What to Expect--Besides Babs

Barbra-watching at The Pond will involve some extra expense, some unusual acoustic amenities and security measures associated more commonly with airports or concerts by punk-metal bands and hard-core rap acts.

Instead of its usual $6 parking charge for cars, management at The Pond decided to jack up the fee to $8 for the Streisand shows. Parking for buses and limousines will be $15, up from $12.

The parking increase, “due to the exclusivity of the engagement,” was the idea of the building’s management, not Streisand, according to John J. Nicoletti, a spokesman for the arena.

Once parked, concert-goers will find they must pass through metal detectors. In a standard procedure for all Streisand tour dates, both walk-through and hand-held detectors will be used, according to her manager, Martin Erlichman.

“It’s not unique. Maybe unusual, but not unique,” Erlichman said. “It’s for what it implies: Security.” Apparently, the legendarily stage-shy star wants an extra measure of assurance that no armed crazies will crash the party.

“We sent representatives to the Detroit show, watching to make sure everything went smoothly, to see how they approached getting people into the building and into their seats,” Nicoletti said. “As far as anybody has told me, there hasn’t been a problem along the tour” with delays or undue inconvenience because of the metal detectors. “It will be a somewhat minor inconvenience.”

Streisand also is taking measures to ensure that those more typical concert villains--echo and extraneous noise--will be barred, or at least held in check. At her behest, the entire arena floor will be carpeted, and sound-dampening fabrics will be hung in other areas to enhance the building’s acoustics. Hard surfaces in an arena cause sound waves to bounce out of control; covering those surfaces with sound-absorbing material, such as carpeting, helps enhance crispness and clarity.

“The color of the carpet is silver-gray,” reported Nicoletti. “It’s deep plush. It’s a nice carpet, thicker than the carpet we have in our offices.”

Many Streisand concert-goers will be first-time visitors to arena, which could make for a slower traffic flow than usual, Nicoletti added. Arena officials are advising fans to arrive early for the concerts, which start at 8 p.m.