A concert for indie rock artist Phoebe Bridgers was paused five times on Tuesday night (June 7) at the RBC Echo Beach amphitheater in Toronto so that venue staff and paramedics could treat fans, many of who had camped out overnight for the concert, for dehydration and exhaustion.
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Fans began queuing up as early as 3 a.m. to get a spot near the barricade separating the audience from the stage in hopes of getting a close up view of the 27-year-old recording artist and producer on her 2022 “Reunion Tour” that kicked off in April with standout sets at Coachella and Hangout Fest in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
Issues began when venue staff started letting fans into the venue a few hours before the show started and the first 100 to 200 fans allowed in ran towards the stage, in the hope of getting a spot close to the barricade. It was a scene that some fans said felt chaotic and scary.
As the show progressed, a number of fans close to the stage fainted, leading to the concert being paused so that security staff could reach the fans.
“Last night’s show was proactively paused a few times so medical staff could assist fans who were experiencing dehydration. Safety is always our top priority and we worked in close collaboration with medical authorities throughout the evening,” Toronto Police told Billboard in a statement. “We did have paid duty officers on scene at the concert. At this time, we haven’t been able to locate any calls for service.”
Billboard reached out to Bridgers’ publicist for comment but did not receive a response.
