Stray Kids’ recent stadium stop in Washington, D.C. was supposed to be a historic moment. Instead, it turned into a disaster marked by extreme heat, and horrific mismanagement by Live Nation and the venue, Nationals Park. Unsafe Conditions in Dangerous Heat Temperatures were reaching 100°F (38°C) with little to no shade and no water was distributed by staff. The stadium had its roof open and enforced strict “no outside water” rules, confiscating all water bottles and umbrellas from fans, only to then jack up prices for water. Water and Powerade inside the venue were sold for around $7+ per bottle, with some fans spending nearly $100 just trying to stay hydrated throughout the day (stays posted what they paid on #getemchan). Security and staff were slow to hand any water out and the members, especially Bang Chan had to step in several times to point out fainting fans to medics and give out their own water bottles. Let that sink in. People fainted outside and inside the venue and staff refused to leave their posts to get medics. Fans who were lucky enough to get in for soundcheck were left in the sun while others were stranded. And even during the show, there was limited access to a single small water station at the back of the stadium. Luckily fans in the pit were sharing ice, snacks, and water with each other to keep people from passing out. Live Nation and Staff Incompetence Live Nation encouraged camping by setting up “camping lines” for NYC, but then completely randomized queue numbers. People who showed up early got placed in the 400s and beyond. Staff were reported as rude, unhelpful, and condescending, offering no assistance when fans had ticketing issues or emergencies. After the show was cut short for safety reasons, staff forced everyone to leave through one or two exits, funneling them through the hallway with no AC. Why didn’t they open more of the gates? Some fans even had their water confiscated again on the way out. How is that remotely acceptable? This isn’t just about one bad night. It’s a reflection of how major tour companies like Live Nation prioritize profit over basic fan safety. They’re hiking prices on necessities during extreme weather. They’re cutting corners on crowd management and hiring volunteers or untrained workers who don’t know how to respond to medical emergencies. I really hope fans get partial refunds at the very least. On the other hand, I’m really glad that Stray Kids did everything in their power to take care of fans throughout the show: They stopped the concert multiple times to get help for fans in the crowd. When they found out no one was handing out water, he asked the staff do it. It wasn’t even their job, and they still stepped in because the actual organizers failed so completely. They also paused during songs to call out to security, signal for help, and encourage fans to sit down or stay hydrated. After the concert ended early, they still made time to come onto Bubble to check on everyone. Bang Chan even asked fans directly whether they were being restricted from bringing water and said he would see what he could do to help from his end. Later, the whole group went live together just to thank fans for coming, say how much they appreciated the crowd, and to make sure everyone got home safely. It honestly felt like the only people prioritizing fan safety were the performers themselves. That says everything. TL;DR: The DC Stray Kids show was fun while it lasted, but cut short because of negligence. If you were there, I hope you're recovering and taking care of yourself. Y’all deserved SO much better. submitted by /u/not_Hades365 [link] [comments]
