Crowd At Packed Hamptons Chainsmokers Concert Sparks Fury

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — A charity drive-in concert in the Hamptons Saturday where people in a VIP area were seen packed closely together near the front of the stage and dancing, with social distancing protocols abandoned, has sparked fury.

Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman performed at the event as an opening act with his band for the headliners, The Chainsmokers. But he said the "VIP section" where the packed crowds were witnessed came after he had left and were in violation of the event's permit.

Videos from the concert in Southampton "show egregious social distancing violations," said Gov. Andrew Cuomo. "I am appalled."

The drive-in "Safe and Sound" fundraiser experience was presented by In the Know Experiences & Invisible Noise and featured The Chainsmokers, as well as opening acts DJ D-Sol and the Jay Schneiderman Band with special guest Matt White.

The event was held at Nova's Ark project in Water Mill and benefited No Kid Hungry, the Southampton Fresh Air Home and the Children's Medical Fund of New York. Tickets for the event cost from $850 up to $25,000.

Howard Zucker, commissioner of the New York State Department of Health, sent a letter to Schneiderman after the event. "I am greatly disturbed by reports concerning the 'drive-in' concert held in your town this past weekend, which apparently involved thousands of people in close proximity, out of their vehicles, a VIP area where there was no pretense of a vehicle, and generally not adhering to social distancing guidance. I am at a loss as to how the Town of Southampton could have issued a permit for such an event, how they believed it was legal and not an obvious public health threat."

Zucker asked if the town issued a permit, how the permit was consistent with state regulations and COVID-10 regulations and what security was present. The letter also asked what town officials were present.

A release before the event said: "Safe & Sound will set the bar for a new era of immersive experiences. This will be a safe and controlled environment setting the bar for all events to come."

Up to 600 vehicles were to be permitted to the "live music tailgate experience." The event advertised a "20 x 20 foot" platinum area that included beach chairs; the "gold guests" received a personal 20 x 15 area. Guests were told that they would be subject to a list of precautions, including temperature checks — and they could not leave their areas except to use restrooms.

Personal protective equipment was to be provided to all guests, including a mask to be worn, when leaving a guest's designated area to use a restroom; and hand-washing and sanitization stations were available throughout the concert grounds.

All guests were mandated to arrive together and follow all social distancing guidelines; the event was advertised as meeting all local health and safety standards, as well as state regulations.

"The exclusive event will adhere to guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as all state and local public health mandates," a release before the event said.

Alcohol was allowed, and guests were given an "exclusive VIP cooler with all your necessities for the night. Your exclusive cooler will be onsite in your area upon arrival."

No more than six guests per vehicle for an SUV and four for sedan were to be allowed. "All vehicle guests can tailgate and enjoy the show outside the vehicle," the release said.

But videos of the event showed a packed crowd near the stage at the event.

"We have no tolerance for the illegal and reckless endangerment of public health," Cuomo said.

Speaking with Patch, Schneiderman said there was a "strict permitting process" and organizers had to "meet strict guidance." He said he was not a part of the permitting process; the police approved the event, Schneiderman said.

The event, Schneiderman said, was not supposed to include the "VIP area in front of the stage. It would never have been allowed."

Schneiderman said he wasn't there when the crowds were seen packed near the front. "I performed in the very beginning, and it wasn't there then. It was just cars and people next to their cars. At some point, the organizer started letting people into that area and violated the permit."

Organizers will be facing fines, he said.

The event, Cuomo said, was just a "gross violation of not only the public health rules — it was a gross violation of common sense. It was grossly disrespectful to fellow New Yorkers."

The state's department of health is going to do a full investigation of "why the Town of Southampton issued a permit, and as to what the promoters thought they were doing." Cuomo said he wants to know how the event was "allowed to get out of control, and why local law enforcement didn't do anything when they saw the event out of control and all the rules being violated."

There have also been reports received about behavior in the Village of Southampton "that has been ongoing and recurring," Cuomo; the investigation will also involve Southampton town and village leadership, the governor said.

Violations of the public health law can trigger fines and the potential for criminal liability, Cuomo said.

"The Town of Southampton is going to have a problem," Cuomo said. "I don't know how they approved that permit."

A drive-in concert means driving in and staying in the car, he said. "That's not what the concert was in the Hamptons. Look at the pictures. What we saw over the weekend was not a drive-in."
With other such concerts planned across the state, Cumo said: "See what happened in the Hamptons — and be forewarned."

"They have been cited, and the matter is under investigation by police — there is likely more to come," Schneiderman said.

Before he left around 10 p.m., Schneiderman said, he noticed some "people going into that area, and I said something to two of the security people, telling them, 'You can't do that.'"

The supervisor said he got a ride from someone who was leaving at 10 p.m. and he had to leave; the crowd started gathering in the VIP area around 10:10 p.m., he said. "That's when they started letting people in" as the Chainsmokers performed.

Police "pulled the plug and shut it down" when the crowds began packing the area, the supervisor said.

"I want to make it really clear — what the town permitted did not include that area in front of the stage. That was a violation of the permit. They were supposed to be in their cars or in the area designated next to their cars, only leaving their areas to use the bathrooms, and they had to wear masks," Schneiderman said.

Schneiderman said he has worked for months to keep the town safe, even reaching out to Cuomo to curtail nonessential trips to the area in March. He also worked to launch a "Feed the Need" grassroots initiative to help the hungry on the East End during the pandemic.

"I feel terrible that this happened," Schneiderman said. "I'm as upset as anyone else. People are saying, 'You should have been able to predict this. You shouldn't have allowed this.' But it was determined that this was an allowable event."

Another drive-in event on Long Island has allowed capacity of up to 1,000 cars, he said.

He added: "I would never have participated if I thought they would violate the permit in any way or not be able to comply with the guidance. I thought we were helping to raise money for charity."

Schneiderman said he is asking organizers to compile a list of everyone who was in the pit area, "probably less than 200 at the peak." All those persons, he said, should be tested and, if anyone tests positive for the coronavirus, they should be quarantined.

In the Know Experiences and Invisible Noise issued a statement: "The Safe & Sound drive-in concert fundraiser followed the guidelines created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and made best efforts to ensure New York’s social distancing guidelines were properly maintained throughout the event," the statement read. "We collaborated with all state and local health officials to keep everyone safe, create awareness for local businesses, provide work to over 350 people who have been unemployed as a result of the pandemic and to bring some joy into people’s lives during these difficult times."

Prior to the event, all guests were instructed to self-monitor their temperature daily for two weeks leading up to the event, maintaining a temperature below 99.5 degrees F or 37.5 degrees C, the statement read. "Additionally, they were asked to disclose if they tested positive for COVID-19 or if they were in contact with anyone who tested positive within the last two weeks. Upon arrival, individuals within each car had their temperatures taken and were also provided complimentary face masks before driving to their designated 20' x 20' spot."

Guests were also instructed that they would not be allowed to leave their designed spots for any reason other than to use the rest room facilities, organizers said. "Announcements and reminders were made every 30 minutes from the main stage, and security guards regularly patrolled the area to encourage mask wearing and promote social distancing guidelines. The event organizers followed all proper and current protocol, including spacing each spot more than six feet apart, positioning sanitizing stations throughout the open grounds, temperature checks for all attendees, sanitization of restrooms every 10 minutes, local security enforcing guests to wear their masks both in and out of their designated areas, contact tracing, clearly marked parking zones, as well as providing complimentary face masks upon arrival."

In addition, In the Know Experiences and Invisible Noise said: 108 20' x 20' areas and 393 different 20' x 15' areas were created for guests to experience with family or friends and enjoy a show in their respective areas; there were limited gatherings of 10 people using more 80 guards security guards, as well as Southampton police, who were enforcing social distancing guidelines as well as making sure that guests wore masks when outside of personal areas; and there were 4,000 free masks distributed.

"The criticism based on a two second video does not accurately depict the entire event," the statement read. "This video is misleading based on the angle and the lighting in which it was shot. The clip shows footage of the Chainsmokers friends and family section, which was separated by stanchions and metal barricades, each section limited to no more than 10 people max."

Temperature checks were done onsite before guests were allowed to enter; COVID waivers were signed by all guests in attendance and all staff prior to entering into venue; 350 jobs were created for the local community; more than 100 CDC guidelines were posted around venue and on screens during the show; there were no on-site concessions; there were four bathrooms attendants per bathroom trailer, with bathrooms cleaned every 10 minutes, and 12 portable bathrooms each with its own attendant all placed 6 feet apart with hand sanitizer stations, the statement said.

There were no injuries or negligence or citations or violations issued onsite, the statement from organizers read.

The Chainsmokers did not immediately return a request for comment.