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The vibe was alright once you got in but it was horrible for me to get in. Everyday we went in and we got a person who nearly stripped searched you. Luckily nothing got taken but it was very over the top. In years past it was just a simple pat pat on you go. What happened to that.
"Do you see my smokin' guns? They're smokin from a shootin', smokin' from shootin', smokin' from shootin' at nothin dear, Do you live your life on the run? Losin out on lovin. Askin for nothin, Runnin from something that isn't there." --My Morning Jacket--
headiest security at the roo ever ended up at That Tent for MSTRKRFT & Biscuits. The dude was clutch handing out water, and keeping balloons and beach balls circulated. He truly saved the kids up front who were seriously romping for hours on end. I know he handed at least 5 or 6 cold bottles to our general area.
Before we left our camp Friday night, i sez, "Hey G, how much water ya got?"
she sez, "uhhhhh. 2 bottles."
We brought about 8 and ran out about half way. The dude may have saved a heat stroke or two! A big thumbs up to that guy.
A lot of big guys in yellow were pretty unheady though. You know how it goes.
Post by bamadancer on Jun 16, 2008 17:43:06 GMT -5
We had almost no trouble at all, but we mainly used the entrance by the what stage to VIP.
What I figured out is that each color shirt represents a different security people. So while the blue shirts may be cool (which they were), the yellow shirts weren't. One yellow shirt guy even took my flashlight out and shook it! I mean, if I was going to hide contraband, it sure as hell wouldn't be in my flashlight. Haha.
Overall though, I thought security was wayyyyy more lax than last year. I saw people getting in with glowsticks, umbrellas, we even got in a full flask of vodka -- in plain sight in the backpack and everything.
I would say that the vibe overall was pretty similar to years past...I had a great experience with really friendly neighbors and a pretty chill camping area. I did notice a few more 'mainstream' people than usual, but it wasn't too bad. I think the coked-out metallica fans that we were around Friday night were probably the worst. Overall, I thought the vibe was great!
doesn't sound like too much of a difference from years past. i was just wondering because we were searched by the police upon entrance to the festival last year. i noticed WAY more cops last year than ever (even dogs).
i was also a little curious about the vibe b/c of the acts this year. plus, i know it didn't sell out, so i was wondering if that made it a little more enjoyable (way overcrowded last year).
all in all from what i'm hearing, it was pretty much the same old roo. which is, of course, just fine by me.
A lot of big guys in yellow were pretty unheady though. You know how it goes.
Yeah, I got one of these guys on Sunday, and he was rooting all through my blanket...I reached to grab it from him, and he acted all stern, yelling at me...when I said "no, give me my shit!" he realized he couldn't bully me around like other people (and likely had no chance to win a tug of war with me), and called over his supervisor, who immediately got out the walkie and started jabbering at me. It was ridiculoso. So Walker Texas Rangers started basically fingering my bunghole, and of course found nothing else. Then they let me in. But I was bummed anyway.
A lot of big guys in yellow were pretty unheady though. You know how it goes.
Yeah, I got one of these guys on Sunday, and he was rooting all through my blanket...I reached to grab it from him, and he acted all stern, yelling at me...when I said "no, give me my poop!" he realized he couldn't bully me around like other people (and likely had no chance to win a tug of war with me), and called over his supervisor, who immediately got out the walkie and started jabbering at me. It was ridiculoso. So Walker Texas Rangers started basically fingering my bunghole, and of course found nothing else. Then they let me in. But I was bummed anyway.
Sorry that happened...that really sucks. Technically the security guys CAN arrest people, which I find amusing. We did run into some crappy security guys on the staff bus...they were like "It's WEDNESDAY and we're HAMMERED! We can't wait to search people and take their stuff so that we can have it!!!!"
They seemed pretty disappointed when I explained that they don't get to keep the stuff the confiscate. ;D Yeah those yellow shirts were jerks...
yea the overall VIBE was normal, a lil different but normal... we got all our money taken but didnt let it hamper our good times to be had! After friday night everything was normal, lock up ur stuff !! we used to never worry about it - but its getting bigger so be safe!
Post by Ian'sGotAFeeling on Jun 16, 2008 18:46:05 GMT -5
When I was going in on Friday I was taking care of certain items when a big older guy takes over security at the line i was in. I was like oh crap.
He goes 'get your asses in high gear and your backpacks open.
They ended up waving through everyone as long as your backpack was open, no searching. Was awsome
However, I must say that the vibe changed this year. It was still the same people looking for the same good time, but there was more of a frat boy presence this year that took away from what past roos had to offer.
Sadly, on my way out of Bonnaroo a Tennessee State Trooper on a motorcycle was hit by an oncoming vehicle. He sped past me with his lights on; seconds later (literally) we came across the crash scene. I'm not 100% on his condition outside of the fact that he did survive and did seem fine. The wreck was about a half a mile down Bushy Branch road right at that one white house on the right (second or third before the gate I believe). There were quite a few people there to help out, and we got the first few police officers down the road to go to him.
Post by buckeyerooer on Jun 16, 2008 18:55:15 GMT -5
I am pretty sure I could have gotten a nuclear bomb into Centeroo if I had one at my disposal. It seemed like it all depended on which line you got into to get into Centeroo. Some people were cool, others were doing full body cavity searches.
I gotta agree that the searches were ridiculous. There was no rhyme or reason to them - we just got in the fastest moving line and hoped for the best - I did notice alot more stupid younger drunk people then in the past and rude people - just plain rude - I wsa pushed and shoved so much at Tiesto and other shows that we gave up trying to be close to the sound board and just sat in the back for most shows
(I never really got searched too bad.. I mean They looked through my bag but never searched my camelback liner or anything like that. getting stuff in was pretty cake at the arch entrance for me
They took my friends glow bracelet who was infront of my bf, so i grabbed my bracelets and shoved them in my bfs pocket, he got in with them, but i forgot my necklace..so dude told me to throw it away...mean...
Post by popsicle sarah on Jun 16, 2008 19:31:34 GMT -5
Most of the searches I encountered were minimal. A couple of times they were just waving everyone through without even a pat down (and there weren't even lines those times!) I only waited more than 5 minutes to get into centeroo once. Last year I waited 30+ minutes several times. The only shitty thing I encountered was one guy was trying to turn me away because I had a bunch of "do no harm" pins and stickers to give out and he said it looked like I was vending. I stood firm and told him that they were to give away. I gave him some and he let me through.
I would say the vibe was definitely a little different this year. I got my money and camera stolen sometime Friday night/Saturday morning. Honestly, it was my own fault for leaving my backpack outside of my tent. I was so fucked up and tired after tiesto I crawled into my tent and passed out without thinking about it. Oh well, lesson learned. I had great camp mates who helped me out. I just wish I could have my memory card from my camera. Those pictures were irreplaceable. *shrug*
Post by Guiitar Man on Jun 16, 2008 19:33:40 GMT -5
Just depends on the line...We never had any trouble going through the archway, but we only walked down there when the entrance near the ferris wheel was packed. At one time the security guy let us through with open paper cups filled with whiskey. Another time (Saturday night @ Ferris wheel entrance, the guys searched us pretty hardcore.
Post by tweejomoker on Jun 16, 2008 19:48:48 GMT -5
Going in to see Widespread last night, the security guy with cigarette in one hand tugged on my wristband and didn't even check my bag and said "yeah, we're not searching people too hard tonight". I said "good, cause I'm not hiding it too hard tonight". I really didn't have anything, but he thought that was pretty funny.
Post by toxickevin on Jun 16, 2008 20:39:35 GMT -5
i always went through at the samw guy and it pretty much went "pockets empty?" "yes" and then a mere tap of my pockets although on of the girls with me had some big women rifle through our whole bag but she was too noid to hae nething on her anyway
Some fat b*tch searching my backpack on Saturday morning going into Centeroo found three packs of Lance peanut butter crackers and she said I could turn them in or take them back because "snacks are no longer allowed in Centeroo" so I threw them as hard as I could into the trash can next to her, told her to go f*ck her fat self, and stomped my way through the gates. Little did she know that I had an 8th folded under my belt, LOL!
Post by hibouxdufromage on Jun 16, 2008 20:46:13 GMT -5
I brought a cooler backpack into centeroo on friday with cans of beer in it, just like I had last year (VIP entrances) and while I was at Jose Gonzales, a staff girl comes up to me and tells me that I have to throw my can away or I'll be escorted out of centeroo. I chugged the last of that beer and dropped it in the closest recycling bin, just like she asked me to. Minutes later she comes back with her supervisor, who escorts me out of centeroo with my backpack. His idea was to make me walk all the way around the back of which and what stages to get back to VIP, but one of the Superfly guys on a cart sees my green wristband, stops, and asks why I'm walking the long way back to VIP. I told him and he asked for the supervisor's description and where I was when he hassled me, then he got on his radio and told whoever was on the other end that the security supervisor in area whatever was to be relieved by someone who knew not to hassle VIP's. In the meantime, the jackass supervisor went back and searched my buddies' camelbaks, which obviously didn't have anything in them.
Post by hibouxdufromage on Jun 16, 2008 20:56:05 GMT -5
Also, one of the VIP security guys at the entrance near the arches was patting people down until he got to me and heard "don't you dare think about fucking touching me. I didn't pay 625 dollars to be treated like I paid 200". He opened his mouth to reply and wound up talking to the back of my head while I went through.
there were a few cool security people, like the one boots mentioned. and also their were a lot of mixups within the staff. they didnt know what they were doing when they were setting up the parking and camping in the pods as well as not many staff performing searches knew exactly what they were supposed to take, they tried to take my parasol but then another staff member made them give it back after he told us about how the staff at the centeroo gates got mixed up on umbrellas and parasol rules and regulations. otherwise i think the staff was pretty heady
Yup, it all just comes down to who you got. Most of the VIP searches were nice and lax. Walking in once with my camelbak ther girl asked "Do you have anything but water", I responded "No" (which was true), and I was on my way. The next night I was on my way in to Talib with my Camelbak filled with water. The guy patted it, felt the liquid, smiled and shrugged and let me on.
But then they didn't let my bring in my V8 Fusion on Sunday morning.