How do you get up front for a big show...

i dont mind moving up close until it gets thick. but if your forcing your way up and causing others to move so you can get through then id almost prefer someone to be rude about it rather then apologize for doing something and then go ahead and do it anyways. i say get as close as you can with out disturbing people that got there before you. otherwise everyone will think your a prick but probably wont say anything because its a happy festival scene. but it dosent make it right.

Make your moves between songs. It's already kind of rude to be pushing up, but if you want to be up front, it's pretty much unavoidable to piss people off. However, what pisses people off more than anything is having some twerp push their way through the crowd in the middle of their favorite song. So chill in whatever spot you're at until the song finishes and make your move until the next song kicks in. This way, you also get to enjoy the songs yourself instead of worrying about getting to a place to enjoy the songs (which defeats the purpose of the concert anyway).

got really close at tom petty last year.... got there early and basically waited for 3 hours, took alot outa me and i believe I missed MMJ later on. I also got really close to da stage at the Ben Folds show, where there was no shadow or shade to be seen for miles,, it was soooo hot (how hot wuz it?)... It was soooo hot I thought my brain was going to boil outa my ears. It was so hot I didn't need a lighter to spark up my J-bone, i just poked myself in the eye with it to light it up.

It depends on the show. Sorry that I can't be more helpful, but the stage/tent doesn't really make a difference. Ben Folds was ridiculous last year. Jack Johnson was ridiculous the year before. Other times, you can walk into a tent and it will be nice and empty. Last year, Bonnie Raitt was completely pleasant because the crowd was relaxed and there was room to spread out, but if you went over to one of the tents, it was jam-packed.

And as far as getting a good spot for a show you like, do your best, but don't sweat it. The sound is really not the best at the very front anyway. The only thing that aggravates me is the need that some people have to get up and walk around for the entire show. There were literally people last year during Radiohead that didn't stop the entire set. They kept walking back and forth, back and forth. Find a spot and stay for a while.

being up front is cool. but i rarely do it at roo. i get up front at smaller fests where it isnt such a hassel. but at roo i hate being n the massive crowd with no room to dance. i need my room to look like an idiot dancing

that is what I loved so much about Vegoose last year. It was like a mini-roo. Even at the headliners, you could walk almost right up to the stage without hassle.

The crowds were so much smaller, making for a much better festival experience. No camping kinda sucked though....

I usually have about 3 shows that I make the effort to get up front.

the lineup at vegoose was a little lacking this year compared to last year, but it was still an absolute blast! although it may have had a lot to do with the company i had (teine, tara and dmbfan are awesome folks! ;D)

it was considerably less expensive for me because i drive to vegas, whereas i have to fly to roo, plus we split a room at the tropicana 4 ways, and the tickets are less expensive as well (shorter festival)

i'd definitely consider doing it again, but next time i'll wait for the full lineup! but if the lineup sings to you, or if you have a cool group of folks to go with, i'd definitely recommend it. oh and tag a day or two on the end of your trip solely to check out the sights if you've never been to vegas, too!

I couldn't have said it better Alisa!!

Good company definitely helps, as with anything else!!

I really wish I had of planned an extra day after the fest for sightseeing in Vegas. Everything I have heard outta Joel, Tara, and you was that I really missed out on that last day.

In total, I spent about 1400 going to Vegoose with plane tickets, hotel room, fest tickets, and spending money.

I really do not know how that compares to the roo because my tix are free and I walk from my front door to the site... All i have to worry about at roo is spending money.

But to answer your questions, is it worth, HELLS YEAH!!!

I had a great time at Vegoose and will certainly be concidering a return trip this coming year...

well id say that the plane ticket would cost me less then gas to roo. and i met a bunch of people going to vegoose that had rented a house. it was 150 for a spot on the floor. so thats not so bad. they ended up with 20 some people. im glad it wasnt rented in my name. i cant imagine what happened to that place. and i know a few people who went with nowhere to stay. they always found somewhere to stay. but for me gory at the quarry is the same weekend. and i cant miss the final hookah fest of the year. although id take vegas weather over the snow/rain/hail/sleet/60 mph winds we had this year at gory. we had a rowdy thunderstorm and it was snowing for the whole thing. first time ive had that happen. but if they are ever on seperate weeends i will probably make my out to vegoose.

Front row at bonnaroo is the greatest. Last year I was front row for Umphrey's McGee, the Disco Biscuits, Andrew Bird, Electric Eel Shock, Steel Pulse, Tom Petty, and Oysterhead, and I did it all without a single push! There's even a close up of me on the Andrew Bird video on Bonnaroo's main site (I appear at 2 minutes and 24 seconds through the song, that's me with the long hair!)

There are two main strategies for polite front row achievement, both take time. The first is, like many have said, just straight out waiting. At just about any of the tent shows, you're going to have to get there a band before the one you want front row for is scheduled. At the main stage, it pretty much means waking up and heading straight for the front row, and staying there all day.

The second strategy you can use works if you're solo. Just look for spots that are big enough for you to stand in, when something opens up, move in. You really have to be self aware with this though, so that you don't crowd people, and things don't always open up. Also, this method usually doesn't get you to the front, though I did get within the first ten rows for Rusted Root (at the Sonic Village stage), Mike Gordon and Ramble Dove, and the Cat Empire during their sets without pushing/crowding anyone.

As for peeing in the crowd, I say go for it. I'd rather have the guy in front of me pee in a bottle than have him going to and from his spot. Last year I carried lots of bottled water with me, and I had a little home-made peeing adapter that screwed right onto my empty bottles! I would drink the water, hold onto the bottle, when i had to pee I would screw on the adapter, pee, and then screw the original cap back on. Worked perfectly! Hmm, maybe I should post a little guide to making those...

Anyways, by all means, get up close! but um, not actually by the means that involve pushing or crowding other people.

If you have room for a bottle of water in your backpack, then you'll have room for that same bottle when it's filled with piss.

Yep, set it between your legs while you stand, it only takes up as much room as you would space your feet naturally, which is within your shoulder width, so you literally take up no extra space. Same thing for sitting in between sets; if you're sitting with your knees up, put it between them, and if you're sitting indian style, put it on your lap. No problem.

Sounds like no room for getting down which would make it pointless if you ask me. I stand all the time when its showtime the standing stops and the skanking starts. That goes double time if Im up front.