Sam Lev

Review of Webster Theater

I attended an EDM show last week here. I drove an ...

I attended an EDM show last week here. I drove an hour and a half to get here, then waited in the hour long will call line to get my ticket. They venue' s box office was extremely understaffed. I missed both the openers, but that was okay, that's not who I came to see.

I finally made it inside. The venue's tiny access hallway was crammed with lines of people waiting for the bathroom. A police officer who was working a detail at the event was laughing histarically with one of the staff members about how "some girls are having a really bad time in there". People were shouting that there was no toilet paper and all the toilets were clogged. After forcing my way into the main event space, I decided it was time for a drink.

I entered the bar area and was taken back by the line. Out of the 5 bars the venue had, only one was open, and to make matters worse, there was one single bartender frantically trying to take care of everyone. I waited 45 minutes in line trying to get a beer, making conversation with the people around me who were also amazed at how dysfunctional the venue was operating. The poor girl working had given up on giving correct change, she was just trying to get everyone their drinks. She looked like she was seconds away from quitting. Many irate patrons were giving her a hard time.

I finally got my beer. The main act was about to come on, and it seemed like things were finally getting better. I began to back away from the huge crowd of people trying to get a drink, when my drink, which I had taken one sip of, was ripped out of my hand. I turned around to a security guard shining a flashlight in my face.

"Where's your wristband?" He said. I didn't know I needed a wrist band. I was let into the bar area without one and I was served without one. I said "excuse me? I didnt know I needed one, I'm sorry". The security guard laughed and said "you didn't know you had to be 21 to drink? Do you even have an ID?" I promptly produced a valid ID and apologized again. He seemed bummed out that I was in fact old enough to have a beer. I then asked him where I could get a wristband. He told me I couldn't. Confused, I asked him why.

He proceeded to yell "don't get smart with me kid", grabbed me by the wrist, twisted my arm behind my back, and violently escort me out of the venue. I was screaming, it hurt, bad. I was laughed at by the crowd, staff members and police officer as I was dumped on the side of the road in front of the venue. I was polite and passive with him throughout the entire altercation. I wasn't even drunk yet!

One of the first things they teach you in security and law enforcement is de-escalation. This guy did quite the opposite.

I began to drive myself home but my arm hurt so much I ended up going straight to an urgent care center. They did xrays and told me it wasn't broken but it "didn't look good". Now I have a large medical bill on the way to my house.

I reached out to the venue in hopes to discuss what had happened and see if they could make it right. They blatently saw and ignored my message. When I called, i was put on an indefinite hold.

Needless to say I will never, ever be returning here. Since the venue failed to get back to me, I have spoken with my lawyer who has started the process. I'm not paying medical bills for being assaulted by a police academy flunk out.