Day by day and week by week we lose a little more of our personal freedoms. You think I’m lying, try navigating the security at a big punk/ hardcore show. After going threw the rather tedious, “ticket lotto” bullshit just to get your ticket.  And after every body has gotten their service charge out of you. You have to actually get into the show. And as of late that means the now lengthy process of “the Pat down”.

  A friend of mine was recently given the treatment at local show in the L.A. area. Now to gauge were this viewpoint is coming from, he’s in his thirty’s with a wife and a beautiful little girl. He’s not some chip on his shoulder weekend brawler guy looking for trouble. Hell he doesn’t even get out to shows that often with all the other pressures of Life to contend with, but two of his favorite bands were playing. Slipknot and (hed) pe were playing together, so he was there on time and ready to have a good time. That ‘s when the trouble started. The line to be searched was so long it encircled the entire venue. And it wasn’t moving very fast. He was there a half an hour before the doors opened, and it took a total of one hour and forty-five minutes to get in. Why? Because the door people were double searching every person entering the venue. Girls were being searched under their bra’s, even girls wearing nothing but a tube top where not safe from the probing or should I say groping hands of the security dykes. You were not allowed to bring in wallet chains nor bandanas, no plastic beer openers; you weren’t even allowed to bring in lipstick containers. What the hell are you going to do with a lipstick container? And the caring door people gave you two options throw it away in the trashcans available or take it back to your car and go back to the end of the line! What nice options. Needless to say he missed the opener and also missed (hed)pe a band he really wanted to see. Rushing in he luckily got in to see the entire set of the headliner Slipknot. Now my problem is if you pay full price plus service charges plus all the exorbitant prices at every turn . And because of slip shod security methods you miss 2/3rds of the show. You should be compensated.  You paid for the right to see those other two bands; you should expect  a refund of some sort for missing over half of a show. Along with the fact that the two opening bands get stiffed also, having to playing to a half full venue at a sold out show.
The other problem I have seen getting worse and worse is the Military zone that parking lots have become. And another friend of mine went to two shows at Ubervine Meadows. The First was to see the head parrot- head himself head Jimmy Buffet. Now for Mr. Buffets show there was drinking being allowed everywhere. 
People were unloading truckloads of sand setting up barbecues and even tapping kegs in the parking lot. There were kids present and a lot them even appeared to be under age but there was no show of force to regulate a no drinking atmosphere even though there was signs posted saying the contrary.  Now in direct contrast to that a week later same parking lot at the Dennis Danall benefit show. Security was in full effect. We brought a suitcase of beers to drink before the show figuring hell if you could tap a keg in the parking lot we should be able to drink a couple brewski’s in the car before we get into the “pat down” line. After paying another hours wage to park in the parking lot, we jump out to grab the beers out of the trunk and we notice waves of cops on bikes zeroing in on every open container in the parking lot. The first 3 minutes I was there I witnessed three cars getting searched and tons of tickets being issued. What a difference a week makes. What was the difference that would make this much security needed? It was a benefit show to help out the family and mourn for a fallen music icon.  Know I could see if they were cracking down on under age kids drinking or maybe an indiscreet amount of marijuana use.  I’m of age, not driving, and I wasn’t allowed to drink a beer in the car before the show? I think that’s hypocritical, I now that punks a more aggressive style of music than a Jimmy Buffet “Margaretville” song. But come on don’t start being a dick’s before a problem has even started. In the 70 they would have protested it, in the 80 they would have petitioned it, and I guess that the apathetic 90 have passed over to the new millennium and we just sit and bear it.  I guess it was ok that I couldn’t sit and, drink because I would have missed half of a great show. You see I had to wait in a huge hour-long line to get frisked twice again. Ah, to be free again. 

By Scott Squared