A petition has been launched, with fans calling for refunds after overcrowding at London’s Drumsheds.
The 15,000-capacity venue, which is located in Tottenham as a repurposed IKEA building, hosted a 15th anniversary of UK bass label UKF last Friday (December 13), but was quick to spark backlash following accusations of overcrowding
With a line-up comprising Pendulum, Nero, Knife Party and more, dozens of attendees have since taken to social media to accuse organisers of “unsafe queues”, overcrowding and “aggressive” security.
Now, a new petition has been launched in light of the event, and demanded that organisers at Drumsheds are “held accountable” for the issues faced by fans and pressured to issue refunds.
At time of writing, the petition stands at over 1,900 signatures since being shared on Saturday (December 14). It is aiming to reach 2,500 in total. “Numerous people were subjected to frightful conditions that risked their safety at recent event ran at the venue Drumsheds in London,” the description read.
“These circumstances can lead to devastating incidents such as crowd surge or potential crushing. According to a series of accounts from concerned attendees, these circumstances were particularly prevalent on the path leading into the venues, causing widespread panic and fear among the attendees,” it added.
“We are therefore calling upon the organisers to provide refunds due to these concerning conditions at their event. By signing this petition, you support our demand for safe standards at all event venues and that patrons who experienced this daunting scenario on the event premises are rightly refunded.”
Other examples of the circumstances faced by concertgoers were shared on social media and in the comment section of the petition, with one attendee describing it as “the most dangerous event I’ve been to”. Another claimed they were “covered in bruises and feeling violated by an incompetent dog handler and security”, while a third described it as “terrifying” and added: “After all that queuing to see two and a half acts was a joke. Don’t know how they got away without any casualties.”
The comments echo a similar report shared by MusicTech over the weekend, which recalled the issues of poor management and extensive queuing faced at UKF15 and debated whether it was “the worst-organised event at the venue yet”. Find more fan responses below.
@drumsheds where’s best to complain about your event on Friday? Unsafe crowd control, queued for 1.5 hours only to be told to go back to the start as my (less than A4 sized) bag too big despite passing two security staff already (I’d bought a locker) and £20 for three waters ?? pic.twitter.com/IqjjYji429
— Amy Underdown (@amyunderdown_) December 15, 2024
@drumsheds this is fucking unsafe there is no exit. You’re clearly incapable of handling this many people pic.twitter.com/rv6Hn47gr3
— Brennan | Alpenglow 🔜 🤷 (@Alpenglow_Bass) December 13, 2024
Pendulum are sick. @drumsheds however is a fucking disgrace. Without a doubt the worst venue I have ever been to
— Zack (@ZackBrownarse) December 14, 2024
Absolutely. @drumsheds need to have a serious think about their crowd management. The queue getting in was unsafe, badly managed and borderline dangerous at points. https://t.co/yg3ZIza25J
— Toby (@djtobylawrence) December 14, 2024
@drumsheds There were serious crowd control and / or capacity issues at Drumsheds last night. I’ve been to hundreds of raves, and this was by far the worst I’ve been to, and the only one I feel compelled to complain about. Highly disappointing at best, unsafe at worst. pic.twitter.com/nPIGi8FGYg
— Rosalind Church (@Rozzie_Church) December 14, 2024
Not @drumsheds making people queue to get out the venue after making us queue for 2 and a half hours to even get in in the first place 🥲🥲 pic.twitter.com/3LQ8VoQjBX
— Hari (@lilgothhh) December 14, 2024
Following complaints from visitors, Drumsheds’ operator Broadwick Live has shared a statement, and explained that the venue was facing “a number of challenges” on the night, but tried to mitigate them by enhancing security procedures.
“We are aware of the concerns raised and sincerely apologise for the frustration and discomfort caused during the event,” read the statement shared with MixMag.
“Unfortunately, we faced a number of challenges on the night, including longer-than-usual queues and congestion due to a combination of factors, including enhanced security procedures. While these measures were necessary, we understand their impact and are conducting a thorough review.”
This is a developing story.
