Baiting Phish fans November 14, 1994 - Bangor Daily News by Patricia S. Roscetti I am writing concerning the Phish concert of Nov. 2. I grew up in Bangor, I am now a student at the University of Maine in Orono, and I am a Phish fan who is a little irritated by the negative press that has been recently associated with Phish fans. I have been to several Phish concerts and I haveto say this concert was the most poorly managed that I have seen. There was some unnecessary behavior on the part of a few fans, but some of the blame must be accepted by those involved in directing the concert. The auditorium staff say they prepared for this sold-out show by having 18 security guards and 15 band security guards present. This may be true, but the way in which they were utilized did not result in an orderly control of the crowd who anticipated a 7:30 p.m. sharp show start. Lack of traffic and parking direction were two obvious problems. However, the largest problem was the movement of fans into the auditorium. I arrived at the show at 7 p.m. I anticipated a line, but I did not anticipate that I would be standing in it for an hour. The "riots" and subsequent damage that I have been hearing about did not start until after the show was scheduled to start. Fans did get agitated as 7:30 came and went and as we continued to stand outside in the rain waiting for the surge forward (many believing the show had already begun). I finally handed my ticket to the staff person and got through the doors -- only after squeezing myself through the small space left between a large trash barrel and that person. I have not seen a less efficient way of "frisking for weapons, drugs, or alcohol. " I do not consider myself a riot starter, and neither would the fans I know, but I was quite annoyed by the time I got inside. My anger only subsided as Phish came on stage (late, thankfully) and played two incredible, signature-Phish sets. Those in charge of the Bangor Auditorium should be glad that bands such as Phish still want to play here, considering the band is obligated to pay for damages which may have been avoided had there bee some efficient crowd management. I only hope we will see Phish again at this end of Route 2.