Waukegan, Illinois - "Friends of Genessee Theatre" Are the Exact Opposite

With amazing anticipation, I arrived at the Genessee Theatre in Waukegan, Illinois to see Taylor Hicks perform a concert. The theatre is stunningly beautiful with its' huge chandeliers and ornate moldings. The plush red chairs and curtains are a welcomed sight as you sit in anticipation for your event to take place.

Now, any Taylor Hicks fan knows that Taylor's music is music to get up and dance to. Taylor doesn't want his fans to sit like bumps on a log while he performs, he wants them to have fun! I understand that some people aren't capable of standing for long periods of time, but if that's the case, then I suggest they sit somewhere that they can see from a seated position.

So we're sitting in the theater waiting for the concert to start. Taylor comes bounding on the stage and the crowd goes wild. Everyone is standing and shouting. He starts to sing and everyone starts to sit down. A select few die hards are dancing and having a great time. That's when the staff starts....

The ushers go over and ask people to sit down. People start getting upset, because they came to see Taylor perform and it's nearly impossible to keep in your seat during such a performance. I must tell you, I have been do a LOT of Taylor's concerts, and this was the BEST one that I had seen yet, and to be forced to sit the entire time when the man is on fire is like asking someone to stay in a burning building.

Taylor starts to heat up and people jump up again. The staff runs over to them and starts yelling at people to sit down. Taylor goes on more and more, just getting better and better, and people stand up to join in his fun. Here come those blasted ushers again. This time they are screaming and getting physical with the patrons. My jaw was simply hanging open at this sight. People paid to come to this theatre to see Taylor perform and this is how the staff treats his fans???

At one point, Taylor noticed what was going on. He even yelled for us to stand up at one point. At this time, I said, "Screw it! I'm standing up!" Now, I wasn't one of the people that the ushers had a problem with, but I was so furious that we weren't allowed to enjoy this amazing time with Taylor that I just got on my feet when Taylor yelled at us to do so. The girls that wanted to dance had front row seats and had to go all the way to the back of the theater to dance.

Now, in my day, a concert was just meant to be one that you stood the whole time. Taylor's music is not the kind that you should just sit there and listen to!

Again, here come the ushers. They were screaming in the faces of the fans to sit down. I simply could not believe what I was seeing. This time, they were telling people that if they did not sit down, they would be escorted from the building.

The "Friends of Genesse" have turned into the "Genessee Gestapo" to all of us Soul Patrol now. We have vowed never to return to this theatre for any reason whatsoever. I suggest to all of you, if you plan to attend a concert there where you wanna get out of your seat to enjoy it that you do not go at all. You will be pushed around and threatened by their staff in doing so. Don't waste your money on this place. I can guarantee that I won't!

The Genessee Theatre gets 1 out of 5 Tiaras on the Amy Gayle Scale for their beautiful theatre and that alone.