the policy is always gone over in the pre show meeting. if there's ever any doubt, ask to speak with the crew chief on duty.
the band sets the policy. we enforce it to the best of our abilities. if i recall, your gear was slightly more than what we would consider non-pro video (which really doesn't include actual video cameras), so they checked up and got you a pass.
people that hide in the crowd to get away with recording something they aren't supposed to do are specifically going against the wishes of the artist they are there to support.
we're not trying to hassle people, we're trying to enforce the wishes of the talent. it's not a perfect system, and sometimes their wishes aren't clearly conveyed to us. we do our best, and if the crowd cooperates, it's all cool.
trust me, our jobs would be a lot easier if the bands would allow all cameras, audio, video, drawing pads, etch-a-sketch, charcoal, watercolors, or whatever. since that is rarely the case, we have to do the best we can.