When Acolytes Attack
by Sean Carolan

Los Angeles, September 3. According to published reports, a crowd estimated to measure somewhere between 7,000 and 10,000 people converged on a parking lot hoping to catch a free show by System Of A Down. Fire officials, obviously concerned about safety should the parking lot catch fire (as they so often do) decided that the crowd was too large and cancelled the concert. The crowd rampaged, looting the band's equipment and causing a general state of chaos, which was probably exacerbated by riot police. Finger pointing has commenced.

So, who was in the wrong? I'm gonna go out on a limb here, and answer "everybody".

The promoter thought, "Yeah, we'll put up a fence, and that'll keep everyone but the first 3500 people out." That's what they thought at Woodstock, guys ('69 and '99.) Those who forget history are sometimes doomed, period.

The band thought, "Yeah, our record's at the top of the charts, if we show up in a parking lot and start playing, with only the radio stations that play our record announcing we'll be out there, it'll be manageable." Now they get to blame everyone while their equipment gets replaced.

The crowd thought, "No music?!? I am filled with rage! Down with the man!" Which of course meant they had to trash their favorite band's equipment. Howzabout we stop being so conformingly non-conformist and write a letter to the editor or something instead, hanh?

The police thought "The people in this crowd are filled with rage! We must shoot them with tear gas and rubber bullets!" And another year's riot gear budget is justified.

There were some folks in the crowd who didn't really win in the end, but managed to come out ahead by thinking, "Hmm, things are scary. I must leave this place right now." Sometimes, you've just gotta play to not lose.

The winners? The news media, relieved at not having to bother to report another shark attack.

Lessons learned? Probably not. Promoters and entourages are prone to doing dumb things that seemed like a good idea at the time.

And that, my friends, is rock 'n' roll.

©2001 Sean Carolan