NORTHERLY ISLAND SET FOR BUFFETT
Expanded lakefront venue awaits Buffett’s crowds
‘Boats, Beaches, Bars and Ballads” is the name of Jimmy Buffett’s quadruple-platinumselling box set.
He may add Blackhawks to the mix at 8 p.m. Saturday when he opens at the “new” venue at Northerly Island, now called Charter One Pavilion but expected to take on a new name this week.
The expanded temporary venue will hold up to 22,000 festive Buffett fans, many of whom will just migrate south after Friday’s Stanley Cup championship parade. There will be tailgating, probably a Blackhawk appearance (Patrick Kane hoisted the cup at Buffett’s August 2010 show at Tinley Park) and even boat-gating (the pavilion borders the 14th Street Beach).
Bigger shows are part of a plan with the Chicago Park District to increase district revenue from the site.
Mark Campana, Live Nation’s co-president of North American concerts, met with Buffett in May. “All he wanted to know was how the venue was coming along,” Campana said. “He’s planning some great surprises to make it a special night. As he says, he played Wrigley — but that’s not on the lake. He’s excited about this whole idea about being able to see boats and the beach.”
The lawn is sold out, but some pavilion seats were released earlier this week.
Here are a couple of pointers for this maiden voyage:
Going by water
“There are demarcations for the beach identified by buoys,” Campana said. “Boaters have to stay outside of the buoys but we won’t shag them off. That’s part of being at Northerly Island.”
Boats will be monitored by the Chicago Police Department, Chicago Fire Marine units and the Coast Guard. There are no access points to the venue. The only water access to Northerly Island is from the Burnham Harbor side, and that is restricted to people who have harbor slips.
Campana said workingclass Buffett fans in canoes or dinghies would be asked by authorities to leave.
Going by car or bus
Tailgating is an essential opening act at all Buffett concerts. Parking lots open at 2:30 p.m. Saturday between Soldier Field and McCormick Place and the upper level of the multitiered Waldron parking deck, which holds 1,500 cars just south of Soldier Field. Live Nation said there are 7,000 parking spaces within the museum campus.
The 31st Street lot will be used for RVs, buses and additional parking. A shuttle bus will take fans from the 31st Street lot to the 18th Street bus turnaround, just south of Soldier Field.
Premium parking rates will apply for those arriving between 2:30 and 4:30 p.m.
Water taxis have been added as a “novelty,” according to Campana. The free taxis will sail across Burnham Harbor from the building directly east of the Waldron deck. Five to six taxis will go back and forth in rotation.
“If people use them we will bring them back for Phish [July 19-21],” Campana said. “But we think most people will just walk over.”
There’s a Buffett song in there somewhere, like “Big Yellow Banana Taxi.”
Exiting
How will everyone leave the peninsula at once?
“There are separate lawn gates,” Campana answered. “We will open the blowout gates from the lawn onto Lynn White Drive [which runs along the harbor]. We will have the water taxis. Solidarity Drive is the road that goes to the Adler Planetarium, and we expect the north side of Solidarity will have vehicular traffic and the south side of Solidarity Drive will be closed for pedestrian traffic.”
One local fan couldn’t be more excited about the lakefront venue. “We may not have salt water and palm trees, but nothing beats this city in the summer, and the skyline behind the stage next to the water will be incredible!” wrote Billy Brehm, 42-year-old president of the 200-member Chicago Parrothead Club, in an email. “Especially after the Stanley Cup win!”
Northerly Island shows using the boutique 8,000seat configuration will include O.A.R. on Friday and Barenaked Ladies and Ben Folds on July 9. Live Nation moved a June 1 Dispatch show from Northerly Island to the UIC Pavilion because weather delayed construction on the expanded pavilion. Dispatch will now play an acoustic show at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Northerly Island for people who had tickets to the June 1 gig.
“Anybody who had a ticket to the original show can come to this show,” Campana said. “If anybody else wants to come and make a $10 donation [credit card only], the money goes to charities the park district and the band worked out.”