4/16/13 The Florida Theatre, Jacksonville, FL

[fred27]

oh i heard they r tryin to stay away from currently visited states

[Alinite27]

Well, they added a show in Fort Pierce, FL. A couple days before this one.

Also, Jim has added a show in Venice, FL on Dec 2.

[jamiekate]

hi all,

i think me and my daughter will be going to this as our very first al show and i have a few questions for veterans of a al show..
should i get the 125 tickets or next ones down?
where is there a good hotel near the theater?
where are good places to eat?
is there a service to go through to get tickets cheaper than going thru als main site?
and last, any tips for first timers?

thanks

[albinodwarf27]

jamiekate, if I remember correctly, the closest hotel to the theatre is the Hyatt - walking distance, but pretty pricey. Tickets will be less expensive if you buy them directly from the theatre. The more expensive tickets on the website include a bunch of extras, which you may or may not want, but the seats will be right up front. Read the descriptions carefully.

[Alinite27]

You should definitely buy tickets directly from the theater if you want the cheapest. You can usually get pretty good seats there, as well. The $125 tickets from Al's site come with exclusive merchandise: an Alpocalypse poster that is numbered, dated, and signed by Al (the poster is on grooved, archival paper--supposed to keep the quality longer), three glossy 8x10 photos from the album photo shoot, a collector's sheet with information about the album (it's printed on the same paper as the poster), and an Alpocalypse Folder (has a foldover flap on top, Alpocalypse Logo on front, then folds out to put the papers or collectible items inside). Complete descriptions are on the ticket page on the website. Personally, I wasn't that impressed with the quality of the folder, as it felt cheaply made, it's also a little bigger than I would prefer, which makes it bulky and pretty useless. The rest of the items are cool, but I'm not sure that it warrants the $125. Those tickets, though, will be in the first three rows of the left or right center sections. The premium tickets on Al's website will be in the first ten rows of either left or right center section. They are $56.50.

Tickets through the theater can be purchased by calling the box office at 904-355-2787. Tickets are also on sale through TicketMaster at http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/22004 ... orcatid=51" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tickets are $40 and $45 depending on seat location. Orchestra seats are available for both prices with $40 starting at Row QQ. $45 tickets for front balcony (Loge). Back balcony is $40. You can choose your own tickets through Ticketmaster's website, but they don't always reflect the whole selection, as I have seen that sometimes the theater holds back some tickets to sell directly on their own.

The Hyatt is the closest hotel to the theater. It will set you back $152. If distance isn't a preference, I think the best value for your money in the Jacksonville area is the Wingate on Lenoir Ave. It is $64 through Hotels.com right now, which is a great price for it. Rooms have microwaves and refrigerators, along with free breakfast, internet and parking. It is also located right off of I-95 exit 344.

I am not positive on the best dining, as I usually grab some Whataburger Fast Food when I am in Jacksonville, but there is a listing of restaurants at http://downtownjacksonville.org/locatio ... ining.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. I really think that dining depends on what you want, and how much time you have. If you have any more specifications, we could look for something.

Other tips are to make sure to give yourself plenty of time to get to the theater, as you'll feel less rushed. You don't want to miss any of your first Al concert. Plus, in my opinion, the pre-show music is pretty rad. Also, after the show, Al is very inclined to meet at this venue. Just wait by the bus with the brown swoosh on the side. The bus should be located directly in front of the theater here. That's where it's been in the past.

Wish you all the best of time and good luck!

[albinodwarf27]

Great show, as always. I believe the snotty barista worked at Lillie's on First Street. The Jacksonville crowd was very enthusiastic. Some of the older folks up front were seriously into it, which made me realize that I actually qualify as older folk myself - although I swear these people were OLDER, lol. Outside the theater a man and young boy took turns playing trumpet, throwing in a few of the songs Al has parodied. Always good to know your audience

I'm not a big merch buyer, but I did notice (and purchase) the new hoodie - black zip-up with the logo used on Cupcake Wars on the left chest, and the logo and Weird Al Yankovic on the back in blue and white. Really nice, $45.