Thousands of people attended Boston Calling on City Hall Plaza in May 2013.
Credit: MikeDiskin.com
Boston’s first two-day music festival on City Hall Plaza could have had better weather, but things could not have been any more peaceful.
While other concerts held on City Hall Plaza have turned violent or chaotic, the roughly 19,000 people that piled into City Hall Plaza each day during last weekend’s Boston Calling music festival behaved pretty well.
“We thought it would go well. We didn’t expect it to go as smoothly as it did,” said Brian Appel, the show’s producer. “We were really happy and fortunate with how everything turned out.”
A spokeswoman for the Boston Police Department said officers made no arrests and even issued no citations during the weekend festival.
“The BPD had adequate security on hand, but made no arrests and did not issue any citations. It appears the weather may have played a role in keeping the crowd relatively small. Despite the rain it was an enjoyable event,” said Cheryl Fiandaca, a department spokeswoman.
A spokeswoman for Boston EMS said about seven people were transported to a hospital for minor issues during the weekend show. One of those was alcohol-related.
Appel said it was likely a combination of things that kept the crowd “mellow” including the rain and wind and the bands in the lineup.
While things went particularly well for its premiere event, Appel would not comment on changes for the upcoming September show regarding security or a capacity increase.
A pair of recent concerts have not gone as well.
Videos on YouTube show fans chasing rapper Wiz Khalifa off the stage during a 2010 concert. The rapper can be seen running into City Hall as fans chase him and others jump on stage.
In 2011, a free show headlined by rapper Mac Miller turned violent and ended with police responding to the area to quell multiple fights that spread to the MBTA and Commuter Rail.
Follow Michael Naughton on Twitter @metrobosmike.
