I was at the Stray Kids DC concert: Cancelling was the right call. But what now?
A reflection on caring for fans' well-being and questions for Live Nation
I planned to write an article on my experience at the Stray Kids concert as it was my first K-pop concert experience — a wild fact considering I’ve been a fan of the genre for 8 years. But I could not have foreseen the outcome; 6 people were hospitalized due to heat-related illnesses at Nationals Park (DC News Now). Temperatures hit 100 degrees, and the East Coast humidity made the heat value index 110 degrees.
As of me writing this, it has been four days since the concert and I have been pouring over Twitter and Reddit trying to make sense of the variety of experiences that STAY had while in DC. I also have been reflecting on concert safety and who (or really, whom) is responsible for adhering to safety regulations. Do note that I am not an expert in the business of ticketing and live events; I am an independent fan studies scholar and NOT a journalist, so please do additional research to formulate your thoughts.
From what I’ve been reading, there are a couple of factors to consider as to what went wrong, and the aim here is to seek how to prevent similar instances from occurring. The information included is sourced from national and local news, along with fans’ thoughts from Reddit and Twitter. I use words like “alleged” and “speculated” for happenings that I can’t absolutely confirm.
To analyze this succinctly, let’s define the groups/organizations and give some background, context, and current news:
Live Entertainment Management: Live Nation
The merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster works like this: Ticketmaster has a monopoly on tickets for all things music, comedy, and sports, and Live Nation manages live entertainment across the country. Having watched Netflix’s Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy it’s evident Live Nation has a history of safety violations. In 2021, NPR reported that Live Nation Entertainment and its subsidiary Live Nation Worldwide have been connected to over 200 deaths and 750 injuries. The outlet also noted that Live Nation has been cited for violations against the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA is a U.S. federal agency that works to ensure the safety of workers; Live Nation’s violations mean their employees have been put at risk while on the job.
This made me wonder about fans — consumers. Who protects them? From the Netflix documentary, the tragedy at Astroworld highlights Live Nation’s mismanagement of tickets vs. capacity, the careless venue set-up, and the lack of communication. There were also ignored opportunities to cancel Travis Scott’s main stage performance before it started (NYT). This was in 2021, and now in 2025, Live Nation maintains a strong grip on live events with its monopolistic practices by allegedly violating antitrust laws.
Q: Will the U.S. government do anything about the Ticketmaster and Live Nation monopoly? A: I think so(?)
On May 7, 2025, the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission announced a public inquiry into live entertainment events, inviting the public and industry stakeholders to submit ideas to solve the issues (The Hollywood Reporter). The motivation was per an executive order signed by Trump to combat unfair practices in the live entertainment market. The expectation is for the DOJ and FTC to deliver a report within the next 6 months that details potential recommendations. It’s unknown what could come out of this, and what the next steps would look like. DOJ investigations into Ticketmaster and Live Nation have been ongoing since 2018, and the Eras Tour only furthered the DOJ’s reasons to file a lawsuit against the companies (Forbes).
As for Live Nation’s involvement in Stray Kids DC, there is no confirmation nor accountability for their mistakes. From what I’ve gathered, the main complaints geared toward Live Nation and the venue include:
The venue had a rule that clear, factory-sealed water bottles were allowed, but some fans weren’t allowed to let those in.
I got mine in, but I was let in around 7pm and the gates opened at 5:30pm. I had a clear bag but it seemed staff weren’t interested in checking, and others who were checked were there earlier.
There were little to no misting fans set up.
I saw one in a secluded corner on my way to my seat. Reflecting back, I found it odd that it was being used in an area where people weren’t around or taking notice. I can’t confirm if there were any around or near the pit.
Water was being charged somewhere from $7-13. The most common number I saw being mentioned was $12.
It varied from staff to staff person whether they were still charging during the first check-in pause. Stray Kids were highly involved in making sure fans in the pit were given water.
[Alleged] People waiting to purchase tickets on the day of were encouraged to camp out
I only received an email from Nationals Park. They encouraged ticket holders to arrive by 5pm for when the gates open at 5:30pm. This email also mentioned that all gates would be opened for entry [see map below from MLB] but only the Center Field Gate was opened.
A portion of VIP soundcheck ticket-holders/ sweepstakes winners were barred from soundcheck. A reason wasn’t given to the crowd who were left outside the gates to swelter in the sun.
Those who did get into soundcheck were overexposed to the sun and little water was provided. Videos of Stray Kids giving water out during soundcheck are on TikTok. Bang Chan even gave his own water to a STAY.
The most distressing allegation is that people fainted inside and outside the stadium, and staff did not retrieve medics due to prioritizing staying at their assigned posts. This comes from a post to R/kpop_uncensored.
Venue: Nationals Park
I have only been to Nationals Park one time back in August 2024 for a SU Night. It was summer, but the heat was bearable. I was comfortable with going there and was excited to see how it would be transformed for the concert.
Some STAY have been wondering why Stray Kids picked Nationals Park when Capital One Arena is around the corner. For the DominATE North America Tour, Stray Kids partnered with Major League Baseball. This partnership has enabled a special sweepstakes entry for fans, and season ticket holders could get presale access to tickets. The exceptions were for stadiums in Los Angeles, Orlando, and Arlington.
As someone who has studied PR, the overall partnership has appeared to work well for the venues’ social media metrics. While in NYC, Citifield gave Skz custom Mets merchandise(Billboard) and their Instagram post with Skz got over 93k likes. Other venues made posts about the fan experience and excitement, like this IG Reel from Oracle Park and a local artist gift being made for Skz at T-Mobile Park.
Unsurprisingly, the Nationals Park Instagram account did not make any posts about Stray Kids, and as a PR practitioner, I can tell you that was likely intentional. It would’ve opened the floodgates for negative commentary that would still be coming in for weeks to come. However, a good PR practitioner would figure out how to craft a perfect apology. Will fans receive an apology? I’m doubtful.
A televised segment on NBC Washington 4 shared a response from Nationals Park stating:
Cooling centers and mist fans were available
Free water in the pit area
Fans were allowed to bring in two sealed water bottles or empty ones to refill
Water filling stations were available
Concert-goers who have seen this response disagree. There is evidence from the link that was sent to me that only ONE water bottle was permitted. The exact language: “Only one water bottle per person will be permitted.” Read the full email here.
I cannot confirm if there were or were not water-filling stations. I was in the 200-level section and there were two water fountains with seemingly unending lines. Merch lines were much shorter, and extra tempting in a heated daze. It’s a given there are things the venue could have done better, and hopefully, there are reconsiderations to their water policy.
For fans seeking a refund on account of the cancellation and barred VIP experience, a Change.org petition holding Live Nation and National Parks accountable is currently at over 1,800 signatures.
Vendors & Staff
Staff at concerts can be a mix of Live Nation employees, venue staff, and/or outsourced staff from third-party companies. This means that the training and responsibilities vary and that there are a lot of contracts to be signed by all contractors involved. Staff are assigned to be at certain areas in the venue and are given a basic rundown of what to do like giving directions. I’m not privy to the logistics of concert event planning, but I know it’s extensive. This blog post gives a fundamental guide on the steps for planning and points to the type of organizers involved in the process.
While what happened with staff at DominATE DC can be lumped in with the previous sections on Live Nation and Nationals Park, I want to point out how the variety of organizations that provide staff and security can be a recipe for miscommunication. Fans complained about a myriad of bad experiences with the staff equating to a step above miscommunication: being unprepared for accommodating concertgoers during heat-related emergencies.
The unpreparedness goes back to the organizers. How did organizers prepare staff in case of emergencies? Was there anything organizers specified for the heat wave? Why did some staff give free water and others didn’t? If staff gave free water would they have been reprimanded and that’s why some concertgoers had to pay for water during the suspension?
From the Astroworld documentary, I guess it’s not easy from a legal standpoint for staff to come forward and share what they were told. A Live Nation photographer at Astroworld risked her career to come forward in the documentary and expose the horrendous lack of coordination as people in the crowd were being suffocated. With Live Nation’s stronghold on the live entertainment business, those who wish to pursue the industry must consider the risks. I do have hope because there are people even within my network who wish to make concerts a better and safer fan experience.
The Artist: Stray Kids
First, and I cannot emphasize this enough, I am proud of Stray Kids. I am going to bring up the Astroworld documentary once again because part of it discusses Travis Scott’s involvement; as an artist on the stage, he could have intervened. He gave a lackluster apology followed by a lackluster interview with Charlamagne Tha God on Breakfast Club. Why “lackluster”? It’s the lack of accountability — he did not put fans first.
Stray Kids were constantly checking in on fans when they could. All I could think about while in the audience was that it (1) must be really bad in the pit and (2) Stray Kids did their best to make sure fans got the help they needed. There are numerous videos of the members doing check-ins and handing out water.
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Stray Kids were quick to go on YouTube Live and speak to fans after the show. I caught the last minute after my 20-minute Metro ride back to my apartment. Lives do not have immediate translations — as that’s a role left to fan translators. I did not know what was being said until later, but body language said enough. Skz were upset and truly worried. Bang Chan hopes one day the group can come back to DC and put on a full show.
Members also went to Bubble — a subscription-based message platform used by JYP artists — to check in on STAY. The messages show they were not only concerned but regret there wasn’t more they could do. Bang Chan’s questions about the water were very telling on overall miscommunication among the managing organizations.
Fans and overall concert-goers
I cannot begin to overstate that fans are not to blame for what happened to them. My thinking here is to share information that I believe must be made accessible to summer concert-goers: have a hydration plan. Also, consider outdoor concert essentials to beat the heat like a portable mini fan and cooling towels — quality ones are available for under $15 each.
Despite the heat, Stray Kids put on a great performance. I made new friends along the way and was awed by how STAYs really looked out for one another. And it looks like Wrigley Field did a great job last night looking out for fans. Hopefully, artists and fans alike can work together to prepare for safer summer concert experiences.