BOS:311

Other

CLOSED #101005534256

Case Resolved. I apologize for the experience your daughter and Rory had. We'll inform the festival organizers and pass along your recommendation. We've already discussed this year's Boston Calling concerns with them, but I'll ensure your feedback is included. Thank you, R Phu Licensing Board.

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Hello My 17 year old daughter attending Boston Calling all 3 days this weekend. She has a disability. Without her service dog, Rory, she would not be able to attend. She was able to access the ADA section each day. She planned her day around arriving early enough to get a space in ADA. The section is first come first serve. She reports the conditions in the ADA section were crowded, but okay on Friday and Saturday. She opted to be alone in ADA and separated from her dad and brother at the show because she wanted to be sure there was room in the ADA section for everyone who needed it. My daughter is a high level human. On Sunday, she needed to take Rory for a walk, so he could stretch his legs and go potty. He is really the best boy. She left the ADA section, was quickly swallowed by the crowd, and Rory was trampled. I believe my daughter was pushed into a fence. Rory is 50 pounds. He is a decent sized dog. My daughter had to pick him up. She was scarce, triggered, and panicked. Thankfully Rory was okay. Ordinarily, this is exactly the situation she needs him for. Thanks to the kindness of loud women, she was pushed through the crowd and back to ADA. She was able to contact her father and brother who made their way through the crowd to her. My husband and son are well over 6 feet tall. They both commented that without the height advantage, there is no way they could have found her. The crowd was too thick and no one could even see where they were going. They left the show while Hozier was on. They had planned to stay for the final act. They were able to get back to North Quincy on the red line without incident. As a comparison, we attended the “Lovin’ Life” music festival in Charlotte, NC a few weeks ago. A path to the ADA section to essentially the entrance/ exit from the festival was kept clear for a stretch then became a path (without a view of the stage) that was always moving. My family was able to easily enter and exit the venue throughout the day. Someone was always able to be with my daughter in the ADA section during the show. (Because who wants to dance alone at a concert!) My daughter does a lot of work to prepare herself to go to a show. She already makes concessions and misses out on the “normal” teenage experience everyday. The overcrowding on Sunday was dangerous for everyone, but there was an even higher risk for the vulnerable ADA population. My daughter has tickets to a show at Fenway this summer. She was able to buy ADA tickets, so they know what to prepare for. In the future, I would recommend offering ADA tickets so they can better plan for space (and having additional space for those that need it.) Please forward this to the appropriate party. Many thanks | Case (SR) Type: [Licensing] Referred To: [CONSUMER AFFAIRS & LICENSING]

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