'Monuments are not stadiums': Roman archaeologists call for suspension of concerts at Circus Maximus

“The Circus Maximus is a monument. It is neither a stadium nor a concert hall. Four days after rapper Travis Scott's concert, the director of the Colosseum archaeological park calls for a halt to concerts in the historic monuments of the city of Rome. “These giant rock concerts put it at risk, as does the Palatine Hill, located right next to it,” Alfonsina Russo told AGI, the Italian news agency. On Monday August 7, the singer's concert brought together nearly 70,000 people, singing and jumping to the rhythm of his songs, to the point of causing an earthquake in the City of Light. Hundreds of residents felt strong tremors, and called the emergency services, reports the national daily La Stampa.

The following day, the Italian Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology confirmed, in a note posted online, that its seismic software had “undeniably registered the enthusiasm of fans of Travis Scott during his concert at Circus Maximus”.

“The hope is that the capital of Rome will properly showcase the Circus Maximus. The latter should ultimately be redesigned so that its history and function within ancient Rome as well as in successive periods are fully understood,” criticizes the director. The old racetrack, where chariot races and entertainment once took place, had previously hosted concerts by Imagine Dragons, Guns N'Roses and Bruce Springsteen.

Singer Travis Scott's Utopia tour had been announced in the Eternal City just a week before, on August 1, for a performance on Monday the 7th. The news followed the cancellation of Travis Scott's concert at the foot of the pyramids of Giza, Egypt, due to "significant production difficulties". In just a few hours, all 70,000 tickets were sold.

The event was however marred by several incidents; after a pepper bomb was detonated, more than sixty people required medical attention. Later that evening, a 14-year-old boy who had climbed over a wall in an attempt to enjoy the concert, fell from a height of four meters; the firefighters intervened to extract it.

"In my opinion, musical events can always occur, but well selected, such as the Opera and ballets", continues Alfonsina Russo. “Rock concerts should take place in stadiums so as not to endanger public safety.”

The Italian authorities could fear a new “Piazza San Carlo effect”, in reference to the crowd movement that occurred in 2017 in Turin during the Champions League final; two women died of their injuries, and some 1,500 people were injured. Similarly, on November 5, 2021, while Travis Scott was performing at the Astroworld festival, a stampede resulted in the deaths of ten people.