Maine Savings Amphitheater — Attraction in Bangor

As a Portland area musician myself, I have been to hundreds of concerts at countless venues across New England over the last decade (including many shows here when it was owned by Darlings), and I have NEVER had an experience as poor as my experience last night at Maine Savings Ampitheater.

Not even 20 minutes after being treated rudely by the women checking bags/running the metal detectors, I was carded for standing… I wish that was a joke.

Before the show, I was waiting on a friend to come through the gate, and was simply standing holding a beer I had JUST purchased (and was carded for which is perfectly fine and is required by law), when two “alcohol compliance” workers approached me and asked for my ID AGAIN!?! This has NEVER happened to me at a venue before!?! I was confused, but quickly provided my ID. I am a 30 year old woman who, between buying 4 tickets to this show, finding a sitter for the night, paying for gas to drive up from Portland, and then food/beverage purchases at the venue spent somewhere in the ballpark of $500 to attend this event but was being treated like some lawbreaking teenager!?! Upon realizing I was 30, he handed me my ID and said “Thanks.” I replied “Am I doing something in particular that might suggest I am underage?” To which he replied “You just look particularly youthful tonight.” I cannot express how invasive and inappropriate it is to have a strange male cold approach you and think it is ok to comment on how youthful or unyouthful a woman may or may not appear. Additionally, after this disrespectful encounter, I was not offered ANY apology for the afront, just a “sorry, you felt harassed.”

As a mother and public school employee, I understand and FULLY support every effort to prevent underage drinking, but if your best method is to target and harass paying adult patrons, there’s a REAL problem. Most other venues issue bracelets/stamps to those over 21 — a much more professional and respectul approach than interrupting what is meant to be an enjoyable night out for your paying guests.

No adult should be forced to experience anxiety over their appearance - worrying whether I “look” old enough or not to exist with a lawfully purchased beer in my hand.

After two HORRIBLE encounters with staff members before the show even began, I regret the money I spent at this venue and will not be returning. Furthermore, I will encourage all of my Southern Maine friends to skip concerts at this venue and catch the bands they love when they come through Portland/Massachusetts/New Hampshire.

For example, I was planning on taking friends to see Stevie Nicks here, but now I will make sure to catch her at her Mansfield, MA...

The artists and sound was great. That’s where the positives stop. 1st issue is the venue doesn’t have their own parking. They rely on city parking and the surrounding businesses to take advantage of the fact there is a concert going on. We had to park about 1/2 mile away from the venue at Hollywood Casino. 2nd issue is we had to line up along main st on the sidewalk to gain entrance to the venue. When we joined the line (about 45 minutes from show start) we were about .4 to .3 miles from the entrance. We did not get in until after the first artist started playing after having a 30 minute delay (so in total 1.25+ hours in line). Once inside the lines for merchandise and concessions were so long that it made no sense to jump in them. I went to my seat to enjoy some of the first act. After about 30-45 minutes I decided to try The concessions again. At that time there were still people entering the venue (1.5hrs after scheduled show time start) that had been waiting in line behind us. Concessions took me close to 30 minutes at that time to go thru the line. I noticed something strange as I’m two or three away from ordering. The workers are opening all soda bottles and water bottles and keeping the caps. I know it is state law in Maine that all alcohol has to be served open, but soda is news to me. I asked when it was my turn to order about keeping the caps so I could carry multiple bottles back and not have to wait in line again and was told no they had to open them. So I bought my 3 bottles of water and went back to my seat trying not to spill them. Get back and there are cup holders built into the seat backs in front of you. Cool!! NOPE! Now every time someone shuffles past you they are brushing up against your open containers. Not to mention with all containers being open that makes it a lot easier for someone to slip something in your drink. It did start to mist a little bit and rain for like 2 minutes. Glad I was wearing a rain jacket as it is an all outdoor venue. Lastly my mother went to go to concessions during the main act when it was far less busy. She ordered chicken tenders and fries (heard from someone else that’s all that was available). I had her leftovers and one of the tenders was still chewy and raw in the middle.

Very rarely have I seen a show booked here in Bangor and not at the venue we normally go to. This was one example so we figured we would give it a shot. I wish this venue would have worked out better as it is closer than the one that I normally go to, but this was such a horrible experience I will never give it another chance. My mom who went with me feels the...

Adding to everyone else's disappointment with the sound issues at last night's show I am further disappointed with the venue's response. They seem to be blaming the sound tech with the band/tour for the issues (sure sounded like equipment failure to me and that is on the venue, but what do I know), and implying that they were fixed during the Rise Against set which is not true at all. Issues started half way through their set and continued to the end. No idea if they were actually fixed before Papa Roach because my group could no longer stand being crammed into such uncomfortable seating (100 section), with no cup holders (spilled beer everywhere), surrounded by people vaping and smoking, children climbing over chairs, and not trusting that anything was going to get better. Your 40 foot elevation you mention in a previous response to a one-star review, and seem to tout as a highlight, would be adequate if the run were 200 feet and the slope consistent. But your run looks to be about 400 feet and broken up by large/sudden elevation changes between sections, further reducing the slope per section to just a few degrees, well below the average 12 degree slope for something calling itself an amphitheater. Despite the spin that the 'owner' selectively responds with, I recommend that you read the one star reviews, they are mostly spot on in regard to what to expect at this venue. There are other reviews that thoroughly explain the issues/security concerns with crowd control and movement throughout the venue so I won't repeat those here. I will mention that once you get outside of the venue, there does not seem to be any security. Many 'questionable folks' on the Riverwalk and just about every parking area that we passed on our walk back. (I guess meth is a problem everywhere). Considering this place can hold half the population of Bangor, they seem highly dependent on out of area visitors, but do not seem to have the infrastructure to support the influx of people required to fill that venue. If you are traveling for a show there are much better options out there. If not for the collusion with Live Nation, I would expect this venue would not survive and I feel bad for the bands whose booking managers get pressured into...