Raves: Insomniac Posts Rebel Response To L.A. Times Ecstasy-Deaths Story At ... 4:20

Raves: Insomniac Posts Rebel Response To L.A. Times Ecstasy-Deaths Story At ... 4:20

By Dennis Romero Tue., Feb. 5 2013 at 7:08 AM

EDC ravers / Colin Young-Wolff

The nation's biggest electronic dance music promoter fired back at the Los Angeles Times after the paper reported that several people have died after attending Insomniac Events and Go Ventures parties.

The L.A. promoter Insomniac argued that the paper's description of "deaths ... linked to Ecstasy or similar designer drugs ... tightly bound with raves" was part of a "mission to twist facts to suit their sensational story."

Extolling its EDM fans who "don't need drugs to have a wonderful, spiritual experience," Insomniac posted its response at ...

... 4:20 p.m. yesterday. Yeah! F--- you L.A. Times! We're $100-million-dollar rebels who now book pop stars like David Guetta, Tiesto and Avicii. Yeah!

Insomniac

So Insomniac is for drugs? Against drugs? (Scratches head). We're confused. After all, the promoter's name is about staying up, and we all know how ravers stay up (and go). (There was one EDM label years ago called Stay Up Forever).

Anyway, the Times detailed 14 mostly drug-related deaths of young people who had attended either Insomniac or Go Ventures events since 2006. Just the facts, man.

Insomniac says the paper "ignored" that it has an 18-and-older policy, prohibits drugs and has strict security.

Of course, its 18-and-older enforcement was in question even after the promoter announced it would shift from a 16-and-older policy following the 2010 death of 15-year-old raver Sasha Rodriguez, who sneaked into Insomniac's Electric Daisy Carnival and later suffered a fatal ecstasy overdose.

Kevin Todora

Security was also a serious issue at the 2010 EDC event, where video showed a crush of fans rushing a barrier at the Coliseum. (Keep in mind that the Times' list of deaths goes back to 2006).

Yeah, the promoter's response yesterday was high on spin, low on facts.

Calling the reporting an "attack" on Insomniac and saying ecstasy is a "global problem," the organization said:

... The LA Times treated the opinions of a few people as gospel, turned everyone who enjoys electronic music events into villains, and ignored anyone that did not agree with their biased opinion.

Again, reality is that the chief of Insomniac, Pasquale Rotella, refused to speak to the Times; so did the head of Go Ventures, Reza Gerami.

It's strange and perhaps a bit disingenuous for Insomniac to accuse the reporters of ignoring those who did not agree with them when it's principals refused to speak out when they had the chance.

The statement, a "call to action," asks fans to email and tweet at the Times' reporters who worked on the story. (We're jealous).

Insomniac's statement sounds less like a refutation of facts (there are no corrections to be found -- not one) and more like a marketing tool.

EDM audiences still need to believe that the pop-dance festivals of today still represent a fist in the air aimed at the man, even as contemporary promoters have become that man.

Like we said, it was posted at 4:20. So rebellious.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

Tags:

ecstasy, EDC, Go Ventures, Insomniac, Los Angeles Times, raves

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stupidPress

Drugs are a global problem, and kids obtain them in schools... do a story on that. Try to solve the problem, not point fingers to get a story...

RotellaTheAntichrist

When is that bastard Rotella going to jail for his crimes once and for all!!!

Art2D2x

Eff you Dennis... you're totally out of hand with this one. Stop trying to instigate the problem further with your poor, yellow journalism.

firefalcon6424

Whoever wrote this article is a fucking idiot and knows absolutely nothing about raves. How can you write an article on something you are so ignorant about? You're obviously biased and therefore should not be taken seriously, but most of the people who believe this shit are just as ignorant as you, unfortunately. How sad... So many people persuaded by one opinion just because someone actually said something about it. The news is biased, as well as the people who write it. It's all bullshit just to control the masses of people who choose to be deliberately ignorant because of laziness. What if some people tried to shut down all churches because a few people thought they were just a scam for your money? Imagine how you would feel about this dilemma. You would feel like: "That's not even what churches are for..." which is how we feel now.

ryan_cassidy88

Keep in mind that the times list of deaths include 14 NOT just insomniac related deaths and also includes deaths accounted to insomniac even though the people died outside the event or at home ??? hmm sounds like weak journalism there just trying to pin deaths on them.

not to mention, lets take a low number adns ay that in the course of 7 years 700,000 people have attended insomniac events and only 14 have died? and you are calling them out for this? if drugs are such a problme and they are apparently becoming THE BIGGEST part of this scene, where are all the overdoses?

Also, in 7 years of events at the NOS event Center in San Bernadino there have been 2 deaths accounted to raves but wheres your article on the fact that there have been more than 3 murders in Hollywood inside/outside night clubs this year alone? in 2 months, atleast 2 deaths and more than 3 shootings or stabbings, but no report from you guys?

You're stuck ragging on a single man who pays all his dues to make these events as safe as he can without making his fans strip naked before they enter, I have literally seen female security grab under my girlfriends bra and pull it out to the pint where EVERYONE in like could see her breasts ... is that not invasive enough?

Again, great journalism guys, you really know what you are talking about. Obviously

tcorselli1

Its hardly Insomniacs fault that the parents of 15yo allow them to attend these events. Where were their parents?. Also the irresponsibility of young kids to just pop any pill/substance into their mouths is their own choice.. I have been attending Insomniac events for almost 10 years and have only heard of 1 confirmed death due to durg abuse and that was in 2010. Go Ventures, however always had a very unorganized way of doing things and always looked the other way when it came to underage attendees and dealing of illegal drugs. I can also recall a Go Ventures event that I attended where, the second I walked into the gate fell into a large open pot-hole in the walk way and seriously injured my leg. Go ventures, NOR the sports arena offered any medical attention or refund. I also had a friend who was taken into a room by security at a Go Ventures event. The security guard beat and robbed him, then sent him on his way. I'd have to say that more than likey Go Ventures was the main issue when it comes to these accusations of deaths and danger. HMMM... I wonder why Go Ventures ended up being an epic fail....? I have never seen a shortage of poliece/security at any of Insomniac's events and know they do everything possible to keep their parties safe and enjoyable to all of it's fans.