how tight was security at the gates to the festival?

[rob63]

how was the security for weekend 1? were the guards pretty lenient with the bag searching and pat downs?

[Coach Bombay]

The most lenient I've been through at Coachella. Pat downs were the basic sides and pockets. The bag searching was very minimal. Two of the days they just simply looked inside my bag and didn't ask me to take anything out of it. The last day, I got a guy who asked me to take everything out, saw my plastic flask full of booze, asked what it was, I said "tequila", he said "have a nice day."

[Vic Viper]

guards are there to bust morons. you're not a moron are you?

keep your shit on the DL, be polite/courteous, have your crap out of your pockets BEFORE you get up there and you'll be golden.

[Goatchella]

Things we got inside and shouldn't have

LED hula hoop
Mark 5 dlsr camera
Vodka
Grass
Full size Sherlock bubb

[threeve]

The security check at the shuttle entrance was more strict than at the festival entrance, I thought, and was most intense and thorough (and slowest) on Sunday. That was the only day that I recall seeing multiple cops standing watch over the security checks.

[kellycolleen88]

The search at the shuttle entrance is definitely the stricter one. My advice to the ladies: make sure you let your bag be searched by one of the male guards, they were way more lenient on the girls than the female guards. You have to go through gender-specific lines at the main gates, so be prepared for that, but not at the shuttle entrance.

[Ajo209]

The check at the entrance for car camping was very tight, they check every towel blanket sleeping bag if you have a super guard like we did. They left pairs of socks alone (; For the venue its easy have your stuff in your hands when you walk up already and they wont make you put them on the table so you can sneak anything through that fits in your palms. Socks and shoes are also easy to take anything in.. Lastly I had an 8oz flask full of rum that i brought through behind my belt every time I went in. Some of the male guards must have felt it and either not cared, or assumed it was a belt bucle.

[captncrzy]

Total crapshoot. No one in my group got searched--I got the full search every single day. Eveyrthing out of bags, the full patdown, etc.

[edave]

Consider that apparent stabbing from WE1. Might be tighter coming up. But for weaponish's.

Just walk up like you belong there, stash your shit and no worries.

[aphrael]

When I was in line someone's guitar was confiscated under the questionable theory that the guitar strings were a weapon.

[edave]

When I was in line someone's guitar was confiscated under the questionable theory that the guitar strings were a weapon.

They are! LOL. Last thing we need is a bunch of dudes strumming Wonderwall everywhere you go. Bleh! LOL

[frazzles]

The check at the entrance for car camping was very tight, they check every towel blanket sleeping bag if you have a super guard like we did. They left pairs of socks alone (; For the venue its easy have your stuff in your hands when you walk up already and they wont make you put them on the table so you can sneak anything through that fits in your palms. Socks and shoes are also easy to take anything in.. Lastly I had an 8oz flask full of rum that i brought through behind my belt every time I went in. Some of the male guards must have felt it and either not cared, or assumed it was a belt bucle.

This is odd. We all got through car camping security within 15 minutes. They only told me I had way too much beer in the back and I needed to spread it out amongst the group. They neglected to check the car for anything else including the beer in the front and bottles of alcohol, however.

[sbjungle]

searching was WAY stricter and more thorough than past years, I thought...at least if you're coming from the shuttles. Saturday especially took fucking FOREVER! Sat. & Sun. were much worse than Fri. for some reason, especially if you brought a bag. they searched practically every single pouch on my backpack.

I always just put all my ish in a ziplock bag & tuck it between my legs under my nutsac...they never touch anywhere close enough to feel anything, it's fail-proof.

[amma_sol]

On one of the days the security guard put her hands INSIDE the front of my pants/underwear then said "Have a good day Mama". I definitely felt sexually assaulted. It was definitely crossing the line. On some days i was told to toss out candy or mints and other days they didn't even look in my bag. I think it depends if you are coming at the start or end of their shift. And some people just don't give a shit.

[Riggins33]

I always slip a few things in my shoe, has anyone ever had to take off their shoes?

[amma_sol]

I always slip a few things in my shoe, has anyone ever had to take off their shoes?

No but they do ask to take your hat off

[syrrus101]

A buddy and I were making our way in on day two. The guy pats me down, stops, then says "aight bro, have a good day"

My buddy is up next, right away the guard asks,"That your boy right there?" buddy : "Yea" Guard: "Well tell him to hide whatever he has in his shoe a little better next time, have a good day."

Buddy tells me, I look down and my sac of weed + about 8 Mollys are sticking out of my right shoe. My pipe sticking out of my left shoe.

So I would say the guards dont give a fuck. They are looking for weapons, and mass amounts of hard drugs looking to be sold.

The guards going into camping seem to be a bit more strict, but again, just be a nice guy, offer to help, and they leave you alone.

[Lynn163]

Things we got inside and shouldn't have

LED hula hoop
Mark 5 dlsr camera
Vodka
Grass
Full size Sherlock bubb

Campers were able to get anything in because the security check was nothing compared to the 1st check for the shuttles. They went through everything like others have stated here. I asked a bunch of people I saw with DLSR cameras if they were camping and they all said yes.

[Ajo209]

It varied a lot from person to person for the checking into the camp grounds, the people in the line next to us were moving super fast and hardly being checked at all while we were being checked very very thoroughly...If you don't want top get anything taken away I'd prepare for the worst and stash your stuff inside of your socks and to keep the socks together. The guards for the entrance to venue though mostly acted like they didn't want to have to catch you for drugs so to just hide them well. Its obvious they really only care if its a weapon, or if the drugs are out in the open and they don't catch you they would lose their job..bottom line be smart

edit, we also got our herb/pipes through by hiding it in the bottom of a barely opened cereal bag..(;

[anonimouse]

friday i went in around 130pm. the walking/shuttle search #1 took 20-30 mins and they were VERY thorough. main gate search was about the same but didnt take quite as long and bags were still searched but not as thoroughly

saturday went in around 4pm, exact same thing. shuttle search #1 took 20 mins for guys and almost every single guy was then left waiting another 10-20 mins for any females in their group. bro types cutting in line non stop of course. main gate was similar to friday but lines went pretty quick

sunday went in around 4pm again and the shuttle lines were basically walk up, get searched, go through. i dont know if they FINALLY got their shit together or if we just came during a lull, but it was nice for a change. bag check was a little relaxed but still thorough. pat down still pretty invasive but not nearly as bad as the last two days. main gate was basically walkthrough

i understand the double searches due to us going through camping but damn, there should really be twice the number of lines for the shuttle/walk in/bike groups at least during peak hours. so frustrating to spend almost 40 mins there just to get in another line to do it all over again.

[sonofhal]

Still can't sit down. I'm your puppet.

[jenniferleads]

how did you get your camera in? im trying to figure out how to get in the same camera

[Hayleymoo]

i got searched by the shuttle buses/car camping and the lady sniffed and questioned my spray sunscreen

[anonimouse]

i got searched by the shuttle buses/car camping and the lady sniffed and questioned my spray sunscreen

this sounds about right. there were a few women doing searches that were seriously acting like it was a jail intake.

also dear lead security supervisor fat latino dude on friday at the shuttle search: was it really necessary to act like a complete asshole and insult everyone's intelligence by saying shit along the lines of "some people dont know if they are boys or girls" when there are no clear signs ANYWHERE stating that there are male/female lines, and you cant even tell whos searching until you get within about 4-5 people from the front? remember some of these people dont go to shows often enough to know the drill. while im not surprised that the first asshole of the day turned out to be someone with security, i figured it would be someone doing searches and not the lead dbag who does nothing more than make a lot of noise and throw his weight around. im sorry the picture i took of you didnt come out

the vast majority of security were actually pretty friendly, even with the cavity searches and wiener grabbing

[Ajo209]

I remember watching a woman chugging out of her suntan lotion.. Interesting technique for getting cheap alcohol in lol

[Wut Da Philio?]

Some security chick on a power-trip on Friday while I was in a huge rush to see Kendrick Lamar - she confiscated my BONE DRY EMPTY CamelBak water bladder. I just checked on Amazon and that shit is $45 to replace. They also made me throw away an unopened pack of sour patch kids and 3 tangerines. I was going to demand to talk to the manager to get my water bladder back but then I realized I should probably just call it a day considering how much other contraband they didn't touch. Oh well.

[Mugwog]

they were tizight

[Sigur Ros Stache]

Day parking security seemed to have the attitude of "I don't give a shit" it took 5 seconds. I was emptying my pockets and he said, "don't worry about it" patted me down and let me through. Day parking has a seperate entrance from camping and it was very relaxed and NEVER crowded.

[dekelou]

Shuttle/camping entrance searches were definitely more intense this year. Full on backpack search, even tossed sealed packets of advil. Body pat downs weren't too bad. Saw a kid get arrested coming in Sunday afternoon for drugs or something too.

Main entrance definitely more chill.

[amps421]

how weekend 1ers thankyou sooooo much for the info. cus I want to take in a flask with tequilla. Were you guys and gals able to bring water in the plastic water bottle goldenvoice said we can bring in the festival?