Yes, be patient. I thought it was very repetitive, cheesy and had horrible animation. The mech battles are laughable. If you're looking for action, this series does satisfy. Almost every episode went like this: 1. fire bomber practicing or in concert, 2. PD fold in for attack, 3. Basara flies in and sings for them, 4. PD fold out.
That said, after finishing the series, I grew to like and enjoy the characters. Although I will never respect Basara as a top caliber pilot, I was thoroughly entertained by him. I really liked Gamlin with his determination and dedication even though he wasn't too sharp in other ways.
I personally didn't care for this series, but I did find it enjoyable in some ways and it is Macross. So, if you're a Macross fan you should check it out. And if you like Frontier, you'll be able to appreciate the M7 references in it.