*** Official Deer Creek 2018 ***

[AlexK79]

I've found tailgating really inconsistent over the years. We usually stay at the campground till around 5 and then head over. We've never had any real issues, but sometimes we'll have security walking up and down rows of cars telling people to pack up and get inside. It seems really random, cuz 100 feet away there will be people with canopies, big setups, etc and no one says a word.

[flutterby]

Originally Posted by jmc419

One can save so much $ by camping.

This 40 year old pampered ass needs air conditioning. And a real shower. And a bed. Maybe a continental breakfast. I'm willing to pay & can afford it, it's one of the perks of middle age

[jmc419]

Camping at DC has always been one of the options I enjoy. Easy walk to venue, good company, shuttles, affordable (especially considering the increase in ticket costs).

Maybe it helps that I already have all the gear.

[dmbalpine]

How far away is airport from venue? It looks pretty close ok maps.

[chadizzy1]

Originally Posted by flutterby

This 40 year old pampered ass needs air conditioning. And a real shower. And a bed. Maybe a continental breakfast. I'm willing to pay & can afford it, it's one of the perks of middle age

I did a hotel, too. You’re not the only one.

[IndyDMB]

Originally Posted by dmbalpine

How far away is airport from venue? It looks pretty close ok maps.

40-45 minutes probably, with no traffic.

[AlexK79]

Originally Posted by dmbalpine

How far away is airport from venue? It looks pretty close ok maps.

The airport is pretty far. (Relatively speaking, of course. Probably 45-60 min drive?)

[MtSkier]

Yeah my hot take is that concert camping blows lol. Gimme a shower, ac, dry secure place to keep my stuff any day. And sleepybear (the only place I’ve camped) wasn’t that much cheaper than a hotel anyways.

[dmbalpine]

Originally Posted by AlexK79

The airport is pretty far. (Relatively speaking, of course. Probably 45-60 min drive?)

Got it, thanks all.

It was the smaller metropolitan airport that is close.

First timer coming from MN. Still thinking I’ll grab a cheap flight rather than 10 hour drive.

[OneLove41]

Anyone stayin in Indy? Or is this not a good idea? Don’t mind the drive to and from the venue, but how bad is traffic?

[mHeiser92]

Originally Posted by MtSkier

Yeah my hot take is that concert camping blows lol. Gimme a shower, ac, dry secure place to keep my stuff any day. And sleepybear (the only place I’ve camped) wasn’t that much cheaper than a hotel anyways.

How much were you paying to stay at sleepybear?

[AlexK79]

Originally Posted by mHeiser92

How much were you paying to stay at sleepybear?

That's my question....I know for Green Acres it's like $20 per person, per night to camp. (Sometime's they give you a discount if you stay all 3 nights.) A hotel near the venue is gonna be like $200/night plus tax. So unless you've got 10 people splitting your hotel room I don't see how that computes...

[jmc419]

Originally Posted by AlexK79

That's my question....I know for Green Acres it's like $20 per person, per night to camp. (Sometime's they give you a discount if you stay all 3 nights.) A hotel near the venue is gonna be like $200/night plus tax. So unless you've got 10 people splitting your hotel room I don't see how that computes...

Exactly...

Camp 3 days within walking distance - $90 bucks or less
Hotel 3 days within walking distance - $500 to $600

[IndyDMB]

Gimmie fresh air, sleeping under the stars, campfire, grilling, no tv and coolers full of my favorite beverages. Sounds like heaven.

[bolstad79]

Originally Posted by dmbalpine

Got it, thanks all.

It was the smaller metropolitan airport that is close.

First timer coming from MN. Still thinking I’ll grab a cheap flight rather than 10 hour drive.

I'm driving from Minnesota as well, we're just going to leave on the 4th stop in Rockford Wisconsin, boutique half way.

The drive home will suck though.

[AlexK79]

Originally Posted by IndyDMB

Gimmie fresh air, sleeping under the stars, campfire, grilling, no tv and coolers full of my favorite beverages. Sounds like heaven.

I honestly dig doing it either way. I love camping, but man when it's really hot out sometimes I am wishing for a real shower and some A/C. 2015 it was so brutally hot out that we cancelled our camping, found a decent hotel on Priceline downtown Indy for like $120 (basically what it would have cost the 2 of us combined to camp, maybe a little more) for after the show N1, hung out at a bar during the day N2, and then red-eyed the drive back to Chicago after the N2 show.

[bolstad79]

Originally Posted by jmc419

Exactly...

Camp 3 days within walking distance - $90 bucks or less
Hotel 3 days within walking distance - $500 to $600

There's 4 of us staying in that hotel, I'm okay with paying $60 more for AC and Breakfast.

If I was younger camping would be the way to go, but these days, no thank you.

[jmc419]

Yeah 2015 was a hot one. I recall the 3rd weekend in June and 3rd week in July always getting a storm too. One night the women slept in the car.

That can always make camping 'more fun'.

[mHeiser92]

I look forward to the camping experience every summer. That’s for DMB shows or just camping in general. The heat can suck at times but I love being outside all day and night, drinking my cold beer, playin bags and shit. It’s just part of my summers

[AlexK79]

Originally Posted by jmc419

Yeah 2015 was a hot one. I recall the 3rd weekend in June and 3rd week in July always getting a storm too. One night the women slept in the car.

That can always make camping 'more fun'.

Oh man, that storm in 2010! (But it gave us that amazing JTR opener, so totally worth it.)

Funny story that day, my buddy and I had set up camp at Green Acres, and I had put my backpack full of clothes, sleeping bag, etc... all inside my tent. My wife (girlfriend at the time) called me to warn me about the massive storm she saw on the news, to be careful, keep my stuff in the car, etc. As she's telling me this, there are nothing but blue skies as far as the eye can see, weather had been perfect all day. I basically laughed at her, left all my stuff in the tent, and of course that storm blew in out of nowhere, when we got back to the site my tent was mangled, all of my sleeping stuff and clothes were completely soaked. I had to sleep the rest of the weekend in the front seat of my buddy's car in the same clothes I had on the entire time.

[Klize17]

Originally Posted by AlexK79

Oh man, that storm in 2010! (But it gave us that amazing JTR opener, so totally worth it.)

Funny story that day, my buddy and I had set up camp at Green Acres, and I had put my backpack full of clothes, sleeping bag, etc... all inside my tent. My wife (girlfriend at the time) called me to warn me about the massive storm she saw on the news, to be careful, keep my stuff in the car, etc. As she's telling me this, there are nothing but blue skies as far as the eye can see, weather had been perfect all day. I basically laughed at her, left all my stuff in the tent, and of course that storm blew in out of nowhere, when we got back to the site my tent was mangled, all of my sleeping stuff and clothes were completely soaked. I had to sleep the rest of the weekend in the front seat of my buddy's car in the same clothes I had on the entire time.

It was a gorgeous day. Down right beautiful. I got in early still not a cloud in the sky and then bam. Had about 2 inches of standing rain in my tent, slept in my car and drove back home the following morning to freshen up.

The venue campgrounds looked like a bomb had gone off. Everyone just left their shit on Sunday.

[MtSkier]

Originally Posted by mHeiser92

How much were you paying to stay at sleepybear?

It was like 5 years ago (2012 I think) and it was like 75 bucks per person plus a parking fee if I remember correctly. That coupled with heat was not worth it.

[jmc419]

Originally Posted by AlexK79

Oh man, that storm in 2010! (But it gave us that amazing JTR opener, so totally worth it.)

Funny story that day, my buddy and I had set up camp at Green Acres, and I had put my backpack full of clothes, sleeping bag, etc... all inside my tent. My wife (girlfriend at the time) called me to warn me about the massive storm she saw on the news, to be careful, keep my stuff in the car, etc. As she's telling me this, there are nothing but blue skies as far as the eye can see, weather had been perfect all day. I basically laughed at her, left all my stuff in the tent, and of course that storm blew in out of nowhere, when we got back to the site my tent was mangled, all of my sleeping stuff and clothes were completely soaked. I had to sleep the rest of the weekend in the front seat of my buddy's car in the same clothes I had on the entire time.

I was at dead creek camp that weekend. We had a great spot and that storm did some damage to tents and sun canopy's. My tent was fine, the sun canopy stayed in the ground but was all mangled and bent - I remember a mushed out stranger walking around that kept calling out dead giraffes from all the bent up canopy's.

One of my buddies from Columbus didn't even put his rain fly on because it was so nice and had the same issue you did. I've lost at least two sun canopies camping those weekends around the venue.

That 2010 Friday was one of my favorite concerts. I still listen to it often and that JTR opener was def. amazing, I can remember the lightning in the back ground when they came on and throughout the song. I feel like they played really late that night too.

It's crazy how different the whole area around the venue is now compared to what it was 5 to 15 years ago. I can remember walking through fields to get to the venue and now it's all houses.

[jmc419]

Originally Posted by bolstad79

There's 4 of us staying in that hotel, I'm okay with paying $60 more for AC and Breakfast.

If I was younger camping would be the way to go, but these days, no thank you.

That's cool. Feel free to look me up if you want to tailgate at our spot on the way to the venue.

Tailgating around a hotel can suck sometimes.

[IndyDMB]

2010 a dude had new camping gear, tent and sleeping bag. Failed to stake the tent down and his shit was just gone. He couldnt even continue camping, went and got a hotel.

Always stake the tent down.

[deercreekend41]

Originally Posted by chadizzy1

Any good breweries in Indy? I've never been, so I'm trying to find some fun stuff to do.

Bier Brewery is good and isn’t an awful drive near Broad Ripple. During the day Broad Ripple has some good day drinking spots. Sun King is popular downtown and has a taproom closer to DC on 96th st.

[ISawTheBridge10]

Speaking of storms, I remember N1 of 2015 having some real nasty weather both north and south of the venue as the show started, but right above the venue was just gray. There were lightning bolts streaking across the sky as they opened the electric set with Minarets. I'm not a religious person, but I feel like, if there is a god, he's a Dave fan and DEFINITELY wanted that show to happen.

[ryguy637]

Is that Embassy Suites closer then the Holiday Inn to the venue ? I know the Embassy is new but I was having trouble finding it on the map.

[dmbalpine]

Originally Posted by jmc419

Exactly...

Camp 3 days within walking distance - $90 bucks or less
Hotel 3 days within walking distance - $500 to $600

Or stay at a hotel a little further away and pay much less. There are hotels on 96th or 82nd for $65-$100 a night depending on what you’re looking for.

[jmc419]

Originally Posted by dmbalpine

Or stay at a hotel a little further away and pay much less. There are hotels on 96th or 82nd for $65-$100 a night depending on what you’re looking for.

Yeah you'r right and that's a lot better cost if you don't mind driving to/from.

I just prefer to tailgate all day and keep it going right through the concert. One reason I really enjoy DC.