RollingStone.com reports that the Ontario Ministry of Labour is investigating four companies in relation to the Radiohead stage collapse on June 16 – Live Nation, the world’s largest concert promoter, Radiohead’s Ticker Tape Touring and Toronto-based Nasco Staffing Solutions and Optex Staging.
The stage collapse happened just hours before Radiohead were scheduled to play and killed 33 year old drum tech Scott Johnson and injured three others.
Several sources have suggested that although the tragedy has made headlines that associate Radiohead with the collapse it is infact Live Nation who were responsible for erecting the stage. Industry concert promoters have long bemoaned the use of aluminium instead of steel in roof constructions of this nature due to heavy equipment, video screens and speakers etc that are hung from the structure. Obviously, aluminium is lighter and therefore cheaper to transport than steel. Wouldn't it be refreshing for something so important safety wise to remain free of budgetaryconstraints that increase profit.
Radiohead have postponed seven of their European tour dates in Germany, Switzerland and Italy as a result of the tragedy and are due to announce rescheduled dates on June 27.
