MILWAUKEE — Concertgoers at Landmark Credit Union Live say fire alarms abruptly stopped a Dethklok and Amon Amarth show Saturday night, leaving many unsure whether they needed to evacuate.
Neil Tidquist, who attended the concert, said the music suddenly stopped several songs into the performance, and emergency lights and fire alarms then took over the venue.
“Everyone’s standing there, no one knows what’s going on, and this goes on for 20 to 30 minutes,” Tidquist recalled.
Fans told TMJ4 they believed heavy smoke and special effects triggered the alarms.
The Milwaukee Fire Department said they responded to the venue shortly after 10 p.m. but found no cause for alarm.
WATCH: Fans criticize communication after Landmark Live concert cut short
Tidquist said his biggest concern was not the alarm itself, but the confusion afterward.
“My concern is you have all these people standing around, there’s fire alarms going off, and zero communication from staff,” Tidquist said.
“If this had been an actual emergency, with that lack of communication, it could’ve ended very badly, I think.”
Another concertgoer, James Tucker, who said he is a first responder, echoed those concerns.
“I noticed early on, when I looked at the crowd, you couldn’t even see the mezzanine because it was so smoky,” Tucker said.
“The event staff did the best they could with the number of employees they had,” Tucker said. “After the second alarm, they said the fire department wanted everyone out and that they needed to start evacuating.”
Still, Tucker said the venue needs to reevaluate its emergency response procedures.
“The venue and management need to take a look at their emergency response, even for false alarm fires,” he said.
Both Tidquist and Tucker told TMJ4 they would not return to the venue at this time unless changes were made to emergency procedures and communication.
Landmark Credit Union Live issued the following statement about the incident:
We apologize that Saturday night’s show ended early and we will be providing a full refund to ticket holders. Fan feedback is very important to us and we will review what happened at the show to improve the fan experience moving forward.
Officials with Landmark Credit Union Live say the alarm worked as designed and interrupted power, which resulted in the early end to the show. They say it was quickly determined that there was no immediate danger to fans, crew, or the artist.
According to Landmark Credit Union Live, Live Nation will be providing a full refund for each ticket purchased, and those refunds will be processed by Ticketmaster.
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