Newly surfaced court documents suggest that the organisers of rapper Travis Scott’s Astroworld music festival were cognizant of potential crowding issues in 2021, which ultimately led to the deaths of 10 individuals.
Concerns about overcrowding near the stage were raised by the festival’s safety head, Seyth Boardman, in communications with the operations director just ten days before the event. The boardman expressed scepticism about accommodating the anticipated 50,000 attendees in front of the stage.
These revelations emerged from recent court filings submitted by lawyers representing families and other impacted parties affected by the Astroworld tragedy. The documents contain alleged conversations and supporting evidence intended as part of the mass civil litigation against the festival’s organisers.
Expert testimony presented by the plaintiffs suggests that festival planners misjudged the permissible crowd capacity, erroneously assuming five square feet per person in adherence to fire safety codes instead of the actual requirement of seven square feet. This miscalculation contributed to cramming approximately 50,000 people into a space intended for 34,500.
Further insights from the documents indicate the organisers’ apprehension regarding gatecrashers, potentially escalating the situation and swelling the crowd size beyond control. Security lapses on the event day and the failure to monitor the crowd for signs of danger compounded the issue, experts contend.
The civil case, scheduled to commence in May, names Travis Scott, Live Nation Entertainment, and ASM, the venue manager, as defendants. Scott’s energetic performances are known for inducing crowd surges so intense that they register on earthquake monitors.
While Harris County commissioners rejected an independent investigation into the tragedy, a grand jury opted not to criminally charge Scott and five others in June 2023. Scott, however, faces several ongoing civil suits, despite settling some.
Drake, who performed alongside Scott at Astroworld, seeks dismissal from lawsuits, maintaining he had no involvement in the festival’s planning and was unaware of safety concerns before his set.
