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Electric Daisy Promoter, Fans Distance Themselves From Unruly Partiers in Hollywood "Block Party" Mob
Wednesday afternoon, Kaskade, the DJ slated to perform a set at an afterparty for the private premiere screening of a movie about the Electric Daisy Carnival, used Twitter to inspire what he called a #flashcrowd. By around 6 p.m. thousands of people had crammed the streets near the Grauman's Chinese Theatres in Hollywood, looking to take part in the "block party" the DJ had promised.
The crowd became unruly, and the Los Angeles Police Department were called in; it took them until nearly 10 p.m. to get the crowd under control, make arrests, and re-open the streets.
It didn't take long for the promoter of the controversial EDC "rave," Insomniac, Inc., to distance themselves from the fracas. In a statement issued late last night, a representative said that the "block party" was not a sanctioned part of the screening event:
I want to make clear that while this film showcased an Insomniac event, Insomniac had nothing to do with the supposed “block party,” which was not a part of the premiere. The crowd issues that arose were a result of individuals responding to social media information, which mistakenly led them to believe they could see artists perform.
Kaskade, who is featured in the film, was lauded by some for meaning well by inspiring people to celebrate the movie and his appearance in it. "good intentions from @kaskade for a suprise (sic) blockparty for his fans for the EDC movie. but i herd it was CRAZE ppl!" said @Edgar_In_Hawaii on Twitter. Unfortunately, the LAPD aren't fans of surprise mass gatherings on city streets. When participants of the #flashcrowd broke into fights, started fires, and threw bottles, the LAPD fired non-lethal bean bags into the crowd. A couple of people were arrested for vandalism.
Elsewhere on the internet, people were upset that the rioters were contributing to the public's misconception about EDC fans and attendees. "EDC fans arent bad," Tweeted @djamandarose. "I was there. Crazy shit for sure. Kids were acting like rowdy kids. Probably not EDC fans," said @JonasTempel on Twitter.
The EDC has come under much scrutiny in recent years; locally, the event was not permitted to be held in Los Angeles this year at the Coliseum, after a teenager died following last year's event. The traveling concert and "rave-like" experience played in Vegas instead, luring some L.A. fans to the desert to take part.
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Today, "questions are already emerging about who is to blame for the near-riot on Hollywood Boulevard," notes L.A. Now. Kaskade, who is thought to have been the one who inspired the crowd to show up, has not Tweeted since the height of the melee, when he pleaded with people to calm down and go home.
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