Sadly, another summer’s worth of rock and Heavy Metal music festivals in the UK has come to an end.
One of the prime annual outdoor events in this genre is Download Festival — owned and managed by Live Nation — which takes place across three days at Donington Park in the East Midlands.
The 2013 gathering was no exception to that rule. Running from 14-16 June, main stage headline acts Iron Maiden, Slipknot, and Rammstein played to thousands of enthusiastic gig-goers. Not surprisingly, the management logistics underpinning Download are as extensive and wide-ranging as they are necessarily detailed, not least when it comes to the security and safety arrangements.
Speaking on site on Saturday 15 June, Mark Harding — Showsec’s managing director — told IFSECGlobal.com:
Download is a very special event with one of the best crowds you’ll see. We always have to be mindful of change when pre-planning for the show. For example, this year the topography for the event has altered and, for the first time, we’re also looking after the campsite security, a considerable extra undertaking. Across the venue we want to see tight security balanced with a necessity for peoples’ freedom of movement.
As in years gone by, Showsec’s commitment to Download was a rolling 12-month affair, with pre-planning talks having begun almost before the last swathe of metal fans exited the arena in 2012. On site in 2013 were no less than 1,400 Security Industry Authority-licensed event stewards, all trained by Showsec specifically for the event.
Those stewards were directed and supported all the while by Showsec’s Simon Battersby — head of security for Download 2013, who was in constant liaison with Live Nation’s festival director John Probyn — in tandem with deputy head of security Richard Church, campsite security manager Alan Wallace, and the security manager for the arenas, namely Steve Reynolds. In short, this representation was Showsec’s most extensive festival team to date.
Simon Battersby on the challenges of securing a festival.
Two key environments in terms of security and safety around the main stage at Donington are the pit area (immediately stage front) and the backstage space, which needs to be securely locked down.
John Hadland was Showsec’s barrier co-ordinator at Download 2013, supported by 150 pit crew members across the three-day event as well as three pit supervisors (among them Brendan Kellagher) for the main stage. Boasting 28 years of experience working for the company, Hadland commented: “We position trained ‘spotters’ on stage and in front of the stage area. They look for any developing incidents.”
The necessity of this particular planning was proven on the Friday night, when 2,500 fans had to be pulled over the barriers — very much in keeping with the fan culture accompanying Slipknot’s performances.
Interestingly, what also helps avoid crushing incidents is the T-configuration Mojo Barriers used for modern-day festivals. These were brought in after the 1988 Monsters of Rock Festival at Donington when there were two crushing-related deaths during the Guns ‘n Roses set as well as some people being trampled on following a mass crowd surge.
“This configuration of the barriers acts to stop front-loaded pressure and dangerous crowd waves,” explained Hadland, “as those waves will dissipate sideways. The barrier formation used will always depend on the type of audience at any given festival. A Golden Circle-style arrangement just wouldn’t work here.”
The weather was less than glorious this time around. Indeed, IFSEC Global hit the main stage at lunchtime under leaden skies and rain as Black Star Riders’ techs carried out a soundcheck. However, it’s often the case that audience members stage front need cooling down. In days of old, the pit crews would use water sprays. Now, Hadland stressed the procedure is focused instead on handing out drinks to those who need them.
Meantime, backstage is tightly controlled. This area houses — among other things — the loading dock for the main stage, the VIP Area for the band members and their management, etc, the artists’ dressing rooms, and interview/press rooms.
In charge of the backstage area at Download 2013 was Michael Asimonye, who coordinated all truck and artist movements. “Over the years I’ve come to know all of the production and management people,” said Asimonye, who was joined by colleagues Steven McCafferty (Back of House supervisor for the main stage) and Keith Etchells (dressing room supervisor).
“Only the people who need to be in this area will be here,” urged McCafferty. “We police that through, for example, the use of wristbands that denote in which parts of the site people are allowed to be. Discretion is important here, and we liaise with Live Nation’s representatives on a continual basis.”
There were something like 35 different types of wristband issued across the event, in addition to laminate passes for parking and the campsite.
Where are the events like this in the States? Not to come off like a fanboy but this has so many parts of the things i love, why are we not doing this here? Really..I mean really? Judging by those crowds event security needs to be on their toes.
in Canada we have the same problems not to many events… but this days in North America each Security/Fire safety Co. trying to save… anyway they could….
Security for these events is such a delicate balance- letting people have their fun (which often entails getting plastered!) whilst ensuring a safe environment. Securing kit worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, managing logistics, not an easy job
Security and safety at these events is not an easy task and I think security measures in place must allow people to enjoy themselves in fun sensible manner
Hah, are you a fan of metal Jonathon? Yeah, Download is pretty huge. Reading is also pretty good for rock music, but a little more tame. We’re a small island but with a massive taste for festivals and music. The festival season is my favourite time of year!
Unbelievably complex and difficult job, and as you say such a delicate balance to ensure that the security doesn’t get in the way of the enjoyment of the event. After all, many of these festivals are around £200 for a weekend ticket, plus everything else, so a negative experience will mean a pretty disgruntled audience. And a disgruntled audience is only going to make the job harder, eh?
It’s all about striking a balance, of course. For instance, a site the size of Glastonbury, you have completely different pockets of people, some completely chilled out (healing fields), some not so (dance stages perhaps). It also must be tricky leaving stereotypes at the door. A Download audience for instance must look pretty mean with all the black t-shirts, mohwaks, metal-heads etc. but actually many of the people there are likely to be as relaxed as the next person.
I agree that we need to have balance to allow people to have fun and at the same time secure their properties,safety and health