Stampede at German Concert Kills at Least 18

At least 18 people were killed and dozens more injured in a stampede at the German techno-music festival Love Parade.

Fans were crushed to death when “mass panic” caused a stampede at the entrance tunnel to the music festival, BBC News reported.

“There was no escape, people were standing over me like a wall,” Raver Marius, an eyewitness said, according to The Guardian. “I was afraid I die.”

At least 10 people had to be resuscitated following the stampede at the grounds in the northeast city of Duisburg. Police say the situation was “very chaotic”" and that the details of what happened remain unclear.

Police commissioner Juergen Kieskemper said that police closed off the area leading to the parade because it was already overcrowded. Cops then told the festival-goers to turn around and walk back the way they had arrived, The Associated Press said.

The Love Parade is an annual music festival that began as a peace demonstration in 1989. It was originally held in Berlin, but moved to the Ruhr region in the west of the country in 2007.

Each year, hundreds of thousands attend from all over the world to see top techno DJs and parade floats from many different countries.

Love Parade did not immediately respond to a call and an e-mail from AOL News seeking comment.

The party continued even after the deaths, with many of the revelers unaware of the accident. At least one million were expected to attend the event.

Police originally reported that 10 people died in the stampede. The AP reported that emergency services had trouble reaching the injured.

source:  http://www.aolnews.com/world/article/stampede-at-germanys-love-parade-kills-more-than-a-dozen-people/19567253

Pink rushed to hospital after Nuremberg stage fall

She is known for artistic performances at her concerts but something went horribly wrong at Pink’s gig in Nuremberg.

The American singer tumbled from the stage on Thursday evening and was taken to hospital. She was supposed to be hoisted up on a trapeze for a stunt, but the 30-year-old was not properly secured.

She fell out of the harness and dropped down into the barricades, as she revealed herself later on Twitter.

Both fans and Pink herself were shocked following the fall, and the exuberant atmosphere suddenly disappeared.

Pink complained: “Oh sh*t, I hurt like a motherf**ker!” The music suddenly stopped. The fans began clapping to encourage the popstar. A couple of minutes later, she climbed back on stage.

But nothing helped – the concert was cut short as Pink was rushed to hospital.

Fortunately, however, the superstar did not suffer serious injuries, according to a police spokesman on Thursday night.

After a quick check-up in the hospital, she reportedly then left Nuremburg.

Pink let fans know about it on Twitter: “Nothing’s broken, no fluid in the lungs, just seriously sore. I made that barricade my b*tch!”

source: http://www.bild.de/BILD/news/bild-english/celebrity-gossip/2010/07/16/pink-taken-to-hospital/popstar-stage-fall-nuremberg-concert-cut-short.html

U2 plant Europese concerttoer

U2 is weer klaar om te gaan toeren. De Ierse rockband begint in augustus aan een Europese toer. In 2011 is een aantal concertdata in de Verenigde Staten geprikt. De band moest een eerder geplande concertreeks afzeggen wegens de rugblessure van Bono.
U2 moest dit jaar zowel hun Amerikaanse concerten als een optreden op het Britse festival Glastonbury afzeggen, omdat Bono in mei moest worden geopereerd aan zijn rug. Bono maakt het inmiddels weer goed. “Ik kan zitten, ik kan staan, ik kan bewegen. Ik voel me sterk en zelfverzekerd. Ik ben er klaar voor”, zegt de zanger in een filmpje op de website van de band.

Amerikaanse fans zijn met hun oude kaartjes welkom bij de nieuwe concerten in mei, juni en juli. “Ik wil mijn excuus aanbieden voor alle problemen die mijn blessure heeft opgeleverd”, vertelt Bono. “Bedankt voor alle steun die er was toen we het nodig hadden.”
De zanger vond de afgelopen periode erg moeilijk, maar ziet ook pluspunten. “Naar het plafond staren heeft een paar voordelen. Ik heb een paar goede nieuwe nummers, die we nu aan het opnemen zijn.” De band staat 6 augustus in het Italiaanse Turijn en doet daarna onder meer Helsinki, Moskou, Parijs en Brussel aan. (NOVUM)

bron:  http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1022/Celebs/article/detail/497626/2010/07/13/U2-plant-Europese-concerttoer.dhtml

Janet Jackson’s First Concert Since Michael’s Death

Janet Jackson made her first live performance in two years Friday night at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, and by the looks of it, the 44-year-old pop icon worked her butt off.

A glistening Jackson wore a futuristic looking silver number at the event, which she headlined, and was accompanied by a bevy of backup dancers. In concertgoer videos, Jackson’s voice sounds strong and the crowd certainly enjoyed the rare performance, her first since her brother Michael’s death. It’s also the singer’s only scheduled concert for 2010, so if you missed it, too bad! Watch Ms. Jackson perform ‘Let’s Wait Awhile’ and check out pics from the event, after the jump!

source:  http://www.popeater.com/2010/07/03/janet-jackson-essence-concert-new-orleans/