Festival Fever

Most of us will go to these events without thinking much about issues of safety, believing that those who organise the event will have taken care of everything. Whilst there may be policies and procedures in place, we all need to be a little more aware and take some responsibility for both ourselves and those around us.

The outdoor summer or festival typically takes place on a ‘green field' site. There are major difficulties in managing crowds in this type of environment given the nature of open spaces; the unpredictability of external factors and differing crowd dynamics. Deaths that occur in overcrowded situations aren't caused by being trampled on as is usually reported in the media – deaths actually occur as a result of compressive asphyxia – that means intolerable pressure that stops you from breathing. If you are subjected to 300lbs of pressure in a static crowd for up to 2/3 minutes your brain becomes starved of oxygen, this can cause permanent and serious disability. Beyond those 3 minutes it is probable that you will die.

It's all too easy to forget about things like that when you're off to have a good time but does anyone remember the following tragedies?

Tragic History

The Roskilde Accident, Denmark, June 2000 On Friday 30th June 2000, at about 23:30, a crowd of approximately 50,000 had assembled at the Roskilde Festival in Denmark to listen to Pearl Jam. The night was rainy, cold and windy and the crowd was tightly packed in front of the stage. There was much pushing and shoving among the crowd closest to the front barrier. A number of fans were knocked to the ground. Others fell or were pushed over those lying on the ground and a number of crowd surfers also fell to the ground. This situation continued for some time, without any reaction from security. Stewards at the front barrier were informed that some fans had fallen. However, from the vantage point of the front barrier and the stage it was very difficult to see precisely what was actually happening, due mainly to the darkness of the evening and the weather. Shortly afterwards, however, lifeless fans were lifted over the front barrier and received medical attention at the side of the stage. Stewards raised the alarm and after some time the music was stopped. Attempts were then made to persuade the crowd to move back. A large-scale rescue operation was set in motion. The accident took the lives of 8 young men and another young man died of his injuries a few days later. Minsk, Belarus, 1999 Towards the end of the Mango Mango concert at the Minsk Beer Festival on 30 May 1999, a sudden and unexpected hail storm forced the assembled crowd of about 2,500 people to seek shelter in a nearby Metro Station. Among the crowd were many young people intoxicated following a day’s consumption of cheap beer. At least 53 people, of which over 80% were young girls, were crushed to death under the weight of the crowd, who pushed their way down the wet and slippery marble staircase of the station.

The Hultsfred accident in , 1999 During the Holes concert at the 14th Hultsfred Festival on 17 June 1999, a young woman died, apparently as a result of being crushed by an extremely animated crowd, which had assembled right in front of the stage. Among the reasons put forward for this highly explosive atmosphere was the lead female singer’s exhortation to female fans to dispense with their clothing. The lead singer disrobed towards the end of the concert, just prior to the accident. The push forward towards the stage was further aggravated by the band’s invitation to female fans to join them on stage. Subsequent police enquiries found no basis to press charges against any of the implicated parties

The Castle Donnington accident in the UK, 1988 During the course of a large open-air in Castle Donnington, UK, in 1988, at which many of the leading hard rock and heavy metal groups in the world at the time performed, two young men were crushed to death as a result of a pile up of fans in front of the stage. The accident, which occurred on 8 August 1988 during a Guns ‘n Roses concert, occasioned commencement of work on the first edition of The Event Safety Guide in the UK.

The Who accident in Cincinnati, USA, 1979 On 3 December 1979, 11 young people were killed and as many seriously injured when queuing for The Who concert at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Colliseum. The exact circumstances surrounding the tragedy have never been fully clarified. The event, however, became a landmark in the sense that the accident was the occasion of an investigation that constituted the tentative beginning to what are today internationally recognised recommendations and strategies with respect to crowd management.

To ensure that you have a great experience and to ensure that you keep yourself as safe as possible at these events, here are a few tips:

1. Arrive at the venue in plenty of time to familiarise yourself with the setup and layout - check to see where the exits are, also check where the welfare services and medical services are located – is there an information area? 2. Once you're in the venue, check out where the emergency exits are and as you find the place you want to be for the concert make a mental note of the nearest exit, preferably look for a different exit -- NOT the main entry/exit because if there is a need to get out fast most people will make for the main exit and the crowd there will be very intense. 3. Make a decision with your friends as to where you will meet up or make contact if you get separated e.g. information point. 4. Most people want to be near the front of the stage for their favourite acts – this results in some dangerous situations and there have been numerous ‘near misses' in this area. If something goes wrong you won't have much time and you can't rely on security to get you out. Pit teams are good but they are not miracle workers and it's very unlikely that they'll be able to get into the crowd to get to you in time. Remember you may only have 3 minutes to get out – think about it. 5. , and – not a good idea, don't do it, most places are trying to ban it – there is a high risk of injury and a higher risk of hurting (and annoying) those around you. 6. To avoid the crowd's inevitable rush to leave following a performance consider the possibility of leaving or moving out before the end of the show – you may miss the last number but you will get out much more easily and safely. 7. Enjoy and stay safe!