/O ROW EE. I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO THIS THEATER...WILL I BE ABOUT TO SEE HIM UP THERE....HELP PLEASE!!!!!

infotaupe said...

If you're in the orchestra section (L/O seems to be) you're in row 10 so you'll have excellent seats. Have fun!

Anonymous said...

ok HELP have checked and re checked the seating chart still not clear if our seats are good its rgt or row k seats 14-17 never been to a concert and am sooo glad for all your info on this one just wanna be sure on the seats though thx oh yeah heard that my chemical romance is having a closing act? ! is this true and who is it

infotaupe said...

Well, if it's right orchestra should be seats 15 and 17. Your seats are to the side and towards the end, you can see them in the seating chart nr 1. Can't help with the closing act, anybody knows?

eric "swanny" said...

Was checking this site and the great memories of fabulous seventies & eighties concerts came rushing back . The acoustics were great and the theater seat. s enough people that it attracted some truly great artists yet still had an intimate feel ( unlike the Spectrum ) . I saw Bowie's first concerts there -Genesis with Peter Gabriel - Average White Band - Thin Lizzy and many others . The Seventies was a magical time for music and " The Tower " was an equally magical venue for the musicians of that era . I now live in Southwest Florida and I've yet to find any venue here that even remotely comes close to the Tower "mojo" !

infotaupe said...

One of my favourite venues too, it's unique.