Latest news with #Astroworld
Mint
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
OTT releases this week: Rana Naidu 2, The Traitors, Padakkalam and more to watch online
OTT releases this week: Get ready to binge! This week's OTT lineup brings a mix of fresh action entertainers, heartwarming dramas, and star-studded digital premieres on OTT platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, SonyLiv, JioHotstar and AppleTV+. Take a look. Plot: Season 2 explores deeper cracks in the Rana Naidu family. Rana faces his toughest challenge yet when the prime antagonist of the season, Rauf returns, seeking revenge. Genre: Action crime drama Cast: Rana Daggubati, Daggubati Venkatesh, Arjun Rampal, Surveen Chawla, Kriti Kharbanda, Sushant Singh, Abhishek Banerjee, Dino Morea Language: Telugu (Original) & Hindi (Dubbed) Plot: Twenty contestants compete in a castle to build a prize pot, but hidden among them are "traitors" secretly eliminating the 'faithful' players unless they outrun them first. Cast: Karan Johar, Anshula Kapoor, Apoorva (Rebel Kid), Ashish Vidyarthi, Elnaaz Norouzi, Harsh Gujral, Jannat Zubair, Janvi Gaur, Jasmine Bhasin, Karan Kundrra, Lakshmi Manchu, Maheep Kapoor, Mukesh Chhabra, Nikita Luther, Purav Jha, Raftaar, Raj Kundra, Sahil Salathia, Sudhanshu Pandey, Sufi Motiwala, Uorfi Javed OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video Plot: The season delved into Lisa's new romance and divorce, Alexia's wedding plans, and Guerdy's cancer diagnosis. Cast: Larsa Pippen, Lisa Hochstein, Alexia Echevarria, Guerdy Abraira, Julia Lemigova, Dr. Nicole Martin OTT platform: Jio Hotstar Plot: Underdogs is a nature docuseries celebrating the unsung heroes of the animal kingdom. Genre: Docuseries about animals, adventure, and nature OTT platform: Jio Hotstar Plot: Inspired by a children's book, the show follows a curious bunny who turns an ordinary cardboard box into a magical world full of imagination, friends, and adventures. Cast: Isabel Birch as Riley, Ian James Corlett Plot: Featuring exclusive interviews with survivors, paramedics and festival staff, the documentary is on the 2021 Astroworld tragedy and its aftermath. Genre: Investigative documentary Plot: A pendant from the past sets Jéssica on a trip through Israel — where family twists, unexpected love and a search for meaning shape the ride of her life. Cast: Grace Patterson, Allison McAtee, Marisa Lynae Hampton Plot: Husband and wife Nora and Héctor's scientific breakthrough lets them time travel from 1966 to 2025. As Héctor struggles to adapt, Nora thrives in the future, but her success comes with unexpected consequences. Cast: Lucero, Benny Ibarra, Renata Vaca Plot: This documentary explores how OceanGate's ambitious mission to the Titanic ended in disaster when its Titan submersible tragically imploded with passengers in 2023. Cast: Real-life individuals and experts Plot: Four nerdy comic book enthusiasts find themselves in an unexpected adventure when their school's charming new professor turns their academic world upside down with supernatural events. Genre: Supernatural fantasy comedy film Cast: Suraj Venjaramoodu, Sharafudheen, Sandeep Pradeep Plot: The film revolves around a deceased ancestor's obsession with a Telugu TV serial. Cast: Harshith Reddy, Gavireddy Srinivas, Charan Peri, Shriya Kontham, Shravani Lakshmi, Shalini Kondepudi, Samantha Ruth Prabhu OTT platform: Jio Hotstar Plot: Inspired by a real-life incident involving Angelina Jolie, the film revolves around Poorna, who hires a contract killer to kill herself. Genre: Black comedy romantic thriller Cast: Parambrata Chatterjee, Koushani Mukherjee, Biswanath Basu, Sandipta Sen Anindya Chatterjee Plot: The film is based on a group of youngsters who take up boxing to gain grace marks after failing their class 12th examination. Cast: Naslen, Lukman Avaran, Franco Francis, rapper Baby Jean, Shiva Hariharan, Shon Joy, Karthik, Nanda Nishanth, Noila Francy Plot: The series explores the lives of trans and non-binary individuals navigating love, identity and the boundaries of gender in a uniquely Indian way. Genre: Documentary feature Cast: Keith Van Nelson, Los Iglesias, Emilie Paap, Ross Pino, Allie Cizek, Summer Spears, George Jackson, Leon Alexander, Thomas Vieljeux, Denise Nothegger, Uma Paranjpe, Richie Tormo, Mille Mikie Hansen, Madison Humes, Allison Lopez, Puma St. Omar OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video
Cosmopolitan
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
The Astroworld Tragedy: the true story behind the Travis Scott festival disaster where 10 people died
It was meant to be the festival of a lifetime; Travis Scott was performing on the large, mountain-esque 'Chills' stage, a lauded homecoming at the third Astroworld festival. Launched in 2018 and named after Scott's third album, the two-day music festival was planned as the ultimate celebration of Houston's hip-hop culture, and Scott's love of his hometown. While the festival had been gaining in popularity, no-one could have predicted that its latest (and which soon proved to be final) outing would have resulted in one of the worst US concert tragedies in history. Now Netflix's latest series, Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy, speaks to witnesses and emergency responders who were there on the day and looks to examine how an exciting evening became a living nightmare, resulting in 10 deaths, and over 300 causalities. Astroworld Festival was the brainchild of psychedelic rapper Travis Scott, and took place annually. It was based in NRG Park in Houston, Texas, and named after a former theme-park that locals enjoyed going to in their childhoods. Since launching in 2018, the festival had steadily grown in popularity, and was set to be bigger than ever in 2021; the event was now spanning two days, and had artists such as Tame Impala, Sza and Bad Bunny on the line-up. Tickets sold out in just 30 minutes. Astroworld was now also comprised of two stages: the 'Thrills' stage for supporting artists, and the 'Chills' stage, which was specifically for Scott's headline performance. It was at the Chills stage where the crowd crush occurred. Scott is a 34-year-old rapper, known for his psychedelic and intense performances, who has had five tracks hit number one in the United States. As well as working with huge hip-hop goliaths such as Kid Cudi, Scott is also known for dating Kylie Jenner between 2017 and 2023. The pair share two children together. While 50,000 people were thought to be in attendance, there were reports of people trying to rush the gates as early as 2pm, with eyewitnesses reporting people being trampled on. However, it wasn't until later in the evening that casualties began to happen. A timer appeared on stage counting down the 30 minutes before Scott performed. It was when Scott appeared, slightly later than scheduled at 9pm (he was reportedly meant to start at 8.45pm) that members of the crowd pressed forward and surged from the sides, causing a crush. Many people fell and others struggled to breathe as it was so tightly packed. Describing the carnage, festival survivor Ayden Cruz remembers being pushed over by the crowds. In the documentary Astroworld: Countdown to Tragedy, he recalls climbing up to a camera operator and begging them to 'stop the show' as people were becoming increasingly crushed. While Scott did stop performing numerous times to flag that people in the crowd had passed out and needed medical assistance, his show continued on until between 10.10pm and 10.15pm, according to witnesses, after he performed with Drake. However, a mass casualty incident was called from 9.38pm. Numerous festivalgoers tried to halt proceedings, however, none succeeded in getting Scott to stop. Eight people died on the night in hospital, while a further two people died in hospital. The youngest person who passed away was just nine, while the oldest was 27. Two high schoolers are listed as victims. It was ruled that all 10 people died from 'compression asphyxia' – this is where external force limits the ability of the chest to expand, cutting off oxygen. The list of victims are as follows. It wasn't until many of the 50,000 festivalgoers went home that they realised there had been fatalities in the crowds. In the immediate aftermath, people were looking to see who was responsible for the deaths. Scott took to X to say he was 'absolutely devastated' at learning of the incident following the concert. He also claimed that he was not aware of what was happening below the stage at the time. 'I am committed to working together with the Houston community to heal and support the families in need,' he wrote. 'Thank you Houston PD, Fire Department and NRG Park for their immediate response and support.' Then-girlfriend Kylie Jenner also deleted Instagram stories from the event, and sent 'thoughts and prayers' to those impacted. A Texas state task force looked into what happened at Astroworld, which emphasised the need for adequate training for security and event staff. Astroworld organisers were criticised for a lack of preparedness among security contracted to work the event. Meanwhile, the head of safety at Astroworld, Seyth Boardman, wrote to the Texas festival's operations director expressing concern about the size of the stage. Per documents seen by the BBC, Boardman wrote: 'I feel like there is no way we are going to fit 50,000 people in front of that stage.' Numerous lawsuits were filed by victims and survivors' families, alleging a lack of adequate safety protocols and emergency response to Scott, Live Nation and other defendants. However, by June 2024, all 10 wrongful death lawsuits had been settled out of court by Live Nation, Travis Scott, and other defendants for undisclosed amounts. Scott was amongst six individuals who faced criminal charges related to the deaths of 10 people at the 2021 Astroworld Festival – however, a Texan grand jury found no single individual was criminally responsible for the death. 'In this instance, the grand jury of the 228th district court of Harris County found that no crime did occur,' county District Attorney Kim Ogg told reporters in 2023. 'That no single individual was criminally responsible.' The festival was cancelled following reports of deaths. It has not been revived since. Speaking about the event, Scott told GQ in 2023: '[I want people] to know I have pain too. I have concerns, things that I think about, and the things I see on a day-to-day basis I think about them. And every day I want to find change in the things, to make things better, make myself better. It's just like: I go through things like everyone else.' Scott also launched Project HEAL, aimed at supporting community-based programs and enhancing safety measures at large-scale events. Kimberley Bond is a Multiplatform Writer for Harper's Bazaar, focusing on the arts, culture, careers and lifestyle. She previously worked as a Features Writer for Cosmopolitan UK, and has bylines at The Telegraph, The Independent and British Vogue among countless others.
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Must-see TV this week: Love Island returns, Lee Mack and Sally Bretton reunited
Another summer of love begins, with Maya Jama reprising the helm of Love Island on ITV2 this week. Over on the BBC, however, another fan-favourite show is set for its own comeback. From gripping dramas and explosive rows to enlightening and thought-provoking shows, this week of TV is sure to pander to everyone. Presenter Maya Jama is returning to screens this Monday, June 9, as she reprises hosting duties on ITV2 's Love Island. Expect bombshells and surprises pairings ahead. Meanwhile, the BBC is treating viewers to another round of The Gold, with Hugh Bonneville and Charlotte Spencer, and Not Going Out, starring Sally Bretton and Lee Mack. But on Channel 4, Jamie Oliver advocates for more inclusive schools to help neurodivergent children. Streaming platforms also have plenty of choices this week, including Sir David Attenborough 's love letter to the sea and Netflix 's deep dive in Astroworld - the festival that spiralled out of control in 2021, triggering backlash against rap star Travis Scott. The Gold Sunday 8th, BBC1 Hugh Bonneville and Charlotte Spencer team up as DCS Brian Boyce and DI Nicki Jennings for The Gold's second season as their characters deal with the aftermath of the Brink's-Mat robbery, in which £26 million worth of gold bullion, diamonds and cash were stolen from a warehouse. Though some of the thieves were convicted, Brian and Nicki realise the criminals only had half of the stolen goods. The discovery triggers a high-stakes journey into organised crime and international money laundering as the police embark on a string of desperate manhunts to finally close the longest and most expensive investigation in the history of the Metropolitan Police. Our Yorkshire Shop: A Victorian Restoration Sunday, C4 This series takes viewers to the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, in the picturesque village of Masham - where a determined group of locals take on the ambitious challenge of restoring their village shop to its former Victorian glory. With no previous experience in building restoration, villagers roll up their sleeves and learn on the job - from line plastering to fending off animal infestations. Motivated by 94-year-old Elsie, their emotional anchor, the group are guided both in spirit and style, delivering a heartwarming celebration of local heritage. Ocean with David Attenborough Sunday, Disney + At the age of 99, Sir David Attenborough presents Ocean, a powerful documentary highlighting the critical state of the world 's oceans. Through stunning visuals and groundbreaking underwater footage, this film exposes destructive practices like bottom trawling and emphasises the urgent need for marine conservation. Released ahead of the UN Ocean Conference, Ocean serves as a wake-up call and David's most personal message yet. And it's already become the highest-grossing film in the UK and Irish box-office, earning £570,000 on its opening weekend in cinemas. Jamie's Dyslexia Revolution Monday, C4 Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver shares his personal journey with dyslexia in this compelling documentary as he takes a stand for neurodivergent children. Highlighting the challenges faced by thousands of children with dyslexia in the UK, Jamie fiercely advocates for a more inclusive and supportive education system. Through interviews with experts, educators, families and even familiar celebrity faces, the film sheds light on systemic issues affecting dyslexic children and calls for meaningful change to help them thrive academically and beyond. Beth Monday, C4 Written and directed by photographer and budding filmmaker Uzo Oleh, this tense three-part science-fiction thriller is Channel 4 's first-ever digital original drama. Nicholas Pinnock and Abbey Lee star as Joe and Molly - a couple whose lives are upended when their newborn daughter, Imogen, bears no resemblance to her father. What begins as a domestic drama spirals into paranoia, identity crises and eerie revelations as Joe's world starts to unravel. Through their story, this hard-hitting show explores mistrust, modern parenthood and the fear that something has gone horribly wrong. Love Island Monday, ITV Maya Jama returns to host the twelfth season of the iconic ITV2 dating show, promising more drama, more bombshells, plenty of break-ups and even more make-ups in celebration of its tenth anniversary on screens. Set at the iconic sun-soaked Mallorca villa, a fresh batch of singletons embark on a quest for love and a jaw-dropping £50k cash prize. Expect twists, turns, unexpected pairings and shock dumpings, cryptic Love Island lingo and more Casa Amor turmoil. Which couple will tackle the journey hand-in-hand? And who will call it quits? Shardlake Monday, ITV C.J. Samsom's Tudor mystery novels come alive in this gripping four-part series. Arthur Hughes (The Innocents, The Archers) stars as brilliant barrister Matthew Shardlake, dispatched by Thomas Cromwell (Sean Bean) to investigate a murder at a remote monastery. As secrets unravel, Matthew and his companion Jack Barak (Anthony Boyle) navigate an intricate web of lies and political intrigue - but can Matthew really trust his companion? With atmospheric settings and compelling performances, this period drama offers a fresh take on historical crime storytelling. The Yorkshire Vet: At Home With the Greens Tuesday, Channel 5 Yorkshire Vet star Peter Wright offers a heartwarming new glimpse into the lives of fan favourites Steve and Jean Green, known as Britain's longest-standing farmers. This spin-off series invites viewers beyond the surgery and into the farm, where the couple balance rural life with their passion for animals. Expect tender moments, behind-the-scenes insights and the same down-to-earth charm that made the original series a staple for animal lovers across the UK. Trainwreck: The Astroworld tragedy Tuesday, Netflix This harrowing documentary revisits the 2021 Astroworld Festival disaster, where a crowd surge led to ten deaths and numerous injuries during a Texas-based festival launched by US rap star Travis Scott. Through exclusive interviews with survivors, paramedics and festival staff, the film examines the events leading up to the tragedy and its aftermath. It delves into questions of accountability, safety protocols and the impact on the victims' families, providing a sobering look at one of the most devastating concert incidents in recent history. Speed Cameras: Out to Get Us? Wednesday, C5 This investigative documentary explores the proliferation of speed cameras across the UK. Traveling from Nottinghamshire to Wales, it examines whether these devices are genuine safety tools or revenue-generating machines. Featuring insights from traffic officers, drivers and the pioneer who introduced speed cameras to Britain's roads in 1990, the programme questions their effectiveness and future. It's a wild ride through Britain - but with less potholes. Flight 149: Hostage of War Wednesday, Sky Documentaries & NOW This gripping documentary uncovers the shocking truth behind British Airways Flight 149, which landed in Kuwait mere hours before Iraq 's 1990 invasion. What really happened to the passengers and crew held hostage by Saddam Hussein 's forces? With first-hand testimonies, classified documents and a decades-long silence finally broken, this film lays bare a chilling and unflinching tale of government secrets, human endurance and political betrayal. It's a must-watch for fans of true stories where the stakes are life and death - and the answers still sting. DNA Journey with Ancestry Thursday, ITV The hit ITV series, DNA Journey returns for a gripping fifth season. This time round, new celebrity duos set off on an emotional journey across history, uncovering jaw-dropping family secrets and unexpected connections. Jo Brand and Julian Clary, Fay Ripley and Hermione Norris and Sam Thompson and Marvin Humes are taking on the challenge. With laughter, tears and twists in every episode, DNA Journey continues to prove that our past holds the key to who we really are. Olivia Attwood: The Price of Perfection Thursday, ITV2 In this immersive documentary series, Love Island alum Olivia Attwood investigates the lengths individuals go to achieve physical perfection in today's image-obsessed society. Drawing from her own experiences with cosmetic procedures, Olivia explores the booming beauty industry, meeting people who have undergone extreme transformations and embedding herself with patients and practitioners to try some of them out herself - including salmon sperm injections. The series delves into the true psychological and physical costs of chasing perfection, offering a candid look at the intense pressures stemming from modern beauty standards. Not Going Out Friday, BBC1 Lee Mack's long-running sitcom returns for its 14th series, continuing to deliver laughs with witty dialogue and relatable scenarios. The show follows the misadventures of Lee and his wife Lucy (Sally Bretton) as they navigate the challenges of family life. With a time jump moving the story six years ahead, the couple adjust to a new home in the countryside while their children are away at university. The series remains a staple of British comedy, combining sharp humour with heartwarming moments.
The Irish Sun
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
I heard pal's dying cry as bodies piled on us at Astroworld disaster & begged Travis Scott to stop…mistakes left 10 dead
HEADING out to Travis Scott's Astroworld concert with a group of pals, excited fan Ayden Cruz was looking forward to the night of his life. Instead, he found himself in a hellish crush that claimed the life of his close friend Brianna Rodriguez and nine others, including a nine-year-old boy. 22 Travis Scott at the third annual Astroworld festival, which descended into chaos Credit: AP 22 Brianna Rodriguez was among the ten people who lost their lives Credit: Facebook 22 Rudy Peña was also killed after the frantic crowds tried to escape Credit: Facebook/Rudy Peña What began as a highly anticipated event in the wake of pandemic restrictions, in November 2021, quickly descended into one of the US' worst concert disasters, with dozens of people left fighting for their lives. As the rapper took to the stage, the over-capacity crowd at Houston's NRG Park surged forward, triggering a stampede which left several people trapped. Fans say their screams for help fell on deaf ears as Scott continued performing amid the chaos. In the aftermath of Astroworld, the heartbroken families of the victims - the youngest of whom was nine-year-old Ezra Blount - were left questioning how such a tragedy was allowed to occur. READ MORE FEATURES In a new Netflix documentary, Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy, Ayden and other survivors speak out about the harrowing ordeal that has left them traumatised four years on. "Everyone was really hype. And everyone's body moves forward. And then the wave comes back," says Ayden, who was also with girlfriend Mikaela at the festival. "That was like being stuffed into one little spot and just being squeezed. I started to feel a certain fear. That's when I was like, 'Hold on, this is not okay.' "One of those waves just hit both me and Bri. We all fell to our backs. I could hear her in pain asking, 'Help me get out,' and stuff like that. I was the second layer. Most read in The Sun "There were people under me. And then me falling on my back, and then people stacking on top of me." As Ayden struggled to escape the mountain of bodies piled on top of him, he realised that the more he fought, the worse it became for him. Astroworld victims' manner of death unknown as Houston Police Chief addresses festival casualties in briefing 22 Several emergency crews were called to the scene as hundreds of people suffered injuries Credit: AP 22 Ayden Cruz recounts how he desperately attempted to stop the concert Credit: Netflix 22 Ayden is seen pleading with staff to stop the concert Credit: Netflix "I could feel the oxygen leaving my body. I don't know how long I was under there, but it felt like forever. And then people moved off me. I saw someone's face. They looked at me. "He pulled me out, and I just remember feeling so many different things. Where's Mikaela? Did Bri get out? I looked for Mikaela. I found her. "I knew where I saw Bri. Anyone who was at the same level as me was not receiving oxygen. I just remember panicking in that moment." Ayden tried his best to stop the show so others could get help. In footage taken on the night, Ayden can be seen climbing a camera platform to get the attention of the crew. I knew where I saw Bri. Anyone who was at the same level as me was not receiving oxygen. I just remember panicking in that moment. Ayden Cruz He told the workers: "Shut the f**k up! People are f**king dying. I'm trying to save somebody's life. That's somebody's kid. I want to save them." Ayden then frantically went searching for Brianna, believing there was a chance she was still struggling under the crowd. He was eventually told she had been taken to the hospital. He emotionally recalls: "Right when we get there, her family just starts crying really loudly. We are thinking they are still trying. It's not over yet. There's still an opportunity for her to be saved. "Until they come back and they [said], 'We can't do anything.' Everyone just dropped to the floor. I just remember crying and feeling like this is the worst night of my life. I felt defeated." 'Stole my heart' 22 Rudy Pena was excited to see Travis Scott at Astroworld, but died in the tragedy Credit: Facebook/Rudy Peña 22 Raul, right, went to Astroworld with his friends, including Rudy Credit: Netflix 22 Rudy's mum and sister emotionally break down talking about his death Credit: Netflix Raul and his friends, including Rudy Pena, 27, could hardly contain their excitement as they made their way to the main stage to watch Travis' set. In the film, he explains: "That's when it started getting pretty hectic. We lost each other." There was a clock counting down the minutes till Travis' big performance. With each passing minute, the crowd surged forward to get a closer look at the rapper. When the situation got worse, Raul says he could hear Rudy behind him saying he couldn't breathe. After assuring him to drink water and calm down, Raul thought all was well. After the concert, Raul and his friends designated a meeting spot - but as all his mates gathered, one was missing. He recalls: "Everybody started getting there slowly, but Rudy. That was so strange to me because the whole time I had thought he got out safely. But he's the only one missing. "That's when I hit full panic." 22 Festival-goers desperately try to escape the crush Credit: ABC13 22 Chaotic scenes at the crowded venue Credit: ABC13 22 Ezra Blount, aged nine, was the youngest victim of the Astroworld disaster Credit: AP Their friend Manuel raced towards the emergency crews and ambulances without any sign of Rudy. He even started calling hospitals. One hospital said that Rudy was there. Manuel says in the film: "There was no information due to us not being family. So that's when I called Rudy's mum." This was not a case of missing red flags. This was a case of ignoring blaring warning sirens. Scott Davidson, crowd safety expert Rudy's mum, Maria Pena, rushed to Houston to check on her son but, on arrival at the hospital, she was given the devastating news that Rudy had died. In the film, she tearfully says: "That's when I just lost it. I was screaming 'What am I gonna tell his siblings? What am I gonna tell his friends? What am I going to say to my heart, to my soul? "They stole my heart. They stole a part of my heart. I couldn't bear it. And I still can't." 'I'm gonna die here' 22 Tributes were left outside the venue in the wake of the tragedy Credit: Getty 22 Sofia was in the crowd and believed she was going to die when she got trapped Credit: Netflix 22 Arturo Sanchez says he's grateful that Sofia saved his life Credit: Netflix As the crowd were frantically looking for an escape route, Sofia, who was celebrating getting her nursing certificate, was certain she would not make it out alive. She says in the film: "The crowd was swaying, and I was swaying with the crowd because of how tight it was. I had no control over my body. "And I just remember thinking, 'Don't fall down because you won't make it back up. In the commotion, I lost my balance and fell on someone. And I just remember feeling pressure because people were falling on me. "I remember looking up and just being like, 'I'm gonna die here.' And then someone saw my hand and they helped me up. Travis Scott was still playing the whole time. I was shaking. "At this point, I was like, 'I need to be out there helping people because I'm a registered nurse. There was this guy on the floor. I do my assessment on him. "He has a pulse, but it's really faint. I grabbed his legs, and I just remember putting them up." Sofia heroically tried several methods to revive him. Eventually, his heart started beating normally, and he regained consciousness, to Sofia's relief. That stranger was Arturo, who also appears in the film. He says: "I was practically being suffocated to death. What led up to me passing out was like a heart attack. The doctors had to really explain to me what had really happened. "And I was like 'Holy shit, she brought me back to life. She was there for me. God bless her.'" Shocking failings 22 Scott Davidson says there were several failings during the planning of the event Credit: Reuters 22 "Blaring warning sirens" were ignored leading to the disaster, according to Davidson Credit: Netflix After the tragedy, Scott Davidson, a crowd safety expert, was hired by Live Nation, the entertainment giant in charge of the concert, to look into what happened. He says in the doc: "I was in receipt of a treasure trove of evidence. This was not a case of missing red flags. This was a case of ignoring blaring warning sirens. I was shocked by what I found." He adds: "One thing that was different about Astroworld 2021 was that Travis had kept his own stage unused all day until his performance. "This meant thousands of concertgoers moved to his stage at the same time. Compounding this dangerous situation was the fact that the concertgoers were approaching the stage from the side, pushing into a T-shaped barrier system. "This was supposed to make the stage safer. But instead, its configuration created a trap on the left-hand side of the stage. And so the compression just built and built, where people could not escape." At 9:42pm, Travis stopped midway through a song after spotting a fan who had passed out. He said on stage: "Somebody help him. Somebody passed out right here. Hold on. Don't touch him. Everybody just back up." He then called on security to offer assistance to the person. Travis stood motionless for a while, seemingly trying to figure out whether to carry on the show or pause. He then proceeded to perform again, to the shock of many who knew what was happening. Davidson adds: "Any key decision maker from police, fire, EMS, or Live Nation should have been able to very quickly initiate a show stop. "But what made it confusing was that, according to the event operations plan, there were only two people from Live Nation who had the delegated authority to stop the show." According to cops, the managers in charge were nowhere to be found. Eventually, a manager went backstage to speak to the audio engineer, demanding that the show be shut down in eight minutes. Bizarrely, that didn't happen. In fact, The police and organisers' response after the event was that they did not want to trigger crowd panic by stopping the show abruptly, despite the fact that people were dying. Davidson says: "The idea of a performance continuing while even one CPR in progress is underway is insane. Unprecedented. Not to mention multiple. How could they make that decision?" 'Too late' 22 Davidson went through hours of video evidence and text messages to make sense of what happened Credit: Reuters 22 He says Live Nation sold many more tickets than they should have Credit: AP After trawling through several hours of video evidence, emails, and text messages, Davidson firmly believes that the tragedy was not an accident. He says: "It was an inevitability due to the lack of foresight and the abandonment of basic safety protocols." Davidson says that Live Nation sold 50,000 tickets when the viewing capacity of Travis Scott's set was just 35,000. This means that many thousands more people were planned than could safely view the performance. Additionally, earlier in the day, thousands of people stormed security gates, making it impossible for authorities to determine who had a ticket. Davidson believes this meant many more people were able to enter the venue. The idea that of a performance continuing while even one CPR in progress is underway is insane. Unprecedented. Not to mention multiple. How could they make that decision? Scott Davidson He says: "They knew this was going to be an issue. Not only was Travis' stage in danger of being over capacity. "This poorly designed site led to people approaching the stage from the side and getting trapped in an area where they were crushed, unable to breathe. "All ten fatalities were caused by compression asphyxiation in this area." He also says that text messages showed that Live Nation was aware of the chaos as it unfolded, but failed to act before it was too late. Davidson adds: "In all the failures of Astroworld, a common denominator is the failure to speak truth to power. "There were many missed opportunities to speak up. Somebody to raise their hand up and say, 'Time out. This doesn't make sense. We're gonna hurt somebody'". After the second day of the festival was cancelled, Travis released an apology video, but critics slammed it, saying there was not enough responsibility taken. He came under intense fire and lost several endorsement deals. There were also petitions asking that he be removed from future festivals. Later, in an interview with Charlamagne tha God, he denied ever hearing people begging for him to stop the show. He also said there was never any communication to end the show while he was on stage. Many backed his explanation, saying the responsibility lay with the managers backstage, not the artist. Over 500 of lawsuits were filed against Travis, Live Nation, and other parties involved in organising the event. Hundreds of these lawsuits have now been settled, including those filed by families of nine of the ten victims who died. The terms of the settlement remain confidential. Despite the civil settlements, a grand jury in Texas declined to file criminal charges against Travis or any other party involved in the festival. In a statement, Live Nation denied they had oversold tickets saying: "The sellable capacity for the venue was set by SMG Global and approved by the Houston Fire Department (HFD) before tickets went on sale. "The number of tickets sold and attendees on site did not exceed the approved capacity. HFD, SMG Global and the Houston Police Department (HPD) were aware of the event plans, which were developed in line with safety codes. "The Festival Safety & Risk Director and HPD representatives agreed to and executed an early show stop." Travis has now launched Project HEAL, aimed at supporting community-based programs and enhancing safety measures at large-scale events. 22 In an interview, Travis denied knowing that people were dying during his set Credit: Youtube/CThaGod 22 Bharti Shahani, 22, was among those who lost their lives in the tragedy Credit: Bharti Shahani / gofundme 22 Ex-cheerleader Madison Dubiski, 23, also died after the concert Credit: Facebook
Scottish Sun
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I heard pal's dying cry as bodies piled on us at Astroworld disaster & begged Travis Scott to stop…mistakes left 10 dead
DEATHTRAP FEST I heard pal's dying cry as bodies piled on us at Astroworld disaster & begged Travis Scott to stop…mistakes left 10 dead HEADING out to Travis Scott's Astroworld concert with a group of pals, excited fan Ayden Cruz was looking forward to the night of his life. Instead, he found himself in a hellish crush that claimed the life of his close friend Brianna Rodriguez and nine others, including a nine-year-old boy. Advertisement 22 Travis Scott at the third annual Astroworld festival, which descended into chaos Credit: AP 22 Brianna Rodriguez was among the ten people who lost their lives Credit: Facebook 22 Rudy Peña was also killed after the frantic crowds tried to escape Credit: Facebook/Rudy Peña What began as a highly anticipated event in the wake of pandemic restrictions, in November 2021, quickly descended into one of the US' worst concert disasters, with dozens of people left fighting for their lives. As the rapper took to the stage, the over-capacity crowd at Houston's NRG Park surged forward, triggering a stampede which left several people trapped. Fans say their screams for help fell on deaf ears as Scott continued performing amid the chaos. In the aftermath of Astroworld, the heartbroken families of the victims - the youngest of whom was nine-year-old Ezra Blount - were left questioning how such a tragedy was allowed to occur. Advertisement In a new Netflix documentary, Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy, Ayden and other survivors speak out about the harrowing ordeal that has left them traumatised four years on. "Everyone was really hype. And everyone's body moves forward. And then the wave comes back," says Ayden, who was also with girlfriend Mikaela at the festival. "That was like being stuffed into one little spot and just being squeezed. I started to feel a certain fear. That's when I was like, 'Hold on, this is not okay.' "One of those waves just hit both me and Bri. We all fell to our backs. I could hear her in pain asking, 'Help me get out,' and stuff like that. I was the second layer. Advertisement "There were people under me. And then me falling on my back, and then people stacking on top of me." As Ayden struggled to escape the mountain of bodies piled on top of him, he realised that the more he fought, the worse it became for him. Astroworld victims' manner of death unknown as Houston Police Chief addresses festival casualties in briefing 22 Several emergency crews were called to the scene as hundreds of people suffered injuries Credit: AP 22 Ayden Cruz recounts how he desperately attempted to stop the concert Credit: Netflix Advertisement 22 Ayden is seen pleading with staff to stop the concert Credit: Netflix "I could feel the oxygen leaving my body. I don't know how long I was under there, but it felt like forever. And then people moved off me. I saw someone's face. They looked at me. "He pulled me out, and I just remember feeling so many different things. Where's Mikaela? Did Bri get out? I looked for Mikaela. I found her. "I knew where I saw Bri. Anyone who was at the same level as me was not receiving oxygen. I just remember panicking in that moment." Advertisement Ayden tried his best to stop the show so others could get help. In footage taken on the night, Ayden can be seen climbing a camera platform to get the attention of the crew. I knew where I saw Bri. Anyone who was at the same level as me was not receiving oxygen. I just remember panicking in that moment. Ayden Cruz He told the workers: "Shut the f**k up! People are f**king dying. I'm trying to save somebody's life. That's somebody's kid. I want to save them." Ayden then frantically went searching for Brianna, believing there was a chance she was still struggling under the crowd. He was eventually told she had been taken to the hospital. He emotionally recalls: "Right when we get there, her family just starts crying really loudly. We are thinking they are still trying. It's not over yet. There's still an opportunity for her to be saved. Advertisement "Until they come back and they [said], 'We can't do anything.' Everyone just dropped to the floor. I just remember crying and feeling like this is the worst night of my life. I felt defeated." 'Stole my heart' 22 Rudy Pena was excited to see Travis Scott at Astroworld, but died in the tragedy Credit: Facebook/Rudy Peña 22 Raul, right, went to Astroworld with his friends, including Rudy Credit: Netflix 22 Rudy's mum and sister emotionally break down talking about his death Credit: Netflix Advertisement Raul and his friends, including Rudy Pena, 27, could hardly contain their excitement as they made their way to the main stage to watch Travis' set. In the film, he explains: "That's when it started getting pretty hectic. We lost each other." There was a clock counting down the minutes till Travis' big performance. With each passing minute, the crowd surged forward to get a closer look at the rapper. When the situation got worse, Raul says he could hear Rudy behind him saying he couldn't breathe. After assuring him to drink water and calm down, Raul thought all was well. Advertisement After the concert, Raul and his friends designated a meeting spot - but as all his mates gathered, one was missing. He recalls: "Everybody started getting there slowly, but Rudy. That was so strange to me because the whole time I had thought he got out safely. But he's the only one missing. "That's when I hit full panic." 22 Festival-goers desperately try to escape the crush Credit: ABC13 Advertisement 22 Chaotic scenes at the crowded venue Credit: ABC13 22 Ezra Blount, aged nine, was the youngest victim of the Astroworld disaster Credit: AP Their friend Manuel raced towards the emergency crews and ambulances without any sign of Rudy. He even started calling hospitals. One hospital said that Rudy was there. Manuel says in the film: "There was no information due to us not being family. So that's when I called Rudy's mum." Advertisement This was not a case of missing red flags. This was a case of ignoring blaring warning sirens. Scott Davidson, crowd safety expert Rudy's mum, Maria Pena, rushed to Houston to check on her son but, on arrival at the hospital, she was given the devastating news that Rudy had died. In the film, she tearfully says: "That's when I just lost it. I was screaming 'What am I gonna tell his siblings? What am I gonna tell his friends? What am I going to say to my heart, to my soul? "They stole my heart. They stole a part of my heart. I couldn't bear it. And I still can't." 'I'm gonna die here' 22 Tributes were left outside the venue in the wake of the tragedy Credit: Getty Advertisement 22 Sofia was in the crowd and believed she was going to die when she got trapped Credit: Netflix 22 Arturo Sanchez says he's grateful that Sofia saved his life Credit: Netflix As the crowd were frantically looking for an escape route, Sofia, who was celebrating getting her nursing certificate, was certain she would not make it out alive. She says in the film: "The crowd was swaying, and I was swaying with the crowd because of how tight it was. I had no control over my body. Advertisement "And I just remember thinking, 'Don't fall down because you won't make it back up. In the commotion, I lost my balance and fell on someone. And I just remember feeling pressure because people were falling on me. "I remember looking up and just being like, 'I'm gonna die here.' And then someone saw my hand and they helped me up. Travis Scott was still playing the whole time. I was shaking. "At this point, I was like, 'I need to be out there helping people because I'm a registered nurse. There was this guy on the floor. I do my assessment on him. "He has a pulse, but it's really faint. I grabbed his legs, and I just remember putting them up." Sofia heroically tried several methods to revive him. Advertisement Eventually, his heart started beating normally, and he regained consciousness, to Sofia's relief. That stranger was Arturo, who also appears in the film. He says: "I was practically being suffocated to death. What led up to me passing out was like a heart attack. The doctors had to really explain to me what had really happened. "And I was like 'Holy shit, she brought me back to life. She was there for me. God bless her.'" Advertisement Shocking failings 22 Scott Davidson says there were several failings during the planning of the event Credit: Reuters 22 "Blaring warning sirens" were ignored leading to the disaster, according to Davidson Credit: Netflix After the tragedy, Scott Davidson, a crowd safety expert, was hired by Live Nation, the entertainment giant in charge of the concert, to look into what happened. He says in the doc: "I was in receipt of a treasure trove of evidence. This was not a case of missing red flags. This was a case of ignoring blaring warning sirens. I was shocked by what I found." Advertisement He adds: "One thing that was different about Astroworld 2021 was that Travis had kept his own stage unused all day until his performance. "This meant thousands of concertgoers moved to his stage at the same time. Compounding this dangerous situation was the fact that the concertgoers were approaching the stage from the side, pushing into a T-shaped barrier system. "This was supposed to make the stage safer. But instead, its configuration created a trap on the left-hand side of the stage. And so the compression just built and built, where people could not escape." At 9:42pm, Travis stopped midway through a song after spotting a fan who had passed out. He said on stage: "Somebody help him. Somebody passed out right here. Hold on. Don't touch him. Everybody just back up." Advertisement He then called on security to offer assistance to the person. Travis stood motionless for a while, seemingly trying to figure out whether to carry on the show or pause. He then proceeded to perform again, to the shock of many who knew what was happening. Davidson adds: "Any key decision maker from police, fire, EMS, or Live Nation should have been able to very quickly initiate a show stop. "But what made it confusing was that, according to the event operations plan, there were only two people from Live Nation who had the delegated authority to stop the show." Advertisement According to cops, the managers in charge were nowhere to be found. Eventually, a manager went backstage to speak to the audio engineer, demanding that the show be shut down in eight minutes. Bizarrely, that didn't happen. In fact, Drake was invited on stage to join Travis. The decision was made by the police and Live Nation to give the concert more time. The police and organisers' response after the event was that they did not want to trigger crowd panic by stopping the show abruptly, despite the fact that people were dying. Advertisement Davidson says: "The idea of a performance continuing while even one CPR in progress is underway is insane. Unprecedented. Not to mention multiple. How could they make that decision?" 'Too late' 22 Davidson went through hours of video evidence and text messages to make sense of what happened Credit: Reuters 22 He says Live Nation sold many more tickets than they should have Credit: AP After trawling through several hours of video evidence, emails, and text messages, Davidson firmly believes that the tragedy was not an accident. Advertisement He says: "It was an inevitability due to the lack of foresight and the abandonment of basic safety protocols." Davidson says that Live Nation sold 50,000 tickets when the viewing capacity of Travis Scott's set was just 35,000. This means that many thousands more people were planned than could safely view the performance. Additionally, earlier in the day, thousands of people stormed security gates, making it impossible for authorities to determine who had a ticket. Advertisement Davidson believes this meant many more people were able to enter the venue. The idea that of a performance continuing while even one CPR in progress is underway is insane. Unprecedented. Not to mention multiple. How could they make that decision? Scott Davidson He says: "They knew this was going to be an issue. Not only was Travis' stage in danger of being over capacity. "This poorly designed site led to people approaching the stage from the side and getting trapped in an area where they were crushed, unable to breathe. "All ten fatalities were caused by compression asphyxiation in this area." Advertisement He also says that text messages showed that Live Nation was aware of the chaos as it unfolded, but failed to act before it was too late. Davidson adds: "In all the failures of Astroworld, a common denominator is the failure to speak truth to power. "There were many missed opportunities to speak up. Somebody to raise their hand up and say, 'Time out. This doesn't make sense. We're gonna hurt somebody'". After the second day of the festival was cancelled, Travis released an apology video, but critics slammed it, saying there was not enough responsibility taken. Advertisement He came under intense fire and lost several endorsement deals. There were also petitions asking that he be removed from future festivals. Later, in an interview with Charlamagne tha God, he denied ever hearing people begging for him to stop the show. He also said there was never any communication to end the show while he was on stage. Many backed his explanation, saying the responsibility lay with the managers backstage, not the artist. Advertisement Over 500 of lawsuits were filed against Travis, Live Nation, and other parties involved in organising the event. Hundreds of these lawsuits have now been settled, including those filed by families of nine of the ten victims who died. The terms of the settlement remain confidential. Despite the civil settlements, a grand jury in Texas declined to file criminal charges against Travis or any other party involved in the festival. In a statement, Live Nation denied they had oversold tickets saying: "The sellable capacity for the venue was set by SMG Global and approved by the Houston Fire Department (HFD) before tickets went on sale. Advertisement "The number of tickets sold and attendees on site did not exceed the approved capacity. HFD, SMG Global and the Houston Police Department (HPD) were aware of the event plans, which were developed in line with safety codes. "The Festival Safety & Risk Director and HPD representatives agreed to and executed an early show stop." Travis has now launched Project HEAL, aimed at supporting community-based programs and enhancing safety measures at large-scale events. 22 In an interview, Travis denied knowing that people were dying during his set Credit: Youtube/CThaGod Advertisement 22 Bharti Shahani, 22, was among those who lost their lives in the tragedy Credit: Bharti Shahani / gofundme
