SAN ANTONIO – Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly reported that the Bexar County Fire Marshall’s Office is expected to make an announcement related to Cowboys Dancehall on Tuesday. There is no expected announcement and the San Antonio Fire Marshal was the responding authority on Saturday.
After Cowboys Dancehall was nearly shut down Saturday night due to massive crowds, an attendee described chaotic scenes in an interview with KSAT.
San Antonio police were called to the venue, located in the 3000 block of NE Loop 410, after a large, oversold crowd showed up to see Grupo Firme, a Latin music group with a large international following.
Officials said security was already in place as a large turnout was expected for the popular music group, but that soon turned into chaos.
The large venue exceeded capacity by 800 people, police said. Fights broke out inside and outside the venue, and one arrest was made for public intoxication. Authorities also told the venue to notify people indoors to leave and to get within compliance immediately. Eventually, enough people left the facility and the event was able to continue, the fire marshal previously said.
The City of San Antonio’s Fire Marshal said on Tuesday that no citation was issued “because of the venue’s quick compliance.”
“Going forward the SAFD Fire Marshal’s office will work closely with Cowboys management in an effort to ensure there will not be another similar issue with any future large events they may have scheduled,” the Fire Marshal’s office said in a partial statement.
A concert-goer recalled the night with KSAT, explaining the frenzy when she made it inside the doors.
“I got there at 8 p.m. and the line was like around the buildings and it was just chaotic and ... it was just very packed,” the woman, who chose to remain anonymous, said. “I went in and there’s like people everywhere rushing to the middle and then it was just everyone, like shoving each other, like trying to get in front.”
Police told the crowd outside that they would not be able to enter the club due to it being overcapacity.
Cowboys Dancehall on Sunday apologized to those who weren’t able to see the concert.
“The concert was brought to us from a third party promoter and therefore we did not have access to the ticketing,” the venue posted on Facebook. “We are currently investigating how the show became oversold.”
They directed people to visit Ticketon for refunds. Ticketon later posted that they were not responsible for setting the capacity limit.
Posted by Cowboys Dancehall - San Antonio on Monday, May 24, 2021
Back in January, Cowboys Dancehall hosted a two-day Cody Johnson concert despite a need for social distancing. The added citations then meant the business already had a total of seven citations since the pandemic began.
A search online shows Grupo Firme sold out venues like the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, disappointed concert-goers are wondering why someone thought Cowboys Dancehall would be a suitable venue.
“I really think just when it comes to concerts like especially with like a big group, they could have gotten a bigger arena or something,” the witness told KSAT. “Like maybe the AT&T Center, because it’s such a big group.”
Cowboys Dancehall has yet to respond to a request for comment by KSAT.
Read also: