moe. Central Park- Just Okay Alright

moe. played Central Park's Summerstage last night. The show was a typical moe. hard rock jamfest. The clear highlight was Don't F&ck with Flo, which was loud, heavy, and nasty. They played a few older fan favorites that were just ok, very typical, good but nothing special- Moth, Meat, Spine of a Dog. The jams just didn't seem to be go anywhere, meandering aimlessly. I've seen moe. about twice a year for the last 10 years (wow.. I can't believe it's been that long- I feel old now) but admittedly I'm not the best person to completely judge this particular show due to circumstances I'll detail below.
The great thing about the Summerstage setup is that it's loud and clear to anyone in the park, so you can go sit on the lawn and listen to any shows for free. The sound directly behind the venue area is very good (pic below) but there are woodchips on the ground, so you need a blanket and it's not the most comfortable- the grass on the side is real nice (pic above). The lights make interesting shapes in the trees. You can pull up a blanket and bring some food and mix up your own drinks instead of paying $5 a beer inside. You can't see the band though.The bad part is the bathroom situation. All that drinking makes one have to go. There are bathrooms behind the stage, down the steps by Bethesda Fountain. The problem is that it closes well before the shows end (10p), leaving you no option but the woods. If you can't go in the woods, or are with someone, not naming any names but they who they are, who can't go in the woods, you're SOL, perhaps literally, and you'll have to leave the park and attempt to find a Starbucks on the Upper West Side. This is an easy task if you already know where one is, but just walking blindly makes it harder. Eventually we found one on all the way on 71st and Broadway, and proceeded to head back to the park having missed Timmy Tucker and Paranoid Android. So therefore I can't fully judge the show but I have learned a valuable lesson about Central Park bathrooms. Go early, go often.
.category: nyc_ music_