Gosh, it took us a good hour to get the wristband for entering the No Filter Pit.....
Why?

Because the staff delivering the wristband against the ticket had understood that if the ticket bears the mention "NO FILTER PIT" it meant NO access to the PIT!!!!!!
They wanted to see "FILTER PIT"!!!
And our tickets were worst because they were just mentioning VIP1 package so these guys told us loud and clear that we would never enter the pit area as we didn't have FILTER PIT written there.
I'm french speaker so this was not a language issue. Those guys were saying that NO FILTER meant NO ACCESS to the pit....

Sometimes it is hard to be a Stones fan....

That took place on Keith's side access to the pit, after half an hour of useless discussions, we went to Ron's side Pit access and there we were let in in no time but after queuing so long because everybody did the same.....



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2017-10-20 16:35 by Grichka.

I am afraid the whole staff is a little dumb

I have written to the U Arena thru the contact page on their website to have clear the modus operandi for the access to the No Filter Pit in order to go straight to the right gate

Their first response was "Can you tell u what kind of package you bought ? Waiting for your reply, we stay at your disposal for any further enquiry."

Oh... goodness me.
I’d be fumin’.
I had a hard enough time already with the Pit (ahum...) ‘management’ in Arnhem...
This sounds even worse.

The best pit story I've heard comes from Amsterdam, though. Someone I know simply used his Barcelona wristband, and walked right into the pit - with a GA-ticket

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DandelionPowderman
The best pit story I've heard comes from Amsterdam, though. Someone I know simply used his Barcelona wristband, and walked right into the pit - with a GA-ticket

legend

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DandelionPowderman
The best pit story I've heard comes from Amsterdam, though. Someone I know simply used his Barcelona wristband, and walked right into the pit - with a GA-ticket

Likely the same guy who herded a bunch of lost fans on and off the train without tickets? (Thanks for that!)

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SomeTorontoGirl

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DandelionPowderman
The best pit story I've heard comes from Amsterdam, though. Someone I know simply used his Barcelona wristband, and walked right into the pit - with a GA-ticket

Likely the same guy who herded a bunch of lost fans on and off the train without tickets? (Thanks for that!)

Actually not the same guy (if that herding didn't happen again, that is )

(Scratching head) So many bad guys in Amsterdam, am getting them mixed up.

deleted per request



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2017-10-21 22:59 by Topi.

Maybe a public forum isn't the best place to share these ideas of beating the system... The eyes from above may be watching and take action of this!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017-10-20 17:21 by GJB.

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Grichka
... ticket bears the mention "NO FILTER PIT" it meant NO access to the PIT!!!!!!....

It would be hilarious if it wasn't so sad for the person it happened to.

"Sometimes its hard to be a Stones fan"
This was our 6th concert on this tour and this was our worst experience with staff and organization. We travelled all over the world to see them, from Europe to the USA and even to Cuba and never saw such dumb guys !
As it was our last concert, we had bought VIP1 package, not Premium Standing as usual and expected some special treatment. In fact,it was very special ! Staff was totally ignorant and sent us from gate to gate as they had no phone to communicate with their supervisors... It took us a lot of energy and my husband's loud voice to finally get a supervisor who let us in... after more than an hour !

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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2017-10-21 23:05 by Topi.

I agree, worst organization ever. Each time you asked somebody you got a different story. A lot of confusion outside the venue, and a lot of confusion inside the venue. The arena has just been finished a few days ago, i assume most of the staff is new on the job. I’m ready to forgive them if they learn from yesterday and do a much better job on sunday. But when so much people are wrong on a new job, i tend to point the supervisors as being responsible.

it was simply an humiliation for me
25 min to get into pit

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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2017-10-21 23:16 by Nate.

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Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2017-10-22 01:21 by Nate.

Don't admit to nothing, Nate!

Got an answer from online customer care of the U Arena and they wrote me an email telling me to go to the Gate 33

hope it is a reliable info

I am going to print out this mail and take it with me on wednesday

I sincerely doubt that since, if the map on my e-ticket is anything to go by, entrance "33" is all the way at the back of the hall...

My e-tic for this sunday says "access - jaune / Entree 14" (entrance via the yellow zone / gate 14), btw. Which makes much more sense.



P.S.: I just don't get the stress so many people seem to have, apparently, about a thing like that. Goodness me - the right entrance...? Really? Síx days beforehand? They're not touring Nambia, you know. This is Europe; most people - including the ones that work at these venues - do have a clue, speak enough English, and thus will be able to help you out within seconds of your question. Just ask when you're there, for Pit's sake!
(Although, I myst add - reading that story earlier today, about the UArena staff assuming that "NO FILTER Pit" means one has "NO access" to the "FILTER Pit" made me cry out loud with laughter... )

I've done Pit in Amsterdam & Arnhem now, without having a single clue about the correct whereaouts upfront - I arrived at the venue around 5.30pm eac time, and roughly 20 mins. later I was either in (A'dam) the Pit or standing indoors, right next to it, awaiting for that f*** 'permission' to get in at Keith's side.

Yes my ticket also says jaune/14 and of course I mentioned that on my message. If I doubt is because they have apparently act amateurish on first night

Funny how the VIP info email says you have to show up at Gate 14 Yellow at 4 PM but that you will be escorted/directed to Gate 33 (purple) at 5:30pm.

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maumau
Yes my ticket also says jaune/14 and of course I mentioned that on my message. If I doubt is because they have apparently act amateurish on first night

If I were the GM of U arena (and he was on television yesterday multiple showings of the promoting clip/ U arena/ RS)

Boy I would make damn sure my staff had it together on Sunday night.
Including proper wristbands administered upon entry.

Give me that high paying job. I can show you how it's done.

Posted by Posted by The Worst. on the Paris live thread:

Date: October 20, 2017 00:23

Great show, great crowd, great arena, bad organization. Street Fighting Man was again the highlight for me. I had a great time in the pit, standing next to Mr. Jimmy and Harry Potter - but getting inside the pit gave me 1,5 hours of at least nineteen nervous breakdowns.

Those with pit tickets on Sunday and Wednesday should be prepared to have their patience tested. On my ticket it said I had to enter thru gate 14, but I noticed a big banner saying “pit” outside gate 33/34. I asked if I could enter with my ticket, but the guard said I had to go gate 14. So I walked the long detour and lined up outside gate 14.

After a long time with nothing happening, I asked a guard what was going on. He said gate 14 was closed and that I had to go back to gate 33. So I did. At gate 33 they told me again to go back to 14. I told them gate 14 was closed, so they let me in after some argument - but I got no wristband. When I pointed this out, they gave me wristband for Fosse Or. I tried to explain that I needed a wristband for the pit, pointing at the map of the venue printed on my ticket, but they didn't understand.

So I went inside and walked up to the pit on Keith’s side and showed them my ticket. They said I had to go back to the entrance to get a wristband. So I went back and talked with 10-12 different security people and no one had heard of the "No Filter Pit" and could only offer me FOSSE OR wristband.

One person said I had to go "upstairs" to the office were wristbands were kept. I tried to get up the only stair I could find, but was soon denied access. Once again, I asked were to get wristband for the Pit. They looked and my ticket and said I had to go out of the venue and back to gate 14.

At this point I’ve had enough, and walked fast up to the pit on Ronnie’s side and explaining my case a bit angry while I showed my ticket. The guard, to my surprise, said “no problem” and let me in. Then I got my wristband and was felt so relieved when I finally stepped inside the pit. But it shouldn’t be like this. I hope all those with pit tickets got inside.

Bjornulf

I originally wrote this in the Paris show-1 live thread, but I think it probably fits better here:

"On my ticket it said I had to enter thru gate 14, but I noticed a big banner saying “pit” outside gate 33/34. I asked if I could enter with my ticket, but the guard said I had to go gate 14. So I walked the long detour and lined up outside gate 14. After a long time with nothing happening, I asked a guard what was going on. He said gate 14 was closed and that I had to go back to gate 33. So I did. At gate 33 they told me again to go back to 14. I told them gate 14 was closed, so they let me in after some argument - but I got no wristband. When I pointed this out, they gave me wristband for Fosse Or. I tried to explain that I needed a wristband for the pit, pointing at the map of the venue printed on my ticket, but they didn't understand. So I went inside and walked up to the pit on Keith’s side and showed them my ticket. They said I had to go back to the entrance to get a wristband. So I went back and talked with 10-12 different security people and no one had heard of the "No Filter Pit" and could only offer me FOSSE OR wristband. One person said I had to go "upstairs" to the office were wristbands were kept. I tried to get up the only stair I could find, but was soon denied access. Once again, I asked were to get wristband for the Pit. They looked and my ticket and said I had to go out of the venue and back to gate 14. At this point I’ve had enough, and walked fast up to the pit on Ronnie’s side and explaining my case a bit angry while I showed my ticket. The guard, to my surprise, said “no problem” and let me in. Then I got my wristband and was felt so relieved when I finally stepped inside the pit. But it shouldn’t be like this. I hope all those with pit tickets got inside."

Ups, I didn't see that BV just posted the same. Sorry for the double message.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017-10-20 23:12 by The Worst..

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maumau
Got an answer from online customer care of the U Arena and they wrote me an email telling me to go to the Gate 33

hope it is a reliable info

I am going to print out this mail and take it with me on wednesday

Yes - but when you get to gate 33, DON'T queue up at the balloon that says "PIT" on it because that would just make too much sense. You need to join the queue much further to the right of that balloon.

Unless, of course, someone decides between now and Sunday to improve the system so that it is actually comprehensible and coincides with the information provided on the ticket

I kept this thread sticky and separate, because it is a shame they treat fans who paid a fortune - to be close to their band - worse than they treat kettle according to the EU laws of animal transportation...

The main problem is there is only one show in a city usually, this is new to everybody. But in Paris there are TWO MORE shows. The arena management should be ashamed, come up with an apology to the fans, and tell us it will all be sorted out before the next show is due.

Another problem, of course, is the fact that the ticket says "No filter pit". The word "NO" may lead to trouble. Just supply info to all the personel, it should not be that hard.

By Sunday all the new paint should be dry, the arena is no more "new", and I expect the management of the arena having taken care of the entrance and wristband issues.

If someone in the U Arena management do want to give feedback in this matter then feel free to send info to the IORR Editor at the e-mail address:

iorr@arena.no

Thank you, and hopefully things work better on Sunday!

Bjornulf

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SomeTorontoGirl

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DandelionPowderman
The best pit story I've heard comes from Amsterdam, though. Someone I know simply used his Barcelona wristband, and walked right into the pit - with a GA-ticket

Likely the same guy who herded a bunch of lost fans on and off the train without tickets? (Thanks for that!)

haha... you all seemed in sort of panic :-)
We survived, didn't we?

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DandelionPowderman
The best pit story I've heard comes from Amsterdam, though. Someone I know simply used his Barcelona wristband, and walked right into the pit - with a GA-ticket

In 1999 I went to the Rolling Stones in Groningen.
Those years I collected all of my festival-wristbands.

With a friend we took all our wristband to the show.
The pit had white/orange bands... guess what... in our collection we had a sort of white/orange one. We put it on with a piece of tape.

Those years the pit was for people who waited the longest in line, not for the richest people.
At 6:30pm we arrived at the show and at 7pm we just walked into the pit. :-)