ALL QUIET ON THE BIZKIT FRONT
Good Planning, Excellent Chronic Cited
Several news sources are reporting that the Bizkit show, the first of two in Detroit, was carried off without a hitch. Industry watchers had predicted the group's decision to make tickets for the free concerts available on a "first come, first served" basis would spell disaster, bringing to mind The Who's 1979 Riverfront Coliseum show in Cincinnati where 11 concertgoers died in a rush for general admission seats.
Actor Verne Troyer opened the night by telling the crowd he knew why they were there. "Because it's motherfucking free," said the diminutive actor most famous for his "Mini Me" role in "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me." The entire show was played behind a 20-foot high chain-link fence, in lieu of a standard barricade. The fence, more than anything, probably caused the most problems, according to some reports, partially obscuring the band and providing the audience with something to climb.
Aside from that, it was a run-of-the-mill rock show.
"It went off flawlessly, which was exactly what I expected, because we were prepared," said State Theatre General Manager Joe Nieporte. "Everybody was on their best behavior."
A spokesman for the Detroit police added, "We didn't have any problems at all."
Limp Bizkit frontman fred durst',390,400);">fred durst',390,400);">Fred Durst even made an appearance on Monday (7/10), shaking hands, signing autographs and handing out bottled water to fans waiting in line for tickets.
The tour, which also features Cypress Hill as an opener, includes 19 dates in 11 cities. While the cities have been announced, venues for each city are not revealed until 24-48 hours before each show.
It appears that Rodney King was right: I guess we all can get along.
