This last June I forgot how much I hated going to large concerts and saw the Dixie Chicks at the Thomas and Mack Center, the UNLV stadium mostly known for hosting Rebels Basketball games. Stadiums have to be the worst place to see a band, only the floor seats are any good and they just don't have very good sound, especially if the stadium is equipped with a roof. The deafening reverb isn't the worst part about the roof though, it also traps a lot of heat in the building.
On this day in June it was already pretty warm outside, and I had some trepidation about sitting in a giant oven with a couple of thousand other people for three hours. When we arrived though, it was actually pretty cool. I was relieved and foolishly believed the air conditioning would continue to bathe me in its cool embrace.
I was of course wrong, and it quickly warmed to the point that I was sweating profusely. All that body heat and those hot lights must have overwhelmed the HVAC system. I counted it as a learning experience and vowed never to see another show there again. I promptly forgot about the whole miserable evening, until last week.
Last week I drove by the stadium and saw a huge sign, advertising Disney on Ice. It was then that I recalled we used to have an IHL hockey team that played weekly games at the Thomas and Mack.
That place was miserable hot when it was at half capacity for a music performance. How in the world do they get it cold enough to freeze ice on the floor if they can't keep me from sweating? I've done some research, and I think they use magic. I welcome any suggestions from a more scientific, or better informed party.