Guy went into the Aud (buffalo memorial auditorium) before it was demolished

[Bosswally]

for full album and descriptions
http://www.roadwolf.ca/blog/?page_id=78

Click to read more...

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

Thanks. I had not seen this before but it sure brought back memories. The Aud was one fine old lady.

The guy who did the explore must have had steel for balls.

 

[thahamer]

I went into the Aud in 2006, just a few months after moving to Buffalo. Being in the locker rooms was one of the coolest moments as a fan... even if it was in ruins.

 

[Myllz]

I saw these when he originally posted them, but man, it's still weird to look at them. I remember running down those hallways as a kid. Or sitting in the orange section and being too frightened to stand up to let someone in/out of the aisle because I thought I was going to fall over and kill myself.

I don't remember that blue torture chamber, though.

 

[SackTastic]

Funny how he found the hardest way in. The back garage door was unlocked for years.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

I saw these when he originally posted them, but man, it's still weird to look at them. I remember running down those hallways as a kid. Or sitting in the orange section and being too frightened to stand up to let someone in/out of the aisle because I thought I was going to fall over and kill myself.I don't remember that blue torture chamber, though.

Yeah, the drop angle of the balcony sure was steep. You hung on to every handrail walking down to your seats. We sat in the oranges too - up high above the visitor's end goal. Not sure they might have actually been the blues. Boy you sure could see the plays develop!

I also liked how the ushers allowed us to watch either team's pre-game warm up as long as we kept out of the way on that wide aisle between the reds and the golds.

Funny, the condition of the hallways and ramps in the pictures didn't look all that much different from when we used to go to Bison games!

 

[dugman]

We got to know a ticket taker who would let us sneak into games for a fiver and a beef on weck. I also remember the hallways and ramps being pretty thick with cigarette smoke during intermissions. I still am amazed at how impersonal and distant the game seems at the FN Arena.

 

[Reddawg]

Saw these a few years back, such great pics. I don't know if the link that was posted describes his method of getting the shot of the main floor, but he basically set up a tripod in the owner's box, took a *long* exposure (minutes long) and then "painted" the entire arena with one of those big spotlights. Very glad someone got in there with an eye on documenting the old girl before she was ripped apart.

 

[Zip15]

We got to know a ticket taker who would let us sneak into games for a fiver and a beef on weck. I also remember the hallways and ramps being pretty thick with cigarette smoke during intermissions. I still am amazed at how impersonal and distant the game seems at the FN Arena.

At almost all new arenas/stadiums that's the case. Very few new arenas/stadiums have that intimate feel anymore.

 

[dire wolf]

There was a thread about that link on the main board a while back: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=579727

I also found this thread about the Aud being demoed: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=363331

Here was my post from that thread:

Too bad. I became a Sabre fan going to games at the Aud. HSBC is a nice arena, but you felt like you right on the ice at the Aud. It really got me into hockey. My buddy's family had season tickets about 6 rows up behind the net. At my first game, my friend told me I should sit leaning slightly forward with my elbows on my knees and hands up closer to my face in case a slapper came over the glass. It happened pretty often, too. (This was obviously pre-netting.) We always met up with everyone we knew at the games at the International Beer Garden. One time, we were in the player tunnel between periods (buddy's dad had team connections) and met the Hanson Brothers, who were there for some promotion.

We used to go to the Bandits games also and sit in the 300s for something like $7. The slope of the seats was so steep you felt like if you had too many beers, you could easily fall going down the stairs to your seat and wind up on the turf!

Lots of good times at the Aud.​

 

[habsinottawa]

Looking at the pictures, there is a spiral staircase in the middle of the dressing room in the old Aud. Did it lead to the ice surface? Does anyone know?

 

[ZZamboni]

Looking at the pictures, there is a spiral staircase in the middle of the dressing room in the old Aud. Did it lead to the ice surface? Does anyone know?

I think it went to the workout/trainer area.

 

[habsinottawa]

I think it went to the workout/trainer area.

Ah right on. I remembered seeing somewhere that it went to the surface and I thought that odd.

 

[rabi]

Looking at the pictures, there is a spiral staircase in the middle of the dressing room in the old Aud. Did it lead to the ice surface? Does anyone know?

Having been in the dressing room over 200+ times, I can tell you it went to a workout/training area...very small...

The PR department would leave copies of the final scoresheet on one of the steps for the media and the players to look at...

 

[Royisgone]

Thanks for posting this link.

I really, really enjoyed looking at all the photos at the linked website.

There are some WBEN stickers on that locker door. I had one of those on my bedroom dresser as a kid.

That building was low on amenities and high technology, but absolutely filled with character.

The new building is precisely the opposite.

The first Sabres game I ever went to was up in the oranges. I held onto my dad's arm the entire time, out of FEAR. Yes, it was STEEP and the entire crowd absolutely hung over the ice surface.

I can still picture the crowd going crazy and the air horn sounding after a goal...and those sound deadening cylinders hanging from the ceiling would be swinging around like crazy from all the sonic energy pushing through the building.

Damn I miss that place!

 

[VaporTrail]

I got a few seats....If anyone is interested pm me.

 

[SonofHerb]

I went to a circus there when I was in, maybe, first grade. I've been afraid of heights ever since.

 

[oldgoalie]

I went to a circus there when I was in, maybe, first grade. I've been afraid of heights ever since.

sitting up in the greens would put some starch in your shorts, that's for sure.

 

[EC09]

Fantastic stuff. Always love when people sneak into old buildings for the betterment of the internet.