Bomb Scare Stalls Dead & Company Concert at Hollywood Bowl

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Amy Harris/Invision/AP
Jerome Hudson

A bomb threat called in during a Dead & Company concert at the Hollywood Bowl Wednesday night led to a brief show stoppage and a full-fledged security sweep of the historic Los Angeles amphitheater.

“Last night, a performance at the Hollywood Bowl was briefly interrupted while on-site authorities investigated an unfounded bomb threat that was called in during the concert,” The L.A. Philharmonic, which manages the Bowl, and the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation said in a statement, according to Billboard.

“Because the safety of our patrons is paramount, we immediately initiated a thorough search of the area that turned up no evidence validating the threat,” the statements continued. “Hollywood Bowl security always includes onsite law enforcement officers, explosive detection dogs and metal detectors at all entrances to the venue. The concert resumed without further incident.”

The show continued as Grateful Dead founders Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann re-took that stage and picked up with the band’s staple “He’s Gone,” with vocal assistance from an all-star cast of rockers including guitarist and vocalist John Mayer, bassist Oteill Burbridge, and keyboardist Jeff Chimenti.

But the commotion spooked audience members, according to eyewitnesses who spoke with CBS Los Angeles.

In the wake of the deadly May 22 suicide bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, an increased security presence was reportedly visible during the concert at the Hollywood Bowl. The venue urged concertgoers to arrive early due to “enhanced security measures.”

Dead & Company are scheduled to play a second show at the Hollywood Bowl on Thursday night. The Jerry Garcia-fronted Grateful Dead last played at the venue in 1974.

 

Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter: @jeromeehudson

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