Chaos at Parklife as Matinee stage shut down over safety fears

Sunday, 15 June 2025 23:31

By David Murphy

DJs axed and fans evacuated after 'overcrowding' prompts emergency response at Heaton Park

Parklife organisers were forced to close the Matinee stage on Sunday after overcrowding raised serious safety concerns. DJs Josh Baker and Chris Stussy were due to perform, but their sets were cancelled as staff evacuated the dance arena.

Festival-goers reported being tightly packed before a staff member took to the microphone, declaring a "health and safety emergency" and instructing everyone to leave immediately. Witnesses described the crowd as “stuck” with “too many people being let in”.

Parklife bosses confirmed the stage would not reopen for the rest of the festival. A message sent via the Parklife app said the decision came “on the advice of our safety team to remove the risk of any potential incidents”.

DJ Josh Baker, who had been due to play a 6.30pm–8pm slot, said he was “deeply sorry” to miss the set and described the situation as beyond his control. Headliner Chris Stussy added that he was “gutted” but accepted that “safety comes first”.

The shutdown followed a warning from drug-testing charity The Loop on Saturday, after high-strength MDMA pills were found in circulation. The charity said some contained up to three times the typical dose, raising overdose risks.

Parklife reiterated its commitment to safety, stating: “Our teams worked quickly and diligently. The safety of our attendees is always our utmost priority.”