For thousands of young fans, Dec. 3, 1979, was supposed to be an unforgettable night. The English rock band The Who had come to Cincinnati to as part of their comeback tour, and thousands of people had eagerly flocked to the Riverfront Coliseum. But before the show had even begun, The Who concert disaster turned the jubilant night into a tragedy.
That night, the mood quickly shifted from excitement into confusion and panic when the crowd, eager to snag unreserved seats inside, stampeded toward the venue. Eleven fans were crushed to death in a disaster that would forever change the way concerts were run in America.
This is the sad true story of The Who concert disaster.
A Crowd Gathers In Cincinnati To See The Who
The Who concert disaster took place on Dec. 3, 1979, when thousands of rock fans poured into downtown Cincinnati to see The Who perform at Riverfront Coliseum. The legendary British band was midway through its U.S. tour, their first since drummer Keith Moon’s death in September 1978. Drummer Kenney Jones had taken Moon’s place behind the kit…