The Chainsmokers concert starts with confusion and ends in accomplishment
Lights on the Lawn — an event hosted by Vanderbilt University to raise money for charity — almost ended in failure. After early performances by smaller DJs, The Chainsmokers went on stage on Friday night to start the set everyone was waiting for. But less than a minute after their music started, they were rushed off stage.
The reason for the sudden halt was a stage mechanical issue, resulting in the stage shifting almost three feet back at the weight of the people dancing. Due to the safety threat, The Chainsmokers were advised not to continue the concert. This unfortunate news was only made worse by the fact that the night before, The Chainsmokers had to cancel their concert at UT due to the mass overflow of people.
After about five minutes, the staff announced that they would build a new space for the performance so the show could go on. The staff carved their way into the center of the crowd and built a temporary place for The Chainsmokers equipment, right in the center of the massive crowd.
The crowd, made up of Vanderbilt, Belmont and Lipscomb students, waited frantically for the confirmation that they would get to see the performance. Nashville’s students held their breath as the stage was built right in front of them.
20 minutes after they left the lawn, The Chainsmokers returned to play in the center of everyone. The show continued with only minor sound issues, and they even played a tribute song — 9 to 5 — for Dolly Parton. They were unable to use a lot of their equipment, including their monitors and technology that allowed them to hear their songs, but they weren’t going to let that stop them.
In the end, despite the chaos, The Chainsmokers pulled out a memorable performance for everyone present. In doing so, they helped raise over 1 million dollars for the supported charity, Lights on the Lawn.
What began as disappointment ended in triumph for The Chainsmokers, the students and everyone helped by the money raised.
Feature photo of The Chainsmoker’s original stage taken by Havana Weigant.
