Results tagged “mariatessasciarrino”

Update: Fixed a few typos and small factual errors, and added a more correct image credit. Thanks, Maria!

Today is National High Five Day (in addition to another, unofficial, holiday that Phillyist really shouldn't endorse). We just wanted to tell all of you ahead of time, because if you run into a Phillyist writer or editor on the street, and they greet you with a hand in the air, they're not trying to hit you, but rather to tell you: "hey, good job, you rock!" Even if you're not sure what you did or what you rock at. We know, and you do. (Thanks to Maria Tessa Sciarrino for the tip.)

Among other Philadelphians leaving the area for a week of barbecue and indie rock will be Plain Parade's Maria Tessa Sciarrino. Not only will Maria be appearing on a panel at the SXSW Music Conference, but she'll also be blogging for Toyota as they try to promote their new Yaris model.

We spread ourselves across the Ben Franklin Parkway on Saturday, all for you. Well, we kind of wanted to be there, but we also wanted to give you the scoop on what we saw at and what we thought of Philly's big cultural event. Live 8 went off without a hitch, seemingly, but it wasn't perfect. We give you the good, the bad, and the SEPTA. Below are 8 key questions on Live 8 with responses from Phillyist staffers and contributors. We'll update this post as more of us check in with our experiences. 1. Security and personal safety: did you feel that health services and police officers were plentiful? Did you feel safe at Live 8?

John Carroll, Editor: The big red balloons for health tents were a nice touch. There could have been a few more, maybe, since they seemed like a hike at times (especially if you're hurt). Fortunately, I was fine throughout the day. The police were in groups along the perimeters, which wasn't ideal, but aside from being trapped in a crush of people early on in the concert, I was safe for most of the day.

Jessica Haralson, Love and Sex:My post-9/11 spidey sense tingled as I sashayed onto the Parkway at 7 AM with only a sparse sighting of police officers and no security checks; although the no-fly zone was comforting, I couldn't help but feel that a bomb could have gone off with little ado during the whole she-bang. The alcohol-fueled brawls that popped up around me during the day did little to mitigate my fears either. The police were there - but at the perimeter. What could they have done?

Jeff Siti, Arts and Entertainment:There were alot of police but they didn't have much to do though. No one was causing any problems.

Maria Tessa Sciarrino, Contributor:I was surprised at how safe i felt at Live 8, especially when a fight broke out right in front of me at the Easkins Oval South Fountain. I'm not quite sure what caused the incident but everything's fine one moment and the next, fists are flyin'. Cops who had been placed atop the fountain to monitor the area were there within seconds to clear up the situation. 2. How were the crowds? Did you have enough space to feel comfortable throughout the day?

John: As I mentioned previously, I got caught in a crush of pushing, angry people. I think the blankets and chairs really made movement difficult at spots along the Parkway, but aside from a few jammed areas (and a little lake behind the first video screen) I had an adequate amount of space throughout the day.

Jessica:The crowds were oppressive, as was to be expected. The complete lack of crowd organization, however, was not. Without a multitude of barricades, security, or logistical planning, the battle for space was an unregulated free-for-all that resulted in rolled eyes and ruffled feathers. When Al Sharpton heralded John Street's "incredible organization" during the evening fireworks, it was only the kindest that didn't boo.

Jeff:I didn't try to get too close the stage. The further back you got the more room you had. It was much better a few hundred yards down the Parkway.

Maria: Space was fine, it was everyone who felt it was OK to bring along a lawn chair that bothered me. Considering how crowded it was, especially up towards the front, the furniture caused more problems. I tripped over several of them.