Why did the tragedy at Astroworld happen despite similar deadly incidents in the past?
Astroworld is just the latest in a list of devastating events at major concerts. One of the most infamous was at a Who concert in Cincinnati in 1979.
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Tickets were general admission, meaning there were no reserved seats. An estimated 8,000 people were gathered outside the venue when the crowd suddenly surged forward. By the time it was over 11 concertgoers were dead from asphyxiation.
In the aftermath, the City of Cincinnati banned festival seating at concerts but lifted it in 2004 after safety restrictions were implemented.
In 2000, nine fans were killed at a festival in Denmark during a Pearl Jam set. According to reports, what went wrong at the festival has never been fully explained, but it seemed to be a mix of a muddy site, crowd rush and general chaos.
After that incident, Pearl Jam refused to play any festival that didn’t have a comprehensive security plan. Also, the band is now known for stopping shows midsong if they get a hint of trouble in the crowd.
The Love Parade in Germany was one of the biggest annual music events in Europe until 2010. That’s when tens of thousands of fans tried to cram into a single tunnel that was the only entrance to the grounds. Twenty-one people were killed in the chaos. Several organizers were charged but in the end, no one was held legally responsible.