Buffett Rocks, but Lawn and Logistics Don't at New FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island

View of new Northerly Island from lawn (via DNA Info Chicago)

As feared, the lawn was a bit of a disaster for the Buffett concert.  The Tribune sums it up well:

The 12-foot slope of the lawn is supposed to provide clear sight lines, but some crowd members on the lawn couldn't see the stage. However, the stage's video screens were visible, as were additional screens on the lawn. In addition, the sorry state of the lawn itself prompted multiple complaints. 

"It's a mud bath. I just walked across it, and there was mud everywhere," said Dean Young of Aurora. "I wish you had a hill (on the lawn). Without a hill, you have to look over people." 

On the other hand, the lawn and back of the seated area offer glorious views of the city skyline framing both sides of the stage, which aren't visible closer to the performers. "It's awesome, Chicago on the left, the lake on the right," said Tom Koelzer of Barrington, who was at the show with his father, Tom Sr.

We were there (and rather intoxicated -  so take this with a grain of salt):

• Pros were definitely the skyline and from what we could tell the sound system.
• Cons were the mud pit and the fact that you couldn't see the stage at all.  
• Summary - If you like to hang out, listen to music with 20,000 of your closest friends on a giant lawn, then you probably would have had a good time.  If you wanted to watch a concert live (and not on a video screen) than we would probably say skip the lawn at Northerly Island.

Yelp reviewers weren't as kind.

UPDATE:  Apparently Live Nation is giving complimentary tickets (via Tribune):

In the wake of the rain-induced mud and wet lawn that plagued Saturday's Jimmy Buffett concert, Live Nation is issuing complimentary tickets to lawn ticket purchasers.  

“We apologize for the wet ground experienced by lawn patrons on Saturday, June 29 and so we are inviting those people to be our guests at another Live Nation outdoor show this summer,” Mark Campana, Co-President of North American Concerts at Live Nation said in a statement issued on Monday.