{
  "id": "2019-07-05-cu-boulder-folsom-field-dead-company-lightning",
  "slug": "cu-boulder-folsom-field-dead-company-lightning-2019-07-05",
  "institution": {
    "name": "University of Colorado Boulder",
    "shortName": "CU Boulder",
    "state": "CO",
    "type": "public-r1",
    "alertSystemName": "CU Boulder Alerts",
    "enrollment": 36000
  },
  "incident": {
    "date": "2019-07-05",
    "type": "severe-storm",
    "cleryCategory": "advisory",
    "headline": "Hail and lightning empty a stadium of fifty thousand concertgoers two songs into a show",
    "headlinePublic": "Hail and lightning empty a stadium of fifty thousand concertgoers two songs into a show",
    "summary": "A severe summer thunderstorm brought lightning and sheets of hail to [Folsom Field](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folsom_Field) on July 5, 2019, forcing more than 50,000 Dead and Company concertgoers to evacuate to stadium shelter areas just after the band played their second song. [Colorado Daily reported](https://www.coloradodaily.com/2019/07/05/lightning-delays-dead-company-concert-at-cu-boulders-folsom-field/) that fans were directed to Balch Fieldhouse on the west side and the East Concourse on the east side; the storm cleared in approximately 45 minutes and the show resumed.",
    "outcome": "Concert resumed approximately 45 minutes after the evacuation began; the band played through the night to make up for the lost time.",
    "resolution": "confirmed-threat"
  },
  "alerts": [
    {
      "sequence": 1,
      "type": "initial",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "Update #1: Due to lightning in the area, the @deadandcompany concert will be paused. Attendees need to seek shelter. Please move safely to covered areas of Folsom Field: East Concourse and Balch Fieldhosue to the west. #CUBoulder #deadandco",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/CUBoulder/status/1147314659344601088",
      "sourceDescription": "@CUBoulder on X (official, verbatim weather cascade)",
      "annotations": [
        "Exact text from official X status 1147314659344601088 (syndication full text)"
      ],
      "characterCount": 240,
      "timestamp": "2019-07-05T19:21:45-06:00"
    },
    {
      "sequence": 2,
      "type": "update",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "Update #2: The @deadandcompany concert continues to experience a hail storm and lightning delay. Please continue to shelter in place at Balch Fieldhouse (west side) or the East Concourse at Folsom Field. Stay tuned for further updates. #CUBoulder #DeadandCo",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/CUBoulder/status/1147317503976062977",
      "sourceDescription": "@CUBoulder on X (official, verbatim weather cascade)",
      "annotations": [
        "Exact text from official X status 1147317503976062977 (syndication full text)"
      ],
      "characterCount": 257,
      "timestamp": "2019-07-05T19:33:03-06:00"
    },
    {
      "sequence": 3,
      "type": "update",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "Update #3: Boulder County is under a severe thunderstorm warning. Event officials are monitoring the weather. Concert will resume when safe. Attendees should continue to seek shelter. Stay tuned for updates. #CUBoulder #DeadandCo",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/CUBoulder/status/1147320100514439169",
      "sourceDescription": "@CUBoulder on X (official, verbatim weather cascade)",
      "annotations": [
        "Exact text from official X status 1147320100514439169 (syndication full text)"
      ],
      "characterCount": 229,
      "timestamp": "2019-07-05T19:43:22-06:00"
    },
    {
      "sequence": 4,
      "type": "update",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "Update #4: Boulder County continues to be under a severe thunderstorm warning. Concert will resume soon, after lightning has left the area. Attendees should continue to stay sheltered. Thank you for your patience. #CUBoulder #DeadandCo",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/CUBoulder/status/1147323617748779008",
      "sourceDescription": "@CUBoulder on X (official, verbatim weather cascade)",
      "annotations": [
        "Exact text from official X status 1147323617748779008 (syndication full text)"
      ],
      "characterCount": 235,
      "timestamp": "2019-07-05T19:57:21-06:00"
    },
    {
      "sequence": 5,
      "type": "update",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "Update #5: Current storm and lightning threat has left the Boulder area, per @NWSBoulder. The @deadandcompany concert will resume shortly. Attendees can return to their seats and the field. Thank you for your patience. #CUBoulder #DeadandCo",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/CUBoulder/status/1147325810824470528",
      "sourceDescription": "@CUBoulder on X (official, verbatim weather cascade)",
      "annotations": [
        "Exact text from official X status 1147325810824470528 (syndication full text)"
      ],
      "characterCount": 240,
      "timestamp": "2019-07-05T20:06:04-06:00"
    },
    {
      "sequence": 6,
      "type": "update",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "Update #6: The @deadandcompany show is set to resume at 8:45, weather permitting. Thanks for your patience amid the weather delay. Enjoy the show! #CUBoulder",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/CUBoulder/status/1147334408979922944",
      "sourceDescription": "@CUBoulder on X (official, verbatim weather cascade)",
      "annotations": [
        "Exact text from official X status 1147334408979922944 (syndication full text)"
      ],
      "characterCount": 157,
      "timestamp": "2019-07-05T20:40:14-06:00"
    },
    {
      "sequence": 7,
      "type": "all-clear",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "Update #7: And the @deadandcompany show is back on! The band has taken the stage. Thanks for your patience amid the weather delay. #CUBoulder #deadandcompany",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/CUBoulder/status/1147335975430844416",
      "sourceDescription": "@CUBoulder on X (official, verbatim weather cascade)",
      "annotations": [
        "Exact text from official X status 1147335975430844416 (syndication full text)"
      ],
      "characterCount": 157,
      "timestamp": "2019-07-05T20:46:27-06:00"
    }
  ],
  "context": "Folsom Field, the [home of the University of Colorado Buffaloes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folsom_Field) and a 50,000-seat stadium on the Boulder campus, is a premier outdoor concert venue that regularly hosts summer national touring acts. The Front Range of Colorado is known for intense afternoon and evening thunderstorms from July through August -- a pattern the university's event operations team is well-acquainted with. On July 5, 2019, [Dead and Company were two songs into their evening show](https://www.coloradodaily.com/2019/07/05/lightning-delays-dead-company-concert-at-cu-boulders-folsom-field/) when lightning and hail struck simultaneously. Fans in the infield and seating bowl were directed to Balch Fieldhouse (west side) or the East Concourse (east side) as hail fell hard enough to obscure sightlines to the stage; fans near the field had to climb the bleachers while being pelted. The storm cleared in about 45 minutes and concertgoers were called back around 8:10 PM MDT. The band resumed and played without their usual set break to compensate for the delay. [The University of Colorado's alert system](https://alerts.colorado.edu/latest-alerts) maintains campus-wide emergency notification capability for non-athletic events at Folsom Field through the same infrastructure used for football games.",
  "keyFindings": [
    "More than 50,000 concert attendees were evacuated from Folsom Field's bowl and field during a lightning and hail storm roughly 45 minutes into the show",
    "Designated shelter locations -- Balch Fieldhouse (west) and East Concourse (east) -- were used for a non-football event, demonstrating their multi-event utility",
    "The storm cleared in approximately 45 minutes; Dead and Company resumed without a set break to make up lost time",
    "Rocky Mountain Front Range afternoon thunderstorms pose recurring risk for Folsom Field's summer concert season; this is a well-known venue management challenge"
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "Dead & Company concert at CU Boulder's Folsom Field back on as severe thunderstorm watch continues - Colorado Daily",
      "url": "https://www.coloradodaily.com/2019/07/05/lightning-delays-dead-company-concert-at-cu-boulders-folsom-field/",
      "type": "local-media"
    },
    {
      "title": "Dead and Company Shows in Boulder, Colorado - Catherine Sherman fan account",
      "url": "https://catherinesherman.wordpress.com/2019/08/01/dead-and-company-shows-in-boulder-colorado/",
      "type": "other"
    },
    {
      "title": "Latest Alerts - CU Boulder Alerts",
      "url": "https://alerts.colorado.edu/latest-alerts",
      "type": "official-archive"
    },
    {
      "title": "@CUBoulder Dead & Co lightning cascade (X)",
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      "type": "official-social"
    },
    {
      "title": "@CUBoulder show resume (X)",
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      "title": "Official X seq6",
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  ],
  "confidence": "high",
  "tags": [
    "severe-storm",
    "lightning",
    "hail",
    "concert",
    "stadium",
    "folsom-field",
    "cu-boulder",
    "colorado",
    "large-event",
    "evacuation"
  ],
  "dateAdded": "2026-06-01",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-07-18",
  "addedBy": "ingestion"
}