There won’t yet be a ban on raves in Los Angeles County, but the Board of Supervisors sent a strong message Tuesday that one is possible if safety precautions aren’t implemented at electronic music festivals in the area.
Co-authored by Sup. Hilda Solis, a motion considered by the panel at its Tuesday meeting would create a task force targeting health and safety measures at music festivals, a proposal written in response to last month's suspected drug overdose of two young women at a music festival in Pomona.
"No one should have to lose their life by attending a music event at one of our facilities," Solis said.
Live Nation was behind the HARD Summer Music Festival at the Pomona Fairgrounds in August, where Tracy Nguyen, 18, and Katie Dix, 19, both died of apparent drug overdoses.
The concert promoter has since pulled a show at the county-owned Fairplex and agreed to add safety measures to its already scheduled 2-day event in October, including limiting the number of people and raising the age of attendees to 21.
Sup. Mike Antonovich said that while the supervisors have not barred the music festivals from taking place, the promoters of the rave-type events need to take precautions of their own.
"The people who market the raves are also responsible for creating that environment," Antonovich said. "If they are going to have future events then they should be alcohol-free and no drugs allowed and strong security measures so that those that are there are going to be safe and secure."
