Summer at PNC: Changes in concert lineup, tailgating State police will use video surveillance, plainclothes officers BY ERIN O. STATTEL Staff Writer Festival-type concerts and tours are off the summer concert roster for the PNC Bank Arts Center, according to Kevin Morrow, president of Live Nation New York. Morrow made the announcement to a small audience at a forum held March 18 at Holmdel High School. The forum was called by Assemblywoman Amy Handlin (R-13) to address problems at the venue last summer when underage drinking and large numbers of arrests dominated the spotlight during the concert season. Handlin said she hopes to create a partnership in the community to help prevent underage drinking and promote respect for the law and other PNC Bank Arts Center patrons. "I believe that the community has a right to know the names and faces of every key decision maker, and have an opportunity for direct interaction," she said. Morrow said that in an effort to eliminate the problems, Live Nation has turned away festivals like Ozzfest, where the behavior led to hospital visits and, ultimately, two deaths following the concert last year. "I have never had someone die at one of my shows," Morrow said. "So, we decided to remove shows like Ozzfest, the Mayhem Tour and Warped Tour." Morrow said the company would lose money over that decision, but he made it because he wants the community to feel comfortable with Live Nation's presence. According to Mary Ruotolo, director of the Garden State Arts Foundation and a representative of the New Jersey TurnpikeAuthority, concertgoers under the age of 21 will still be able to tailgate at most shows. "Once the concert schedule is made, we will all meet and identify shows that target a very young audience," Ruotolo said. "Those shows will not allow tailgating." Representatives from Live Nation - the concert presenter at PNC - on the panel said the ban would most likely be limited to two or three shows that would not allow tailgating in the parking lots. "We need to teach kids that getting out of control in the parking lot is not cool," Morrow said. "We have tried to get some of the more sober musicians to do public service announcements, but they don't want to be the poster child for it." "We have a lot invested in this area and this community," John Huff, senior vice president of venues, said. "We have invested a tremendous amount of money at PNC, and we have a long-term commitment and we aren't going anywhere." Huff reiterated that Live Nation has taken guest safety very seriously while appearing on the lease at the arts center for the past 10 years, and they plan to remain on the lease for the next 10 years. Capt. Kevin Burke, deputy troop commander of Troop E of the New Jersey State Police, said that introducing newer technology to monitor the concerts would be another step in the right direction for the upcoming season. "We will be using video with live feed in real time that will be fed back to our command post," Burke said. "We will be able to monitor the actual event as it unfolds." Burke said the state police will use plainclothes undercover officers to police crowds inside and outside the gates. He also cautioned that arrests are not the panacea for underage drinking. Morrow agreed and went on to explain why they could not simply ban certain acts from the venue. "What are we going to do, ban Hannah Montana? It's not the acts that make kids drink," he said, and went on to cite other controversial acts from earlier times, like Elvis and the Beatles. "It's not the music. We are walking the line near censorship when we tell acts they can't come here." Morrow said that it is time to be responsible and teach children about responsible drinking, saying he felt the most influence still comes from parents. The panel discussed the possibility of having a parents' zone at concerts where adults could drop off their children inside the gates and wait for their children to exit. "Put the ear plugs in and go to the concert with your kids," suggested Holmdel Mayor Serena DiMaso. "Get involved with your own family and know what your children are up to." The explanations seemed encouraging to Holmdel resident Pam Lynch, but the small audience surprised her. "Having heard from the state police and Live Nation, I am totally reassured," Lynch said. "They obviously do care, and I like knowing I can tell my kids, 'Hey, the police are watching you.' But I am surprised there aren't more parents here, especially since this is such an issue with young teenagers." Other executives from Live Nation, a $3 billion-a-year publicly traded company, joined Huff andMorrow. In addition to the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the New Jersey State Police, also in attendance was a representative from Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management (TEAM), whose board includes a representative of Live Nation. Handlin introduced her legislation mandating stiffer penalties for underage drinkers and ended the night saying, "We really hope this isn't an end, but a beginning."