Hundreds see AC/DC for free after security breach

A security breach at Thursday night's AC/DC concert in Moncton allowed several hundred fans to see the legendary Australian rock band for free.

AC/DC was almost an hour into their set, and thousands of fans were still outside the Magnetic Hill outdoor concert site in a huge line trying to buy tickets.

Cara Stafford, a Saint John resident, described the agonizing wait as she could hear the music reverberate from the other side of the security fence.

"Very sad. We decided on the last day that we wanted to come to the concert," Stafford said. "However, we are very last in line, so we are doubtful we're going to get tickets."

After more than an hour's wait, she and her friends discussed another strategy of watching the concert through the fence.

However, others weren't just watching through the fence; they were trying to jump it. The high security fence snaked around the outdoor venue.

RCMP officers at the concert estimated several hundred people were trying to climb over the fence to get into the show without purchasing a ticket.

As police and concert organizers saw the fence jumping as a safety hazard, security guards eventually stepped away from the ticket gate, and the few hundred people left in the queue got into the concert late but for free.

When the concert ended, police said no one who was climbing the fence was seriously injured.

Aside from the people climbing the fence, Codiac RCMP Const. Damien Theriault said everything went smoothly considering how many people were at the concert.

He said 43 people were arrested on Thursday night, all of them for intoxication. 

Big concert, bigger clean up

It is estimated that 70,000 fans showed up to the rock concert, and that meant a major clean-up on Friday.

Donald Tarlton, the concert's promoter, said this week that AC/DC even had a chance to outdraw the Rolling Stones, who attracted 78,000 people to their 2005 show.

Even if a turnout record was not set on Thursday night, that didn't lessen the clean-up effort.

Up on the hill, Ken Cormier, one of about 100 volunteers cleaning the site, said he and his crew will be out all weekend collecting trash.

The city estimates they will collect 5,000 commercial-size garbage bags full of trash and recyclables.

"The crowds were so big the garbage cans couldn't get emptied quick enough, so a lot of stuff just sort of overflowed onto the ground," Cormier said

"And we were here during the concert picking up as much as we could, and we stayed until it was almost 2:30 [a.m.]. by the time we left."

Eric Cormier, 19, and Talia Leonard, 16, are among a large contingent of students who are picking up trash to help fundraise for local sports teams and school trips.

What they are finding leftover from the mega-concert isn't for anyone with a weak stomach.

"Old rotten beer and food and vomit," Eric Cormier said.

"All mixed into one big platter, like my legs are completely covered in pop and liquor right now," Talia Leonard added.

Back down near the stage, Ian Fowler, the general manager for recreation, parks, tourism and culture in Moncton, said a big mess is just part of a big concert.

"You can have all the garbage cans you want, people are going to drop their garbage, drop their cups," Fowler said. "All of these outdoors festival sites are usually quite messy at the end of them."