New Year's Eve concert Merchant quay

Sully777

phog wrote: »

I was at Bruce Springsteen concert in Thomond Park couldn't get near the bar but I'd count it as the best gig I was ever at.

I should have clarified. Yes I agree, Springsteen was excellent as was the weather and it was definitely the best concert I was at. The only snag was getting food and drink.

bennyl10

Sully777 wrote: »

I should have clarified. Yes I agree, Springsteen was excellent as was the weather and it was definitely the best concert I was at. The only snag was getting food and drink.

These are all faults of outside companys.. not the organiers.
Food and drink are tendered out to private companys

iguana

Surely it is the duty of the organisers to ensure that certain minimum standards are met by whoever gets the contract?

I'm curious about what actually happened at midnight? Were a band in the middle of a song and so good it took people a while to realise?

Sully777

bennyl10 wrote: »

These are all faults of outside companys.. not the organiers.
Food and drink are tendered out to private companys

How do you make that out?


Lots of business are tendering out sections of their business to third parties. This is no way negates their overall responsibility.


The basic requirement of an Event Management Company are
Ticketing for the event.
Risk assessments
Health and Safety
Security
Catering
Audio visual and technical set up


Be it tendered out or not the responsibility rests with the event organiser.

brianhickey

iguana wrote: »

I'm curious about what actually happened at midnight? Were a band in the middle of a song and so good it took people a while to realise?

Nothing, basically. There was no band playing. Will Leahy came out at about 3 minutes past and said something simple like "Happy New Year".

Silentcorner

iguana wrote: »

Surely it is the duty of the organisers to ensure that certain minimum standards are met by whoever gets the contract?

I'm curious about what actually happened at midnight? Were a band in the middle of a song and so good it took people a while to realise?

The Coronas came off the stage at about 5 mins to 12...Will leahy came back onstage about 2 mins past 12...bet it was the outrageous ques to the toilet that delayed him!!!

Marcus Halberstram

Is it just me or has the official facebook page for the event removed the reviews tab and ratings? There was a load of 1 star reviews and people demanding their money back. Not to be confused with the seperate recent posts tab that is still there with complaints.

https://www.facebook.com/cityofculturenye?fref=ts

h3000

Silentcorner wrote: »

The Coronas came off the stage at about 5 mins to 12...Will leahy came back onstage about 2 mins past 12...bet it was the outrageous ques to the toilet that delayed him!!!

That's lies he was on stage about 2 minutes to twelve (I checked) but they could not get the mics to work for a few minutes. I looked like The Coronas' engineers may have disconnected a little too much equipment.

Silentcorner

h3000 wrote: »

That's lies he was on stage about 2 minutes to twelve (I checked) but they could not get the mics to work for a few minutes. I looked like The Coronas' engineers may have disconnected a little too much equipment.

Ah fair enough...I wasn't paying too much attention to the stage...I too busy looking for somewhere to escape to for the countdown...I was was kidding about the ques for the toilets, it was meant tongue in cheek.

mgbgt1978

Marcus Halberstram wrote: »

Futurama Productions I believe though I am open to correction on that.

Futureama Productions marcus. Don't forget the 'E' or he might have Fox TV after him.;)

Marcus Halberstram

mgbgt1978 wrote: »

Futureama Productions marcus. Don't forget the 'E' or he might have Fox TV after him.;)

Or Bender

Carazy

Marcus Halberstram wrote: »

Is it just me or has the official facebook page for the event removed the reviews tab and ratings? There was a load of 1 star reviews and people demanding their money back. Not to be confused with the seperate recent posts tab that is still there with complaints.

https://www.facebook.com/cityofculturenye?fref=ts

I noticed that too, all the 1 star/poor reviews have vanished from the NYE Facebook page.
The reviews on the ''Limerick City of Culture 2014'' page are still there too but I'd say they will disappear soon too.

Marcus Halberstram

Carazy wrote: »

I noticed that too, all the 1 star/poor reviews have vanished from the NYE Facebook page.
The reviews on the ''Limerick City of Culture 2014'' page are still there too but I'd say they will disappear soon too.

Thanks, thought I was imagining things.

Marcus Halberstram

https://www.facebook.com/events/718679134817552/?ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular

Public meeting tomorrow night about all of this - everyone invited, see link for details.

mgbgt1978

Probably best not to attend that meeting Marcus.
Very close to the River if the 'I Love Limerick' crowd decide to turn on you.:)

h3000

Marcus Halberstram wrote: »

https://www.facebook.com/events/718679134817552/?ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular

Public meeting tomorrow night about all of this - everyone invited, see link for details.

Hopefully the right people will turn up and listen to each other. Get people to work together and hopefully get some good events going throughout the year. We actually have a beautiful city but we really do not do a very good job in selling ourselves.

Marcus Halberstram

I ain't worried.

Noticed that the Official Facebook Page have now removed the posts by others tab too. Damage control but this will backfire.

banie01

The event was well intentioned and it was a good idea.
Unfortunately like all too many events in Limerick the execution left a lot to be desired.
The layout of the area was arseways, but I can appreciate why the stage was orientated the way it was(Crowd looked lovely and large on TV don't ya think .
I have been to many such events and concerts and indeed while I lived away I had a professional hand in arranging quite a few similar sized and larger events too.
Placing the stage in front of the cathedral meant that only a small section of the audience actually had unimpeded views, the vast majority of the crowd from the potato market main gate back up towards bridge street were restricted.
An ideal template for the stage setup for this event would have been Belfast's Belsonic event in Customs House Square in every aspect, it is an event arranged within a similar sized footprint with a much larger attendance and yet apart from inclement weather I could level none of the complaints I have about Limericks NYE event at any of the Belsonic gigs I've been too.
Stage placement, Food stalls, toilets, stewarding(Not to slight any of the volunteers involved) But the Stewarding arrangements particularly in the Bars and Toilet areas were woefully inadequate.
And while the countdown FUBAR was bad, it was not unforeseen and as such should have had a contingency in place.
It is the type of mix up that happens at every event, but that said....
I've never been to a NYE Event where it was F'd up so badly!
The crowd around me managed to get the countdown spot on....and the atmosphere amongst the people I was in company with was generally good, We enjoyed our night out because of the company and banter amongst the crowd.
The event itself and actual management of it, the consensus from the 40/50 people I was in company with and others I've spoken to since....
Shambolic.

Totally Tropical

Exile on Grafton St. wrote: »

I know its just the indo, but some of those comments are really vitriolic. I always wondered how Limerick is able to inspire such hatred among some people...

I wouldn't worry about it i'd say half of the people writing out rubbish on that comments section wouldn't be able to point out Limerick on a map of Ireland never mind set foot in the place.People like that just are not interested in finding out for themselves the real Limerick and what a great city it actually is in terms of architecture culture and sport.I would just love to meet those people and explain to them that i actually feel safer in Limerick on a night out than Cork or Dublin!Those people just don't want to know about the many positive aspects of Limerick as a city and the friendliness of the people.I feel more pity than anger at those people though.The people that matter know what a great city Limerick is so who cares about what these people think?Just let them choke on their bile and their hatred!btw Were only on the second day of January and some people seem to be very quick and eager to deem this event a failure.Will the doom and gloom merchants at least wait a while and give it a couple of months before sticking the boot in!

bennyl10

Marcus Halberstram wrote: »

https://www.facebook.com/events/718679134817552/?ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular

Public meeting tomorrow night about all of this - everyone invited, see link for details.

Was needed really.
Organised by one if centrestage guys i think (am open to correction)..
Are the actyql limerick2014 group aware if this/attending?.. tweeted a few groups with it, but no reply..

Will prob head along but its a pointless idea if the actual 'group' dont attend..

Marcus Halberstram

The BBC are reporting on this now.

Marcus Halberstram

bennyl10 wrote: »

Was needed really.
Organised by one if centrestage guys i think (am open to correction)..
Are the actyql limerick2014 group aware if this/attending?.. tweeted a few groups with it, but no reply..

Will prob head along but its a pointless idea if the actual 'group' dont attend..

I'd be surprised if any of them attend.

On a seperate note, where has Richard Lynch and the I Love Limerick crowd gone? I thought they'd be all over this? Have they been sidelined?

bennyl10

Marcus Halberstram wrote: »

I'd be surprised if any of them attend.

On a seperate note, where has Richard Lynch and the I Love Limerick crowd gone? I thought they'd be all over this? Have they been sidelined?

Them not attending would be a disgrace, at least limerick.people are standing up and trying to reclaim.it for ourselves!

Seems a little strange to hear them be this quiet alright,,

Silentcorner

Totally Tropical wrote: »

I wouldn't worry about it i'd say half of the people writing out rubbish on that comments section wouldn't be able to point out Limerick on a map of Ireland never mind set foot in the place.People like that just are not interested in finding out for themselves the real Limerick and what a great city it actually is in terms of architecture culture and sport.I would just love to meet those people and explain to them that i actually feel safer in Limerick on a night out than Cork or Dublin!Those people just don't want to know about the many positive aspects of Limerick as a city and the friendliness of the people.I feel more pity than anger at those people though.The people that matter know what a great city Limerick is so who cares about what these people think?Just let them choke on their bile and their hatred!btw Were only on the second day of January and people seem to be very quick and eager to deem this event a failure.Will the doom and gloom merchants at least wait awhile and give it a couple of months before sticking the boot in!

It doesn't help when they are constantly exposed to a negative narrative, for instance, just look at the amount of airtime and column inches this debacle has generated...verses how much airtime/column inches the actual launch received.

I won't be attending that meeting tomorrow, purely because I have nothing to bring to the table, I do hope that the people who can bring something to the table attend whichever "side" they are on, because for all the wrong reasons this has become a severe embarrassment for the city...we have to bear in mind that the when the same things occur elsewhere they simply do not get the same negative coverage, it is something we here in Limerick have to be mindful of at all times.

leakyboots

I was involved at the event, a few thoughts:

When I walked in around 5 and saw the way the stage was set up (down in corner facing out onto the river, not facing the Locke Bar) I knew straight away there'd be crowd issues. Too narrow back to the sound desk and RTE van. In defence of the organisers, I imagine it was RTE calling the shots here. I've been involved in other RTE broadcast events and what they say goes.

The bar issues are for the bar people, I go to 10-15 concerts/festivals a year in Ireland on the continent and you see it everywhere. Funnily enough I think it's easily solved, loads of staff and a decent queuing system. I wasn't at the bar so I can't comment it fully but I don't think you can hold that against the organisers, they tender it out and more often than not it takes time to get right - the new Thomond Park was chaos for the first few games with the dodgy ticket scanner systems and the bar queues.

I wasn't there at midnight but I gather it was a technical difficulty, simple as that. Unfortunate but they happen. How many times a year or a day do you hear/see problems on the radio with newsreaders/reporters/DJs? The timing of it is a hoor though given it's a specific countdown.

I had heard that the organisers were only told about this event recently enough (as in October? I might be wrong on this) and your typical event like this needs months and months of planning... this smacked of a rushed job with too many chiefs and not enough Indians.

Fair play to the people that came out in the cold, they genuinely seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Look, it's the first event of the year, I'm sure they'll find their feet as it goes on - the politicos are probably the most to blame thus far in the short life of the City of Culture, I'd be more worried about jobs for the boys and people resigning because they feel they have no choice than a few hiccups at a one-off outdoor winter event. Might attend that meeting tomorrow, I'll be interested to hear the different views. At least people are getting up off their arse and doing something about it... as opposed to complaining on various fora.

Marcus Halberstram

leakyboots wrote: »

I was involved at the event, a few thoughts:

When I walked in around 5 and saw the way the stage was set up (down in corner facing out onto the river, not facing the Locke Bar) I knew straight away there'd be crowd issues. Too narrow back to the sound desk and RTE van. In defence of the organisers, I imagine it was RTE calling the shots here. I've been involved in other RTE broadcast events and what they say goes.

The bar issues are for the bar people, I go to 10-15 concerts/festivals a year in Ireland on the continent and you see it everywhere. Funnily enough I think it's easily solved, loads of staff and a decent queuing system. I wasn't at the bar so I can't comment it fully but I don't think you can hold that against the organisers, they tender it out and more often than not it takes time to get right - the new Thomond Park was chaos for the first few games with the dodgy ticket scanner systems and the bar queues.

I wasn't there at midnight but I gather it was a technical difficulty, simple as that. Unfortunate but they happen. How many times a year or a day do you hear/see problems on the radio with newsreaders/reporters/DJs? The timing of it is a hoor though given it's a specific countdown.

I had heard that the organisers were only told about this event recently enough (as in October? I might be wrong on this) and your typical event like this needs months and months of planning... this smacked of a rushed job with too many chiefs and not enough Indians.

Fair play to the people that came out in the cold, they genuinely seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Look, it's the first event of the year, I'm sure they'll find their feet as it goes on - the politicos are probably the most to blame thus far in the short life of the City of Culture, I'd be more worried about jobs for the boys and people resigning because they feel they have no choice than a few hiccups at a one-off outdoor winter events.

Thanks for giving some insight.

JD Dublin

Marcus Halberstram wrote: »

Who I am or how I post is not the title of this thread. You sure sound butthurt, probably one of the so called organisers.

He's a troll - simples really.

Carazy

mgbgt1978 wrote: »

Futureama Productions marcus. Don't forget the 'E' or he might have Fox TV after him.;)

Davis Events were the organisers according to the Leader
20-000-for-new-year-s-eve-bash-in-limerick-1-5620633

leakyboots

Marcus Halberstram wrote: »

Thanks for giving some insight.

No probs, I'm glad the weather held off because if it lashed down it would have been a proper mess. I might be wrong on the short-notice front so I'll hold my hand up if so. It was a bit shambolic (from the public viewpoint, from the other side things ran great) but I do think people enjoyed themselves on the whole and a lot of the problems were out of the organisers hands. The bigger picture about who's in charge and who's running what is more relevant, it's a long year ahead so plenty of time to right the wrongs.

If I was a paying punter I'd have been annoyed too, the vast majority of the crowd had an obstructed view through the bars of the fence or down towards the Locke. But as I said, I'd imagine that was RTE's call to put the stage there. Someone above mentioned emergency exits to the left and right of the stage and that makes sense. Somewhere like the Milk Market would have been ideal but wouldn't have had the necessary 'aesthetics' for TV.

And I've said on here numerous times King John's Castle back in the day when they had The Frames, The Walls, Mundy, Niall Quinn, Woodstar, one of my favourite gigs ever, but the setting made it. Should be used more.

bigpink

Cuckoo Events seemed to be involved also according to twitter