Regarding the July 31 article about noise problems at the New World Music Theatre in Tinley Park (“World not music to ears of neighbors,” Main news), and an Aug. 6 piece on the Poplar Creek Music Theatre and the Village Green Amphitheater in Hoffman Estates (“Hoffman Estates’ secret garden,” MetroNorthwest):
When big business won out and closed the Poplar Creek Music Theatre, Chicago lost a valuable outdoor venue that brought high-quality entertainers into an intimate 25,000-seat environment. Visiting Poplar was always enjoyable and a far cry from the “$5-a-beer and soggy lawn seat” experience Carri Karuhn claims it was. There wasn’t a bad view in the house, there was plenty of room between the seats and the acoustics were outstanding.
Unfortunately, Chicago is now left with the massive 35,000-seat New World Music Theatre, which is plagued with sound problems for those in the back of the pavilion and non-existent sound for those on the lawn. Many of the lawn seats, as well as a good many pavilion seats, have obstructed views, and anyone stuck in the 200 Sections of the pavilion knows how cramped it is.
The New World Music Theatre is a cramped, crowded venue whose management apparently cares more about earning as much money as it can than it does about providing a quality, enjoyable performance. Often the cutoff time for the sale of beer and alcohol is pushed back, leaving the already drunken masses to wreak more havoc instead of sobering up for the drive home. The people of Tinley Park and the surrounding area should be more concerned with the post-concert drivers than with the alleged sound levels of concerts.
The only alternative is the 31,000-seat Alpine Valley Music Theater in East Troy, Wis., which is a long drive from Chicago and suffers from many of the same problems.
