The Lumineers stopped in George, Washington on Friday, but increased security led to insane traffic delays, causing thousands of fans to miss out on the show.
The indie-rockers performed at The Gorge Amphitheater as a part of their 2023 U.S. tour. However, following a shooting during an electronic music festival in June that killed two people and injured three others, the venue increased its security measures. Two weeks after the shooting, Grant County Sheriff’s Office announced they would be implementing safety and security adjustments at the amphitheater.
The new security caused long traffic delays and a gridlock. The Lumineers pushed back their concert to 9:45 p.m. to accommodate fans trying to enter the venue.
Some fans claimed they were waiting in the traffic for up to six hours, completely missing the concert.
Going on hour 6 of waiting in line and are heading the concert from outside the venue…. Not how I wanted to see the Lumineers after driving 4 hours.
— kaitlyn (@kaitlynmruk) September 9, 2023
@thegorgeamp @thelumineers So disappointed, been looking forward to tonight for months. Completely deflating for me, my wife and our daughter. Such big fans too. pic.twitter.com/yCSN0GVoHU
— Ed Stewart (@EdStewa04258620) September 9, 2023
Total disaster! 5+ hours sitting in traffic -never got near the entrance. Worst part was listening to my kiddo sobbing in the backseat when we finally turned around and she never heard a note from her favorite band. Planned this weekend concert experience for 6 months epic fail!
— J Web (@JWeb12230113) September 10, 2023
Way to go @LiveNation! Clearly you failed The Lumineers attendees by double booking this weekend, which caused a 6+hour/10 mile traffic jam. My mom waited in line for 4+ hours with my two young little sisters before giving up and leaving. Get it together! Make it right & REFUND!
— M (@melissa_markley) September 9, 2023
Wondering if you guys wanted us to come days in advance to beat the line? pic.twitter.com/sr2O1o4Hu4
— Kuuuuuubs (@JKuubbs) September 9, 2023
Grant County Sheriff’s Office released a statement following the delays, apologizing to the concertgoers.
Part of the traffic was caused due to a large amount of people camping out to see Eric Church perform on Saturday. The Sheriff also blamed security measures that were in place by the promoter.
“I can only imagine how frustrating that must have been,” Sheriff Kriete said. “Clearly, trying to move that many vehicles both in and out of the area simultaneously was not a good idea. Live Nation’s stronger security measures at the campground entrance added to the delays.”
Sheriff Kriete said he would be meeting with Live Nation and Grant County Public Works to “ensure this problem doesn’t happen again.”
There has been no word from Gorge Amphitheater or Live Nation regarding refunds for those who missed the show due to the traffic delays.
TicketNews reached out to the venue and promoter for comment.
The Lumineers are set to round-out their tour this week in California with a pair of shows at the Santa Barbara Bowl, followed by a gig at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl.
Find ticket links to The Lumineers’s remaining shows via resale marketplaces below:
The Lumineers Ticket Links
Lumineers tickets at MEGASeats | 10% off use code TICKETNEWS
Lumineers tickets at ScoreBig
Lumineers tickets at SeatGeek
Lumineers tickets at StubHub
Lumineers tickets at Ticket Club | Free 1-year membership use code TICKETNEWS
Lumineers tickets at Vivid Seats
The Lumineers 2023 Tour Dates
September 12 – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl
September 13 – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl
September 15 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
