When hosting an event as big as a concert, it’s important to ensure everything is perfect and safe for the fans and the artist. This allows everyone attending to have a great time without worrying about anything but the performance. Unfortunately, this was not the case during Stray Kids’ (스트레이 키즈) “dominATE World Tour” concert in Washington, D.C., which led to the event ending early due to complications.
On the 23rd June (Monday), STAYs (Stray Kids fans) began lining up earlier and on time to the Nationals Park Stadium in Washington, DC, hoping for the doors to the venue to start opening up. With it being the peak of summer, many fans highlighted how hot the day was, noting it was at least 38° Celsius.
Before a concert, idols typically do sound checks, a moment many (selected) fans look forward to, often arriving early just to catch it. However, many STAYs missed this opportunity because Live Nation failed to open the doors on time. As a result, hundreds were left waiting outside in the heat.
To make matters worse, the concert took place in an open-air stadium with no air conditioning or cooling systems. forcing fans and the group to stand directly under the sun. Bang Chan (방찬), the leader of the group, exclaimed over the heat towards the STAYs that were able to enter during the soundcheck. Additionally, he made the effort to make sure that everyone was doing okay, showcasing the worry he was already having towards the event.
As the show began, concern quickly grew. The heat intensified over time, even after the sun went down. The group appeared more exhausted than usual, taking multiple breaks between songs to check on the audience. Additionally, fans pointed out that some attendees were close to passing out due to the extreme heat and the cramped seating arrangement. Another reason why fans were passing out at the venue was dehydration.
It’s not unusual for venues to confiscate beverages before a concert for safety reasons. However, during this event, water was sold at inflated prices and only distributed freely after Stray Kids raised concerns about their fans’ well-being. Conditions became so severe that both the group’s staff and the members themselves started throwing water bottles into the crowd to help. It was said that Bang Chan paid for the drinks as the venue was charging $USD10 (RM42) per water bottle.
The frustration stemmed from the lack of preparation, despite the team being given over a week to get ready. Bang Chan addressed the issue on the Bubble app, speaking directly to fans who wanted more details about what happened. In doing so, he indirectly called out both the venue and promoter, Live Nation, for failing to provide water, something that’s typically standard at events.
STAYs also shared their disappointment, describing the overall experience as poor. Many thanked the members for checking on them and not ignoring the situation. Stray Kids still have two stops left on the North American leg of their “dominATE World Tour.” Fans are now hoping that future venues will learn from this and prioritise the safety of both the idols and the audience.
Here’s a video of Bang Chan expressing concerns during soundcheck:
@sungclt bang chan cursing and saying that it’s hot as hell during their washington dc soundcheck 😭 the heat got him stressed tf out #straykids #skz #bangchan #concert #kpopfyp #dominate_washingtondc #dominatetour #explore #sungclt
The members giving out drinks to fans during the show:
@jeonkookphoria he said “put it on my card, i don’t care” #straykids #bangchan #skz #chan #fy #fyp #jeonkookphoria
Bang Chan pausing the show to check in on fans:
@cookie_ex626 Bang Chan stopping the show due to multiple needing to evacuate for heat exhaustion #straykids#dominatetourstraykids#bangchan
Source: Koreaboo
Zaima Humaira contributed to this article
