Lovers & Friends Festival

Lovers & Friends Festival Was Interrupted By A Mass Stampede Following Reports Of Gunshots

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Las Vegas Festival Grounds 2019
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Two years after it was first announced, the Lovers & Friends Festival finally opened its doors to fans on Saturday in Las Vegas. The nostalgia-themed ’90s hip-hop and R&B-focused showcase was first announced at the beginning of 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic pushed it back until this weekend. The Lovers & Friends Festival is curated by Live Nation, Snoop Dogg, and Bobby Dee, and it flaunted a two-day lineup that include Lauryn Hill, Usher, Ludacris, Lil Jon, TLC, Ciara, Nelly, Ashanti Ja Rule, Ne-Yo, and more. While day one was supposed to be a fun one, it concluded on a scary note as a mass stampede erupted following reports of gunshots at the festival grounds.

According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, who spoke with TMZ, reports of gunfire were made at 10 pm local time and it sparked a massive stampede as fans rushed to leave the venue and flock for safety. “At this time, there is no evidence of a shooting and the initial report has been deemed unfounded,” the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said after their investigation. They also noted that three people were transported to a local hospital with minor injuries. The festival resumed a short time with Usher and more delivering nighttime performances to conclude day one.

The stampede was not the only complaint from fans at Lovers & Friends. Many took to Twitter to complain about the showcase’s inability to provide adequate resources for those who attended the show in the sweltering desert heat as temperatures approached 100 degrees. Fans voiced their frustration about a lack of shade and a poor supply of water among other things at the festival.

You can view some tweets and videos from fans below.

Concert Promoter AEG Will Require Proof Of COVID-19 Vaccination At All Its US Venues

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Would-be concertgoers had better get their shots, as Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), the second-largest concert promotion company in the US behind Live Nation, will be requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination at all of its US venues beginning in October. AEG notably operates some of the biggest venues in the States, including Staples Center, Brooklyn Steel, and Webster Hall, and subsidiaries like GoldenVoice operate festivals including Coachella, Stagecoach, and upcoming fests like Lovers & Friends and Day N Vegas.

Up until now, and until the policy goes into effect, AEG has been allowing entry with either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test within 72 hours of the event date. However, with new infections rising and the emergence of new variants of the novel coronavirus, including the Delta variant, AEG’s leadership wants to protect attendees — and the company’s bottom line — to ensure future events don’t get canceled or postponed as in 2020 when the initial COVID outbreak essentially shuttered the entertainment industry for months.

As AEG COO Jay Marciano explained in a statement:

“We have come to the conclusion that, as a market leader, it was up to us to take a real stand on vaccination status. Just a few weeks ago, we were optimistic about where our business, and country, were heading. The Delta variant, combined with vaccine hesitancy, is pushing us in the wrong direction again. We realize that some people might look at this as a dramatic step, but it’s the right one. We also are aware that there might be some initial pushback, but I’m confident and hopeful that, at the end of the day, we will be on the right side of history and doing what’s best for artists, fans, and live event workers. Our hope is that our pro-active stance encourages people to do the right thing and get vaccinated. We’ve already had to deliver bad news about JazzFest this week; I think everyone can agree that we don’t want concerts to go away again, and this is the best way to keep that from happening.”

In contrast, Live Nation has let artists set the tone, determining vaccination requirements for their own shows. With this move, it’s possible AEG will put pressure on its industry peers to take further steps to protect the public and prevent another potentially disastrous industry-wide shutdown.

Lovers & Friends Festival Is Set To Return In 2022 And Moving To Las Vegas

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Just before the pandemic started, one of the most anticipated festivals of the 2020 season was Lovers & Friends, a new but nostalgic festival that popped up out of nowhere and caused mass havoc and confusion on Twitter as fans clamored to figure out if the stacked lineup was real. Furthering the confusion, some of the billed acts, like Lil Kim, claimed to have not been booked, adding a layer of intrigue and attention that had anticipation sky-high when they finally confirmed.

Unfortunately, as we all know, Corona came through hating and we all missed out on seeing every elder Millennial’s favorite artists return to the stage alongside contemporary artists like Jhene Aiko, Megan Thee Stallion, Saweetie, and Summer Walker (all heavily influenced by 2000s-era sounds and aesthetics). It looked like Lovers & Friends was a wrap, a fever dream we all shared for a bit before the world collectively went to hell.

Live Nation

But apparently, Live Nation, Snoop Dogg, and Bobby Dee had to do it again (see what I did there?), bringing the festival back for a new date, May 14, 2022. The venue has changed as well; while the original was scheduled for Carson, CA (a smaller venue that prompted the show’s organizers to add a second day) the 2022 iteration will take place in Las Vegas. Presale begins August 2 at 10 am PT. For more information, check out loversandfriendsfest.com.