Live Nation Must Answer to Congress About Its Role in the Planning of the Astroworld Festival

After 10 people died and hundreds were injured at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival, Congress wants answers from the promotion company behind the show’s planning.

According to ABC News, a congressional committee started an inquiry into the promoter of the Astroworld music festival in Houston last month on Nov. 5. On Wednesday, a letter was sent to Live Nation Entertainment Inc.’s president and CEO, Michael Rapino, from the House Oversight and Reform Committee.

The correspondence seeks information about Live Nation’s role in the Nov. 5 festival and concert by hip-hop entertainer and businessman Travis Scott.

“Recent reports raise serious concerns about whether your company took adequate steps to ensure the safety of the 50,000 concertgoers who attended Astroworld Festival,” stated the Committee in the letter.

The Committee wants Live Nation to furnish documentation on the questions before Jan. 7 and requests that the company brief committee members by Jan. 12.

In the documentation, the House Oversight and Reform Committee requested details about security, crowd control, and mass casualty incident planning and information on any pre-show briefings by Live Nation or its subsidiaries on any safety concerns. They are also seeking the steps the concert promoter intends to prevent injuries or deaths at future events.

In a written statement, Live Nation said: “We are assisting local authorities in their investigation and will of course share information with the Committee as well. Safety is core to live events and Live Nation engages in detailed security planning in coordination with local stakeholders including law enforcement, fire and EMT professionals. We are heartbroken by the events at Astroworld and our deepest sympathies go out to the families and friends of the victims.”

Ten people died while attending the first night of Scott’s Astroworld festival, which was in its third year. Several hundred people were injured from a stampede as Scott performed on stage. Reuters reported that the Houston Police Department opened a criminal investigation.

Presently, there are more than 300 lawsuits filed in Houston, and they all will be consolidated and heard by one judge. The Houston Police Department is conducting an ongoing criminal investigation. No one has been charged, and no timetable has been set for the completion of the investigation.