Livenation Lawsuit the Concert

My hopes of seeing Stray Kids in a better mood was dashed when I saw the weather forecast for the DC show. Nevertheless I trudged on, driving down with a friend and spending the night before the concert. My friends were staying the next night as well, but I planned poorly and started my new job on the day after the concert- so I’d be driving home from DC after the show and getting home around 2am to wake up at 7 and get to the new job on time. Sometimes I think I forget that I’m older and can’t do this kind of sleep depriving behavior anymore….

Lodging for the night was cute, and in the morning I woke up to drive The Collective to the venue so they could que and get wristbands for the pit- they were VIP and I was not. I handed out freebies, got a lot of freebies and even scored some merch by just being at the tent at the right time! I also ventured to a cafe, met some REALLY cool STAYS and then found a pop-up (yay AC!) the weather was already HORRIBLE and it was only 11am. We went back to the rental to get ready and I was actually more into my outfit than I thought I’d be. I opted for a crop top and tennis skirt with my HAN Jersey and a visor. I looked ready to get on the court for a quick pickleball game but I was comfy.

Once at the venue I came to terms with being hot and sweaty for the rest of the day. I handed out freebies like it was my job and waited until my other friends showed up (who I was sitting with). Per the venue we were allowed one factory sealed water bottle and an empty reusable one. I had already seen multiple people pass out and we hadn’t even gotten in line yet, so I was not hopeful this would be enjoyable. We pushed on and got through security. Our seats were in the 100s and had a pretty decent view- and my friends in the pit were all still standing.

Sadly I went through my water FAST and had to keep buying bottles- since the refill station line was about 45 minutes long, people were passing out left and right in it, and then I heard that the water was hot anyway…. There was an AC room to cool off but they were turning people away due to how full it was and everyone in there was throwing up from the heat anyway. I tried to keep going to the bar for ice to cool off as I’m on a few medications that make it really hard for me to be in the heat- and I knew I still had a 3 hour drive home. As much as my view was improved, it wasn’t raining, and the guys were trying their best I started to fade fast, and was worried about everyone on stage. I could tell they were struggling and Felix and Seungmin even left the stage for a few minutes (I found out later they had gotten so overheated they threw up backstage). I was hoping they’d take their jackets off but they were all so dedicated to putting on the show as planned. The bottled water was going up in price and getting harder to find!

Eventually I couldn’t hold out any longer, and I left early. I cooled off in the car and downed some water before starting my drive. As I got outside of city limits I got a notification they had ended the concert early.

Here are my opinions- Live Nation should have called off that show. With the real feel in triple digits there was no reason to endanger people like that. Not only was it hot but not every entrance gate adhered to the rules and many forced fans to throw out all of their water sealed or not before going in. People on the floor did not have access to water as they were told they were out of water altogether. Multiple people passed out to the point that Chan had to point it out to security to get them help. The guys all stopped to hand out their OWN water to fans on the floor. They suffered, the dancers suffered, and ultimately the fans suffered as well.

Chan later went on Bubble and vented about his frustrations and I could tell he and the guys all felt guilty for not protecting fans and for having to cut the show short. I hate how personally Kpop groups take these kinds of things and wish I could tell them it has nothing to do with them. Chan said he would make sure there was ample free water at the next show- and Wrigley Field REALLY delivered and I was happy to see fans doing much better, and the guys seemed to not stick to their outfits as heavily and seemed to stay cooler too.

The staff members of Nationals Park I interacted with were great, but the security and Live Nation staff were not a vibe. This is probably as much PTSD as Shitty Field, and it would take a lot for me to go back. I am just not a fan of outdoor concerts (although both times I’ve been to Metlife I’ve had a great time- and both of those were summer days as well!)

In the end, I still think Stray Kids are wonderful performers that really take pride in what they do- sometimes almost to a fault. I know they are a lot of people’s gateway into Kpop and I know they have a lot to offer as a group and will always be working on new music and releasing fun things. Are they my all time favorite group? No, but I still love their shows and always have a blast (even if I feel like I’m dying).