This summer, Blossom Music Center was fully booked with the sweet sounds of live music. Every week, there was a new headliner pulling in people from around the area and filling up the parking lots to full capacity. From Noah Kahan to Pitbull, the sold-out shows were talked about by so many, leaving those who didn’t go wishing they took the night off and spent the evening at Blossom.
Even though the venue has been around for a while, this simple way to see some live music became very popular over the summer. Each weekend there was a new person posting the latest concert. Part of the reason why so many teens could go to these shows is because buying tickets is fairly easy. Though it fluctuates depending on resale and popularity of the artist, the prices for lawn tickets are constant at 50 dollars. Someone could easily buy a ticket the day of the concert and show up that evening to see the artist.
Some even prepared for the whole summer by buying a season ticket. This purchase makes going to a concert as simple as grabbing a pass on the way out the door and getting it scanned before going into the concert. Junior Maddie Mormino and her family had these passes. “The pass is so worth it, we got so much use out of it and it was so fun to be able to bring friends when some of my family couldn’t go,” Mormino says. “When all the costs of the concerts are added up, the pass is cheaper, so it’s definitely worth the buy!”
The lawn seating at these concerts creates a certain atmosphere surrounding the music. The type of crowd that each show brings will change this feeling, but something about sitting on blankets around people who are all just as excited really brings people together. Whether it is asking someone to take a picture or watching their stuff while they run to the bathroom, or even when everyone is close together counting down the minutes for the starting time of the show, the concerts bring everyone together.
When The Cleveland Orchestra performs, the venue allows people to bring in food and drinks to enjoy a picnic on the side of listening to the music. This opportunity allows people to enjoy live music more. A show for a band like Train wouldn’t allow food to be brought in, but the crowd would be older, spending most of their time sitting down in their seats, singing along with their friends. Every kind of music is enjoyed in different ways by different kinds of people, but being surrounded by people who share that interest with you really adds to the atmosphere at Blossom.
One of the downsides to booking shows at an outdoor venue is the possibility of weather issues. When the weather on the day of a concert is looking questionable, people will patiently wait by their phone, anticipating an update on the show. Bad weather before a show causes the lawn and parking lot to be muddy, but really has no effect on the enjoyment of the show. “I love outdoor venues because it’s such a cool experience to hear music outside, there is just something about it. It definitely can stink when the weather isn’t good, like rain or cold, so planning accordingly is definitely needed,” explains Mormino.
Another downside to the venue is the parking lot and location situation. Being situated right in the national park, there are only a few roads that lead to the venue. These roads will quickly back up and create unease about making it in time for the opener to come on. “My biggest piece of advice would be to anticipate it taking longer to get in than you would think. Sometimes it can take an hour or so just to drive into the venue,” explains Mormino.
For some shows, getting out of the venue is just as hard as getting in. It could take as long as an hour to even start moving depending on which lot the car is parked in. These cars will be stuck in standstill traffic just waiting for their lot to start getting cleared. Parking passes are available for purchase, but as long as everyone stays patient, the waiting is manageable.
“I ended up being able to see 6 concerts.” Mormino says. “Some of my favorites were Hozier and Noah Kahan. I saw many other amazing ones but those were definitely the top two!” Mormino is just one person who really took advantage of the summer lineup of concerts and went every time she got the chance. When the schedule for next summer starts to come out, keep a lookout for any artists that stick and plan on another great summer of Blossom!
