Ongoing History Daily: Was this the worst-ever end to a gig?
Playing live is fantastic but it does come with risks and challenges. And, of course, the unexpected thing can happen, something that will ruin the show for everyone. I think it’s safe to say that no gig has been ruined in a more shocking way than what happened to a group called Seventeen.
In December 2018, the group was performing at an event for a state-owned electricity company in Indonesia. The gig was on Tanjung Lesung Beach in West Java on a normal Saturday night. Then suddenly, two songs into their set, the whole beach was engulfed by a tsunami caused by the eruption of a volcano called Anak Krakatau. The water blasted through the back of the stage.
The bass player, guitarist, road manager, and a roadie were killed. Twenty-nine people in the audience died and another 13 went missing.
