Charting the hits and misses from Summerfest '09

Another Summerfest is in the books. Maybe in was the predominantly lousy spring weather, but when the 2009 version of the Big Gig began, a lot of people asked "Already?"

Now that it's over, the same feeling permeates.

Already?

This version of Summerfest came and went without major scandal or headlines. In a few days, officials will release attendance figures and they likely will indicate a drop from the 2008 total. We can point a couple of reasons for that, including the sluggish economy, a long Brewers homestand, some unseasonably cool and cloudy weather and a solid-but-unspectacular lineup of musical acts.

In the aftermath of the festival, we offer the following hits and misses. Feel free to use the Talkback feature to add your own.

Hit: The reconfigured M&I Classic Rock Stage (with Fiduciary Management, Miller Lite, 97.3 The Brew & My 95.7) eased congestion and made for better sightlines. Let's hope things go as smoothly when the area around the Briggs stage and south gate are revamped.

Hit: Kudos to Summerfest for using social media to let people know about a "secret" free admission deal. Kudos, also, for the Kapco $2 Tuesday, the Wednesday happy hour and the three hours of free admission on Sunday.

Miss: Jeers to people who bypassed Summerfest because they thought the admission price was too steep. If you're paying full price to get through the gates, you're not trying very hard.

Hit: The breakfast offerings at Major Goolsby's, served before the grounds open, remains a staple for employees and early arrivals. It's a great way to start the day.

Miss: The weather was crummy for the traditionally lower attendance days. That didn't help matters.

Hits: Saz's mozzarella marinara and Venice Club eggplant. Always great.

Miss: The absence of 102.9 The Hog definitely hurt the Rock Stage. Nothing against the fine folks at 94.1 WJJO (Madison) and 95 WIIL ROCK (Kenosha), but the lack of presence and promotion from a "local" station created a void on the site. The lack of marquee bands for the stage didn't help, either. (Disclosure: The author has been a paid guest on 102.9 The Hog's morning show since 1998.)

Miss: A few visitors from Illinois pointed out that signage could be more prevalent and dynamic throughout the grounds. A couple well-placed information kiosks and stage lineups would help.

Hit: You have to love the Catalano's lemonade stands. The drink is delicious, but (small quibble) the cups don't seem to hold up very well.

Suggestion: Years ago, it seemed like more Downtown office workers would come to Summerfest during their lunch hour to listen to music and have a sandwich. The change in hand-stamp policies probably hurt that traffic, but there should be way to get it back.

Miss: The food vendors in the Ethnic Village -- Usinger's, Mader's, Famous Dave's, Edwardo's, John Hawks, Botanas and King & I, are obscured by picnic tables and the north end of the Sky Glider. There might be a way to open that area and make them more visible and accessible.

Hit: The Summerfest site included some outstanding videos this year. The clips, produced in conjunction with Mindpool.TV, included performance footage, backstage interviews and other fun stuff. Clearly, Summerfest is scratching the surface of something that could be pretty huge down the road.

Hit: Speaking of video, the U.S. Marines and other branches of the military didn't create any controversy this year with video games.

Hit: Summerfest hasn't increased beer prices in awhile. Now is not the time to dabble in that area, either.

Miss: It's time for Summerfest to udpate its Web site and ditch the slow-to-load flash player.

Hit: It was good to see some eco-friendly urinals in the men's room, with plaques from Kohler explaining how the new technology saves water.

Miss: We know it's tough to keep up with demand, but too often the paper towel dispensers in rest rooms are empty or jammed.

Hit: It was great of Summerfest to book (insert band of choice here, mine is Dropkick Murphys). The show was awesome and I hope the band comes back against next year.