BUCK'EYE' DOC Posted November 29, 2009 Share Posted November 29, 2009 Remembering the Tragedy I ran across this article on my travels this Thanksgiving. I remember when it happened. I was in college at Ohio State, and it was right before finals for fall quarter, so I was pre-occupied and didn't give it much thought. I didn't have any friends who attended this concert, but I felt very sorry for the victims. They innocently went to see their favorite band, and were trampled to death trying to be the first ones in. After this tragedy, so-called "festival seating" was banned in the state of Ohio, where it was first come, first in, first choice of seats or floor space. Riverfront Coliseum is now called US Bank Arena. I attended two concerts there this year: AC/DC in January and Metallica in September. I can visualize how the stampede occured. Still to this day, they only have one set of doors opened for admission. Once you enter the arena, there is a plaza area that circles the interior. That "hallway" is very narrow, and is very crowded and congested once you enter inside. If people don't disperse after entering, there is a big back up of people at the entrance. If people push from outside, there is no place for those inside at the entrance to go, and if someone would fall down, they would indeed get trampled. My photo of US Bank Arena/Riverfront Coliseum: Another article that mentions Led Zeppelin's concert at Riverfront Coliseum: http://www.ew.com/ew...,312557,00.html Was anyone at this concert or know anyone who was there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUCK'EYE' DOC Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 Another article that shows how the news affected the band. Apparently, Pete was afraid that the band would never play again unless they did so right away after the tragedy. It was only a year after Keith Moon's death, and I would guess that the two tragedies in such a short period of time had a profound effect on Pete, causing him to question if it was worth it to keep on going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUCK'EYE' DOC Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted November 29, 2009 Share Posted November 29, 2009 It's hard to believe a crowd would stampede a Keith Moonless Who show.I could understand it otherwise. Maybe many in the crowd were unaware of his demise.They don't have a thing to worry about now with John Entwistle gone with Pete and Roger being old men. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Masson Posted November 29, 2009 Share Posted November 29, 2009 It's hard to believe a crowd would stampede a Keith Moonless Who show.I could understand it otherwise. Maybe many in the crowd were unaware of his demise.They don't have a thing to worry about now with John Entwistle gone with Pete and Roger being old men. Well...not really. This is in 1979 too. Watch the crowd a few minutes into the song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb6V479S2wk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TypeO Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 I remember seeing t-shirts for sale with foot prints all over the front and the words "I'd walk over you to see The Who" brutal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hickory Man Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Remembering the Tragedy I ran across this article on my travels this Thanksgiving. I remember when it happened. I was in college at Ohio State, and it was right before finals for fall quarter, so I was pre-occupied and didn't give it much thought. I didn't have any friends who attended this concert, but I felt very sorry for the victims. They innocently went to see their favorite band, and were trampled to death trying to be the first ones in. After this tragedy, so-called "festival seating" was banned in the state of Ohio, where it was first come, first in, first choice of seats or floor space. Riverfront Coliseum is now called US Bank Arena. I attended two concerts there this year: AC/DC in January and Metallica in September. I can visualize how the stampede occured. Still to this day, they only have one set of doors opened for admission. Once you enter the arena, there is a plaza area that circles the interior. That "hallway" is very narrow, and is very crowded and congested once you enter inside. If people don't disperse after entering, there is a big back up of people at the entrance. If people push from outside, there is no place for those inside at the entrance to go, and if someone would fall down, they would indeed get trampled. My photo of US Bank Arena/Riverfront Coliseum: Another article that mentions Led Zeppelin's concert at Riverfront Coliseum: http://www.ew.com/ew...,312557,00.html Was anyone at this concert or know anyone who was there? Thanks for posting the reminder of this unfortunate piece of The Who's history, can't blame Pete for reconsidering things at that point at all. They installed "corralls" on the main concert venue in Phoenix at the time...took a lot longer to get in, but they made sure that the line was single file, and that there were rails to grab onto in case someone should step on your feet from behind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evster2012 Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 The Grateful Dead sidestepped this problem by opening festival seating gates hours before the show (like noon for a 7pm show). People just strolled in when they felt like it. Their tickets were checked upon entering the parking lot. After that, it was do as you please, when you feel like it. Genious on the part of Bill Graham. If you wanted to be up front, you just crawled out of your VW Bus (or tent) earlier and cruised on in when you were able to maintain. *edit to add* or not able to maintain, but able to head toward your destination! Cause there were days like that!~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUCK'EYE' DOC Posted December 3, 2009 Author Share Posted December 3, 2009 I am bumping this thread since today is the anniversary date. I am remembering the victims today. May they RIP. Maybe if we reflect on what happened, we can prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Well...not really. This is in 1979 too. Watch the crowd a few minutes into the song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb6V479S2wk The crowd is indeed a bit rowdy, however my view is that a Moonless Who and now an Entwistleless band wouldn't merit such behavior. I was basing my opinion on my view, not placing myself amongst the crowd. I'd even venture many in that crowd didn't care about it like I would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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