In an occurrence that feels eerily similar to Electric Zoo 2013, the second night of Seattle's United States of Consciousness-promoted FreakNight Festival at the WaMu Theater was cancelled due to unconfirmed reports of the death of one man and another being hospitalized in critical condition after overdosing on what is being described as a "bad batch" of MDMA. The Washington (State) Posion Center's Dr. Alexander Garrard told Seattle's KIRO 7 News that " [taking "Molly" is like] playing chemical Russian roulette. When you think about it, it's just a matter of time before you have a bad outcome.”
Described as "the largest and longest running electronic music festival in the Northwest," and "a circus themed EDM festival complete with flame throwers, aerialists, pumpkin carving, stilt walkers, jugglers, contortionists, and a prize winning costume contest," festival organizers stated the following on the festival's Facebook page:
Festival organizers took down then restored the festival's website in the wake of the announcements, and in comments on the festival's website, the same causes associated with Electric Zoo's ill-fated 2013—namely charging for water—have been mentioned as issues. Regarding refunds, more information will be available Monday morning.
Two major questions must now be asked regarding drugs and festivals. Foremost, why hasn't DanceSafe either been contacted by all festival organizers, or been a more proactive force in being involved in burgeoning festival culture? Moreover, will it take federal/state regulation to force festival organizers to have to be ultra-cognizant of drug awareness for something sustainable to be done? As long as the music industry continues to rest its hopes and aspirations on "EDM" to save mainstream pop music, attention and awareness must be paid.
