What is the price of entertainment? Travis Scott, the rapper who has released hit songs such as “goosebumps”, and “highest in the room” had fans lined up to enter his newest Astroworld experience, in Houston, Texas. However, before the event even started, things began to go disastrously wrong.
The crowd stood in anticipation under the Texan sun. As the doors opened, people began to rush in through the gates into Astroworld, creating a human stampede. People began to fall, as those behind them continued forward, trampling the fallen attendees. The crazed fans charged onward towards the stage barreling through security and knocking down the metal detectors.
The resulting hysteria left eight dead and hundreds injured. The injuries didn’t stop there: inside the venue, a mass of drug fueled fans merged with the heated temperatures, leaving a further wake of destruction.
Inside the venue –
The show must go on. Despite the human stampede, the Travis Scott concert began for the fans, as the crowd moved towards the stage. Heat, combined with drugs, and a tightly condensed crowd, caused many fans to begin to lose consciousness and even stop breathing.
Disturbing videos began to post on the internet of overdosed fans receiving CPR, as others attempted to stop the show and get help. Many in critical condition, the fans were rushed from the concert to hospitals on stretchers. Fans were captured on video trying to escape the event, being pulled from the tightly packed crowd.
Travis Scott stopped singing and turned off the music to tell organizers that someone had passed out. As medics carried away the lifeless body he continued singing. Edited footage posted on Twitter showed only Travis Scott continuing singing watching his victim. The full footage shows that he stopped his entire performance to tell people to help his fan who had passed out, and told people to back away from the unconscious fan. Should Travis Scott have continued the performance he was paid to do, for the fans who were not in distress, who had paid money to attend?
It was not Travis Scott’s responsibility to control his fan’s drug usage, and the venue clearly did not provide enough security measures, hydration options, and other safety measures to ensure Travis Scott’s mass gathering would not result in the death of his fans.
Should the venue have been better equipped and more prepared before hosting the Travis Scott Astroworld event? Should the venue have stopped the show, paid the artist, and refunded the attendees?
Warning Disturbing Content Below:
Later during the event, many more were taken away by medical personnel. Footage shows Travis Scott stopped the concert to alert personnel to tend to one of his fans. Footage appearing online shows a cropped version where he begins to sing again, after stopping his show, as they carry away the lifeless body of his fan.
Fans could be seen being wheeled out on stretchers
https://twitter.com/mdnaspearss/status/1456975657053917195?s=20
Some fans tried to ask event staff for help
People were filmed trying to escape the event, as they were smashed into the barriers by the mass of the crowd. Security was seen pulling attendees from the mob.
The fans began screaming “Stop the show!”
Here is an example of what could’ve happened on stage during Travis Scott’s performance.
Travis Scott responded on Twitter stating:
The victims names were publicly released by Harris County following the incident
Conclusion
Is it the responsibility of the venue to offer a safe environment for the consumer? Should it be the sore responsibility of the performer, to control the crowd, and ensure their safety? Should it be up to the individual attendee to take care of themselves, and act responsibly?
JMBK.NEWS 