The Interpreter Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 During All Time Low show: ...It was during "All Time Low's" performance when things seemed to get out of control. "One of the band members took off their shirt and threw it to the audience," Tanner Holland wrote in an email to NBCDFW.com "A group of girls who were about 15 or 16 began to fight over the shirt. Security was already on edge from all the fans running up on stage to hug the band members," Holland continued. YouTube videos posted shortly after the concert shows what seems to be working to keep fans off the stage and away from the band. Six Flags security tried to diffuse the situation, once the fans started trying get that item the band member through into the audience, Six Flags Over Texas media spokesperson Sharon Parker said. When they couldn't get the crowd under control, Parker said, they called in a nearby Arlington police officer to assist.... http://www.nbcdfw.co...w-95222884.html See also: http://www.examiner....adshow-in-Texas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IslandAddict Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 Wow... just cut (or tear) the shirt. But who would want a sweaty t-shirt, anyways (Don't answer this)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 31, 2010 Author Share Posted May 31, 2010 All Time Low Banned From Gig After Standing Up For Pepper Sprayed Fans: ...The band were due to perform at a Six Flags venue again last night, although it seems after their comments they were no longer welcome at the venue and were banned from playing the show. Alex tweeted again today: “All Time Low won’t be performing tonight. We showed up– Banned because I stood up for our fans who were victimized by security last night.” “And now they’re telling the public that -WE- dropped off the show? Unbelievable. We were told that we “aren’t allowed to perform.”" “I sincerely hope that kharma catches up to these degenerate liars.” Alex also thanked fans for their support, saying: “We have the best fans out there. No one can **** with the bond we have. I love you guys. Thank you for the support.” The tour continues on Wednesday 2nd in Arizona. http://www.fleckingrecords.co.uk/2010/05/all-time-low-banned-from-gig-after-standing-up-for-pepper-sprayed-fans.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KI Kevin Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 I take it SFoT hasn't had the best publicity lately, have they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 31, 2010 Author Share Posted May 31, 2010 Amen to that. See this, for example: Six Flags showed they really know how to create a PR nightmare for themselves, after fans were allegedly sprayed with pepper spray by security on Saturday (May 29) during a set by All Time Low at the Bamboozle Road Show stop in Arlington, Texas.People had reportedly already rushed the stage during the band's last song, which put security on alert (because teenage girls are super threatening) when a small fight broke out between some fans after one of the members of All Time Low threw his shirt into the crowd. Perhaps security at Six Flags decided they couldn't handle this level of hormones, so they called in local police, who pepper sprayed the fans.... http://www.chartattack.com/news/85924/all-time-low-fans-pepper-sprayed-at-texas-show Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldiesmann Posted June 1, 2010 Share Posted June 1, 2010 This whole thing is one big PR disaster. The park wasn't prepared, yet they can't admit it and instead blame everyone else. Security should have been able to break up the fight. How can they be expected to protect park guests in an emergency if they can't break up a fight? Surely someone knew that fans could rush the stage. Why weren't they prepared for this? Why did the police need to use pepper spray? They're trained to handle people who are far more dangerous than wild teenagers. Assuming the band is telling the truth about the aftermath, the park only made things worse - telling the band that they're no longer welcome, while telling the fans that the band canceled the show? That just sends a message to other bands that they should not book concerts at the park. I feel sorry for SF's PR department. It's going to take them a while to recover from this mess... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 1, 2010 Author Share Posted June 1, 2010 And it gets worse. Now the park is very careful to blame the local police for the reaction to the crowd, and to, in essence, claim the band incited the crowd behavior (by throwing out a shirt?): ...According to amusement park representative Sharon Parker, one of the bands incited the young crowd, prompting them to become rowdy. Parker did not provide specifics about the concertgoers' actions, but in an official statement did admit that force was used to control the crowd. "In an effort to diffuse the situation, pepper spray was used and approximately 15 guests were affected," the statement read. "Those individuals were treated by First Aid and released." Parker said that Arlington police, not park security, brandished the weapon.... http://www.myfoxdfw....ray-Controversy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldiesmann Posted June 1, 2010 Share Posted June 1, 2010 They conveniently omit the part that says police acted only after park security was unable to handle the "rowdy" crowd. And how is it that a single officer managed to pepper spray 15 people? Did he just hold it up and spray it in the general direction of the crowd? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 2, 2010 Author Share Posted June 2, 2010 Police Department Conducting A Use of Force Review: http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/06/01/2231950/15-hurt-as-off-duty-arlington.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
windshawne Posted June 2, 2010 Share Posted June 2, 2010 Police Department Conducting A Use of Force Review: http://www.star-tele...-arlington.html I dont know what to think about all this. It just kinda sounds like overreaction to me. I'm no expert here, but looks to me like maybe they could have let some of that go. Lack of training maybe, or perhaps they didn't know what to expect and it just got out of hand? When I worked in San Fran, we had a meeting before every concert, depending on what type of clientele was coming in we were prepared for what to expect. Will be interesting to see how this turns out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74Gibson Posted June 2, 2010 Share Posted June 2, 2010 This doesn't make me feel so good about somewhat defending SFOT for incident involving the lady with the gun tattoes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrill_Biscuit Posted June 2, 2010 Share Posted June 2, 2010 I favor order over chaos (not taking any Chances here, Terpy). Still, perhaps in hindsight, if things were really that out-of-hand, cold water cannons would have been 1. more effective and 2. more appropriate, given the palpable naïveté of the formative mass. In my opinion (as one who once studied riot control), pepper spray is better employed as an assailant countermeasure, rather than as a means of subduing an emotionally charged segment of an otherwise amenable audience. Crowd control, however, is a spontaneous, unpredictable science, especially at concerts. I'd say, "Who knows", if it weren't for the inherent irony in that statement... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 4, 2010 Author Share Posted June 4, 2010 A somewhat different account, with video: http://www.pollstar.com/blogs/news/archive/2010/06/02/725474.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyGuy4KI Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 I will agree with Six flags that the band did not help the situation, security was trying to protect the band. The band does have a point though, that they should not have used pepper spray on teenagers, even if they were not using any sense. I think it would have been warranted if they were attacking the security officers, and we do not know if that was the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 4, 2010 Author Share Posted June 4, 2010 Before all is said and done, I suspect some precious child's mommy, daddy or both will file suit against everyone they can possibly think of... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74Gibson Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 ^ an unfortunate given in tour times. Now that I've seen what led up to the incident, I'm much more supportive of their drastic measures. Things can go very wrong very quickly in rowdy situation like that. I've been at shows where the group mentality was very strong and everything got pretty out of control. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyGuy4KI Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 I was also surprised to see Six Flags hosting such a vulgar talking band. For those that know me knows this does not offend me, but I was surprised at the amount of times I heard a certain F word being used in that short video. Six flags is not the right venue for that type of band IMO. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 4, 2010 Author Share Posted June 4, 2010 And THAT may be the real reason they were disinvited from the rest of the tour... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
windshawne Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 I see a couple of things wrong here. Number 1, the band incited the behaviour by getting the crowd riled up to defy authority. The second issue, is I only saw one guard keeping his eye on the crowd-the rest were watching the show. I worked loosely for Bill Graham in San Fran Bay area. One thing we were taught from day one, is that we were never to look at the band before, during or after the show. If he caught a guard watching the show, you really got taken out, and Bill was not someone you wanted to p*** off. I am guessing by what I observed on this video, is that the crowd noticed security's lack of training, knew they weren't paying attention, and took full advantage of it. Once security figured that out, it was too late-and the mace was probably a panic reaction since they didn't know what else to do. Now, since the band made big issue of it after the incident, this is all going to balloon into something that could have been prevented-both sides are at fault in this instance, and I guarantee if the crowd rushed the stage, the band would have been complaining about people being up there. This is a no win situation any way you look at it. Those kids are not free of blame here either-the vulgar language doesn't make me respect them any. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.