Live Nation agrees to cancel one Fairplex rave and scale back others
Fans cheer a performance by The Weeknd during Live Nation Entertainment’s Hard Summer at the fairgrounds in Pomona.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis said Thursday that concert promoter Live Nation has agreed to cancel one upcoming rave at the county-owned Fairplex and to scale back another and implement extra safety precautions.
The actions come after two young women -- Tracy Nguyen, 18, and Katie Dix, 19 -- died of apparent drug overdoses earlier this month after attending Live Nation Entertainment’s Hard Summer at the fairgrounds in Pomona.
Solis said the supervisors had consulted with county attorneys and public health officials about the case. Supervisors discussed a moratorium on electronic dance music events but have not imposed one.
Live Nation and the nonprofit Los Angeles County Fair Assn. have agreed to cancel a planned Sept. 10 rave at the Fairplex, Solis said. A second two-day event on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 will go forward, but will be scaled down from 65,000 to 40,000 attendees per day, she said.
The promoter also agreed to other safety measures, including increased cooling stations and free water for attendees, increased security and emergency medical services on site. Materials warning of the dangers of party drugs like Ecstasy will also be distributed, Solis said.
A spokeswoman for Live Nation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“We continue to study this issue and the propriety of continuing to hold such events on County property,” Solis said in a statement. “... While the Board supports musical events in the County, what is of paramount importance is the health and safety of the youth attending these events.”
Apart from the two women who died after attending the Hard Summer music festival, dozens more partygoers landed in nearby hospitals, prompting several emergency room directors to call for an end to large raves in Los Angeles County.
Follow Abby Sewell on Twitter at @sewella for more county news.
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