Promoters call off HARD L.A. concert
After canceling this weekend's HARD L.A. concert headlined by M.I.A., the promoters are putting their energies into an Aug. 7 show at the same location, the Los Angeles State Historic Park near Chinatown.
A host of reasons trickled out Tuesday (7/13) for the cancellation -- security concerns, slow ticket sales or fear of another fatal tragedy at an electronic music concert. Ultimately, the HARD L.A. promoters put their PR efforts into getting an audience for the Aug. 7 HARD Summer Music Festival , which will feature Soulwax , Crystal Castles , Major Lazer and others -- but not M.I.A.
In a statement, the HARD L.A. promoters contradicted reports that the event had been canceled due the lack of support or the full approval from city of Los Angeles and California State Parks: "We continue to work closely with LAFD, LAPD, City of Los Angeles, and California State Parks who continue to support all HARD events and have approved our plan to operate the HARD Summer Music Festival."
Tickets for HARD L.A. will be honored at the HARD Summer Music Festival, an indication that neither event had sold very well. Refunds are being offered. A New York edition, HARD NYC, headlined by M.I.A. is still on the books for July 24 at Governors Island.
Following a teenager's death at the Electric Daisy Carnival last month at the Los Angeles Coliseum, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to establish a task force to study ways to enhance safety measure at electronic music concerts. Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky had already asked for a a rave moratorium, and the site of a recent rave where a teenager died, the Coliseum, has already enacted a temporary ban on new contracts with rave promoters.
The next major rave, the Love Festival, is scheduled for Aug. 21 at the Los Angeles Sports Arena, the venue most commonly used for these events in the city. The Coliseum Commission, which oversees the Sports Arena, is scheduled to meet July 16 to discuss the Love Festival's fate.
The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday that another festival, Fresh Squeezed in City of Industry, was canceled after promoters were unable to secure permits.
