Wall-to-wall people, an estimated 40,000 of them, crammed into the downtown Salt Lake City park, which hosted Modest Mouse for the first show of the season Thursday.
One guard said the park was at capacity, forcing gate attendants to put those wanting to leave in a line so they could count them and allow in as many people as were leaving.
About 8:45 p.m. a crowd began jumping over fences on the southeast corner of the park, knocking over a portion of the portable chain-link fence that was set up around the venue. The crowd rushed inside before security stepped in to block the flow. Then 15 minutes later, another part of the fence was overrun. This time, as many people rushed out as rushed in.
Meanwhile, about 300 people lined up around the perimeter fence in the northwest corner waiting to enter the park. Teniele and Taylor Anderson of Logan said they had been in the front of the stage for opener Avi Buffalo and the beginning of Modest Mouse but had to leave.
“There were too many people,” Teniele Taylor said.
They were hoping to get back inside to a less crowded part of the park about 9 p.m.
“I think there was way too many people down there,” said Salt Lake City police Lt. Scott Taylor.
Despite the overflow, Salt Lake City police had few calls for problems, and many attendees were happy with the venue change.
“They should move it here permanently,” said Robby Miller, a 33-year-old Salt Lake City resident who has been coming to the concert series for four years. “It’s a better venue, better sightlines.”The tall trees surrounding the stage area shaded the thousands who nestled in the northeast corner to watch the bands. The foliage also helped the sound, keeping the music contained and adding some warmth to the acoustics.
“It’s a festival-like atmosphere,” said Chad Penn, who came from Park City on a “party bus” and was impressed with the crowd.
Casey Christoffersen and Erika Kartman saw a line for two blocks to get in at one corner of the park and kept walking until they found a shorter line.
Some gave up waiting and put blankets on grassy areas outside the fences. Some found another way inside.
About 9:20 p.m., a guard outside stood on a picnic table and pulled down a fence so a woman could go over. When she got inside, a male companion handed the guard cash and said, “That’s for you.”
The guard put the money in a hip pocket, then helped another young woman over the fence. Two more young women leapt on the table apparently intending to also jump the fence, but a female security guard ran over to the table and stopped the young women from going over. The female guard left about 10 minutes later, and the male guard pulled the fence down again so the young women could jump it and go to the concert.
“I didn’t voluntarily let anybody over,” said the guard, who identified himself as Paul Clement. “It [the concert] was pretty good, but not enough people to control it.”
Samantha Fulton, 22, said she and her friends arrived at the park at 5:30 p.m. and already there was a long line to enter. They went to dinner and returned to find there were still long lines. Finally at 9:45 p.m., while still in line, concert staff told her they weren’t letting anyone in.
“They should still let people in. I mean it’s a free concert,” she said.
Fruit Heights resident Scott Edgar, his wife, their five children and a bevy of extended family decided to give the park a chance to celebrate Ian Edgar’s birthday.
“He’s a Modest Mouse fan,” Edgar said of his 6-year-old son.
The 36-year-old father had only been to Pioneer Park before for the Downtown Farmers Market because of it’s reputation as “just not the place to bring the family.” But after Thursday’s concert, he was open to a return trip.
Miller said he had given up on Gallivan Center because the Twilight crowds became too much to handle. Pioneer Park is a much better fit, he said, adding, “I can’t imagine going back to a smaller venue.”
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