If you are a fan of rock music you will be pleased to know that tickets — priced from $40 to $75 — are going on sale this Friday, February 20, for the appearance of the Barenaked Ladies on Thursday, July 2, that will headline the first major concert at the new amphitheater at the Mercer County Park Festival Grounds this summer.
But don’t expect Teresa Lourenco of South Post Road to be standing in line for tickets. That’s because Lourenco, who lives on the road adjacent to the park, may believe that she will be able to hear the music without leaving her house. In addition, Lourenco was a leading opponent of the county’s plan to construct the amphitheater, voicing concerns about traffic, parking, and noise.
Lourenco responded to the Barenaked Ladies ticket announcement with an E-mail that began “something is very wrong here” and then quoted from the WW-P News’ February 7, 2014, coverage of county park director Kevin Bannon’s statement before the West Windsor Council:
“We aren’t planning on a significant increase in programming. Our summer concert series will be moved from the marina area to the festival grounds, which is approximately four to six evenings over the course of the summer. We have no interest in becoming a major rock concert destination and have already turned down several events every year that wish to play loud music into the night.”
Lourenco then quoted from Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes’ statement announcing the Barenaked Lades concert: “It’s going to be a great summer at Mercer County Park with our free Summer Concert Series, a three-day Freedom Festival, performances by several national musical acts and the annual heritage fairs.”
Added Lourenco: “And let us not forget MCCC’s 33,500 solar panels in full view from the amphitheater! Industrial-sized solar and now major rock concerts — not so perfect together in our residential neighborhood.”
The July 2 show will also include the Violent Femmes and singer Colin Hay of Men at Work. The acts will perform on a 2,200-square-foot stage that is part of the 200,000-square-foot amphitheater, which is still under construction with a grand opening scheduled for June with multiple events throughout the summer.
