Three Dozen People Hospitalized During Avicii Concert In Boston
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Three dozen people were transported to the hospital and as many as 50 others were treated or evaluated at the scene during an electronic dance music show in Boston featuring Swedish disc jockey Avicii, whose next show is this weekend in Brooklyn.
No one appeared to have life-threatening injuries, Boston EMS Deputy Superintendent Mike Bosse said, blaming alcohol and drug use for the problems at the Wednesday night show at the TD Garden. Some concertgoers also blamed oppressive heat inside the arena.
"It was crazy, they dragged like four people out," one person said. "I don't know they might be drunk, might be molly, don't know."
"There was one kid, it took four cops to get him down, he was on something," another person said.
All of those transported and treated appeared to be between 16 and 25 years old, he said.
Avicii is one of the hottest music acts in the world, but trouble has been following him on tour.
In September, two young people died from drugs at the Electric Zoo Music Festival on Randalls Island. Avicii was among the headliners, which also included Diplo, David Guetta, Steve Aoki and Armin Van Buuren.
He was also one of the headliners at the Electric Daisy Carnival festival in Las Vegas last weekend where two concertgoers died and hundreds more needed medical attention. Police said nearly 800 people were treated for medical conditions and 25 were hospitalized during the three-night electronic music event, which featured pulsing lights, Ferris wheels, seven stages of music and other DJs including Diplo, Afrojack and Tiesto.
After Wednesday night's incident, Avicii, whose real name is Tim Bergling, reacted on Twitter saying, "Just hearing the awful news abt tonight. Its a terrible thing, I rly hope everyone is ok! My thoughts go to those affected & their families."
Avicii will be performing Saturday night at Barclays Center and the venue told CBS 2's Tony Aiello it will be enforcing its age restriction of 18 years and older by checking IDs.
The venue said it will also be increasing its security screenings, including the use of drug-sniffing dogs, as well as its medical staffing.
Robert Settle is an Avicii fan and said drugs such as "molly" are a big part of the electronic music scene.
"They are meant to enhance your experience of the music, the lights, the atmosphere. (That's the theory?) Yeah, that's the theory," he said.
"It's just been too druggy honestly. (Do you like the music?) The music's alright, the scene is what I'm not a fan of honestly," said Jay Ackerman, of Rockville Centre.
Both the FDNY and NYPD would not comment on any plans to increase their presence outside the arena.
Earlier this week, an Avicii concert scheduled for the Fourth of July on Governor's Island was canceled due to logistical concerns with the big fireworks show scheduled on the same night.
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