New investigation from the US Congress launched into Astroworld Festival

The Committee on Oversight and Reform, the main investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives, has just launched a new investigation into Live Nation over the tragic events that took place at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival in November.

Hundreds of patrons were injured in the crowd rush, which claimed the lives of 10 people during Scott’s set. The fallout has been catastrophic, with Scott, Drake, Live Nation and Apple being sued for over $2 billion USD, as well as Scott allegedly being removed from next year’s Coachella line-up. 

The Committee on Oversight and Reform just days ago wrote to Live Nation’s chief executive officer Michael Rapino regarding the role that the company played in the tragedy; questions were asked of the festival’s security, safety plans and crowd control, as well as how it plans on preventing casualties like this in the future. You can read the full letter here. 

“Recent reports raise serious concerns about whether your company took adequate steps to ensure the safety of the 50,000 concertgoers who attended Astroworld Festival.”

Live Nation have been cooperative in the matter thus far, stating that:

“Safety is core to live events and Live Nation engages in detailed security planning in coordination with local stakeholders including law enforcement, fire and EMT professionals. We are heartbroken by the events at Astroworld and our deepest sympathies go out to the families and friends of the victims.”

Live Nation has been requested to testify and provide adequate documentation to the committee by the 7th of January, as well as to provide a briefing to the members of the committee by no later than January 12. 

This new investigation into Astroworld comes at a poor time for Live Nation; just last week, American rapper Drakeo The Ruler was brutally stabbed to death at their festival Once Upon A Time in Los Angeles. 

Image Credit: Todd Spoth