Pharrell Williams’ "Something in the Water” festival was held over the weekend in Washington D.C., and many fans voiced their frustrations over the conditions they were subjected to at the event. Fans on social media complained about overcrowded sets, having personal items stolen, technical difficulties, and more.
One concertgoer, Katerra Shackelford, told WTOP News that they bailed on the third day of the festival, despite having tickets, because of the state of the event.
“Both days were terrible,” they said. “There’s nowhere to sit down. There’s no shade. There is no water. Even if you’re trying to get to the bathroom you can’t get to it. It was a shitshow.”
Shackelford added that she's attended many festivals in the past, but this was unlike anything she had seen.
“The difference between this festival and other festivals is that it’s unsafe,” she explained. “It’s so overcrowded, you can’t get through the crowds. People are pushing through the crowds because they’re mad that they can’t get through. It’s just very narrow passageways.”
Shackelford continued: “You expect the event staff to be safe. You expect that if somebody calls out for help, the medics are going to come. As somebody who goes to festivals … you expect there to be safety protocols in place. And it was clear and obvious that there were none. The staff was untrained.”
Others, including Ngeri Nnachi from Bowie, Maryland, claimed that big crowds of fans who had stepped outside for a break were not being allowed back inside.
“I cannot believe I paid this much money to end up not seeing those I wanted to see," they told WTOP.
Something in the Water boasted performances from Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Baby, Tyler, The Creator, 21 Savage, and many more.
Check out more responses to the festival below.
[Via]