CHAMPAIGN — Most of the people who attended an outdoor concert on the University of Illinois campus Thursday night weren't even a gleam in their parents' eyes the last time there was an outdoor entertainment fest of that magnitude in town.

"The University of Illinois is not used to holding outdoor concerts. The last one of major consequence was Farm Aid," said UI Police Lt. Roy Acree of the 1985 event that featured multiple nationally known performers singing to raise money for financially ailing farmers.

Depending on your age, Thursday's Victoria's Secret PINK event at the northwest corner of Kirby Avenue and First Street in Champaign was either a rocking great time or a bass-booming blast that could be heard more than 2 miles away to the east.

Ann Panthen of METCAD, the agency that dispatches police, fire and paramedics to calls in most of Champaign County, said telecommunicators received roughly 100 complaints, most of them from southeast Urbana, about loud music during the event.

"We did not send police officers, of course, since it was a legitimate, approved outdoor concert," said Panthen, adding that telecommunicators knew about it in advance and could explain to callers what was happening.

"Thank goodness it was a pretty slow shift," she said, adding the "barrage of calls" was manageable. "I think we just didn't plan on the noise level."

Scheduled to run from 5 to 9 p.m., the once-a-year fall event held on a winning college campus wrapped up about 9:45 p.m., said Acree, a veteran of security planning for special events on campus.

The UI learned in April that it had won an online competition known as the Victoria's Secret PINK Collegiate Showdown and was chosen from dozens of universities to host the fifth such event. PINK refers to a line of Victoria's Secret products marketed to college-age students.

In addition to music from rap artist Kid Cudi and disc jockey Girl Talk, the free event featured games, food and giveaways.

"I wanted to go because I knew there was going to be free stuff and a free concert and it was going to be something really unique that not a lot of universities had," said Cristina Valdez, 17, a freshman from Guthrie, Okla., who was happy with the free perfume and stuffed pink dog she brought home.

She left early and could hear Girl Talk at her Urbana dormitory about 2 miles away when she got home.

Kathy Wallig, who lives two blocks west of Philo Road in Urbana, said the music sounded like someone's car stereo on the street just outside her home.

"It was rattling the windows and we had everything closed up. I can see how somebody who had to get kids to bed early had a miserable night. I can't even describe how loud it was," said Wallig, who called the Urbana and UI police departments to complain.

Although UI students, faculty and staff with proper identification or tickets were invited to the free event, Acree said 99.9 percent were students.

"Depending on who you believe, anywhere from 6,500 to 8,400" were there, he said. The Daily Illini reported the number at more than 10,000.

"I wasn't expecting that large of a crowd due to the weather. The students came in waves. We had an extremely long line before they opened the doors at 5," he said.

Acree said he had checked with West Virginia University, which won the event last year, and had an idea of what to expect. The event was adequately staffed with police and Assembly Hall staff, he said.

How ever many were there, Acree said, "good times were had by all."

"We had very few issues. I think we had one medical and two ejections," he said Friday.

Besides the noise complaints, about the only negative was the condition of the lot where the event was held.

Maintained by the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, the ground, softened by rain Wednesday, was "extremely torn up" and would need work. The New York-based production company that put on the event promised to reimburse the UI for that work as well as the costs of security and other staff, he said.

Acree said he was at the event and was aware of the complaints coming from Urbana residents.

"It was extremely loud, but most concerts are. They had a huge production with a large stage and large speakers," he said, noting they were pointing east.

"The largest part of the show was the performers and college kids like loud music. In my eyes, this was no louder than what it would get in the Assembly Hall. The difference is there is no ceiling and walls to keep it from escaping," Acree said.

And outside, he added, "there aren't mountains and hills in Illinois to stop this music from reaching out."

"There was loud music, cute clothes and a lot of people dancing, something you would see at a typical concert," Acree said.

Kim Ferraro, an 18-year-old freshman, said she was glad she went. She got in line about 3:15 p.m. so she could take advantage of the "free stuff."

"I came home with three tote bags. I left (early) because it was really cold and I'm not a big fan of Kid Cudi. But it was a nice party to have here on campus," she said.