Trans-Siberian Orchestra at the Key Arena in Seattle

I did have some pictures, but they were lost with the hard drive.

I posted my thoughts about the performance itself on the main blog, so I could just have this be a review of the Key Arena, except there is a way in which this particular show made a difference, and I will get to that.

Mainly my issues with the Key Arena relate to accessibility. As my mother began to have knee problems and other issues with age, I started thinking about accessibility beyond wheelchairs, and have since learned more about potential issues.

Some of the issues we encountered were worsened by time and parking. Some traffic issues led to us running late. There is a large parking structure next to the Key Arena, but there was a long line to get into it.

I realize some of the issues here are worsened by the way the city slopes down, and exacerbated by one-way streets. Locals may be able to avoid that by walking or taking public transportation, but we needed a place to park.

Checking through the nearby streets, we found one small lot that looked promising, except that while there was a place to pay on the outside, and signs that the parking was only reserved on weekdays, there was another sign (and a person calling from a window up above) that parking was only by permit. It seemed like to big of a risk, and we ended up getting back into the line for the original garage.

There was a handicap section for the parking garage, and I am sure there were elevators, but they did not seem to be near the arena side of the parking. The handicap section itself merely had sloping paths outside to the entrance level of the arena, which was a good idea, but it was also completely full.

Remember, not all disabilities require wheelchairs. There can be issues with joints, muscles, nerves, and other things that affect mobility, plus many potential sensory issues. In my case, I was with someone who had a parking permit, but no place to use it. Walking was possible, but fatigue comes faster, and suddenly there were so many stairs. I was fine, but worried about my companion.

I understand why a multi-level parking garage has stairs. I am not sure that it is necessary for the Key Arena to have an entrance below street level, so that you need to descend into a massive courtyard, enter the building, and then climb back up to the level of your seats.

Again, I'm sure there were elevators, but it is not just about legally complying with the law; convenience, and visibility are also important, especially for people in a hurry.

Visibility also made the bathrooms far less convenient. I was stunned to see only four stalls in the women's restrooms. That only made sense because there were multiple small restrooms instead of fewer large ones. That is not necessarily a bad plan, but you need to know about it.

I had thought there had to be some way to avoid the front courtyard on departure. I did find an exit on our level, which was basically street level, except that there was a back courtyard too, and I couldn't find a way to avoid it.

I know we could have looked harder for an elevator, and maybe that's on us. Still, the architects didn't need to go out of their way to create a navigational nightmare, especially in 1995 when the ADA has been around for a while.

Those are the accessibility issues.

I said there was an issue specific to TSO, but lots of shows have pyrotechnics, so in another way it is not specific: the ventilation is terrible. You probably don't notice it at the ground level, but in the upper levels the smoke built up visibly, not to mention the way it affected smell and taste.

Overall it was just really surprising. I realize 1995 is a while back now, but I have been to older venues than that, and many of them do much better.

Because of this, I cannot recommend the Key Arena. However, if you live nearby where you will not need parking, and it is a show with no pyrotechnics, and everyone either knows where elevators are or there is no one who would have a problem with stairs, then I guess it wouldn't be too bad.

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