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Fans wearing plastic rain coats to protest themselves from the bad rainy weather at Electric Picnic on Friday evening. Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie
Stradbally
Electric Picnic: DJ cancelled over crowd safety, CMAT confirms she’s playing
Armand van Helden’s 90-minute show was scheduled for the Smirnoff stage – one of the smaller venues at the 80,000-capacity festival.
ELECTRIC PICNIC CANCELLED a set by legendary American house DJ Armand van Helden on Friday night over crowd safety fears.
The 90-minute show was scheduled for the Smirnoff stage – one of the smaller venues at the 80,000-capacity festival.
Fans had expressed surprise at this stage decision on social media and on messaging forums online before the festival, given the artist’s high profile and big following from a three-decade career.
Huge crowds had gathered before the set which was due at 10.30om on Friday night.
Some festival-goers took to social media to express frustration at the organizers. Others expressed concern at how crowded they found the area around the Smirnoff stage, which is also near a thoroughfare between other stages.
The festival has been asked for comment.
Meanwhile, Irish star CMAT, one of the event headliners, confirmed she will play the main stage this evening as planned.
There had been fears over whether the gig could go ahead after she was forced to cancel a Paris show in recent days after contracting gastroenteritis.
“If you are going to EP festival, see you at the main stage tonight at 9pm,” CMAT said on Instagram.
Festival goers have woken up to heavy rain this morning, but it looks like it could clear up this evening before CMAT takes the stage.
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