The Weeknd Concert Cut Short After Fans Rush Arena Gates

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The Weeknd performs onstage during the 2018 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Field on April 20, 2018 in Indio, California.
The concert promoters closed the gates of Du Arena in Dubai due to "inappropriate fan behaviour."

The Weeknd is one of the few artists who could hold off on releasing an album for a year or two but still manage to sell-out concerts and headline festivals. There's no doubt that he has an incredibly loyal fan base, but it appears that they could get a bit rowdy at times. The promoters for The Weeknd's concert in Dubai this past weekend were forced to end the show early due to safety concerts they described as "inappropriate fan behaviour."

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According to PageSix, The Weeknd's headlining show at Dubai's Du Arena ended early after things allegedly got "dangerous." "The show had to stop early because it was so dangerous. Fans were going insane outside breaking down barricades and storming toward the stage," the source told the publication.

Fans were clearly upset that they couldn't enter the venue in order to see the singer in the flesh. Flash Entertainment, the concert organizers, explained in a statement that they always prioritize on the safety of their fans, staff, and artists. 

"The du Arena can easily accommodate 35,000 concert-goers. However, due to a large number of fans arriving simultaneously to The Weeknd concert, the gates were closed as a safety measure," the statement reads.

They added, "We are aware that this caused upset and disappointment and understand this can lead to frustration. We are disappointed to hear there were instances of inappropriate fan behavior and are working with necessary teams to ensure a smooth and safe entry ahead of the following concerts."


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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