Rio police investigate T4F after Swift fan death
Police in Brazil are investigating promoter Time for Fun (T4F) following the death of a Taylor Swift fan who fell ill in sweltering conditions at one of the singer’s Rio shows.
Ana Clara Benevides, 23, lost consciousness during Swift’s performance at Estádio Nilton Santos last Friday (17 November), which took place in the midst of Brazil’s record-breaking heatwave. She was rushed to hospital, where she died after suffering a reported cardiac arrest.
A spokesperson for the Civil Police Department of Rio de Janeiro says it is probing a possible “crime of endangering the life and health” of concert-goers, although the inquiry is not connected to Benevides’ death.
“Event organisers will be called to testify, and other steps are underway to investigate the facts,” reads the police’s statement, as per the Daily Mail.
Fans were reportedly prohibited from bringing their own water bottles into the venue, despite temperatures in Rio reaching 39.1°C on the day of the show, leading to criticism of the promoter, which said the ban was “a requirement made by public bodies”.
“We apologise to the people who didn’t have the best experience possible”
T4F implemented a special action plan for Swift’s remaining two Rio stadium gigs on 19-20 November, which passed off without major incident, offering free water at access points in and around the stadium and enhancing its medical provisions.
In a video posted on social media, the company’s CEO Serafim Abreu offered an apology to attendees “who didn’t have the best experience possible”.
“We know the enormous responsibility we have when organising an event of this size, which is why we spare no effort and resources to always follow the best global practices in the sector, to guarantee comfort and safety for everyone,” said Abreu, as per Brazilian publication Estadao.
“Still, we faced days of extreme heat in Rio de Janeiro, with extremely high and unprecedented thermal sensations. Yes, we recognise that we could have taken some alternative actions, in addition to all the others we have done, such as creating shaded areas in external areas, changing the times of previously scheduled shows and placing more emphasis on allowing entry with disposable water cups.
“We also understand that the entire sector needs to rethink its actions in light of this reality. We apologise to the people who didn’t have the best experience possible.”
“We understand the deep pain of this irreparable loss, we respect the family’s privacy and once again reinforce our willingness to collaborate”
Referencing Benevides’ death, he continued: “Unfortunately, for the first time in more than 40 years of operation, we have had a fatality at an event organised by Time For Fun. We are very saddened by the loss of young Ana Clara, despite the prompt care and all the efforts made by the medical teams at the event and at the hospital.
“To Ana Clara’s family, I want to express our most sincere feelings. I now publicly state our willingness to provide assistance in any way necessary, as we have already said directly to family members and to the lawyer who represents them, by telephone and in writing, since the incident.
“We understand the deep pain of this irreparable loss, we respect the family’s privacy and once again reinforce our willingness to collaborate.”
Swift will wrap up Eras‘ Brazilian leg this weekend with three T4F-presented concerts in São Paulo’s Allianz Parque from 24-26 November.
“For the shows at Allianz Parque, we follow the new position of the authorities,” added Abreu. “Flexible water bottles are allowed to enter, in addition to the disposable water cups that have always been released.”
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T4F implements action plan after Swift fan’s death
South American promoter Time for Fun (T4F) has implemented a spate of changes for Taylor Swift’s final Eras concerts in Rio de Janeiro following the death of a 23-year-old fan who fell ill while attending the singer’s show.
According to local media, Ana Clara Benevides Machado fainted during Swift’s performance at Estádio Nilton Santos on Friday in the midst of Brazil’s record-breaking heatwave. She was rushed to hospital, where she died after suffering a reported cardiac arrest.
“It’s with great sadness that we inform you about the death of Ana Clara Benevides Machado aged 23,” said T4F on social media. “Ana Clara felt unwell and was assisted by a team of emergency workers and paramedics, being taken to a medical centre at Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium so the first aid protocol could be applied.
“Given the situation, the medical team opted to transfer her to Salgado Filho Hospital. After nearly an hour of emergency assistance, she regrettably died. We send our most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Ana Clara Benevides.”
Temperatures reached 39.1 C in Rio on Friday, while Fortune reports that apparent temperature – a combination of temperature and humidity — hit 59 C that morning, the highest index ever recorded in the city.
T4F has been criticised by concert-goers and politicians in the wake of the tragedy as fans were banned from bringing their own water bottles into the venue. However, the promoter insisted yesterday that it had no say in the matter due to “a requirement made by public bodies”, and confirmed it was enforcing a special action plan for Swift’s remaining gigs on 19-20 November.
“The prohibition of bottles of water entering stadiums is a requirement made by public bodies”
“Given the forecast of an increase in the heat wave in the city of Rio de Janeiro, we inform you that we are reinforcing the special action plan carried out for the first day of the show, especially the provision of free water in the queues and at all accesses and entrances to the stadium and inside,” the firm told ticket-holders.
“New free water distribution points will be available to the public during the event. Entry to the stadium with sealed glasses of water and sealed processed food will also be permitted, with no limitation on items per person. We also emphasise that the prohibition of bottles of water entering stadiums is a requirement made by public bodies and that we do not sell drinks and food, this being a responsibility of the stadium administration.”
T4F said “about 200” extra employees would be added to the 1,230 staff already working on the dates for the last two shows, in addition to an enhanced emergency service presence.
“The medical care structure was reinforced, totalling eight available medical stations, eight ambulances and eight mobile ICUs,” it concluded.
Swift postponed her scheduled Saturday concert (20 November) to tonight as a result of the “extreme temperatures” and returned to the stage last night for her second of three nights at the 70,000-cap stadium. She will wrap up Eras‘ Brazilian leg this weekend with three concerts in São Paulo’s Allianz Parque from 24-26 November.
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Live Nation takes control of Lollapalooza Brazil
Lollapalooza Brazil will no longer be produced and promoted by South America’s leading live entertainment company T4F (Time For Fun).
T4F’s ten-year partnership with Lollapalooza Brazil came to an end after last weekend’s 2023 instalment in São Paulo, headlined by Billie Eilish, Blink 182, Tame Impala, Rosalía and Lil Nas X.
From 2024, the festival will be managed by C3 Presents (promoter of the Lollapalooza franchise) and Rock City (the company behind Rock in Rio) – both of which are majority owned by Live Nation.
According to a statement from T4F, Live Nation enlisted Rock City in a bid to centralise the operation of all its festivals in Brazil.
In addition to Rock in Rio, Rock City is also organising a new 105,000-capacity festival called The Town, set to take place in the same location as Lollapalooza Brazil this September.
“Our partnership with Lollapalooza Brazil has revolutionised the festival market in our country”
Commenting on the end of the partnership, T4F founder and CEO Fernando Alterio, says: “Our partnership with Lollapalooza Brazil has revolutionised the festival market in our country. We are very proud of the path we have travelled together and for having transformed LollaBR into a brand loved by Brazilians.
“It was a pleasure to lead this brand and contribute to its success and growth. I thank Perry Farrell, creator of the festival, Charlie Walker and Charles Attal, managers of C3 Presents, with whom we have always had a professional relationship, but also one of friendship and respect. I wish them and Lollapalooza Brazil success in this new model.
“Time For Fun will continue with an intense performance in the festival sector. In addition to its own brands, the company, which has solid credibility with the national and international market, will establish new partnerships and collaborate with the construction and consolidation of other events and brands dear to the Brazilian public.”
The Lollapalooza brand has grown to eight countries on four continents, including editions in the US, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, France, Sweden and India.
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T4F sells stock-car biz to focus on music
Time for Fun (T4F Entertainment) has sold its shareholdings in Vicar Sports Promotions, the promoter of Brazil’s popular Stock Car and Stock Car Light racing series, to focus on its core live music business.
Sao Paulo-based T4F is South America’s leading live entertainment company, promoting shows and festivals and running venues in Brazil and Argentina. It has been in control of the Nascar-inspired Stock Car series since 2006.
The sale of Vicar, to Veloci Investments, is “aligned to the company’s strategic planning in order to increase its efforts to the promotion of major music festivals and live concerts, as well as family events and theatre”, according to T4F’s CFO, André Pinheiro Veloso. T4F’s festivals include Lollapalooza Brazil and Popload Festival.
The proceeds will reinforce Time for Fun’s cash position, he adds.
Similarly to other public live entertainment businesses, T4F saw its turnover decline 98% in the second quarter of 2020 as touring ground to a halt.
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Kylie, Little Mix to play all-female T4F festival
LittleBrazil’s Time For Fun (T4F), the largest live entertainment company in South America, is launching GRLS!, a new two-day festival celebrating the role of women in music.
Kylie Minogue and Little Mix are heading up the event’s all-female line-up, which also features US rapper Tierra Whack and Brazilian acts Linn da Quebrada, Gaby Amarantos and Mulamba.
Curated by Brazilian music platform Popload, GRLS! is taking place on 7 and 8 March – International Women’s Day – at the Latin American Memorial in São Paulo.
Talks, lectures and workshops focusing on the role of women in culture will also form part of the event’s programming.
“Our main goal was to design a festival made by women and non-binaries, that would also lead to an all-gender debate about the role and representation of women in our culture”
“Our main goal was to design a festival made by women and non-binaries, that would also lead to an all-gender debate about the role and representation of women in our culture,” explains Paola Wescher, T4F artistic director and Popload partner.
“Women always have to try harder, impose themselves more and achieve more to be respected. We have many strong women in all sectors of the music industry, both on stage and behind the scenes, making everything happen. We want to amplify these voices and be a milestone in this regard.”
More information can be found here.
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