At this rate, it looks like we may be headed for a feature length film starring Chazz Palmientieri and Joey Pantoliano as this whole nitrous tank situation continues to balloon out of control at jamband-related events.
[Illustration by Roots Vision Design]
According to an NBC Connecticut affiliate, officials have opened a federal investigation into the disappearance of hundreds of nitrous tanks at the longtime Bridgeport, CT festival, Gathering of the Vibes, as guards seized the dispensers yet did not turn them over to police. This comes after news of an alleged murder at the Vibes related to the same entangled web of organized crime. On a particularly interesting note, the article actually mentions the “Philadelphia Nitrous Mafia” by name…
“Private security guards confiscated more than 100 canisters of nitrous oxide during this summer’s Gathering of the Vibes concert in Seaside Park after the Philadelphia Nitrous Mafia and other groups sold balloons laden with laughing gas to concert attendees, the Connecticut Post reports.”
Further reports include beatings and significant park damage. One thing has become clear regarding N20: the time has come to turn a cold shoulder to these vultures. The negative effects far outweigh the 15 seconds of “fun.”
5 Responses
for the last time phans, IT’s not about the gas itself. It’s about the violence, ignorance, pestilence and overall criminal element the No2 brings. I’ve worked head of security for festies and our ONLY rules of “no gas or glass” couldn’t be observed. 90% of the peeps we booted weren’t isolated balloon huffers/sellers. They were flat out “ghetto lot kids” that never intended on watching/hearing/dancing to music. They came to steal, punch, spit, yell, sell gas and simply add to a criminal element.
REMEMBER YOUNG PHANS: dreads, a heady mock logo phish tee, some patchwork and patchouli do not always equal a phan. sometimes, they are just Mafia scum.
FOR AT LEAST A YEAR, let’s ALL just keep on walkin past the gas.
cheers.
thank you glide for taking an actual stand on this issue.
again, it’s not about the gas. it’s about the entire subculture of greed/crime it represents!
While I agree with the above, this will not change until laws surrounding nitrous are more heavily enforced. From my experiences in NYC, the cops just don’t care/have better things to deal with. In a festival scene, this can also be the case.
As much as I disagree with the drug war, strict law enforcment may be the only way to weed out the trash that litters the scene.
Seriously, that scene at Carnegie Hall was so sad. I can’t believe that people have so little respect for themselves, much less the musician they claim to idolize and the greatest concert hall in the world. After that, I pledge to never patronize these scumbags again ever and never let my crew think it’s just some harmless “fun.” Who’s with me.
this is hysterical. thanks for this Scott
“One thing has become clear regarding N20: the time has come to turn a cold shoulder to these vultures.”
Couldn’t have said it better. I am so sick of these crooks making boatloads of money from our scene. Just look at the empty balloons all around when they are gone. They don’t care about us, they don’t care about the music, they don’t care about the people, they don’t care about anything but money.
Stop giving them money!!
There is no room for crooks in our scene. Move on people. The buzz ain’t worth the pain in the a$$!