Tonight, Mom and I saw Gwen Stefani with Akon and Lady Sovereign. What a great show! I’ve seen Gwen twice already, and Akon once before. They were full of energy and really got the crowd going. The show was at Cricket Pavilion, and it was sold out (20,000 in attendance). We stood on the raised patio at the back of the lawn, and had a perfect view straight to the stage and big screens.
I don’t care too much for Gwen’s latest album, The Sweet Escape. I guess I prefer her dance and techno songs to the ballads of late, but that’s just my opinion. She still rocks on stage though. A truly fantastic performer! Akon got the crowd all worked up, and he had a very clean performance. We missed most of Lady Sovereign though, as we arrived late, but heard her while we were coming into the pavilion. Most of her work is a little out of my normal listening box, anyway.
Overall, it was a great show! At $25, you can’t beat the price for lawn seats at Cricket. The venue is by far one of the best places to see a concert in the Phoenix area. Glendale Arena (aka Jobing.com Arena) has great accoustics but the seats SUCK. America West (aka US Airways Center) – don’t get me started. I saw Gwen there the first time, and although I know every lyric to every song of hers, I couldn’t even discern what song she was singing. That’s how ungodly horrific the acoustics are there.
Dodge Theatre is just scary – and the seating is uncomfortable. The whole theater shakes with the bass. Mesa Ampitheatre is good for smaller shows, but if you’re expecting a mosh pit, wear good shoes.
The only place I prefer to see acts in the Phoenix area more than Cricket is Celebrity Theatre. Seating in the round, always close to the stage, and a very intimate setting all around. I wish more acts would sign up for Celebrity because it’s a great place for shows (and the acoustics are simply amazing).
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