Fan at Billy Talent concert recounts chaos, 'sucker punch,' and 'one hell of a show'

A fan who attended the Billy Talent concert that was disrupted when several thousand people pushed through the fences says that despite the chaos, which saw him get 'sucker punched,' the band 'put on one hell of a show.'

A fan who attended the Billy Talent concert that was disrupted when several thousand people pushed through the fences says that despite the chaos, which saw him get "sucker punched," the band "put on one hell of a show."

Officials in Port Colborne, Ont. have said the venue at H. H. Knoll Park reached capacity just before 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, at which point police decided to close the surrounding fences.

Police have said that a crowd of about 4,000 to 5,000 people outside the fences then pushed through the perimeter, challenging officers and security guards and leaving one officer with minor injuries.

Jasper Davies, a 36-year-old life-long Billy Talent fan, says he got sucker-punched by a drunken fan when people started flooding in before the show.

The City of Port Colborne said about 15 minor injuries were reported among the concertgoers, and organizers decided to shut down alcohol service in the interest of public safety.

Riley Gorman, who also attended the concert, says it seemed like the organizers expected the normal number of people at the Canal Days festival, "but they thought wrong."

An estimated 25,000 people showed up to the small venue, more than double the 10,000 expected.