A concert by Calgary Stampede headed by the hip-hop superstar Don Toliver has raised security concerns among the attendees, and some wondered if the artist, who currently has more than 35 million monthly listeners on the Spotify transmission platform, was too popular for a free show in a relatively small place.
Houston’s rapper took the stage on Tuesday night on the Coca-Cola stage of Calgary Stampede, which offers outdoor courtesy concerts included in Stampede’s admission.
Serena Freitas said she needed security help to get out of the crowd for her own security after the rapper’s first songs.
“I was too full and too aggressive … I stopped being able to breathe quite fast,” he told CBC News.
Freitas said he had spent 11 hours in front of the Coca-Cola stage waiting for Toliver’s performance before he arrives at 9:30 pm
“A recipe for disaster,” says Concert Goer
As an avid fan of the rapper, she knew that the concert would be “really full”, but that the situation quickly got out when he took the stage.
“I’ve never had to be retired from a concert in my life,” said Freitas, who shared images of his experience In Tiktok.
Known for its energetic music, Toliver has launched multiple Platinum songs certified by Riaa including successful records After the party and Without idea.
After heading sands worldwide on its 2024-2025 tour of North America and Europe, the announcement of Toliver’s free performance in Calgary was a surprise for fans.
“Having a fairly large artist, in a free show, in a smaller place is a kind of recipe for disaster,” said concert assistant Elise Pigeon to CBC News.
Fan says he was ‘crushed’ by the crowd
Pigeon was one of the many people who attended the concert, who also presented performances by R&B singers Tinashe and Charlotte Day Wilson.
Further back in the crowd, Ereyka Alfarero said the experience was a “nightmare” for her.
“Literally, he was being crushed,” he said. “I have 5’2 … I’m just trying to survive.”
Alfarero said he had already seen Toliver act three times, so he quickly decided to leave shortly after the rapper took the stage, although it was difficult.
“I was dragged to the front by people pushing and pulling, and there was no way out,” said Alfarero.
There is no word about injuries
The images of social networks seem to show some attendees to the concert who fight to move or leave during the presentation, while other videos present people who have fun, singing and dancing.
There is no information about any current injury of officials.
Aaron Paramedical offers medical services waiting at Calgary Stampede. According to the company’s president, Scott Wardley, there were eight to 10 employees assigned only to the Coca-Cola stage.
You could not contact Toliver representatives to comment before the publication.
Stampede says that the concert ‘was a great success’
Kerrie Blizard, director of Public Security at Calgary Stampede, said during a media availability on Wednesday that the concert “was a great success.”
“The concert had great assistance last night and it is no level of assistance that we do not anticipate,” he said.
To handle the size of the early crowd, An alternative visualization location For the concert it was installed elsewhere, with a live broadcast of the concert that offers a “relaxed atmosphere” compared to Mosh Pits of Coca-Cola Stage.
Blizard said that the crowd’s footage shows that “there was a wide space for people to dance and move,” and that “when we listened to the comments of fans who left at the end of the night, most of what we heard was very positive.”
She said that Stampede Park as a whole “has no assigned capacity” for the number of visitors he appreciates. According to Calgary Stampede, 193,033 people were in the park on Tuesday.
The police “aware of the concerns” before the show
Five hours before Toliver was scheduled to get on stage, the police addressed concerns about the event In a publication on social networks Tuesday afternoon.
“We are aware of the concerns that circulate on social networks with respect to the size of the crowd that is expected for Coca’s performance -Cake Stage in Calgary Stampede,” said the statement, which also described the steps to stay safe.
Police officers joined Calgary Stampede security personnel to help manage the crowd.
During the availability of the media on Wednesday, the stampede incident commander of the Calgary Police Service, Scott Campbell, declined to comment on the safety of the concert.
He pointed out that the officers responded to medical incidents during the show and “arrested and expelled” a person for “climbing a structure during the concert.”
Campbell added that “there is no indication” of a stabbing on Tuesday night, which left three seriously injured people, “it has something to do with the concert.”
