PDA

View Full Version : 2009-08-08 Underworld @ HardFest Los Angeles Aug 8th


SappysCurry
04-18-2009, 01:58 AM
http://www.hardfest.com/images/2009/Apr/back.jpg (http://www.hardfest.com/tickets.html)

SappysCurry
04-18-2009, 01:58 AM
August 8th. The Forum in Inglewood.

TheBang
04-18-2009, 04:30 AM
Oh man.

Presale tickets $55 while they last. What does VIP get you? Open bar and...??

Jason Roth
04-18-2009, 08:50 AM
Oh man.

Presale tickets $55 while they last. What does VIP get you? Open bar and...??

...and a chance to hang out with me

ndrwrld
04-18-2009, 03:48 PM
very tempted.

darktrain
04-21-2009, 11:04 AM
VIP tix purchased. I don't really know what that entails or if it was worth the extra $. Frankly right now I don't care.
:D

dubman
04-21-2009, 12:47 PM
would it be dumb to assume that an LA date means an SF date?
wish i knew more people in that area, things would be so much simpler to plan for.

khouri
04-21-2009, 05:24 PM
Excellent news. Will be my eighth Underworld show!

beh
04-21-2009, 09:47 PM
would it be dumb to assume that an LA date means an SF date?
wish i knew more people in that area, things would be so much simpler to plan for.

I agree, I can't see them coming JUST to LA. They do love SF. So, do I get an LA ticket now or hope they add additional (and closer) date(s)?

bh

jose m
04-22-2009, 04:22 AM
hold on for sf ;)

Yannick
04-22-2009, 09:27 AM
raise pants, loads more us dates to come, but have to wait till may to announce, pizza time.

TheBang
04-22-2009, 10:24 AM
Loads more? Awesome.

neverclever
04-22-2009, 10:34 AM
Just got my tickets for $55 even (cash) at Poo Bah records in Pasadena! Pretty rad. I didn't go for VIP... although I'm thinking i should have because I can easily drink $80 worth of alcohol... but no wait my gf can't. I think you just get free drinks (not sure if it's well or what?) and a little quarantine area in the back with a view? That's how it seems to usually be any way.

grady
04-24-2009, 01:35 AM
Hmm...I wonder if this means a SF date and possibly a date at a venue somewhere north of San Francisco? (One can always hope)

Champiness
04-24-2009, 10:04 AM
Loads more? Awesome.

I concur.
Newyorknewyorknewyorknewyork...

potatobroth
04-24-2009, 11:18 AM
I concur.
Newyorknewyorknewyorknewyork...

I concur.
Newyorknewyorknewyorknewyork...

ndrwrld
04-27-2009, 01:45 PM
Torontotorontotorontotoronto...
fixed.

Ufotofu
04-27-2009, 08:02 PM
I concur.
minneapolisminneapolisminneapolis...

Fixed again. :D

geoff
05-01-2009, 09:51 AM
raise pants, loads more us dates to come, but have to wait till may to announce, pizza time.

So Yannick, it's May .... pizza time is over. :D

starfox203
05-07-2009, 04:06 PM
Unfortunately the sound in the Forum sucks. Like really badly. I've seen too many shows their marred by terrible sound :(

TheBang
05-07-2009, 08:22 PM
Well then, I'm holding out for more dates before booking any plane tickets.

cured
05-07-2009, 11:20 PM
Unfortunately the sound in the Forum sucks. Like really badly. I've seen too many shows their marred by terrible sound :(

I saw Muse there a couple years back and it wasn't that bad.

I'm much more concerned with the pairing of Underworld and the HARD promoters....such an odd pairing, really...

jose m
05-08-2009, 07:21 AM
gotta play to the kids sometimes you know?
can't always be prawn sarnies at the hollywood bowl.;)

cured
05-08-2009, 09:22 AM
Put a couple DJs who wear wrestling masks in front of them and blare electro for an hour straight in front of Underworld and you'll watch these kiddies claim Rick and Karl (and Darren) are boring ( :) )

jose m
05-08-2009, 09:28 AM
i think rick and karl will bang the arse out of it like they do at some dance events in europe sometimes.
wouldn't expect much riverrun ambience.

cured
05-08-2009, 10:17 AM
I'd suspect you're right but I don't know if you've heard how much banging the electro guys have been doing. It's soul-less banging, but banging nonetheless.

I picked up a VIP ticket so I can at least hang out with the old farts in a different area. :D

SappysCurry
05-08-2009, 12:57 PM
I'd suspect you're right but I don't know if you've heard how much banging the electro guys have been doing. It's soul-less banging, but banging nonetheless.

I picked up a VIP ticket so I can at least hang out with the old farts in a different area. :D

That's where I'll be!

cured
05-08-2009, 01:01 PM
That's where I hope a lot of our friends are...gonna be a hard sell, I think, getting them to pony up $125.

klingklang
05-13-2009, 03:25 PM
Do headliners at these Hard festivals get long to play? I looked at last year's summer show at the Shrine and it didn't look like anyone got full sets (90 minutes being the exception for MSTRKRFT).

viddy
05-14-2009, 12:13 PM
It's sooooo on.

cured
05-14-2009, 12:48 PM
Do headliners at these Hard festivals get long to play? I looked at last year's summer show at the Shrine and it didn't look like anyone got full sets (90 minutes being the exception for MSTRKRFT).

I suspect Underworld will get 90 minutes. I'm just pissed I have to deal with a who's who of electro bullshit for however long I'm there before Underworld goes on. At least there's an open bar in the VIP. That's where I'll be getting tanked while Crystal Castles and Crookers and Chromeo and whoever else is on.

TheBang
05-14-2009, 02:56 PM
According to this (http://www.hardfest.com/info.html), the festival is going from 8 PM - 4 AM, so UW probably won't be going on stage until well after midnight.

klingklang
05-14-2009, 06:15 PM
I suspect Underworld will get 90 minutes. I'm just pissed I have to deal with a who's who of electro bullshit for however long I'm there before Underworld goes on. At least there's an open bar in the VIP. That's where I'll be getting tanked while Crystal Castles and Crookers and Chromeo and whoever else is on.
That's an excellent plan. You can hide in the Forum Club and make the most of that VIP pricing. :D

According to this (http://www.hardfest.com/info.html), the festival is going from 8 PM - 4 AM, so UW probably won't be going on stage until well after midnight.
From that link, I'm wondering what "Below the arena, a second stage will be erected in THE UNDERGROUND" means. There's actually an area to put another stage underneath the Forum? But it's interesting they're going for an in-the-round setup for the main stage. As for set times, yeah, I was wondering what time Underworld would even go on. The set times from last year's show ( http://www.last.fm/event/578522 ) showed that the headliner, N*E*R*D (the one whose name was the first on the flyer) came on at midnight. MSTRKRFT was second-billed and supposedly came on at 1:10am.

TheBang
05-15-2009, 01:59 AM
Oh, sounds like they could be on around midnight then.

klingklang
05-15-2009, 01:16 PM
Hopefully they'll post set times by July or so, that way everyone can plan accordingly (and possibly ignore everything else happening at this festival).

kagenaki koe
05-15-2009, 08:03 PM
Do headliners at these Hard festivals get long to play? I looked at last year's summer show at the Shrine and it didn't look like anyone got full sets (90 minutes being the exception for MSTRKRFT).

i just looked at UW on facebook and it say's they are on from 10:25 to 11:25:confused:

edit: which of the US dates are their very own concerts re: not part of a festival?

TheBang
05-15-2009, 08:56 PM
i just looked at UW on facebook and it say's they are on from 10:25 to 11:25:confused:

edit: which of the US dates are their very own concerts re: not part of a festival?
That could just be a placeholder time so the event can be posted on Facebook. I'd say don't get too worked up until the schedule is posted on the Hard Fest site.

Oakland and Vegas, on the other hand, are their own shows.

cured
05-15-2009, 09:34 PM
My guess is 12:30am to 2am...then have a couple more DJ slots behind them.

khouri
05-15-2009, 10:39 PM
I'm making charts and graphs and maps to help me figure out if I can attend all three shows in a row: Vegas, Oakland and Los Angeles.

Luckily I'm L.A. based, so I can just crash at home after Hardfest. But man, that's a lot of $$$ and music.

Cranks
05-24-2009, 08:19 AM
raise pants, loads more us dates to come, but have to wait till may to announce, pizza time.

So Yannick, were the 2 additional dates in the US (Vegas & Oakland) the "loads more dates" you were referring to? Still wondering if we're going to get any more shows.

dubman
05-24-2009, 09:15 AM
man, have you people ever got yr snoot on.
you guys going to act like this with the same crowd seeing underworld that will have seen sebastian and all them?

"you're probably here for drugs and vapid stuff because you like dumb music while i'm off having religious experiences to R+K's amazingness"

sheesh.

i'd fucking see sebastian.

ultradave
06-02-2009, 12:12 PM
...while i'm off having religious experiences to R+K's amazingness...

that makes two of us :D

ultradave
06-02-2009, 12:14 PM
Got my VIP tix!!! Woo Hoo... I don't have time read all the posts right now... any dirts meeting up at the show? I AM SO EXCITED!!! :D:D:D

darktrain
06-03-2009, 12:32 PM
Got my VIP tix!!! Woo Hoo... I don't have time read all the posts right now... any dirts meeting up at the show? I AM SO EXCITED!!! :D:D:D

No meet-up details yet, but I'll be in the VIP too, so that's 2 at least. 2 more and we'll have more than the last LA meet-up:p

cured
06-03-2009, 12:48 PM
man, have you people ever got yr snoot on.
you guys going to act like this with the same crowd seeing underworld that will have seen sebastian and all them?

"you're probably here for drugs and vapid stuff because you like dumb music while i'm off having religious experiences to R+K's amazingness"

sheesh.

i'd fucking see sebastian.


Have you been to a HARD party?

dubman
06-04-2009, 07:25 PM
is it going to make me dismiss a whole subgenre of music as being essentially vapid?

cured
06-05-2009, 09:53 AM
Yes.

dubman
06-05-2009, 08:58 PM
WELL THAT WOULD BE A DUMB THING TO DO

TheBang
07-22-2009, 07:33 PM
Can't wait. :rolleyes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqIQaaEwLPk

darktrain
07-23-2009, 10:16 AM
Just about two weeks out now...Hard's twitter suggested that set times are coming soon, so we can set a proper meet-up once that's sorted.

Who's coming and who's in the VIP?

Chris M
07-23-2009, 11:40 AM
o the suspense... i'm rollin' in with about 8 close friends which are all GA. i on the other hand maybe photographing the event, but still waiting on the confirmation, so that in turn might grant some vip access. here's to hoping;)

darktrain
08-03-2009, 02:14 PM
Set times posted. short u/w set :(

HARD STAGE
(8-9pm BUSY P)
(9-9:45pm CRYSTAL CASTLES)
(9:55-10:40pm CHROMEO)
(11-12:30am UNDERWORLD)
(12:30-1:30am CROOKERS)
(1:30-2:30am THE BLOODY BEETROOTS)
(2:30-3:15am TIGA)
(3:15-4am SEBASTIAN)

UNDERGROUND STAGE
(8-9:10pm 12th Planet)
(9:10-10:30pm JACK BEATS)
(10:30-11:30pm STEVE AOKI)
(11:30-12:30am DJ AM)
(12:30-1:10am AMANDA BLANK)
(1:10-2:20am SINDEN)
(2:20-4:00am DJ-ATRAK)

VIP
MARSHALL BARNES/
SKEET SKEET/
DAN OH/

darktrain
08-08-2009, 02:41 PM
all's quite on the western front...

8ish hours to go...

is there anybody out there...?

Yannick
08-08-2009, 03:52 PM
just saw alice last night damn, should have left with her to party

jumbotron
08-08-2009, 06:16 PM
Any meet ups scheduled? Anyone have leftover tix - planning to get some down there.

TheBang
08-08-2009, 07:57 PM
Anyone have leftover tix - planning to get some down there.
The website (http://www.hardfest.com) says it is Sold Out, so you might have to buy from scalpers or craigslist.

nosajmunson
08-08-2009, 08:48 PM
Have fun tonight all you Hardcore Dirties!
Enjoy the show and avoid the glowstick alien kids.
Here's to hoping you hear Juanita!

darktrain
08-08-2009, 11:32 PM
I shoulda went to Vegas.

So furious right now that I can't even collect my thoughts for a report. More tomorrow...

dubman
08-09-2009, 12:16 AM
(11-12:30am UNDERWORLD)

posting before its over + furious = very bad things.

uh oh

grady
08-09-2009, 12:19 AM
very bad things indeed....I wonder what happened?

saintrik
08-09-2009, 12:24 AM
A Twitter search for "Hard Summer" has lots of tweets out there saying that the festival was shut down by the LAPD/Fire Marshall before midnight... Not sure if Underworld got a chance to play at all...

True bummer for LA SoCal fans...

http://twitter.com/#search?q=HARD%20summer
http://twitpic.com/d9bqn

dubman
08-09-2009, 12:30 AM
beat me to it
http://twitter.com/#search?q=hardfest (more 'info' on that one. this is why twitter works)

daaaamn.

grady
08-09-2009, 12:32 AM
photo from inside
http://twitpic.com/d9a1c

saintrik
08-09-2009, 12:33 AM
Holy hell... Sounds like a disaster gig...

Here's another pic... http://twitpic.com/d9cov

khouri
08-09-2009, 12:50 AM
Total fucking nightmare, right from the beginning.

- There was no order at all to the entrances, it was anarchy -- people climbing over walls and shit.

- Inside, nobody knew how to get down on the floor level. The staff were wall imbeciles, nobody could even tell you were the second stage was.

- Frustrated with the lack of access, some hooligans started jumping over the wall of the bleacher section and onto the floor.

- Fire marshall came in and caused some trouble, prompting the organizers to BEG people to sit down and back away from railings. Nearly everybody did but even 1.5 hours later the music still had not resumed.

- Riot police called in, rumors of a fatality.

- Finally, everybody noticed the sound guys packing up and Tweets and Texts from the outside said Underworld and Chromeo and the other artists had already left the building.

Total fucking FAIL.

My friends and I did the whole trek: Vegas, Oakland and back home to LA, and it was such a big deal to me to do this. I am crushed and furious. I'm embarrassed for my city.

viddy
08-09-2009, 01:06 AM
Can't believe this show was shut down. I'm still sitting in my car in the parking lot, hoping to catch a glimpse of Rick or Karl.

TheBang
08-09-2009, 01:15 AM
Wow, biggest clusterfuck I've ever seen in my life.

www.hardfest.com

Dear Los Angeles,

We are terribly sorry. Inglewood PD made the decision to shut down the event tonight much to our astonishment and yours. There are many questions to answer; rest assured you will not be left hanging. Please check back soon. The show must go on...

dubman
08-09-2009, 01:19 AM
apparently there was a shooting?
busy p got hit in the leg by a stray bullet?
gossip going wild right now.

Troy McClure
08-09-2009, 01:25 AM
I've read that on Twitter, also. But then again, it's Twitter. There's a lot of stuff flying around there.

I feel bad for the people here that made the trek.
Jason

ultradave
08-09-2009, 01:28 AM
Biggest Effing let down of my freakin' meaningless life. Total Shite! A bunch of Effing Aholes just ruined it. The forum SUCKS!!!

TheBang
08-09-2009, 01:32 AM
Don't blame the people attending. As much as I wanted to punch everyone with a pacifier (so basically, everyone) in the face, this clusterfuck rests squarely on the shoulders of the promoter.

Karl tweeting now (http://twitter.com/underworldlive/statuses/3204885847):

What happened there!? arrived into a vibe that just didn't feel right reminded me of Athens like it could escalate badly but we waited...

khouri
08-09-2009, 01:39 AM
Clusterfuck is really the only appropriate word. Everything about this event went wrong, from the minute you arrived at the venue. I won't be surprised if this puts HARD out of business, what with refunding all the tickets (i assume), paying the artists and paying the venue. Not to mention the serious damage to HARD's reputation. This is a class A disaster.

BeautifulBurnout
08-09-2009, 01:39 AM
On the face of it, it sounds like the organisers just didn't provide the necessary staff to ensure this event passed off safely. Trying to do it on the cheap and max out their profits, no doubt.

What idiots. :mad:

I often think we are over the top with our Health and Safety legislation in the UK - x number of marshalls for events, x number of security guards, x arrangements for car-parking etc. or the event doesn't happen - but it's at times like this when I realise that actually it serves a good purpose.

I hope you guys sue, frankly.

Troy McClure
08-09-2009, 01:50 AM
http://twitpic.com/d9b5o

Pic from inside the forum, for what it's worth. Looks like way oversold.

Jason

jumbotron
08-09-2009, 01:56 AM
Who knows the band well enough to get them to do a show tomorrow ;)

All the organizers had to do was to tell the crowd what they needed to do in order to restart the music. Instead, they just berated the ppl who were f*cking it up for everyone else - key info left out though was what were they doing that was wrong? Good communication could have easily solved the problem, as people were there to have a good time & would've done whatever they had to to get the show going.

Speaking of good communication, who knows the band well enough to get them to do a show tomorrow ;) Even a stripped down one without all the gear!

viddy
08-09-2009, 01:59 AM
Posted pictures on my facebook. These are available for anyone to view:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2135937&id=48602895&l=aaeb29f676

I'm really sad my Underworld show turned into a freaking warzone, especially considering how much I paid for my tickets and parking!

I'm home, but I'm still buzzed a bit from the beers. Maybe I'll pop in the Everything Everything DVD......

khouri
08-09-2009, 02:17 AM
I will happily go see Underworld wherever in the city they want to perform. Barring a performance, what about some kind of meet and greet with the boys? It should be pretty easy to organize with the dirty forum. Many of us have identified ourselves as being at the LA show.

I dunno, just thinking out loud, trying to process my disappointment. Not to sound like an idiot but this violence and dickery is really everything a rave is meant to reject, not embrace.

Anyone at the Adventurer hotel? Thinking about congregating by the pool when the cops leave.

P.S. Thanks to everyone who PMed me about meeting up on this trek. I'm afraid I'm too much of a n00b to think of checking my messages. I hope everyone had as rad a time in Vegas and Oakland as me and my friends did (including Stepho, my gf who Underworld said happy birthday to in the last broadcast!) I can more easily be reached on Twitter at username @killkillkill. Would change the sig but internet is rubbish.

khouri
08-09-2009, 02:20 AM
Oh right. I'm the white dude in the black Daft Punk t-shirt.

TheBang
08-09-2009, 02:35 AM
Should've realized that something was up when this was the very first thing I saw upon arriving at the venue:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwYeF_0pyG8

There was a big crowd rush on one of the entrances (or it might've been the TicketMaster will-call), and a whole bunch of police converged. The "oooooh" you hear on the video was people reacting to the police taking a guy down to the ground (I didn't capture it well on the video).

It just got worse from there. The Groove Tickets will-call had a line that stretched for hundreds of feet. I probably would have been waiting an hour if I hadn't cut the line. And amazingly, they only had 75% of the will call windows open.

Then the ticket entrances to the venues had huge lines also. Fortunately, I found a place where there was no crowd and got it fairly easily. Once I got in at 10 PM, the music had already been stopped for about half an hour. They made a few announcements about people sitting down or clearing certain rows and stuff, but nothing detailed enough for people to understand. After about 10:30 they stopped making announcements.

At just after 11 PM, I had just stepped outside the foyer for a second. Bad timing. Right at that moment, the staff forcibly shut the venue doors, and a line of riot police and staff were immediately on us, escorting us into the parking lot. I walked around the venue a little bit, and found my way back in through another entrance.

I think they already knew at that point that the show was cancelled though. I don't know why they let everyone wait around with no information until the announcement was made at just after midnight.

I made my way to the floor, and spoke to Toby Vogel as he was breaking down his equipment. He didn't even have a copy of the setlist yet, cause the boys hadn't made it yet (although Karl tweeted that the wrote it up away from the venue in the hopes that they would be able to return to play it). He also said that the boys felt gutted because they had put a lot of preparation into it and were looking forward to playing.

Then the riot police formed up and pushed everyone out of the floor:

http://www.aloha.com/~tabanger/underworld/hardfest/hardfestriotpolice.jpg

And they even brought in a police helicopter. According to the policewoman I spoke to, she said it was shut down by the fire marshall because there were too many people and the venue wasn't big enough. Therefore, IMO, the blame falls squarely on the promoter, HARD, for overselling. I hope all the artists get paid in full, and that everyone gets their refund (which has been promised). HARD deserves to pay through the nose. Or, as the refrain went tonight, "Fuck HARD!"

lloyd
08-09-2009, 05:14 AM
sure you weren't teleported back to Paris 1968?

Dunwho
08-09-2009, 07:07 AM
Sorry to hear about all of this guys... its such a let down when you have been waiting for so long. The lads seem really dissapointed they didnt get to play and its clear to see from the blog post that they are really concerned for the safety of the crowd.

Its unforgivable that HARD organised such a high profile event in such a poor manner.

I know that while you should get all of your money back for the tickets, i think the only real repayment is another better organised gig with underworld at a later date.

BeautifulBurnout
08-09-2009, 07:34 AM
That sounds - and looks - appalling.

The promoters need their asses kicking good and proper over this. Seriously. :mad:

//\/\/
08-09-2009, 08:29 AM
dreadful. sorry for the dirts missing out...

Dirty Canuck
08-09-2009, 08:36 AM
Raw deal.....
I'm sure this will be the last Hard Fest after all the refunds are paid out and the acts are paid.
My heart goes out to all that were there. I'm sure some of you had been waiting a long time for last night. I'm sure the boys will make it right asap.

dubnobasswithme
08-09-2009, 09:00 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44pue2Nt5wM

just saw that link through a blog post on latimes.com. check out the 2:20 mark for people rushing by security and jumping off the balcony onto the main floor.

darktrain
08-09-2009, 09:25 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44pue2Nt5wM

just saw that link through a blog post on latimes.com. check out the 2:20 mark for people rushing by security and jumping off the balcony onto the main floor.

And amidst that rush of idiots was me, grabbing onto my girlfriend and backing up as far as I could in hopes of not getting pushed over the edge or trampled, while trying my best to shield her from flying feet, elbows, and heads. It was A LOT scarier than from the video's POV.

As soon as that first literal wave was over, I spotted Ultradave (shame we didn't meet under better circumstances!) and took a seat. After about 10 minutes of no visible progress I still felt unsafe and figured it best to leave before the place turned into a riot. At least I made the right call and didn't actually miss an uw performance.

So yeah. Still completely dumbfounded and while I'm certain there is no ONE party to blame for this (Hard promotion, Forum "security", etc) the people I'm really pissed at are the subhuman mutants who time after time continue to pay money in order to go to public events as an excuse to act a damn fool. In this case the mutant:human ratio was weighted too much in the wrong direction.

Pissed about the money lost, pissed about being cheated out of the best show on earth, pissed about my wasted night...but the worst part is that feeling of helplessness and dread when the surge of idiots went flowing past and there was nothing to do but hang on.

I'm glad to read the boys don't take this as an indicator of LA fans. Just please please please play your own shows from now on!

Rabbitwork
08-09-2009, 09:48 AM
Hello Dirts!

This is my first post; I found this board (again) after getting psyched to see Underworld for the first time after being a fan for 10+ years at HARD Summer. I was hoping to come home with an awesome story of how I finally got to see some of my musical heroes blow the roof off and share in the love of the UW community. As we all know that did not happen.

I'd like to dispel any rumors that the crowd was unruly from the get-go. Sure there were a large number of children (and they were children, for that's exactly how they acted) in attendance. However, children, like anyone else, can be controlled and contained and directed.

Apparently the fest organizers felt it was unnecessary to have no more than a dozen or so guards posted around the arena at the start of the show. I know, I counted them. Any guards/staff I spoke to about where to go, where I can/can't sit, etc were a) clueless b) terribly unhelpful and rude or c) both. There were a myriad of problems throughout the night. And it seems like my GF and my friend got out of there just in time (the house lights came up around 11:45 and we bolted. One guard was nice enough to let us out, all the other hired-stiffs (of which there were now suddenly dozens and dozens) would ignore us or refuse to the opened the CHAIN-LOCKED doors.

TheBang
08-09-2009, 10:11 AM
I agree with Rabbitwork. Yes, some of the kids were idiots, but I still feel the majority of the blame rests with the promoter. With proper staffing, a bigger venue (or fewer tickets sold), better communication/instructions/signage, there wouldn't have been issues with people being in the fire lanes and people feeling like the only way to get to the floor is to jump.

mmm skyscraper
08-09-2009, 11:15 AM
Underworld is the first thing to come up on a search for Hardfest on Google News:

http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/last-night/underworld-hard-fest-statement/

klingklang
08-09-2009, 11:26 AM
I'm so sorry for those that traveled to this show and had this disaster happen (hopefully no one got seriously injured!).

cured
08-09-2009, 12:47 PM
Horrible, horrible, horrible. From the promoter to the crowd, this event was an utter disaster, one that hopefully puts Gary Richards out of business.

Rick & Karl, you are welcome back anytime, my only advice is to stay away from an LA massive. A one-off event at the Mayan or something or perhaps a return trip to Coachella, would be great. The whole massive scene has really deteriorated over the course of the decade and events are attended by teenagers who have the utmost contempt for authority and the people around them. It was really sad to see but, in a way, not all that surprising.

You've a really loyal fanbase in LA and we're looking forward to hearing from you guys in the LA area soon. I'm really sorry the US experience you've had this weekend was as bizarre as it was but we'll more than make up for it the next time around!

ndrwrld
08-09-2009, 10:41 PM
people ( i counted at least 6 ) falling from the balcony, onto the grandstand floor ?
ZERO flashlights...( where were the security ? )
that 7 minute video is all kinds of insane.
sorry to all who came to have a good time ( i love tiga too ).

so sorry Rick Karl Darren and the crew had to see this level of idiocy.

ultradave
08-09-2009, 11:14 PM
And amidst that rush of idiots was me, grabbing onto my girlfriend and backing up as far as I could in hopes of not getting pushed over the edge or trampled, while trying my best to shield her from flying feet, elbows, and heads. It was A LOT scarier than from the video's POV.

Very true. I wasn't amidst the crowd - but we were sitting right next to the entrance where it happened. btw - Darktrain - nice meeting you - what are the odds that amidst such havoc we'd cross paths..? Hopefully next time it'll be under better circumstances. Glad to hear that none of the dirties were injured, or anyone else really for that matter. One thing is certain, there was just not enough staff or organization for the event.

I'm glad to be getting a refund, however, I'm still saddened as to not be seeing the lads from underworld. Had things gone right, it would have been a really great gig. :(

bazwint
08-10-2009, 05:14 AM
Really sorry to hear about all bad shit going on, but glad everyone's ok.

Just wanted to add my 2c to Cured's suggestion - a return Coachella would be awesome. Man, two hours of UW in the Sahara....

deckard236
08-10-2009, 04:31 PM
I haven't posted in a while, but I just wanted to say how bad I felt for the guys and all of the fans that attended this fiasco. I took my twin 16 year old daughters as they are big dance music fans and huge Underworld fans as well. I could tell from the complete lack of organization just getting into the place that this event had disaster written all over it. Having seen Underworld many times before at all different kinds of events I knew that there show would be much longer at a club so I took the kids to Las Vegas for their first Underworld experience. And although the crowd was small, the show was amazing. Opening with Dirty Epic, my favorite since I first heard it, and in all of the shows I attended never hearing it live made it special from the opening moments. After the show my kids were over the top with excitement and said that was the best show they had ever seen (and they have been to nearly a hundred by now). It made me proud to be able to share that experience with them. We all eagerly await their return to the west coast to again experience the great vibes.

viddy
08-10-2009, 05:32 PM
Just received this email from Ticketmaster:

Hello, this is Ticketmaster Customer Service with an important alert for your upcoming event. Hard Summer, scheduled at The Forum on Saturday, August 8th, 2009, at 8:00 P.M., has been cancelled.


Your credit card will automatically be credited the ticket price and convenience charges, and should post to your account within 7 to 10 business days. Please note, the $ 4.25 per order processing fee, any ticketFast, or UPS delivery charges and in-store pick up charges are non-refundable.

If you have any questions, please contact us online at:
http://www.ticketmaster.com/h/asktm.html (http://www.ticketmaster.com/h/asktm.html)
(http://www.ticketmaster.com/h/asktm.html)
Thank you for using Ticketmaster. We appreciate your business!

pianopisser
08-10-2009, 05:48 PM
Here is some more info about refunds (taken from hardfest.com):

We are offering refunds to all concertgoers.

Ticketmaster Online & Phone Sales:
Beginning Monday, August 10th at 10 am, if you purchased your tickets through ticketmaster.com or a Ticketmaster phone center, the credit card you used to purchase the tickets will automatically be credited. If you purchased your ticket through a Ticketmaster outlet, you will need to bring your ticket to the point of purchase to obtain a refund.

Groovetickets Sales:
If you purchased your tickets online through Groovetickets.com, a refund for the total purchase price of your order will be automatically applied to the credit card you used. Please allow up to five business days for the credit to appear on your banking statement.

Retail Stores / Venue Box Office:
(Includes: Acrylick, Blends, Brat, Dita, DJ Culture, Dr Freeclouds, Electric Chair, Grooveriders, GCS, Headstone, Lallure, Mileage, Music Revolution, One World, Poobah, Turntable Lab, Store 13, and Xlarge)
If you purchased your tickets through any of our retail stores, or from the venue box office, you may obtain a refund by mailing your ticket(s) to:

The Forum
3900 West Manchester Blvd
Inglewood, CA 90305
Attn: Hard Refund Department

Please include the mailing address where you would like the refund check mailed to as well as an e-mail address. Include the payee's full name for check payment or full credit card information. Please allow up to 30 days for your refund to be processed.

pianopisser
08-10-2009, 10:49 PM
Some more info as to what happen Saturday night:


Pop & Hiss

The L.A. Times music blog


A Hard Summer bummer at the Forum: 'How do you stop 500 people rushing the gate?'

08:42 PM PT, Aug 10 2009

Rowdy fans shut down what was supposed to be an all-night dance event in Inglewood. Full refunds are being offered.

Will Fan had sprung for VIP tickets to Saturday night's Hard Summer event at the Forum in Inglewood. But before settling in for a night of dance music, Fan made a trip to the bar.

Then the night went haywire. A back door of the VIP section, where tickets began at $125, flew open and fans ran in from the parking lot in what Fan described as a "stampede."

"We saw about 200 kids run right through the bar area," said the 35-year-old Sherman Oaks resident. "It was a little scary. I saw the bartender push one kid down, but everyone else just ran around him. Eventually, security was able to stop more people from coming in. But the kids ran out of the bar . . . and basically hopped over the balcony and onto the floor. Then the music stopped."

The sold-out all-night Hard Summer concert, which featured a lineup that included U.K. dance duo Underworld and Canadian electronic rockers Crystal Castles, was halted at about 10:50 p.m., according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department, which cited "hazardous life-safety things taking place inside the event."

Inglewood police dispatched a riot unit, and by 1:25 a.m. Sunday, more than 17,000 attendees had been sent home.

The Hard-brand dance events are the brainchild of promoter and DJ Gary Richards, who said he's looking at a "seven-figure" loss from the event's cancellation. Full refunds are being offered to ticket holders, and all artists will be paid.

"We were teetering on the edge of thinking things were getting out of control, and then all of a sudden those crashers came in and started leaping from the lower bowl onto the floor," Richards said. "How do you stop 500 people rushing the gate at the same time? You'd need military at that point."

Fire department inspector Frederic Stowers said a number of ambulances were called to the scene, and that the most serious injury was a broken foot. On Sunday, the Inglewood police said four people were arrested for theft and drunk and disorderly conduct, but a statement released on Monday said no arrests were made.

Videos uploaded to YouTube show fans jumping 12 to 15 feet from the balcony. Prija Cash, 27, feared a riot. The Costa Mesa resident was trapped between an underground room with a second stage and the Forum's main floor for about 30 minutes as crashers rushed the gates.

Tickets to the event were general admission, meaning fans weren't assigned a specific seat. The downstairs dance floor was full by 9 p.m., Cash said, leaving fans that came to dance, but wound up confined to balcony seats, frustrated.

"It was advertised as a dance party, and people wanted to dance," he said.

Underworld observed on its website that the mood inside the Forum went from a "good buzz" to an "uneasy" feeling relatively quickly, as fans ignored a barricade to rush the dance floor. The act wrote that it was advised by its security team to leave.

News spread on the Web that Crystal Castles singer Alice Glass suffered a concussion in a melee to get out of the venue, but the act’s U.K.-based manager, James Sandom, said via email that while the event was “a disaster,” reports of Glass’ injury were “not true.”

Richards said security had been beefed up for the concert. "The Forum typically hires I think 200 security guards for events," he said. "We had 320 guards. There were 36 Inglewood police officers and nine fire inspectors. My partners had 10 to 15 meetings with those people to go over and over the plan."

The Forum's general manager, Tina Suca, stopped short of saying the venue would avoid dance acts but said "we're a fun rock venue." Another Richards event is booked for Oct. 31, but it will be moved.

"We learned that the Forum is just not the right place for an event like this," Richards said. "Knowing now that people will jump from balconies onto the floor, the Forum is not good for us . . . My brother and I used to manage [metal band] Slipknot back in the day, and those fans weren't doing that."

--Todd Martens & Scott T. Sterlin

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/musi...gate.html#more