Yesterday afternoon in Toronto, a stage which was being set up to host a Radiohead concert in the evening collapsed. The collapse killed one person and injured three others. The gates had been scheduled to open in about an hour and the show a few hours later. Can you imagine if this had happened when there was a full crowd there and the band playing? It seems like every year there are a couple of stages that collapse and kill people and I don't know if they are the designs or the people putting them together or everyone is trying to do it on the cheap.
My thought is trying to do it on the cheap. Stages have been built forever, and I doubt the design of a Radiohead stage would be revolutionary.
ReplyDeleteKind of OT, my fear is our roads in this country. There are so many that are in dire need of repair. And the new ramps and highways being built are mostly on the cheap. People in constuction here in NOLA tell me I should be afraid every time I ride on a bridge or take a ramp exit off the interstate. Scary, scary shit my friends.
This is so sad! I was at the Radiohead show at Riverbend a couple of weeks ago, best show of my life. It never occurred to me to be wary of the stage, but I'm sure that stage is permanent. These stages at fairgrounds or festivals need regulations.
ReplyDeleteTragic. I think some of these stage set ups need better architects (well, duh). This has happened enough lately where safety ought to be a major concern when designing a stage - it likely is, but it needs to be better. Then there's the limited amount of time the stage hands are given to set up everything. That certainly doesn't help.
ReplyDeleteVery sad for the family of the person killed, and for those injured. May they all find peace.
@nolachickee - you are right to be concerned about the infrastructure in this country. We all ought to be. As long as our politicians are focused on short-term solutions and wedge issues, our roads and bridges will continue to be woefully neglected. The sad thing is, there are so many people out of work and this would be a really good way of creating jobs AND making our infrastructure safer.
ReplyDeleteIt was just announced that it was a Radiohead crew member who was killed. I'm sure the band is devastated. Not sure if there's an easy explanation for the rash of stage collapses. I can't see them cutting corners for a sold-out show that's bringing in a ton of money. Radiohead is one of the few bands (along with Pearl Jam, Neil Young, and a few others) that has a high level of ethics and social consciousness, and they truly care about their staff and fans. And they rock.
ReplyDeleteThe stage was put together by a local company. I've read it was behind schedule..so it seems they rushed it.
ReplyDeleteI know people who were there and they saw one of the lighting engineers climbing up the rig, a few sound tech's getting ready for the band's sound check and then the stage collapsed on them.
The man who died was Radiohead's drum tech.
It's just awful. R.I.P Scott
@gloaming I didn't hear that. If what you read is true, Radiohead management should be culpable. With all the recent stage collapses, there is no excuse for allowing people to rush something that is so potentially dangerous. If that's the case, money was put ahead of human life...again. The band will never be the same after this. It's reminiscent of the tragedy that was highlighted in the Pearl Jam documentary.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it was a beautiful day here in Toronto yesterday, so weather was not a factor. I really hope it wasn't a case of someone trying to cut corners. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, it seems like they were behind schedule, and rushing to get the stage up, as concert-goers were just about to be let in to the area.
ReplyDeleteSo sad to hear that. Oh Toronto... my city.
ReplyDeleteThis show was in Toronto (my city), where they're doing the North by North West music festival.
ReplyDeleteRadio Head was playing one venue, Lady Antebellum another, and all the indie bands (Flaming Lips, etc) were having a free outdoor concert in the heart of the city.
We kind of figured that the Lips show would be laid back, but after Radiohead had to cancel, it turned into an absolute zoo, like 60,000+ there if I had to eyeball it.
It was actually a really fun festival - It was really sad when we heard why Radiohead had to cancel. :(
On the other hand, on the train ride home, the car was back with Lady Antebellum girls, so, silver lining.
Tragic. But who exactly should be responsible? This happened to Sugarland, didn't it? Are the performers responsible for putting up a stage? Or should the responsibility be placed on the venue to provide a safe platform for the artists and musicians to perform?
ReplyDelete@ Another Josh, I've been reading all sorts today. I don't know if it's true, but supposedly it was a worker at the venue who said that.
ReplyDeleteHopefully the band will release a statement soon.
If it comes down to culpability, I guess it's down to Radiohead, Live Nation or the company who built the stage..... I know nothing about the legalities of things like this.
i'd like to know if it was a Union crew or not setting it up. Which is why we need Unions people who are actually trained to do things like this. When you hire people off the street things go squirley.
ReplyDelete^ I've read it wasn't a union crew, which led me to think there were fewer precautions taken in building the stage. Also it kind of supports what I was saying earlier, if it was union crew, it wouldn't have been rushed.
ReplyDeleteMetal, rebar, gravity, support structure, etc. Maybe the industry needs more regulation. Enty I think that it's the designs and everyone's doing it on the cheap. This is why I don't like rollercoasters, how safe can something like that be? With a small amount of money and untrained uninterested employees, any dangerous area/structure can become a deathtrap. Not to be a debbie downer, wah wahhhhhh. Did you know feline aids kills more household cats than any other disease? Wah, wahhhhhh.
ReplyDeleteProbably doing it on the cheap and too rushed for time.
ReplyDeleteNolachickee, we've had a couple of overpass collapses here in Quebec, and many of our bridges and overpasses are in need of major, major repair. Some are receiving it, some are in the planning stages.