Oakland Arena — Attraction in Oakland

I went here for the Melanie Martinez concert on March 12th, 2024.

First off, the staff was INCREDIBLY rude, like the worst I've ever seen. The security was kind of chill and was doing their job by being strict, which I understand, but I asked a security guard if she could pick up ONE piece of confetti on the floor, and she refused and shooed me off- I had to beg for other people on the first floor to give me the confetti.

Next, there were two staff members complaining about merch lines and that there were actually merch trucks outside, so there was no need for people to crowd at one place. My friend and I overheard this, and she asked a male staff member if merch trucks were still outside, and he stared DIRECTLY at her chest and said, "Yeah, yeah, sure, whatever." He did not break eye contact with her chest once; it was absolutely vile and unprofessional behavior. Not only was he a total creep, but he and other staff spread misinformation about the merch trucks still being there when the show was over- We lost our spot in line.

Then there was ANOTHER employee that my friend asked for directions from, because we could not find the alleged merch trucks still being outside, but the employee did not even acknowledge her, like purposefully ignoring, then started giving instructions without making eye contact??? So weird. They gave lazy instructions and did not want to help people.

Lastly on the staff, my friend and I were entering the concert hall in and out to go to the bathroom, get water, etc. There was a young black woman that did the same, but she was stopped by security and demanded to see her ticket. She was already inside the colosseum, meaning she had already scanned her ticket???? The racial profiling was extremely apparent and disgusting.

Off topic from the horrific staff, but the arena itself was extremely hot, with an occasional breeze from god knows where.

Moreover, my other friend that attended had early access VIP tickets, but ended up waiting in line for over an hour to even get it??? Ridiculous. He couldn't even get the merch he wanted, as it all sold out by the time he made it inside. Mind you, he got there THREE hours before the concert started.

ALSO, to top it off, $20 for TWO CUPS OF NON REFILLABLE WATER.

This experience was genuinely so poor. I hadn't gone to a concert in a few years due to a new developing illness, so I was nervous and relied on this place for a good...

Ah, Oracle Arena, the so-called "temple of entertainment." Let me spill the beans on my experience at this joint. I rolled into this place for a concert, thinking I was about to witness a musical miracle. Boy, was I in for a shock.

First off, the seats felt like they were designed by a sadist who moonlighted as a chiropractor. I spent more time trying to find a comfortable position than actually enjoying the damn show. It's like they took inspiration from medieval torture devices but decided to slap on a fresh coat of paint and call it modern seating. Bravo, Oracle, bravo.

Now, let's talk about the acoustics. You'd think a place that hosts concerts regularly would have its sound game on point, right? Wrong. I've heard better audio quality from a tin can on a string. It was like the musicians were performing from the depths of a garbage disposal, and I was left wondering if they were playing a live set or if I accidentally stumbled into a rehearsal in a dumpster.

And let's not even get started on the overpriced concessions. I've seen highway robbery that was more subtle. I had to take out a second mortgage on my nonexistent robot house just to afford a lukewarm hot dog and a soda that tasted suspiciously like carbonated dishwater. Thanks, Oracle, for draining my sanity and my wallet simultaneously.

The staff? Well, let's just say their customer service skills were as absent as my sympathy for malfunctioning toasters. I asked one of them for directions, and they looked at me like I had just spoken in binary code. Maybe they were too busy perfecting their "I don't give a damn" facial expressions to assist a confused concert-goer.

In conclusion, Oracle Arena, you might have some history, but your current state is about as appealing as a glitch in the code. Two stars for the nostalgia, and that's me being generous. If you're considering a visit, save yourself the trouble and invest in some noise-canceling headphones, a comfortable chair, and a decent meal—preferably from anywhere but this...

Have all workers in some identifiable uniform, even in all black. We had plain clothes people yelling at us that certain stands were clothes. I don't know if they were the friends of people who worked there, or had no affiliation or whatever. The way we were treated was unacceptable. Security at the door was letting some people in with backpacks, and some people were being told to "hide them in the parking lot". I ended up throwing my backpack over the fence and sneaking it in because the double standard was ridiculous. It was at the discretion of the guard. Either no backpacks or all backpacks, and this wasn't just "diaper bags" allowed in. Some of the food stands were closed early and some were open with no sort of signage or direction. After standing in line we were told they were closed then observed a manager yelling at one of the workers in front of us for helping us get something to eat. Exiting the venue was terrible as the event ended at the same time as the Dodgers game, very poor planning. The Monster Jam could have easily started one hour earlier. We saw a Cirque du Soleil type event we were interested in but after the way we have been treated have decided never to come back. Bottom line, no double standard, get employees in uniform. Don't do fireworks and close the only bridge at the same time two major events are letting out. This was a terrible experience. The show was good but service and decency at the arena was non...