I was there at about 5pm last year and managed to score a Elias stick.
Security at the Rock is dreadful. Lots of punk kids cut lines not just at the Equipment sale, but also at the 10 dollar tix lines. On St.Patty's day, this kid tried to cut me and this guy I was talking to inside the ticket office while we were waiting for the wristbands and he was wasted. I told him to get off and he wanted to fight me. I'm 38 and I know as bad as I wanted to deck him, I'd be in jail and not him for causing the scene. Sometimes, it doesn't pay, so I just walked away.