In the whirlwind of events surrounding the Weeknd’s electrifying global tour, it seems there’s a bump in the road that’s caught everyone’s attention. Last year, the Weeknd set the stage ablaze with his After Hours Til Dawn Tour, and the thrill continues as he gears up for his Latin American leg next month. Amidst the breathtaking backdrop of an apocalyptic 3D cityscape, the show features an expansive stage at one end of the stadium, a lengthy runway crowned by a circular centerpiece, and a snazzy diamond-shaped mini-stage at the opposite end. But wait, there’s more to this tour tale!
Fast forward to August 14, 2022, when the Weeknd was making waves at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, crooning to a crowd of around 60,000 fans amidst the iconic Dallas Cowboys’ home. But this is where things take an unexpected turn – enter Steve Genovese, a stagehand who’s now casting a legal spotlight on live music behemoth Live Nation Entertainment. His gripe? Allegedly having his leg brushed by a forklift during the pre-show hustle and bustle.
In a legal filing that hit the Dallas County District Court like a crescendo, Genovese claimed that the misfortune unfolded on August 9, 2022. He was on duty, part of a team contracted by Live Nation to construct the spectacle that would become the Weeknd’s AT&T Stadium extravaganza. Picture this: while marking the stage dimensions, Genovese found himself in a surreal encounter with a forklift, which was being piloted by another worker on the scene. To say things took a turn for the worse is an understatement. The legal document reads like a thriller: “As a result, [he] suffered severe, excruciatingly painful and permanently disabling injuries to his leg. The flesh and muscle were torn away from [his] leg and were detached from the bones.”
But Genovese’s legal action doesn’t stop at Live Nation’s doorstep. The lawsuit unfolds like a blockbuster cast – featuring not just Live Nation, but also concert powerhouse C3 Presents, business management maestros David Weise & Associates (who’ve had a dance with the Weeknd before), and the folks behind the AT&T Stadium complex, Cowboys Stadium, LP. Noticeably absent from the legal marquee, though, is the Weeknd himself.
The lawsuit unleashes a barrage of claims – negligence, negligent hiring, and gross negligence – totaling five counts of civil liability. The plot thickens with a bold assertion: the defendants had the knowledge, the means, and the responsibility to ensure Genovese’s safety. Instead, they seemingly placed more emphasis on their own financial crescendo than on the well-being of the workforce that helped orchestrate the Weeknd’s spectacular concert.
Hold on, there’s more: the lawsuit zeros in on Live Nation and its collaborators, alleging that they failed to supply competent forklift operators and an adequate workforce as stipulated in their contracts. The complaint further alleges that the mishap took place because Live Nation and co. gave the green light for work to kick off sans the necessary number of stagehands, staff, forklifts, and emergency medical services personnel.
But the crescendo hits its peak with a chilling claim – due to a lack of immediate ambulance or EMS personnel, Genovese’s journey to medical care was chillingly delayed. And as if from a screenplay, this delay exacerbated his injuries, casting a longer shadow on his path to recovery. A month-long hospital stint, a series of surgeries, and a disfigured leg later, Genovese emerges as a symbol of the toll such an accident can take.
Genovese isn’t just seeking restitution for medical expenses, oh no. His legal composition includes notes of pain, suffering, anguish, distress, lost earnings, attorney’s fees, and more. The saga doesn’t stop here, though. In a climactic twist, news hounds have reached out to Live Nation, the Dallas Cowboys, C3 Presents, David Weise & Associates, and even the Weeknd himself for their take on this legal drama. The first glimpse of this legal encore was caught by the watchful eyes at Law.com Radar.
And there you have it – a tale that starts with a concert’s crescendo and takes an unexpected detour through the corridors of justice. It seems that even in the realm of entertainment, real-life dramas can steal the spotlight in the most unforeseen ways.
