Despite the throwback sounds, a Mumford & Sons show might have made a fairly progressive stand at their Chicago concert last Friday night at Cricket Hill. Their Montrose Beach show, and the crowd of 35,000, was louder than expected, leading to noise complaints neighborhoods away and plenty of northsiders feeling like there was a mandolin player inside their apartment building. But while the concert brought the noise, it didn't bring the traffic, according to Streetsblog Chicago. An article quotes Tressa Feher, chief of staff for 46th Ward Alderman James Cappleman, as saying that the show brought minimal traffic complaints. Temporary taxi stands, bike parking and Divvy stations were set up to handle the traffic, and while the parking situation in the dense neighborhood didn't leave many options, the pre-show promotion by the city and JAM Productions may serve as a model for more car-free outdoor events in the future.
The production did receive some harsh criticism regarding the treatment of homeless men and women who had been staying in the Wilson Avenue viaduct under Lake Shore Drive. The foot traffic from the show supposedly necessitated city workers clearing out the space so concertgoers could reach the Lakefront stage; In These Times slammed the move as insensitive.
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