Perry Farrell has reacted to angry Pearl Jam fans following the band’s headline set at Lollapalooza Argentina being cancelled.
The Jane’s Addiction frontman set up Lollapalooza in 1991, initially as a touring festival before taking up residency in Chicago in 2005. The brand now hosts six festivals worldwide, including events in Berlin, Paris, and Chile.
Pearl Jam were due to close the Argentinian leg on Sunday (March 18), but their set was cancelled due to “severe” weather. Farrell said on Twitter festival staff’s “hearts have been aching over the news of the rainout today”.
Brothers, sisters, our hearts have been aching over the news of the rainout today. I’ve even gotten angry. Wanting answers- thinking of a way- why not move ahead- it stopped raining?..You and me we are alike. I made sure to obtain pictures- here they are. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/JoimpkJZYg
— Perry Farrell (@perryfarrell) March 19, 2018
Fans began to respond to him with anger and disappointment, with one, Ninoska, writing “Fuck you. Show must go on!” and posting photos from crowds appearing to enjoy the mud at Woodstock 2009. Farrell replied: “Woodstock, where you frolic in the mud like the 60’s..(man made mud pit woohoo!) aside from the fact that it was built on a toxic waste land fill, and there were several women raped. It ended w the grounds set ablaze. Keep reading.”
He also shared a link to an article about Pearl Jam’s tragic Roskilde set in 2000 where nine fans died after being crushed in the crowd. “Experts (Stage engineers who resurrected the structure in tandem with band stage producer in tandem with band manager) assess the damage inflicted by god,” Farrell wrote. “I was disappointed too.”
Ninoska, Glad you weren’t the one to make the call on this particular day…. Experts (Stage engineers who resurrected the structure in tandem with band stage producer in tandem with band manager) assess the damage inflicted by god. I was disappointed too https://t.co/IRPgHMh63a
— Perry Farrell (@perryfarrell) March 19, 2018
When another fan called Juampi pointed out that the weather was sunny at 2pm, Farrell replied: “The final decision is the government’s. Once they declared the area unsafe, we could not refute it.
Juampi, How are old are you? Think my man; if people got hurt or killed after they had declared it unsafe- there would be hell to pay. People would be suing over deaths of their family. One day god willing you’ll have a business or a community to protect. Have fun don’t fukitup. https://t.co/kymQ0nFFvV
— Perry Farrell (@perryfarrell) March 19, 2018
“Think my man; if people got hurt or killed after they had declared it unsafe there would be hell to pay. People suing over deaths of their family.”
Yesterday, the line-up was announced for Lollapalooza in Chicago. The festival, which takes place between August 2-5, will be headlined by Arctic Monkeys, Jack White, The Weeknd, and Bruno Mars.