Stage Collapses at Ottawa BluesFest
- Thread starter Andrew Broughton
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Re: Stage Collapses at Ottawa BluesFest
There is still photo gallery at canada.com that shows the wall cloud and the classic green sky with what appears to be rotation within the cloud. This was very nearly a tornado, and hundreds could have died. It is fortunate that injuries were relatively few. Storms that size don't just pop up suddenly, though, and I think the Festival was in denial about the size, strength and time of arrival. I've seen it before... "We're gonna get a big storm hit!" "When?" "In about 2 minutes".
We see a significant amount of this weather in Kansas/Oklahoma. It's scary, destructive, and sometimes makes me re-think my attraction to this industry.
Tim Mc
There is still photo gallery at canada.com that shows the wall cloud and the classic green sky with what appears to be rotation within the cloud. This was very nearly a tornado, and hundreds could have died. It is fortunate that injuries were relatively few. Storms that size don't just pop up suddenly, though, and I think the Festival was in denial about the size, strength and time of arrival. I've seen it before... "We're gonna get a big storm hit!" "When?" "In about 2 minutes".
We see a significant amount of this weather in Kansas/Oklahoma. It's scary, destructive, and sometimes makes me re-think my attraction to this industry.
Tim Mc
Re: Stage Collapses at Ottawa BluesFest
Hello Tim,
It makes me re-think the credibility of these types of Stage System manufacturers and end-use providers.... and Show organizers and Promoters for their safety concerns of the attendees. As you've posted... these massive storms "don't just pop up suddenly".....
Hammer
Hello Tim,
It makes me re-think the credibility of these types of Stage System manufacturers and end-use providers.... and Show organizers and Promoters for their safety concerns of the attendees. As you've posted... these massive storms "don't just pop up suddenly".....
Hammer
Ottawa bluesfest stage collapse
I'm not sure if my American peers are aware of the incident that struck my home town yesterday. A microburst type storm blew into Ottawa causing the main stage at the Ottawa Bluesfest to blow backwards WHILE CHEAP TRICK WAS performing. In the "water cooler news" this moring the cheap trick truck driver was the crew member impaled through the stomach by the staging. I believe he was one of two that was injured. Stay safe out there this season.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/07/18/bluesfest-stage-collapse.html
I'm not sure if my American peers are aware of the incident that struck my home town yesterday. A microburst type storm blew into Ottawa causing the main stage at the Ottawa Bluesfest to blow backwards WHILE CHEAP TRICK WAS performing. In the "water cooler news" this moring the cheap trick truck driver was the crew member impaled through the stomach by the staging. I believe he was one of two that was injured. Stay safe out there this season.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/07/18/bluesfest-stage-collapse.html
Re: Stage Collapses at Ottawa BluesFest
I was at the festival several days ago (that was when I was posting about my conversation with Dave Rat, who came through with Soundgarden). The stage appeared to be well constructed (as far as I could tell from a distance), but unfortunately when weather like this comes, nature can unleash a mighty blow that can be downright scary.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/07/18/bluesfest-stage-collapse.html
I have worked with a number of the folks who were the providers for this event - I consider them to be very reputable - and my best wishes go to them as they recover from this mess, not only from a physical perspective, but also from a potentially legal one.
Somebody should have called off the event well before this storm hit. How unfortunate.....
I was at the festival several days ago (that was when I was posting about my conversation with Dave Rat, who came through with Soundgarden). The stage appeared to be well constructed (as far as I could tell from a distance), but unfortunately when weather like this comes, nature can unleash a mighty blow that can be downright scary.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/07/18/bluesfest-stage-collapse.html
I have worked with a number of the folks who were the providers for this event - I consider them to be very reputable - and my best wishes go to them as they recover from this mess, not only from a physical perspective, but also from a potentially legal one.
Somebody should have called off the event well before this storm hit. How unfortunate.....
Re: Ottawa bluesfest stage collapse
This is terrible news. We just got through with a 3 day event out on the beach and everyday just as the event ended there was a rain storm. A friend got some great video of our band playing with storm approaching and lot's of lightning going off all around - scary stuff.
Hope the injured recover quickly.
On another note - just what possessed the promoter of the event to book Cheap Trick and Death Cab For Cutie on a "Blues Fest" ?!?!
This is terrible news. We just got through with a 3 day event out on the beach and everyday just as the event ended there was a rain storm. A friend got some great video of our band playing with storm approaching and lot's of lightning going off all around - scary stuff.
Hope the injured recover quickly.
On another note - just what possessed the promoter of the event to book Cheap Trick and Death Cab For Cutie on a "Blues Fest" ?!?!
Re: Ottawa bluesfest stage collapse
Promoters and booking agents don't actually listen to music -- they just look at spreadsheets.
Sounds from the story like someone was on the ball out there, whether it was the promoter, stage manager or just some random hand who made the call themselves. Clearing the stage when they did probably saved a lot of people.
Promoters and booking agents don't actually listen to music -- they just look at spreadsheets.
Sounds from the story like someone was on the ball out there, whether it was the promoter, stage manager or just some random hand who made the call themselves. Clearing the stage when they did probably saved a lot of people.
Re: Ottawa bluesfest stage collapse
If you see the festival schedule, you will quickly discover that very few of the acts had any sort of connection to the Blues genre. They really should consider renaming the festival at this point. The headliners the night I was there were Soundgarden and the Flaming Lips. There were a few blues acts but few were the headliners that were drawing the crowds.
If you see the festival schedule, you will quickly discover that very few of the acts had any sort of connection to the Blues genre. They really should consider renaming the festival at this point. The headliners the night I was there were Soundgarden and the Flaming Lips. There were a few blues acts but few were the headliners that were drawing the crowds.
Re: Ottawa bluesfest stage collapse
Hello,
While blues music is a great music style, you can draw many times the amount of attendees with Pop, Rock, or Country.
Cheers,
Hammer
Hello,
While blues music is a great music style, you can draw many times the amount of attendees with Pop, Rock, or Country.
Cheers,
Hammer
Re: Ottawa bluesfest stage collapse
Maybe they should rename it the Ottawa Music Fest?
Maybe they should rename it the Ottawa Music Fest?
Re: Stage Collapses at Ottawa BluesFest
I thought you were going to say *area* as the last word.
I thought you were going to say *area* as the last word.
Re: Stage Collapses at Ottawa BluesFest
If that photo is un-Photoshopped, that's one of the scariest looking wall clouds I've ever seen.
Severe storms is a way of life in this part of the country. But with HAM radio and the Skywarn network, live Nexrad Level 3 radar on my phone and live Nexrad Level 2 on my laptop, I can stay pretty much ahead of any coming tornadoes. But I would hate to be caught outside under a festival stage when one rolled through.
If that photo is un-Photoshopped, that's one of the scariest looking wall clouds I've ever seen.
Severe storms is a way of life in this part of the country. But with HAM radio and the Skywarn network, live Nexrad Level 3 radar on my phone and live Nexrad Level 2 on my laptop, I can stay pretty much ahead of any coming tornadoes. But I would hate to be caught outside under a festival stage when one rolled through.
Re: Stage Collapses at Ottawa BluesFest
Years ago, I spent an entire day on the Chesapeake Bay on my boat paying careful attrention to the weather and skirting my way around isolated thunder storms.
At about 3:00 I decided I had enough and headed for the dock. I hit the river, and half way up the side channel was hit by a similar straight line gust front. In the narrow channel I really had nowhere to go, and no visability. A sailboat near me had to drop anchor because their aux engine wasn't enough to provide steerage control. I spent an extremely long 20 minutes pointed into the wind at about half throttle, just holding my position.
Later I found out, that several large sailboats (up to 40 feet) docked along the side of the channel were lifted off of their boat lifts and set down on the other side of their docks, and when I got back to the marina, another set of boats had been torn free and were pushed up against the side of the basin.
It is amazing how isolated the position of extreme strength of these storms can be. On another time I watched a true tornado come off of the land and turn into a water spout over the Bay about a mile north of me.
For any outdoor gathering of people, I hope someone is watching the weather. For the record, the most extreme winds are usually associated with the leading edge of the storm (straight line wind) or the southwest corner (rotation wind) of the storm.
Years ago, I spent an entire day on the Chesapeake Bay on my boat paying careful attrention to the weather and skirting my way around isolated thunder storms.
At about 3:00 I decided I had enough and headed for the dock. I hit the river, and half way up the side channel was hit by a similar straight line gust front. In the narrow channel I really had nowhere to go, and no visability. A sailboat near me had to drop anchor because their aux engine wasn't enough to provide steerage control. I spent an extremely long 20 minutes pointed into the wind at about half throttle, just holding my position.
Later I found out, that several large sailboats (up to 40 feet) docked along the side of the channel were lifted off of their boat lifts and set down on the other side of their docks, and when I got back to the marina, another set of boats had been torn free and were pushed up against the side of the basin.
It is amazing how isolated the position of extreme strength of these storms can be. On another time I watched a true tornado come off of the land and turn into a water spout over the Bay about a mile north of me.
For any outdoor gathering of people, I hope someone is watching the weather. For the record, the most extreme winds are usually associated with the leading edge of the storm (straight line wind) or the southwest corner (rotation wind) of the storm.
Re: Stage Collapses at Ottawa BluesFest
When I saw the video I about yelled because it happened just that fast.
Here's my question to the season veterans and pro-co owners on the forums. Does anyone get blamed here? I totally agree that someone should have been watching the weather. Had that gust come from the other way, we would be seeing casualties in these reports, and that's horrifying. I'm just curious if anyone will take the blame here. I'm not doubting the skills of the people that that pinned the truss together or the riggers that put the safety measures in place, I guess I'm just wondering if someone will get thrown under the bus for this.
When I saw the video I about yelled because it happened just that fast.
Here's my question to the season veterans and pro-co owners on the forums. Does anyone get blamed here? I totally agree that someone should have been watching the weather. Had that gust come from the other way, we would be seeing casualties in these reports, and that's horrifying. I'm just curious if anyone will take the blame here. I'm not doubting the skills of the people that that pinned the truss together or the riggers that put the safety measures in place, I guess I'm just wondering if someone will get thrown under the bus for this.
Re: Stage Collapses at Ottawa BluesFest
I'm sure a lot of people will get blamed - the promoter, safety committe, stage provider, setup crew, stage manufacturer, global warming, etc. How much of that will stick will depend on the courts.
Re: Stage Collapses at Ottawa BluesFest
I'm hoping the bulk of the blame goes to whomever signed-off on the erection of that roof without guy wires.
Re: Stage Collapses at Ottawa BluesFest
And whomever waiting until the last possible moment to declare an emergency. Those are fuckers that are, IMNSHO, responsible for the bulk of the personal injuries. Gear? Stages? That's what insurance is for. Maiming and injuring people... we strive to avoid those things completely.
And whomever waiting until the last possible moment to declare an emergency. Those are fuckers that are, IMNSHO, responsible for the bulk of the personal injuries. Gear? Stages? That's what insurance is for. Maiming and injuring people... we strive to avoid those things completely.
Re: Stage Collapses at Ottawa BluesFest
I agree with you 100% Tim and after seeing the pics it looks as though someone "in the know" should have known something was coming. But FWIW, I have witnessed a "microburst" before and there was nothing on radar to warn anyone ahead of time other than a regular looking thunderstorm coming through the area. And after 10 very long minutes, when everything was clear, the damage done was amazing. Localized to an area probably no greater than 1 square mile.
I agree with you 100% Tim and after seeing the pics it looks as though someone "in the know" should have known something was coming. But FWIW, I have witnessed a "microburst" before and there was nothing on radar to warn anyone ahead of time other than a regular looking thunderstorm coming through the area. And after 10 very long minutes, when everything was clear, the damage done was amazing. Localized to an area probably no greater than 1 square mile.
Re: Stage Collapses at Ottawa BluesFest
This was not a microburst.. one report I read from an amateur storm 'chaser' said that he was tracking the storm front for a while, and it was very clearly traveling at over 100km/h for at LEAST an hour before it hit ottawa.
Read the story for yourself here: http://ottawastart.blogspot.com/2011/07/guest-post-local-storm-chaser-kyle.html
I think the fault here is that people rely on what they see and feel, and didn't clear out until the menacing clouds were on top of them. I wouldn't be surprised if insurance companies start requiring meteorologists to be keeping a look-out in the future
Jason
This was not a microburst.. one report I read from an amateur storm 'chaser' said that he was tracking the storm front for a while, and it was very clearly traveling at over 100km/h for at LEAST an hour before it hit ottawa.
Read the story for yourself here: http://ottawastart.blogspot.com/2011/07/guest-post-local-storm-chaser-kyle.html
I think the fault here is that people rely on what they see and feel, and didn't clear out until the menacing clouds were on top of them. I wouldn't be surprised if insurance companies start requiring meteorologists to be keeping a look-out in the future
Jason