Update: In response to this post, a Lollapalooza spokeswoman says security followed "proper safety procedures." More below, along with additional pictures.
Update 2: A Lollapalooza spokeswoman says: "Unless the person in your photo comes forward, by law no hospital, doctor or medic can release the person’s name or extent of his injuries.” More below.
Update 3: Images of this incident were also taken by Clayton Hauck, including an image that appears to have been taken prior to his injuries, an image of him walking by the ramp, more images from the ramp (1,2,3), additional images outside the gates, some of which appear to take place after the photos below (1,2,3,4), and a shot of the concertgoer receiving medical attention, including oxygen.
Click the image to view a hi-res version.
Though the Chicago Police Department reports that the number of arrests during Lollapalooza numbered only 14 – the last was for ticket scalping - and organizers of the three-day fest are downplaying two separate crowd control problems during a Saturday set by aggro-protest rockers Rage Against The Machine, an incident involving security and a Lolla attendee during a Sunday performance by Girl Talk appears to be a black mark on an otherwise solid performance by the private security firms hired to staff the event.
According to a freelance photographer on the scene – who has asked to remain anonymous due to the nature of his job – an attendee at Lollapalooza was injured while being escorted off the stage during a performance by Girl Talk.
Based on photos taken during the performance, approximately 30 people were onstage, many of whom had approved access to the backstage area, and some who did not. In photos taken during the incident, it appears that the attendee in question did not have approved access to the backstage area, as those who did sported wristbands denoting “all access,” “crew” or “artist.” The only wristband worn by the unidentified concertgoer in our photos is one that says he’s old enough to purchase alcohol.
As the man was being escorted down the metal ramp at the side of the stage by S3 Inc., the security team hired by Lollapalooza to staff the event, he was “flailing” around, the photographer says, as S3 team members held the concertgoer’s arms behind his back and one team member had a hand on the back of his neck.
Click the image to view a hi-res version.
At this point, the photographer says that the man fell, striking his head on the ramp, though it is unclear whether he lost his balance or was pushed. But the photographer says that, while the man was lying prone, his head was pushed into the metal ramp by a member of security, causing further injury. The man was then escorted out a back gate, and left lying on the street, holding his head in his hands and bleeding from the nose, while screaming in pain and saying his head hurt.
A few moments later, a member of a separate security team - NPB Companies Inc. – and a member of the Chicago Police Department appear to be attending to the man and radioing for assistance. Our photographer estimates that 10-15 minutes later, medical personnel arrived to attend to the man.
I contacted Lollapalooza spokeswoman Shelby Meade on Sunday night, and asked her for a comment on the incident in question. She told me that she would not have any information on any incidents until Monday morning. After sending her copies of the above pictures, she responded via e-mail that she had contacted the security teams for a response. As of 6pm today, I’ve yet to receive an explanation or comment on the incident, nor have any of the security members in the above photo been positively identified.
I also contacted the Chicago Police Department to see if any report had been filed by the responding officers. Captain Joseph Vaclavik, the watch commander at the 1st district precinct – which serves Grant Park and much of the downtown area – said no reports had been filed. In addition, I contacted CPD News Affairs and Officer Daniel O’Brien said he had no reports on the incident, though he said that didn’t necessarily mean that none had been filed, just that he had no information on it.
As of now, the man in the pictures remains unidentified, and we have no further information on his condition.
Update 8/5/08: I received a response from Lollapalooza spokeswoman Brittany Pierce via e-mail at 4:40pm today. Her entire statement was: "Our security team followed proper safety procedures." I’ve asked her for more details about what exactly those security procedures are in a case like this, what the procedures are for handling injured persons, whether it’s standard to move injured persons to an area outside the event prior to receiving medical attention, and what medical attention this person received on site, if any. In addition, I’ve asked her whether the individual above was authorized to be backstage at the time, and why he was removed by security in the first place, considering there were many other people onstage at the time. As of 7pm, I’ve received no further response. The individual above remains unidentified.
In the meantime, I’ve posted all the pictures we have of this incident in a Flickr photo set, which you can view here.
Update 8/6/08: In a phone interview, Lollapalooza spokeswoman Brittany Pierce said that during the above incident “our safety procedures were administered.” She said she was also unable to identify the concertgoer in the photo because releasing the person’s name is against the law. When asked about the kind of security procedures that are followed in a case like this she said, “That is something we do not release.”
During the conversation, Pearce said the legal confidentiality issue was reiterated by their “head of security.” When I asked to be put in touch with that person Pearce replied, “I will put you in touch with them via e-mail." But in subsequent follow-up e-mails, Pearce said,“We do not have any additional information on this. As we spoke about, unless the person in your photo comes forward, by law no hospital, doctor or medic can release the person’s name or extent of his injuries.”
I also asked if proper safety procedures involved removing injured festival attendees from the area and placing them outside the gates. Pearce said “the proper procedures were followed. If that’s what you saw, then that’s how it should have been handled, and was handled properly. I honestly don’t think there’s a story here."
I waited all day for Girl Talk and went on Sunday specifically to see him. I was about 15 feet from his table towards the right side of the stage when they plugged in his laptop. People were already getting squeezed in to the point of extreme discomfort at that point. We were getting pissed as more and more people played the “Excuse me, sorry” game to get to the front, or the “Dude, it’s not me” game while squeezing through. I had a fence spot and had to relinquish it because people kept pushing through.
Once the set began and people started dancing, the crowd was swaying and people were falling. The guards had no idea it would be this intense. This one guard started pulling people out of the crowd, and naturally, everyone wanted to “get on stage”. I was right by him, and some girls started clawing and pulling at my shoulders to get to him. There were people who really needed to get out and girls who were crying once they got pulled out and dancing towards the stage ten seconds later. This one douchebag in a tank top pushed a girl out of his way to get to the escape guard.
After ten minutes of that shit I decided it wasn’t worth it and retreated about 20 feet to one of my friends a little further back. Then I started having fun. But this show would have been perfect if it weren’t for a few assholes. I guess that’s a given at Lolla. Should have caught him and Dan Deacon at Metro earlier this year. But I’m not surprised this guy got hurt in the least.
My friend was at lollapalooza and was arrested friday during the radiohead performance, the cops or security held him and choked him until he passed out and where hitting him in the head while he was being held on the ground. He has a boot print imprinted in his chest, and marks around his neck where they were choking him. The boot print is still there four days later and so are the choke marks. Get out of the police state.
“Flailing” or “fighting”? Seems like once security grabs you to escort you from someplace you weren’t supposed to be in the first place (and were undoubtedly aware you weren’t supposed to be, unless wasted), it is probably time to comply. A big part of that is becoming very easy to deal with. Flailing is not that.
Chances are this kid now understands that, and therefore won’t put up too big of a stink. And will probably think twice before jumping onstage uninvited again.
It’s worth noting that there were many people onstage at the time, all of whom were invited up as part of the performance.
Whether or not this person was supposed to be there or not isn’t clear. In my post above, I note that he “appears” to not have authorized access since he doesn’t appear to be wearing a wristband. But whether that’s the case - it’s possible it came off during the flailing, for example - is unclear.
Either way, to leave a guy laying there right off LSD is pretty unprofessional and cold on any level. 15 feet in any direction from there is a grassy spot, a curb, whatever. It does highlight the different treatment that different bracelets allow you there.
SCOTT, you can’t say “It’s worth noting that there were many people onstage at the time, all of whom were invited up as part of the performance.” when in the article it is stated that “In photos taken during the incident, it appears that the attendee in question did not have approved access to the backstage area.”
Clearly there were people who managed to find their way on stage without being cleared to be there. And IF this individual was supposed to be there, what did he do to draw the interest of security? Why was he removed when dozens others remained?
Who’s fault this is may be debatable (security for not being on top of their game, Girl Talk for allowing anybody not in his circle on stage, or Lolla for booking an act too big for the Citi stage), but none the less, this was likely an individual caught in an area he was not supposed to be, and then who “flailed” (fought?) as he was removed. The fact that this ended poorly for him should hardly be a surprise.
Additionally, there are more reasons than just rockstar diva demands that the general public is kept from the backstage area. It is dangerous. There are giant machines, hundreds of feet of highly powered cable, and many unfamiliar obstacles. Using that area as your personal dance party is unwise at best.
I know i’m playing devil’s advocate for a security team that, as with most of these types of situations, is viewed as the bad guy. But we’d be smart to remember that they are charged with a difficult job: keep 225,000 (often under the influence) fans safe while protecting hundreds of musicians and allowing a team of thousands of production people produce an incredibly large scale event. Having worked a few of these type of events myself, i can attest personally to the havoc one jerk trying to have a party in an area he’s not supposed to be can cause. Its unfortunate he sustained injuries, i’ll grant that. But lets keep in mind the difficult job these security guys and police officers are put in.
Withheld: I think we agree on a lot of points. You’re asking the same questions I am about this incident. But the point is that neither you, nor I, know whether he was supposed to be there or not, or what he did that warranted removal. It does appear that way, but we don’t know (it’s possible he had a wristband that fell off during the incident, for example). While it’s entirely possible that he was not supposed to be onstage at the time, and that he was doing something that warranted his removal, we just don’t know, and so far those who do, aren’t talking.
Also, let’s keep in mind that the area backstage was open to many people - organizers plan for this - and the onstage area became a dance party at the behest of the artist.
But I am surprised that such an incident resulted in an injury since this is outside what’s normally expected when security teams are involved. I witnessed several instances of security keeping order that didn’t result in any injuries. In fact, when I posted on the breach in the security gates, I noted that it was security that was doing its job, and they were prevented from keeping order by a C3 staff member (this is based on reporting done by the Sun Times). I also pointed out that the actions of the police were responsible for preventing further injuries in that incident.
If you’ve worked with security in the past, you know part of their job is to keep people safe. This man sustained an injury when he got involved with security. I’m just trying to find out why.
Scott, I look at all the pictures which seem to be in a timeline of the event. But it looks like some are missing. Where are the pictures that show the guy from the part where he is being held to the part where he is outside the fence?
The pictures posted on Flickr are the only ones we have of the incident. There are definitely some gaps in the timeline, which I’m hoping to fill in.
shouldn’t someone have given security a heads up re girl talk anyway after pitchfork last year? or maybe they were and that’s why this dude was removed.
Could this just be an elaborate hoax perpetrated by Chicago White Sox fans to besmirch the good-natured reputation of Chicago Cubs fans that sit in the Wrigley field bleachers? Doesn’t seem just a little suspicious that this gentleman is wearing a Cubs jersey and khaki shorts?
Really Scott? You think he was supposed to be there, yet security singled him out to pick on for no reason, ignoring many others who were also up there with permission, he “flailed” as they unjustly removed him, his “All Access” wristband just… fell off… and then he was kicked out? And now there is a giant cover-up by the staff of Lolla, the security company, and the Chicago PD? If that’s the case, where is our cubs fan? Why hasn’t he come forward to complain? Where is the lawsuit? Where is the outrage?
Or is it much more likely he saw the party up on stage, decided to join in, got caught, fought four clearly bigger dudes as they tried to do their jobs, and ended up with a bloody nose? And woke up the next morning with a severe hangover and a greater respect for those eight foot fences in Grant Park at the beginning of every August?
Part of that “safety” those men are there to provide is to the people that are SUPPOSED to be back there. Every indication and account i’ve heard seems to point to Lollapalooza placing this artist Girl Talk on too small of a stage. I’ve heard that late in the set everyone had to be asked to get off that stage because it was “bending”. It sounds like Girl Talk, the crew, security, everyone involved was losing control of the situation because of people that were not supposed to be there. In order to defend the safety of those that were allowed, those that didn’t know or care for the rules needed to be removed. If this kid put up a stink on they way out, he has only his own bad judgment to blame.
Its unfortunate he got hurt. Really. And if its the fault of Lolla, security, or the police, i hope it is worked out appropriately. But it seems far more likely to me that this kid displayed bad judgment, and it came back to bite him in the ass. I don’t wish it on anybody, but unless i see something more than conjecture on what “might have” happened, its easier to believe that security did, in fact, follow procedure like the spokeswoman says. And its hard to feel bad for a kid that got in the way of that.
I understand you are here to sell newspapers, or, in this case, bring eyeballs and clicks to the sidebar ads. But this isn’t Altamont, and those security guys are no Hell’s Angels. EVERY indication is this kid did a bad thing and was punished. Unfortunate it came to that, i think we can agree. Possible cover up for abusive security, i just don’t see it.
Maybe we don’t know more because… there is just nothing to know?
Seriously, Withheld, thou dost protest too much, methinks. Sounds like maybe you were one of those virtuous security guys and you’re pleading your case?? Maybe the kid was a total F-up and did something he shouldn’t have; regardless, I think anyone would question that appropriate procedure is to remove a bleeding kid (whether he got that way on his own or had help from Security) from Lolla and leave him bleeding outside the gates. Do the organizers not inform the security crew that there is a first aid tent onsite? Do they not have a way to call an ambulance/medic? That’s concerning pretty concerning if that’s the case.
CMS, i explained the origin of my opinions when i stated that “Having worked a few of these type of events myself, i can attest personally to the havoc one jerk trying to have a party in an area he’s not supposed to be can cause.” As somebody that spends a lot of time in the backstage area working production, and who has seen more than a few rowdy fans jeopardize everyone’s fun and safety for their own entertainment, the seemingly baseless accusations that security was to blame for this kids mishap stirred up some indignation for my fellow concert workers. If anybody “doth protest too much”, its probably the article’s writer, who had to insert a lot of “appears”, “mights” and anonymous sources / unidentified victims in to the fray to get this interesting.
I think my suspicions that this was NOT a fan who was supposed to be there are further confirmed in this photo (http://everyoneisfamous.com/chicken/080308/40.html), showing the young man in the crowd, not backstage. Looks like when he is first approached by security (two of them, initially), he didn’t look happy about it (http://everyoneisfamous.com/chicken/080308/43.html). And furthermore, it looks like when the police arrived, they seemed more interested in helping to restrain the “flailing” kid than anything else (http://everyoneisfamous.com/chicken/080308/47.html).
This image (http://everyoneisfamous.com/chicken/080308/56.html) also shows him getting significantly more medical attention than a bloody nose warrants, and I sincerely hope he is OK. Hopefully he’ll come forward with his side so we can find out what really happened and put this to rest.
Wow, these pictures tell a different story. It took four people to get him under control and even a uniformed police officer was involved. But it doesn’t appear that he is bleeding in picture labeled 1 in the set (1, 2, 3, 4). Looks like a bloody nose? later??? after leaving the fence? Strange. Doesn’t make sense.
This is stupid. I’ve been reading this blog for 3 days waiting for a smoking gun, or whatever, but you’ve wasted my time. Nothing written at any point proves anything other than some kid got kicked out because he was backstage and wasn’t supposed to be there and then got a bloody nose.
Your kid hasn’t come forward to complain or tell his story and, like another poster says, the article is packed with “apparently” and “might have.” He wasn’t even bleeding in the one picture on the street! Bogus.
Go write for the Enquirer, Scott…you’re just trying to invent a story where there isn’t one.
Lollafan: In the picture you mention, it looks like there’s blood on his arm.
Like I said before, I’m not trying to push an agenda. Just trying to figure out what happened.
During Girl Talk’s performance, I saw a young man rush through the stage and briefly jump on the table where Gillis had his laptop. One of the security guards quickly grabbed him and I’m assuming escorted him out behind the stage. The gentleman was intoxicated and I’m guessing the injuries were self induced by “flailing” from being properly escorted.