Rock N' Roll Date

For my accessible date I took my friend, who is in a wheelchair, to the Circa Survive concert at Center Stage Atlanta back in September.  Before getting tickets for the show I checked Center Stages website to make sure it was wheelchair accessible.  They had an entire page just for assisting concert goers with disabilities.

            It turned out to be a sold out show, and we were both really excited!  Before the show we decided to go to Caribou Coffee for our caffeine fix.  There were two handicap spaces, but the entrance was a bit difficult to get to, because there was outdoor seating that did not allow a lot of space.  Once inside there was a lot of space to get to the counter. We ordered our drinks and luckily there was good table available.  The area the table was in was raised, but instead of a step, there was a slight ramp.  While this is good for someone who is wheelchair handicapped, only two of the tables in this section are spaced properly.  The bathroom was also wheelchair accessible. 

            Next we headed to the venue to see some of our favorite bands perform.  I had called ahead to make sure there was an entrance that was wheelchair accessible.  I have been to the venue many times before and the only entrance I knew of only had stairs.

We got there about an hour before the doors opened, and parked in a lot right next door. All we had to do was cross the street.  We got a nice surprise when the headlining band came out and played an acoustic set. We even got to take a group picture!

When we got in the venue there was a ramp to our section, and the handicap seats were right next to the stage. So we were guaranteed a good view!

After the show we went down the street and met up with some friends at The Vortex for drinks and a burger. It was a nice night out so we sat on the outside patio. The inside would have been too crowded for someone with a wheelchair, so luckily there was room outside.

This project definitely opened my eyes to how difficult it can be for a person with a handicap to do things I don’t even think twice about.  I am much more appreciative of these things but I hope advances will be made in accessibility. 

- Mackenzie Throne