ABU DHABI // Underage drinking, fights and last minute changes to the DJ line up were among the complaints levelled by fans attending last week's Creamfields Abu Dhabi dance party.
On the Facebook page of the party's promoter, Abu Dhabi-based Flash Entertainment, the majority of posts from dance music fans expressed their disenchantment with these problems, as well as a general belief that security was inadequate, allowing in young people under 18.
Several people under the legal drinking age of 21 were said to have been seen consuming alcoholic drinks at Thursday's party on Yas Island.
A number of fights also broke out, with some resulting in serious injury. In three fights witnessed by a reporter, security was nowhere to be seen.
"I feared for my safety," Judith Welling, 39, a housewife from Dubai, said. "I am mortified by how many young kids were there. I spoke to one school teacher who said she had seen pupils from her school as young as 13 there.
"It was those underage kids drinking alcohol and getting rowdy ruining it for others. I am so cross I spent so much on a ticket and missed out on seeing the DJs I wanted to."
Flash Entertainment declined to comment when contacted. The management of Group4Securicor, the security company hired for the event, did not return calls.
At Creamfields, while waiting for the world-renowned DJ and music producer, David Guetta, who arrived at the party three hours later than scheduled, Bruno Solange collapsed unconscious at 4am. His wife said security impeded her ability to give aid to the fifty-something French resident of Al Ain.
"While we were waiting for Guetta … my husband collapsed right in front of security in front of the main stage in the crowd. When we asked security to help us to the first aid tent, they asked who we were and what our nationality was instead of being concerned for my husband. This was unprofessional and unacceptable," Ketty Solange said.
Some attendees said they were particularly disappointed by a last-minute change in the DJ line-up, which forced many to miss the acts they paid at least Dh250 per ticket to see.
This article has been altered to correct the fact that Flash Entertainment is Abu Dhabi based not Dubai as originally stated.