PORTLAND (NEWS CENTER Maine) - It's been almost a week since a Grateful Dead tribute band played a sold out show at the State Theatre - but concertgoers are still talking about it, and not for a good reason.
Dozens of people complained to the State Theatre after waiting more than an hour in the cold to get into the show.
State Theatre General Manager Lauren says had people just showed up earlier, they wouldn't have had to wait. She’s unapologetic about making sure people are safe.
Security has been heightened at the State Theatre ever since the Las Vegas concert shooting - and management decides between a "wand" security crowd versus a "pat down" crowd.
Wayne says the evening crowd on St. Patrick’s Day, which was there to see a Grateful Dead cover band, warranted pat downs.
That's because of the large amount of prohibited items, including drugs, that security had to confiscate.
So many people complained that management issued an explanation on its Facebook page.
That explanation wasn't satisfactory for some people who missed part of the show because of the long lines.
“When I saw that they were putting something [on Facebook], I thought, 'Great. They're going to apologize for how long that took,’” said concertgoer Dave Messana. He said he’s seen around 100 concerts at the State. “And instead what [the post] was sort of berating their patrons for not getting [to the theatre] earlier.”
“I'm not putting blame on anyone,” said General Manager Wayne. “I'm just saying realistically, you will have to wait in line if you don't get there early.”
Wayne has three simple tips for anyone going to a concert at the state: show up an hour early, don't try and smuggle drugs in, and make sure your ticket is ready.
She says only four security guards can actually fit in the small entrance of the 80-year-old theatre, and that it was fully staffed during the Saturday night rush.