Coliseum rave continues—with strings

Responding to wide concerns over the safety of raves, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission this week told event promoters they must seek the panel’s approval at least 60 days before their next scheduled show at the historic facility.

The commission action came in lieu of reinstating a ban on the highly popular electronic music festivals that was put in place after the overdose death of a 15-year-old girl at last June’s Electric Daisy Carnival at the Coliseum. The two-day event, which drew 185,000 fans, prompted emergency medical officials to call for an end to the shows because of the high numbers of Ecstasy-related drug overdoses.

Following the girl’s death, the nine-member joint county, city and state commission adopted a moratorium on raves, proposed by County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, a member of the panel. Yaroslavsky on Wednesday proposed that the board require the Coliseum staff and Electric Daisy Carnival promoter to seek the commission’s approval at least 60 days before the next show in June.

The commission will examine plans to ensure the safety and health of attendees. Many of those measures are detailed in a series of recent recommendations by the county’s public health department.

The commission will also study the impact of the festival in determining how to move forward. “If we can’t control it,” Yaroslavsky said, “then the promoters are going to have to find another place.”

On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on a motion by Yaroslavsky and Supervisor Don Knabe to adopt the series public health department recommendations, the product of a multi-jurisdictional task force.

You can read more about the Coliseum Commission’s action in these accounts from the Daily Breeze and the Los Angeles Times.

Posted 12/2/10