Concert Chaos | Daniel Yachi

When we read headlines like “eight dead and 100s more hurt,” we would typically jump to the conclusion that another mass shooting, terrorist attack, or virus outbreak has happened. However, the cause of the eight deaths and 100s more injuries last Friday was none of these unfortunately now common tragedies; instead, it was a concert.

Travis Scott, one of the most popular rappers in the world and partner to Kylie Jenner, just had his long awaited “Astroworld Festival” on November 5th. For the ten of thousands of fans who attended the festival, a great night of music and entertainment was likely what they were looking forward to. What they were greeted with, however, was a massive mob of fans stampeding, trampling, and crushing each other.

What makes this tragedy all the more upsetting is the fact that Travis Scott has a history of suggesting that his fans ignore security and break through barricades. In fact, he was arrested after a previous concert for his negligence and inciting mob-like behaviour, putting everyone in danger. When considering Travis Scott’s irresponsibility, it seems as though all the deaths and injuries could have easily been prevented had he simply given the care to not advocate for ignoring security or have more extensive safety measures.

Through the weekend and into this week, Twitter has become a firestorm of heartbreaking videos and accounts of the tragedy, with many videos showing viewers on the ground with others screaming for help as Travis Scott continues to sing on as if nothing is happening. In other videos, some fans even try to get on to the stage to ask the crew to stop the concert as they are ignored by the organizers and even booed by some of the crowd. Other reports even claim that concert goers were injecting police officers with drugs. Through looking at all of these videos, it is clear that there was obvious chaos that Travis and the organizers all chose to turn a blind eye to. Many Twitter users have also been comparing Travis Scott’s indifferent reaction to fans screaming for help to other celebrities like Billie Eilish, who stopped their entire show to make sure security got to the person in need.

Although the complete number of injuries and deaths is not completely known yet, among the eight known deaths was a fourteen year old boy. The fact that such young kids were attending this deadly event is no surprise however. After all, Travis Scott has recently done collaborations with the game Fortnite and the fast food chain McDonalds, which both, of course, appeal to kids.

Overall, this tragedy, which could have been prevented, has shaken the lives of many, but will also likely shake the concert industry for years to come when considering more adequate safety precautions and behaviors at venues in the future. Although Travis Scott has sent his condolences to the families of victims and apologized for his carelessness, lawsuits are already rolling in alongside a big mob of criticism; it does not look like Travis Scott’s career will have any bright days any time soon.