The B-52’s blitz on the South Terrace lawn at the Biltmore Estate was not the blitz one was expecting. The fans came to dance and have a good time. Instead, some experienced police brutality. I witnessed several security police pushing people who were dancing back into the crowd.
At one point, an older couple who were dancing during the song “Love Shack” got a little too close to the stage and were pushed back forcefully, then pushed down and held with faces to the ground and then handcuffed. At that point the band stopped playing the song and asked what the security police were doing.
My daughter was pushed by the police and was told she couldn’t dance. When she asked where she could dance, she was pushed over to the side. Shortly after these events occurred, the band stopped playing—[apparently] because of the actions of the security police.
My questions to the Biltmore Estate are why they made no accommodation for people to be able to dance, and why they allowed their employees to act in such a manner. The B’s are well known as a dance band. The crowd was not hostile or rowdy, but the security police where very unprofessional, using tactics like street thugs. I would suggest to those considering an outdoor music event at the Biltmore Estate to go elsewhere for a more enjoyable evening.
— Pamela Stavish
Hot Springs
Bingo … or is it Beano? The B-more is a poor venue for any event for the “common people”.