The UK’s Boardmasters has enhanced security measures for next year’s festival after a crowd crush took place at this summer’s event.

Held in Newquay, Cornwall, from 7-11 August, the 2024 event featured acts such as Chase & Status, Sam Fender and Stormzy, backed by Courteeners, Becky Hill, The Streets, Leftfield, Tom Odell, Nia Archives, Declan McKenna, Maisie Peters, Cat Burns and Mahalia.

The “isolated incident” took place on the Superstruct-backed festival’s The Point stage on Friday (9 August) during a performance by DJ Sammy Virji, whose set was cancelled and the stage closed temporarily as a result.

The festival later confirmed that seven festivalgoers had to be taken to hospital and the council launched a formal investigation into what happened.

Boardmasters has confirmed it is boosting security personnel to “crowd and behaviour management positions” by 20% for the 2025 event

The festival’s capacity had been increased from 53,000 to 58,000 this year after its licensing application was partially accepted by the local council.

Now, Boardmasters has confirmed it is boosting security personnel to “crowd and behaviour management positions” by 20% for the 2025 event taking place between 6-10 August.

The festival will have 25 more entry lanes which organisers said would enable deeper searches of visitors’ belongings, 25% more watchtowers manned 24-hours a day, and 50% increase in high-visibility security patrols.

The festival has also brought in numerous other changes based on feedback from attendees, including an increase in the number of Wi-Fi hotspots in both the arena and campsites and a ‘chilled’ campsite with an 11 pm noise curfew. They have added that further updates will be issued in due course.

Next year’s Boardmasters line-up has not yet been confirmed.

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Enhanced security measures will be in place for Coldplay’s imminent Austrian residency at Austria’s Ernst Happel Stadium – the first concerts to take place at the venue since the cancellation of Taylor Swift’s three Eras shows.

Coldplay are bringing their Music of the Spheres Tour to Vienna this week for an unprecedented four-night run on 21-22 & 24-25 August. Support will come from Maggie Rogers and Oska.

Swift was due to perform at the 60,000-cap stadium from 8-10 August, only for the shows to be called off after a suspected terror plot was uncovered.

Der Standard reports the Coldplay dates will feature a large police presence, including officers in uniform and plain clothes, as well as special units and extensive video and aerial surveillance.

Large exclusion zones will be set up around the stadium before and during the band’s performances, with access and entry controls to be carried out around the site. Fans have been told to allow extra time for their journeys in the expectation of longer waiting times and increased bag checks. Security on public transport is also being stepped up.

Music of the Spheres’ sold-out 2024 European leg concludes next week in Ireland with four nights at Dublin’s Croke Park

A statement from Vienna Police reads: “To ensure that the events run smoothly and, above all, safely, comprehensive police security measures have been taken. The Vienna Police will be represented by several hundred officers around the stadium on the days of the concert – including uniformed officers, civilian officers and members of various special units.

“Traffic barriers and locks for approaching vehicles will be set up in the vicinity, which will be manned by police officers with special equipment. As with all such events, access controls will be carried out by the organiser’s security service.”

The concerts are being organised by Live Nation and Leutgeb Entertainment Group.

Music of the Spheres‘ sold-out 2024 European leg concludes next week in Ireland with four nights at Dublin’s Croke Park on 29-30 August & 1-2 September, before rolling on to Australia and New Zealand in October/November.

This month saw the outing crowned as the biggest rock tour of all time, having grossed $945.7 million and sold 8.8 million tickets since launching in March 2022, according to Billboard Boxscore. The quartet also recently broke records in Finland by playing to more than 178,000 people across four sold-out nights at Helsinki’s Olympic Stadium.

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AI-assisted video surveillance was tested at concerts by French police ahead of their deployment at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.

The authorities tested six AI-enabled cameras at Depeche Mode’s two-night stand at Accor Arena earlier this year in the run-up to the 2024 Paris Olympics, which will be held from 26 July to 11 August.

Biometric Update reports the system runs on software platform Cityvision, developed by Paris-based Wintics, with the tools trained to detect eight types of suspicious or potentially dangerous activity.

According to the Telegraph, weapons, fire, bodies on the ground and abandoned packages will send alerts to surveillance operators, as will crowd behaviours including mass movement, trespassing in restricted zones, overcrowding and traffic that goes against the flow, abandoned packages, weapons, a body on the ground and fire.

Once an incident has been flagged, operators will decide whether or not to alert authorities and request police action.

The French parliament passed a law in May last year authorising the use of AI for the security of sporting and recreational events following the chaotic pre-match crowd management scenes that marred the 2022 UEFA Champions League Final at the Stade de France. However, the law bans the use of algorithmic facial recognition.

“Algorithmic video surveillance is inherently dangerous biometric technology”

The measures have raised the ire of privacy group Quadrature du Net, which says: “Algorithmic video surveillance is inherently dangerous biometric technology. Accepting it opens the way to the worst surveillance tools.”

ASM Global announced a partnership with Evolv Technology, a leader in weapons detection security screening, in 2022. ASM’s AO Arena (cap. 21,000) in Manchester became the first arena in Europe to use AI-based threat detection screening system, Evolv Express, to screen guests as they arrive at the arena for events, without the need to stop or remove items from their pockets or policy-compliant bags.

Madison Square Garden Company previously caused controversy in 2022 when it emerged it was using facial recognition technology to prevent anyone who works for a firm that is suing it from entering its venues.

The ban covered venues including New York’s Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the Beacon Theatre and the Chicago Theatre.

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The embassies of three Western countries have warned citizens against attending an African music festival, amid a heightened terror threat.

East Africa’s biggest electronic music festival, Nyege Nyege is taking place in the city of Jinja, Uganda, from 9-12 November. Organised by Talent Africa Group, the event has been dubbed the “Tomorrowland of Africa” and is popular with international visitors who reportedly made up 5,000 of its 12,000 festival-goers last year.

However, the US and Irish embassies in Kampala, along with the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), have urged people to stay away from this weekend’s eighth edition.

“Due to increased terrorist activity, US Embassy Kampala recommends that individuals exercise an elevated degree of caution and reconsider attendance at upcoming large public gatherings, such as large-scale worship services and music and cultural festivals in Kampala and Jinja,” reads a travel alert.

“The US Embassy is directing its staff to not attend the Nyege Nyege festival in Jinja from November 9-12, 2023. Due to security concerns, we advise US citizens not attend the festival.”

According to Africa News, the warnings follow a number of deadly attacks in recent months in Uganda, attributed to Democratic Republic of Congo-based rebels, who have pledged allegiance to Islamic State.

Three people – including two honeymooning tourists – died in an attack in Queen Elizabeth National Park in Western Uganda on 17 October, while 42 people, including 37 pupils, were killed at a secondary school in June.

“There is a growing terror threat in Uganda, including targeting of foreigners”

“There is a growing terror threat in Uganda, including targeting of foreigners,” says the FCDO. “Avoid large gatherings, including large scale worship, and music and cultural festivals in Uganda.”

The British High Commission has advised against all but essential travel due to the “growing terror threat in Uganda, including the targeting of foreigners”, while the Irish Embassy has also issued a warning, with reference to “music and cultural festivals in Uganda”.

Uganda’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rebecca Kadaga, played down safety concerns during a tour of the festival venue, reports The Independent.

“The president has requested me to assure you that all the major events in Jinja – starting with this one… are fully secure,” she said, adding that senior military and police officers had been deployed to oversee security at the festival.

A record label, booking agency and music studio also operate under the Nyege Nyege umbrella. Artists and DJ’s performing at this year’s event include Kampire, Aunty Rayzor, Menzi, Mika Oki, Rosa Pistola, Afrorack, Meme, Model Home and Karol Kasita. A four-day festival pass costs US$180.

The Ugandan parliament banned the festival, which was first held in 2015, in 2022, accusing it of “promoting immorality”, but later reversed the decision.

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UK trade body LIVE is calling on the government to revise anti-terror measures for venues after proposed legislation was included in the King’s Speech.

In his first address to both Houses of Parliament since becoming monarch, King Charles yesterday (7 November) outlined the laws government ministers intended to pass in the year ahead, including to “protect public premises from terrorism in light of the Manchester Arena attack”.

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill – also known as Protect Duty – has been dubbed ‘Martyn’s Law’ in tribute of Martyn Hett, who was killed alongside 21 others in the bombing following an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena on 22 May 2017.

It will require venues to take steps to improve public safety, with measures dependent on the size of the venue and the activity taking place. Penalties for non-compliance would range from fines to permanent closure and criminal sanctions.

However, following pre-legislative scrutiny of the bill earlier this year, the Home Affairs Committee warned that it would “place a significant and disproportionate burden on smaller venues” in its current form, while “failing to ensure adequate safety measures at all public events at risk of terror attacks”.

LIVE, the voice of the UK’s live music and entertainment business, argues the draft legislation has been “rushed through the pre-legislative scrutiny stage and lacks any thorough impact assessment, which risks leaving the bill in a sub-optimal state. Not least in the treatment of grey space in public areas outside of venues and events”.

“The live music sector fully supports cooperative efforts to make venues as safe as possible for fans,” says LIVE CEO Jon Collins. “Venues and festivals throughout the country are already working extensively with relevant authorities and continuously review security arrangements.

“Government must urgently redesign the bill to ensure it is workable, places no disproportionate burdens on venues”

“We share the assessment of the Home Affairs Committee which identified serious concerns about the proportionality of the bill and a range of unfinished provisions. The committee’s report vindicated our members’ view that the draft bill is impractical, misses its core aim, and, through the excessive penalties it proposes, would create existential risk for live music venues.

“Government must urgently redesign the bill to ensure it is workable, places no disproportionate burdens on venues and crucially delivers greater reassurance and safety for concertgoers.

“We will continue to engage with government and parliamentarians to ensure the bill is appropriately revised and strengthened as it goes through parliament.”

Under the current plans, a standard tier will apply to locations with a maximum capacity of over 100. This will include training, information sharing and completion of a preparedness plan to embed practices, such as locking doors to delay attackers’ progress or knowledge on lifesaving treatments that can be administered by staff while awaiting emergency services.

Locations with a capacity of over 800 people will additionally be required to undertake a risk assessment to inform the development and implementation of a thorough security plan. Subsequent measures could include developing a vigilance and security culture, implementation of physical measures like CCTV or new systems and processes to enable better consideration of security.

The Manchester Arena Inquiry, led by chairman Sir John Saunders, published the final of three reports about the bombing earlier this year, concluding that security services missed a “significant” opportunity to take action that could have prevented the attack.

The second inquiry into the attack, published in November 2022, made a series of recommendations for events after identifying numerous failings by the emergency services, while the first report, published in June 2021, which found there were multiple “missed opportunities” to prevent or minimise the impact of the bombing.

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Sweden has banned bags at major events such as large concerts and festivals in response to the heightened terror threat in the country.

The Swedish Police Agency says the total bag ban, which also includes sporting events, is “based on the current situation in society and the fact that the terror threat level is a four”.

The move follows the fatal shooting of two Swedish football fans last month in Brussels, three miles from the King Baudoin Stadium, in an apparent terror attack before Sweden’s Euro 2024 qualifier in Belgium.

“It is a concrete measure that will limit the possibilities of bringing objects that could pose a danger to people visiting an event,” says Per Engström, section manager for coordination at Sweden’s national operational department.

Live music trade body Svensk Live has contacted the police to establish what they mean by “larger events” in connection with the bag ban.

“By ‘larger events’, the police mean that they are events such as arena concerts or similar”

“By ‘larger events’, the police mean that they are events such as arena concerts or similar, but add that individual assessments are made where the organiser in dialogue with the police must make an assessment,” the organisation tells its members. “This means that we recommend organisers to get in touch with their respective contacts at the police to find out what applies to you. The decision has been made to avoid serious crime.”

Exceptions may be made for people who need to bring a bag into a public event for medical reasons.

The Swedish Security Service raised the terrorist threat level in August alert following a spate of Quran burnings in Sweden, which sparked protests in Muslim countries.

“Sweden has gone from being considered a legitimate target to a prioritised target for terrorist attacks,” said prime minister Ulf Kristersson at the time. “Safeguarding the freedom, safety and security of Swedish citizens – in Sweden and abroad – is the government’s single most important task. We defend our open society against those who threaten it, and we stand up for our democratic values, but we also protect ourselves.”

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Concerns have been raised over the safety of UK concert-goers after a BBC investigation found that some security guards have been fraudulently obtaining work licences after attending sham training courses.

An undercover reporter for the broadcaster’s File on 4 podcast discovered that some training companies are offering ‘fast-track’ courses which don’t comply with regulations. The reporter paid extra to finish a mandatory six-day course in a day and a half, thus missing crucial first-aid training.

The report also reveals how candidates are told to falsify time sheets and are given the answers to multiple-choice questions to ensure they pass and enable them to work in arenas, nightclubs and other venues across the UK.

The investigation was prompted by the inquiry into the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, which identified a number of security failures.

“I strongly encourage the SIA to reconsider their current process for accrediting training providers”

Regulator the Security Industry Authority (SIA) told the broadcaster that the findings suggested criminality. It added that it was now working with the organisations which oversee these training companies to further investigate the BBC’s evidence, and would be referring the matter to the police.

Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) CEO Michael Kill expresses his “deep disappointment and concern” over the accounts shared by the BBC, and is urging the SIA to amend its current process.

“The door security sector has, for a considerable period, raised questions concerning security training, from the point of facilitation, accessibility and content. The necessary qualifications for obtaining an SIA License to work within the sector have been overshadowed by a small number of unscrupulous training operators.

“In light of the compelling evidence presented by the BBC today, I strongly encourage the SIA to reconsider their current process for accrediting training providers. This is a pivotal moment to revamp the system and restore public trust in the sector.”

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Houston police has published its full report on the 2021 Astroworld tragedy.

Ten concertgoers, aged between nine and 27, died following a crowd surge during Travis Scott’s headline set at the 50,000-cap festival, promoted by Live Nation and Austin-based Scoremore, at Houston’s NRG Park, Texas in November 2021. All of those who died suffered from compression asphyxia.

The 1,266-page report includes details of multiple witness interviews, including Scott and special guest Drake, as well as a timeline of events on the night.

“Travis stated that towards the middle/end of the show, just before the guest (Drake) took the stage, he was instructed to end the show after he (Drake) was done,” says the report. “He stated that normally if it was something drastic, someone would have to come hit the button or pull the plug.”

According to the document, Scott was later told: “Yo Trav, you got to wrap it up, it’s getting kinda hectic out there,” via his earpiece, but was not informed of the severity of the situation.

Drake told police it was difficult to see any crowd problems from his vantage point due there being “a lot of lights”

Drake told police it was difficult to see any crowd problems from his vantage point due there being “a lot of lights”, adding, “he was also focusing on his foot placement because he was concerned about his knee which he had recently had surgery”.

The report also reveals text messages sent by security contractor Reece Wheeler to a colleague, Shawna Boardman, which said: “Stage right of main is getting crushed. This is bad. Pull tons over the rail unconscious. There’s panic in people eyes. This could get worse quickly.”

In subsequent messages, Wheeler warned “someone’s going to end up dead”.

“I would pull the plug but that’s just me,” he said. “I know they’ll try to fight through it but I would want it on the record that I didn’t advise this to continue. Someone’s going to end up dead.”

Boardman’s attorneys said that she realised Wheeler “was wrong in his assessment”, and went to the area to make sure it was populated with the correct staff.

It was confirmed last month that no criminal charges will be filed over the tragedy

“She saw paramedics, police officers, security guards, and no unconscious people,” continues the report. “Shawna did not see any panic and saw a strong police presence. She said police were taking pictures of the show with their phones which reflected the matter as not extremely dangerous or a sense of emergency.”

Boardman did not relay information in Wheeler’s text to anyone else. “She did not reply to him. He does not get on the
radio or tell anyone else,” it adds.

It was confirmed last month that no criminal charges will be filed over the tragedy after a grand jury issued six no-bills related to the deaths. Jurors declined to charge Scott (real name Jaques Webster II), festival manager Brent Silberstein, John Junell of Live Nation, security planners Boardman and Seyth Boardman of Contemporary Services Corporation, and Emily Ockenden, formerly of event production company BWG, after reviewing all the evidence.

“It is tragic that 10 innocent people were killed while trying to enjoy an evening of music and entertainment, something many of us do routinely and without a second thought to our safety,” said Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg. “But a tragedy isn’t always a crime, and not every death is a homicide.”

The decision has no bearing on the pending civil lawsuits relating to the case.

A US taskforce made a series of recommendations on how to improve concert safety in response to the disaster last year.

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AEG Presents and Just for Laughs (JFL) have apologised after security dragged two acts from the stage at The O2 in London after the show they were performing ran late.

Chortle reports that comedian Jazz Emu and host Zach Zucker were forcibly removed from the stage of the venue’s Spiegeltent during the comedy festival’s inaugural UK edition earlier this month. The incident took place two weeks ago but was not reported at the time.

“On Friday 3 March at the Stamptown event at Just For Laughs London, there was an attempt to remove one of the artists from the stage, due to the event running significantly past curfew,” says a statement by co-organisers AEG and JFL.

“This is not usual protocol for events at The O2, or events conducted by AEG Presents or Just For Laughs”

“We sincerely apologise to the artists and fans present for any distress caused. This is not usual protocol for events at The O2, or events conducted by AEG Presents or Just For Laughs. We have reached out to Jazz Emu’s team to apologise and address this directly.”

AEG announced a collaboration with JFL, the world’s largest comedy festival, held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada each July, in January 2022.

Just For Laughs London debuted from 2-5 March at various venues across The O2 complex, headlined by Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds. It is intended to become an annual event at the venue.

Just for Laughs Group was acquired in 2018 by an investor group led by ICM Partners and its longtime client, Canadian comedian and actor Howie Mandel.

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The final volume of three inquiries into the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing has concluded that security services missed a “significant” opportunity to take action that could have prevented the attack.

The Manchester Arena Inquiry, led by chairman Sir John Saunders, today published the third of three reports about the bombing, which killed 22 people at an Ariana Grande concert on 22 May 2017.

In the 226-page report, Sir John detailed his findings and recommendations on radicalisation and preventability, including looking at whether MI5 and counter-terror police could have stopped the bomber Salman Abedi carrying out the attack.

He said the reasons for the significant missed opportunity included a failure by a security service officer to act swiftly enough.

“I have found a significant missed opportunity to take action that might have prevented the attack,” he says. “It is not possible to reach any conclusion on the balance of probabilities or to any other evidential standard, as to whether the attack would have been prevented.

“However, there was a realistic possibility that actionable intelligence could have been obtained which might have led to action preventing the attack. The reason for this missed opportunity included a failure by the security service, in my view, to act swiftly enough.”

“Gathering covert intelligence is difficult – but had we managed to seize the slim chance we had, those impacted might not have experienced such appalling loss and trauma”

The inquiry also identified problems with the sharing of information between the security service and counter terrorism policing, although “none of these problems is likely to have had any causative significance”.

In response to the report, MI5 director general Ken McCallum says he is “profoundly sorry” the intelligence service did not prevent the attack.

“The terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena was a terrible tragedy,” says McCallum. “The bomber killed 22 innocent people and harmed many others. My thoughts are with the families and friends of those killed, and with all those whose lives were changed by this appalling act of terrorism.

“Having examined all the evidence, the chair of the inquiry has found that ‘there was a realistic possibility that actionable intelligence could have been obtained which might have led to actions preventing the attack.’ I deeply regret that such intelligence was not obtained. Gathering covert intelligence is difficult – but had we managed to seize the slim chance we had, those impacted might not have experienced such appalling loss and trauma. I am profoundly sorry that MI5 did not prevent the attack.”

“Since the terrible events of 2017 we have made more than 100 improvements. But we are determined to do more”

He continues: “The people of MI5 and our policing partners come to work every day to stop terrorism. We continually work to improve the counter-terrorism system; since the terrible events of 2017 we have made more than 100 improvements. But we are determined to do more. As the chair now considers his recommendations, we will engage fully.

“Where there are opportunities to strengthen the UK’s defences further, MI5 will act. We will continue to do everything in our power to keep our country safe from hidden threats. MI5 exists to stop atrocities. To all those whose lives were forever changed on that awful night: I am so sorry that MI5 did not prevent the attack at the Manchester Arena.”

The second inquiry into the attack, published in November 2022, made a series of recommendations for events after identifying numerous failings by the emergency services.

The inquiry heard that firefighters did not arrive at the venue until two hours after the explosion, only one paramedic entered the scene in the first 40 minutes. Greater Manchester Police did not declare a major incident for more than two hours.

It concluded that injuries suffered by one of the victims – 28-year-old John Atkinson – were survivable but for “inadequacies” in the emergency response, and found that the venue’s then event healthcare provider Emergency Training UK (ETUK) “had not adequately prepared to deal with a major incident response”.

Among Sir John’s 149 recommendations within the report were that “a standard should be set for the level of event healthcare services that are required for any particular event”.

The latest findings also follow the first report, published in June 2021, which found there were multiple “missed opportunities” to prevent or minimise the impact of the bombing.

The report, which looked into security arrangements at the arena on the night of the bombing, concluded that the bomber should have been identified as a threat on the night of the attack.

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