Netflix recently released a new documentary titled “Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy,” focusing on the tragic music festival by Travis Scott. This film has unveiled fresh details about the incident, leading many viewers to advocate for a boycott against Live Nation as a result.
On November 5, 2021, the rapper made his annual return to Houston, Texas for a music festival at NRG Park. Attendees anticipated this event as the standout post-pandemic gathering of the decade, but it quickly transformed into a terrifying real-life nightmare.
A large number of people rushed to watch Scott’s concert at the central stage, resulting in a tragic stampede that claimed the lives of 10 individuals and injured numerous others. The causes behind this heartbreaking incident are discussed in detail in the latest documentary.
As a dedicated festival-goer, I must express my disappointment. The disorganized layout, inconsistent teamwork among staff members, and apparent security flaws significantly marred my experience at the Astroworld festival. It seems that many others are also attributing these issues to Live Nation, the event’s management team.
Live Nation facing backlash after Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy
Even though it has a significant past marked by safety infractions, Live Nation Entertainment, having merged with Ticketmaster back in 2010, experienced an exceptionally profitable year in 2024, earning more than $23.1 billion in total revenue.
The revelation about the success of Travis Scott’s Circus Maximus tour during Live Nation’s record-breaking year in 2024 has stirred up anger following the release of “Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy.” This statement was made on Reddit by one user.
The global tour, breaking records as the most profitable rap tour ever, raked in $209.3 million and sold 1.7 million tickets across 76 sold-out performances worldwide. Given the controversies surrounding Scott’s shows, one might wonder why there hasn’t been a boycott against him or Live Nation.
Their suggestion was that Scott should have chosen not to work with the firm anymore due to their past association. They questioned why, if he as an artist didn’t hold himself accountable for this decision, no one else would be held responsible.
The only individuals capable of halting the concert were Live Nation executives or similar figures. If you manage to uncover this information, find evidence that they were informed, and see public apologies issued for their negligence resulting in fan deaths, it raises questions about partnering with people whose actions led to such tragic consequences…why continue working with them?
Regardless of whether he was unaware at the time, it’s disgraceful that he didn’t speak out against Live Nation afterwards. With his substantial wealth and numerous followers, he could have weathered the fallout from refusing to collaborate with them.
A third individual expressed their disbelief and concern about Live Nation’s ability to ensure concert safety, stating that they seem indifferent to the matter. The person found it deeply troubling.
A voice joined the conversation, saying, “The stark difference between those who are grieving and those who seem indifferent. In the end, the former were left in shock, tears, searching for their companions. Meanwhile, the latter deliberately chose to remain oblivious…
Everyone involved seems terrible. This includes Travis Scott, Live Nation, and the uncaring fans who paid no heed to others’ lives being lost.
Live Nation text messages
One troubling aspect of the Netflix documentary lies in the revelation of text messages exchanged among some executives, suggesting they were aware of the situation unfolding yet decided against immediately halting the concert.
Scott Davidson, a specialist in crowd safety, revealed that he was provided access to numerous pieces of evidence such as text messages from executives, emails, documents, site plans, thousands of pictures, and videos. All this information has since been disclosed to the public.
I think the tragedy at Astroworld 2021 wasn’t just a random occurrence. It was more like an unfortunate inevitability given that crucial precautions were overlooked and fundamental safety measures were neglected. The main stage, designed to accommodate up to 35,000 people, was the primary concern here.
Due to the sale of 50,000 tickets and insufficient security at some entrances, which allowed more people to gain access, there were significantly more attendees than the venue could comfortably accommodate for Scott’s performance.
The text exchanges among top management reveal their concerns about this specific aspect several days before the occurrence. One individual expressed, “It seems impossible for us to accommodate 50k people in front of that stage, considering all the trees.
Davidson further points out interactions that took place within management as the circumstances deteriorated, implying that these exchanges suggest that Live Nation had knowledge of the impending disaster.
One communication says, ‘The right side of the main stage is collapsing. This isn’t good. Push heavy equipment over the rail without consciousness. People look terrified, and things could escalate rapidly.’ The response was just, ‘Yes.’
In a different phrasing, the initial communicator stated, “I personally think we should stop, but it’s my opinion. I understand they might try to persevere, but I want it clearly noted that I don’t recommend persisting with this. Someone could potentially lose their life as a result.
Davidson continues, “They failed to act before it was too late.”
In a Reddit discussion about the true crime documentary, someone commented, “The aspect that left me feeling most let down was discovering they had text messages indicating something harmful was imminent.
It seems that despite Travis Scott’s past issues regarding safety at concerts, they still sold an excessive number of tickets for Astroworld, leading to chaos such as fence-jumping at the previous event. Given these circumstances, it’s hard to fathom how no one was held accountable following the latest incident.
Travis Scott and Live Nation’s history of safety issues
It’s important to note that the incident at Astroworld 2021 wasn’t a one-off occurrence. Over the years, both Travis Scott and Live Nation have found themselves involved in several safety-related controversies. These issues have once again come under scrutiny following the latest episode of Trainwreck.
2021 data from the Houston Chronicle indicates that between 2006 and now, Live Nation Entertainment and its affiliate Live Nation Worldwide have reportedly been associated with approximately 200 fatalities and over 750 injuries.
The data encompasses various types of incidents, drawn from court documents, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports, and news articles.
As a gamer, I’ve noticed that sometimes, tragic incidents like the 2017 blast at Ariana Grande’s Manchester concert and the mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas were instigated from external factors. However, on other occasions, it seems there were shortcomings in crowd safety and event management that directly contributed to these unfortunate events.
2011 saw a tragic incident at a Live Nation event in Indiana where a stage collapse resulted in the deaths of seven individuals and left 61 more injured. This unfortunate event led to a compensation of $50 million being paid out. Fast forward just two years, a concert staff member on Long Island sustained permanent brain damage due to a forklift overturning a control booth. The court awarded this victim an impressive $101 million in damages.
Looking back at the past few years, I’ve noticed that OSHA records have documented numerous safety violations. In a particularly harrowing instance from 2018, I myself was a victim when a falling steel post struck me while working for Live Nation, necessitating hospitalization.
At concerts, Travis Scott has a track record of instigating disorder. Back in 2015, while performing at Lollapalooza, he prompted fans to break through security barriers and charge the stage, resulting in him being stopped early due to unruly behavior. This incident landed him in trouble with the law for disturbing the peace.
At a concert in New York City back in 2017, an incident occurred where a crowd rush, initiated by Scott’s performance, caused a man to fall from a balcony, resulting in him being partially paralyzed. Subsequently, this individual filed a lawsuit against Scott.
Despite these occurrences, he didn’t let them hinder him. At the 2019 Astroworld festival, the crowd surged past barricades, resulting in numerous injuries due to a stampede. Later, in 2023, there was another incident during his Utopia show in Rome.
Viewers of the streamer’s latest documentary are hoping for some form of legal recourse against Scott and Live Nation, given their history of previous safety concerns.
One person remarked, “They made such a massive mistake.” There was overwhelming proof, and I concur that the expert was deeply troubled by the entire situation. Once again, it seems unjust that we don’t hold wealthy individuals like millionaires and billionaires responsible for their actions.
Another person stated, “Additionally, the notion that only top executives have the power to halt the performance is pure nonsense. Time and again, artists have instructed production teams to pause, allowing them to attend to someone in distress. In this case, he had the opportunity to intervene.
As a devoted follower, I can’t help but notice that the spotlight often falls on the dynamic duo, Kylie and Kendall Kardashian. Viewers seem to be keeping a close eye on them too.
Why are the Kardashians facing backlash?
It’s been verified that Kylie, Kendall, and little Stormi went to the inaugural night of the 2021 festival. They faced criticism after posting about the event on social media, even though they later said they weren’t aware of what was transpiring at the time.
2023 saw increased scrutiny as photos emerged of Kylie using a giant, Astroworld-themed balloon head (similar to Scott’s well-known festival icon) at her daughter Stormi’s birthday celebration, leading to debate about the reuse of this item.
Users on social media found the decoration to be unsettling, out-of-touch, and disrespectful considering the recent losses. After watching the newly released documentary, one individual expressed their disappointment that it didn’t delve deeper into the Jenner/Kardashian family matters.
One person questioned the reason behind it, and another responded, “In addition to other factors, Kylie celebrated her birthday with a theme of Astroworld in 2023. Some people wondered why she kept this theme, considering the tragic event that occurred.
It has been stated that Kylie Jenner is a mother of two with Travis Scott, and during the same period, the Kardashians were investors in the Circus Maximus tour. There was much discussion surrounding their response to the tragedy, as they were closely associated with the event due to their public profile.
Outcome of the lawsuits
At the conclusion of Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy, it is stated that “In the year 2023, no individual was held criminally accountable for the fatalities that occurred at Astroworld.
The ten lawsuits related to wrongful deaths that were filed against Live Nation, Travis Scott, and other parties have all been resolved outside of court without revealing the settlement amounts.
In a joint effort, Live Nation and Scott are working together. At present, Live Nation is responsible for ticket sales for upcoming shows taking place in the United Kingdom, South Africa, South Korea, and Japan.
Additionally, the management firm disclosed to the creators of Trainwreck that the seating capacity of the venue had been established by SMG Global and given approval by the Houston Fire Department prior to ticket sales.
At the event, neither the total number of tickets sold nor the on-site attendees surpassed the authorized maximum capacity. All parties involved – HFD, SMG Global, and the Houston Police Department – had knowledge of the event’s well-prepared plans that adhered strictly to safety regulations.
The Festival Safety & Risk Director, along with the representatives from HPD, decided and carried out a premature halt on the performance.
Currently Streaming on Netflix: “Trainwreck: Astroworld Tragedy” – Catch it now for more captivating documentary content! Also, explore the latest updates on James Reyes’ whereabouts, the one criticism true crime enthusiasts have about JCS’ latest video, and insights into Chase Kinney, Sherri Papini’s lawyer.
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2025-06-11 13:50