Atlanta Loses $50 Million Because Music Midtown Is Canceled

Gun rights advocates challenged this year’s weapons ban

Music Midtown was held last year. Evans claimed in May, that his legal loss against Music Midtown, which has a 50-year lease with the city, created a clearer path for victory against short-term land occupants like the festival. On Monday, he stated to the Journal-Constitution that he had alerted organizers about his “legal concerns.”

Michael Julian Bond, a member of the city council, said Tuesday that while Live Nation had not confirmed the cause behind the cancellation to him, he could understand why organizers wouldn’t hesitate to hold the event with no gun restrictions. The Piedmont Park lawn is “exposed from every side, practically.”

Bond compared Piedmont Park’s openness to the Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas, which was produced by Live Nation. In 2017, a gunman opened fire on the event and killed dozens. Bond said that the state’s loosening of gun restrictions has led to the proliferation of guns at both economic and social costs.

He continued, “As a society, we’re trading a set of rights for another.” “You can have any kind of insane weapon you like, but you cannot peacefully assemble.”

Since the November crowd surge at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival, which resulted in 10 deaths and hundreds of injuries, festival safety has been under constant scrutiny. A Post investigation revealed that the majority of victims at Houston’s event were found in one area. Morgan Milardo is the managing director at the Berklee Popular Music Institute. She said that she has seen an increase in safety measures implemented on the festival circuit. They instruct artists and crew members what to do in an emergency situation, such as if an incident occurs from the stage.

Milardo says festival security is “pretty much black and white.”

Milardo said that the practice of including security measures in a rider, or a contract set of requirements for artists to perform at a venue — is common. The venue’s laws were changed.

Milardo stated, “It’s an ongoing conversation in the music business right now: How can we keep everyone safe?” This stuff happens, unfortunately, and we must be aware of it. It’s a great thing to see promoters and artists trying their best to make sure that events are safe.

Music Midtown was not the first time that controversial Georgia laws have been brought to the attention of figures in the entertainment business. In 2019, after Gov. After Brian Kemp (R), signed a “heartbeat law” that effectively prohibited most abortions 2019, Hollywood filmmakers declared their intent to boycott Georgia. The generous state tax credit likely prevented studios from heeding the threats. After Kemp signed voting restrictions into law, most studios remained silent last year. This was likely due to the generous tax credit. Major League Baseball relocated its All-Star Game to Atlanta as a protest against the growing backlash.

Stacey Abrams (Democratic candidate for Georgia governor seat) tweeted a long statement Monday evening, condemning Kemp’s “dangerous, extreme gun agenda” and stating that it would “cost Georgia’s economic a proven 50 million.” Phoebe Bridgers was a Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter scheduled to perform at Music Midtown.

The Post reached out to Kemp’s office for comment but was not able to get a response.