A free 'pop-up' event in Manchester featuring popular Dutch DJ duo ANOTR descended into chaos and was abruptly halted after fans unable to gain entry began climbing fences to get inside. The performance, which took place at Projekts MCR Skatepark under Mancunian Way on London Road, was stopped midway through on Friday, May 29.
ANOTR, who have achieved UK chart success this spring with their track Talk To You, had announced the secret location only after fans snapped up free tickets online. However, it is believed that more tickets were distributed than the venue could accommodate, with the DJs stating the event was always intended to be 'first come, first served'.
Footage circulating on social media shows people attempting to scale the fence surrounding the skatepark, prompting pleas for those outside to move away. Student Peter Gallagher, 20, from Eccles, arrived about 40 minutes before the event was due to start and was allowed entry. He described how the venue quickly filled up, leading to gates being closed and leaving many ticket holders stranded outside.
'Those outside the skatepark began getting rowdy and climbing over the fences, prompting the event to come to a halt,' Gallagher said. 'They were meant to be on for three hours but were only on for 30 minutes. Even though it's a free event, it was pretty annoying. They have had free events in other cities around the world like Milan and Rio and they have gone ahead fine.'
Following a 30-minute pause during which attendees hoped the set would resume, people began unplugging equipment from the DJ booth, and an announcement confirmed the cancellation. In footage shared online, Jesse van der Heijden, one half of ANOTR, could be heard urging the crowd outside the fence to move away, warning that otherwise the party would be shut down.
One gig-goer told the Manchester Evening News: 'It was a great event, just a few who ruined it for everyone. Police shut it down as people were jumping in over the fence.' Others raised concerns about the number of tickets issued, although one TikTok user commented that the venue could have easily accommodated hundreds more and was not oversold.
ANOTR addressed the claims of overselling, stating: 'We didn’t send tickets to that many people and it was a free event. It’s always first come, first served (as communicated on the tickets), some people couldn't take that.'
