Live Nation has been dubbed “disingenuous” by a government watchdog for citing health and safety reasons for its decision to cut-off a high-profile Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney performance at Hard Rock Calling last weekend.
As reported yesterday, Live Nation issued an email statement to Wall Street Journal regarding the nightmare curfew scenario, explaining the decision behind the action was down to Local Authority licensing terms with regards to noise restriction, traffic plans and curfews”.
A message from Live Nation on the Hard Rock Calling website placed issues of health and safety among reasons for the shutdown following the event.
A statement in response to Live Nation’s action, from the deputy chief executive of the government's Health and Safety Executive, stated that the government watchdog was “disappointed to hear Live Nation give 'health and safety' as the reason for cutting short Saturday's gig.”
It went on to imply that the promoters were not truthful with their public explanation regarding the incident: “The fans deserve the truth: there are no health and safety issues involved here. While public events may have licensing conditions dictating when they should end, this is not health and safety and it is disingenuous of Live Nation to say so.”
The full statement is below:
As a longstanding Bruce Springsteen fan and one of the crowd at Hard Rock Calling, I was doubly disappointed to hear Live Nation give 'health and safety' as the reason for cutting short Saturday's gig.
The fans deserve the truth: there are no health and safety issues involved here. While public events may have licensing conditions dictating when they should end, this is not health and safety and it is disingenuous of Live Nation to say so.
It's ironic that this excuse has been used in relation to Bruce Springsteen, who certainly knows what real health and safety is all about - look at the words of 'Factory' from Darkness on the Edge of Town referring to the toll that factory work can take on the health of blue collar workers.
People will now only be able to speculate what the final number should have been. Given that he'd already played Wrecking Ball and that Paul McCartney was on stage, how about Don't let me down?
Kevin Myers
Deputy Chief Executive
Health and Safety Executive
Source: HSE
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