Security at the BOK Center

[nathanm]

Cameras can be annoying but I like them letting people bring them in.

Cameras aren't annoying. Morons who think their dinky little flash on their point & shoot will have any effect more than 10 feet away are annoying. (my hot shoe flash is good for about 100 feet at ISO 1600 in the dark at f/4, although the exposure will still be on the low side it can be fixed in post processing)

At the beginning of the show I could easily have had an epileptic seizure from all the frakking camera flashes going off.

Even if you did have a big-donkey flash (and an enormous reflector to go with it!) that could light up the stage several hundred feet away it still would have been completely unnecessary.

[RipTout]

There was little to complain about last night. At first, too long a wait. But all of a sudden the gates opened. Had to sacrifice my water which made me sad. Smell it if you think it's booze, security. There was no lettuce in the building to buck my smell senses.

Elton John is an icon....Not as great as in the 70's show at the Convention Center. But all in all, for an arena show it was top notch. Never heard acoustic pianos sound that way in a hockey rink. The sound was muddled when more musicians joined in.

The ticket price was not worth the show.
Tcketbastards!


Afterwards, the crowds at McNellies and in the Blue Dome were shameful and disgusting. St. Paddy amatures gone green. I wanted my camera to snap the dirty, dark side of Tulsa. Alcoholics and future alcoholics everywhere.

[Cats Cats Cats]

First, cameras are annoying when people hold them up recording the show and block your view half the time.  That would be "some of the time".  I know the flashes are stupid but they don't effect me as much as having a lit up screen facing me and in between me and the act.

On it being the best show in the world.  At lunch somebody pointed out that Elton forgot some of the words.  I was disappointed by Elton and thought that Billy Joel carried him.  I thought Billy Joel sounded better on Elton's songs than he did.

[PonderInc]

I thought it was a fantastic concert.  Here's what amazed me:

The access people had to the stage!  

Last summer a friend and I went to see Jack Johnson at an outdoor concert.  He had secret service-like security.  Bags were thoroughly searched.  There was an 8 foot barrier separating the crowd from the stage, and no way anyone could shake his hand or beg for an autograph.  (My friend wanted to pass him a note about how his music helped her get through cancer treatments... no dice!)

Last night, these two huge stars took time to shake hands and sign autographs.  The weirdest thing was when some lanky kid jumped up on stage between songs and ran to Elton John's microphone and asked his girlfriend to marry him.  Sir Elton, to his credit, didn't miss a beat... but I was amazed the kid wasn't tackled before he reached the piano.  

[nathanm]

On it being the best show in the world.  At lunch somebody pointed out that Elton forgot some of the words.  I was disappointed by Elton and thought that Billy Joel carried him.  I thought Billy Joel sounded better on Elton's songs than he did.

I thought Billy Joel sounded better on Billy Joel's songs, in that he tended to stay closer to the album in his lyrics.

Elton seemed to do a lot more playing around with things (and his voice sounded somewhat hoarse). I really loved the extended piano play at the end of Rocket Man.

And why people can't use the viewfinder on their camera, I'll never figure out. I guess the same stupidity that drives them to not turn off the flash. They both suck down the battery for absolutely no gain whatsoever (in most situations).

Ponder: It seemed there was some discussion between that fellow and some security and Elton John after he had hopped up on stage but before he made it to the mic. Perhaps security was just being nice rather than grabbing him forcefully.

[patric]

Morons who think their dinky little flash on their point & shoot will have any effect more than 10 feet away are annoying.

At some point they should figure out the flash ruins their picture because it's only reflecting off the smoke between you and the stage, and the picture is more hazy than had they not used flash.

[patric]

All the good security out at St. Patties?

More than 50 Tulsa Police officers will be working downtown Tuesday night, in addition to security guards hired by bars in the Blue Dome District, Sheriff's deputies, and Oklahoma Highway Patrolmen.

He says officers are pulled from each uniform division- Gilcrease, Riverside and Mingo Valley, to work the downtown area.

But, for those people outside downtown, they're relying on their faith that nothing will happen.
http://www.fox23.com/news/local/story/More-Officers-Downtown/tQ2nh_vC0E-FYI1aKO1awg.cspx

[cannon_fodder]

Afterwards, the crowds at McNellies and in the Blue Dome were shameful and disgusting. St. Paddy amateurs gone green. I wanted my camera to snap the dirty, dark side of Tulsa. Alcoholics and future alcoholics everywhere.

I was downtown yesterday.  I saw plenty of drunk people.  Some idiots.  Plenty of interesting people and tons of green.

I saw no fighting.  I saw/smelled no one smoking pot.  I saw no girls flash the crowds.  I didn't see anyone get arrested.  The security I saw was appropriately at arms length, but there if needed.

I saw mostly young professionals out having fun.  I saw life in the streets and money being spent downtown that will mostly stay in Tulsa.   What exactly did you find so horrible?   

I can only assume that you find Beale Street, Bourbon street, 5th in Austin, the power and light district in DC, and most other places that draw crowds for entertainment as shameful and disgusting.  When properly placed and controlled I call that a lively city.

[Cats Cats Cats]

I was downtown yesterday.  I saw plenty of drunk people.  Some idiots.  Plenty of interesting people and tons of green.

I saw no fighting.  I saw/smelled no one smoking pot.  I saw no girls flash the crowds.  I didn't see anyone get arrested.  The security I saw was appropriately at arms length, but there if needed.

I saw mostly young professionals out having fun.  I saw life in the streets and money being spent downtown that will mostly stay in Tulsa.   What exactly did you find so horrible?   

I can only assume that you find Beale Street, Bourbon street, 5th in Austin, the power and light district in DC, and most other places that draw crowds for entertainment as shameful and disgusting.  When properly placed and controlled I call that a lively city.

My friend was in Austin and on 5th.. Anyway, on the way back to the car he pass a person passed out on the street with the ambulance coming, a guy knock out his girlfriend, and a few people trying to pick a fight with him.  That was all over like 3 blocks just trying to get back to his car   Unrelated, but quite crazy story of what can happen on a 5 minute walk with drunk people everywhere.

[FOTD]

The city was lively. For several hours a year we get this.

All good. Wish it were like that every night.

Question. What would happen if there was a baseball game, a huge BOK event, concerts in the soon to be newly named Brady district at the Cain's and Brady?

Parking catastrophe?

[Michael71]

Is not very good.

My wife and I were at the Elton John/Billy Joel concert last night and I was amazed at the stuff people managed to carry in with them.

1. The family in front of us each had their own bottle of liquor. Dad had a bottle of Jameson, mom had some peach schnapps and junior had a bottle of vodka. This classy group of people were wearing jeans and t-shirts so I can't see how security missed the bottles. Well except for the obvious answer that they weren't looking.

2. The guy next to my wife had a video camera and a tripod. The camera was bad enough, but a tripod!?! Seriously! He was in the end seat and set it up next to him through the entire concert. I'm still amazed he got them into the show. To make it worse an usher walked by several times during the show and never bothered to say a word about it.

3. Lots and lots of "hippie lettuce" was being smoked last night. Easier to sneak in I know, but the smell is distinctive and I'm just surprised nothing was done about it. The older couple next to my wife ended up leaving about an hour into the show due to the smoke. I did my best Bill Clinton impersonation and did not inhale. *cough* *cough*

4. I never saw it, but my wife said some people in the section to the left of us had what looked to be a liter bottle of Jack Daniels they were passing around during the show.

The show itself was outstanding!

Were they being rude/unruly? ...if not, WHO CARES!

[sgrizzle]

The city was lively. For several hours a year we get this.

All good. Wish it were like that every night.

Question. What would happen if there was a baseball game, a huge BOK event, concerts in the soon to be newly named Brady district at the Cain's and Brady?

Parking catastrophe?

If by "catastrophe" you mean we might fill half the parking spots, then yes.

[PonderInc]

How many people work (and park) downtown every day?  I can't remember the number b/c I suck at statistics, but it's at least 50,000 isn't it?  In any case, even during the day, there's plenty of parking. 

So if you filled up every conceivable venue at night...no problem.

Try to remember this fact:
PARKING LOTS COVER 50% OF DOWNTOWN TULSA.

That is the catastrophe.

[Cats Cats Cats]

I don't like walking for 15 minutes to get places when I am in a hurry because I am going to eat + go to a concert that starts at 7:00

[cannon_fodder]

I don't like walking for 15 minutes to get places when I am in a hurry because I am going to eat + go to a concert that starts at 7:00

lol.

First of all, if you parked in the vast swatches of empty lots near McNelly's it is only a 10 minute walk to the BOk center.   If you parked at the ridiculously large lots between TCC and Boston Ave. Church you it is a 15 minute walk.  More often than not, you'll be able to find something closer.

Second, move to North Dakota.  There is never an event in the entire state you can't park within 3 minutes of.  Notably because there is never an event in the state.

Third - what is your proposed solution?  Have less events?  Or level more buildings for parking?  Frankly if parking becomes an actual problem we will have more parking ramps - which increases both the density of the area, the urban landscape (if done right the space as a whole), and the tax base of the city.

Fourth, I don't like walking 15 minutes either really.  But I consider it part of the price of admission to a big event.  A concert at the BOk center, Oktoberfest, a TU game . . . let alone really big events (OU football, concert festival, etc).  You have to either consider it part of the experience or pay to get around the problem (monthly parking pass at the  Courthouse if you really can't stand it).