By Gillian Eliot ’17 | Staff Writer
DTE Energy Music Theatre has always catered to all genres of music, even when it was known as Pine Knob. With the choice of sitting on the lawn or under the pavilion, it’s a great venue for all ages.
Ticket prices vary depending on the artist performing, but usually lawn seats are cheaper, being general admission. But any seat is always worth the price. Back in the day it may have been Journey, Bob Seger or Ted Nugent rocking out, but now big acts like J. Cole, Mumford and Sons and Chris Brown fill the seats on weekends.
Although the name has been changed and the venue has been renovated, its location has always remained the same, and anybody who’s been to a concert at DTE knows getting there and leaving in gridlock traffic is part of the adventure.
While arriving early and tailgating in the parking lot may seem like the best option, driving oneself (with a few friends) doesn’t account for drinking and driving, and does nothing to alleviate the traffic volume heading home. Today’s teens routinely rent party buses for an exciting commute and a responsible, worry-free DTE experience.
Not that the party bus solution isn’t without its own set of issues. Long gone is the spontaneity of, “Who’s driving, man?” Instead, one of your friends has to convince their parents to sign a contract with a bus company, leaving you to collect all the pricey bus fares.
In order to keep the costs to $30 per person for transportation, the travel group has to grow to 25 to 30 people. While it may be different for some people, reaching that quota definitely involves inviting people from outside of my friend group.
Why is that an issue? Party buses come with lots of rules, especially when it comes to underage drinking. As Eric Reitz from Rockstarz limousine company said, ‘’Our worst experience was the Chris Brown concert at DTE when teens snuck alcohol onto the bus in shampoo bottles.”
Yes, that was my group, on my parents’ contract, on my word. I knew the people who did it, but they aren’t in my immediate friend group. Although the couple might have thought they were being clever, they were destined to get busted and make the night one to remember for all the wrong reasons.
“When we find alcohol there are three things we do: First we call the parents and tell them their child was drinking. Next we stop the ride wherever we are, and lastly we may have the police get involved,” Reitz said.
A few months ago I found out the hard way that he was telling the truth. No scare tactics here. I spent the night negotiating with the bus driver to not leave us there with no ride back, while also dealing with my parents, who in turn also had to deal with the bus company, and call the parents of the offending teens. Chris Brown? Not a favorite of mine anymore.
DTE holds 15,274 people. Upon entrance, security pats you down and checks your bag. It is a cursory check at best, keeping with the open and free atmosphere that dates back to Pine Knob — and maybe a product of the lawn seating “party” environment that makes DTE so popular.
Teens have found ways around the minimal security, by hiding blunts in their shoes or even resorting to the old-school tactic of bringing alcohol in flasks.
Regarding security, Bill Fillmore, event manager at DTE, said, “We view underage drinking as a parental issue rather than our issue. The rule is you have to be 21-years-old to drink alcohol.”
Still, each experience at DTE can be different. Some may say it’s their favorite venue, while others may think it’s the worst.
“My favorite part about DTE is the social aspect of it where everyone is out on the lawn,” Sam Rivard ‘17 said.
No matter the experience patrons at DTE have, seating in the venue fills up quickly, and sell-out shows are often common.
“Some shows sell out depending on who is performing, but this past summer we had really fun sell-outs,” Fillmore said.
The lawn-pavillon mixture is another perk in the DTE experience, but lawn seating isn’t without drawbacks. First, weather is a big factor in the enjoyment of the concert. First, concerts continue to run rain or shine, and if you’re on the lawn, there’s no place to hide from inclement weather. Also, no matter where you are on the lawn, you’re relatively far from the stage. Still, no matter what the consequences are, people are attracted to the lawn.
“The lawn is my favorite part because it’s fun and you can walk around and hang out with a bunch of people,” Michael Lesha ‘17 said.
The lawn is usually packed and the volume of people makes it hard for security to keep a close watch on all activities.
“Because of general admission, I feel like kids can get away with more things, but at the same time, since there’s still some security, kids probably won’t be too crazy,” said Rivard.
Pine Knob became DTE Energy Music Theatre in 2001. It is a part of our culture, with up to five shows a week during the summertime. It remains one of this area’s destinations for outdoor music and partying.
Now our parents, who went to Pine Knob when they were our age, are hesitant to let us go to a concert at this venue due to general admission seating on the lawn. They probably worry about interaction with intoxicated strangers just like their parents probably worried as well. But no matter where people come from, they are there for the same reasons — to listen to music and have a good time.
In short, DTE has hosted events for decades and is a great venue. The philosophy seems to be to facilitate a true blend of letting the audience — no matter their ages — push the party limits, in relative safety. There are always sheriffs on duty, and the first aid center is close by in case of emergency.
Now, if we could only figure out a good way to get there. Maybe the next generation of South will find a better way than the party bus, because it sure didn’t work for me.
