VIRGINIA BEACH
Two people were hurt and a boisterous dance party was brought to an early close Saturday night, police said.
The event was at the Acts 2 Church at the intersection of Level Green Boulevard and Indian River Road, near Providence Road.
It involved upwards of 200 youths, most in their late teens or early 20s, said Adam Bernstein, a police spokesman.
“It was some sort of punk rock concert or party,” Bernstein said.
The event, billed as "Club Relevant," was organized by Relevant Concerts, an offshoot of Relevant Ministries which is described on its Web site as being the student ministry of Harvest Assembly of God in Chesapeake. The Acts 2 Church says on its Web site that the group's events are "not officially" related to its ministry.
When an officer arrived to check on the event, “he couldn’t tell if the crowd was moshing or fighting” or both, Bernstein said.
Moshing is when audience members at a concert or music event aggressively push or slam each other. It’s common at heavy metal, punk rock and alternative music venues.
Whatever was happening Saturday night, some in the crowd did appear to be out of control, Bernstein said, “and it was escalating.”
So the officer called for a “priority assist,” he said. That brought numerous police units and supervisors to the scene.
By then, organizers were beginning to tone down activities, Bernstein said. But when police arrived in force, “they decided to shut the whole thing down.”
With that, the incident became a crowd control issue with numerous youths waiting for parents to come and pick them up.
“We just helped get people to their cars and assisted some of the kids in getting home,” Bernstein said. There were no arrests and no reports that any citations were issued.
Paramedics were called to tend to two people who were hurt, one with an eye injury and the other complaining of back problems, “but nothing major,” he said.
“We’re trying to figure out if the injuries were from dancing or fighting,” Bernstein said.
There was no security at the event in the traditional sense, Bernstein said, but there were adult chaperones, and he said police had “full cooperation” from the organizers.
There were no indications Saturday night that there have been any police problems at the church in the past or with events staged there.
Club Relevant is described online as “an all ages concert venue” that “provides an alcohol free, drug free and profanity free atmosphere where teens in the city can come and listen to both local and national acts play.” Relevant Concerts says its aim is to provide "clean and safe shows throughout the Hampton Roads Area."
It has multiple musical events scheduled at the site through summer, including one at 5 p.m. today featuring As Blood Runs Black. Other groups scheduled in the first week of May include Alesana, The Chariot, Sky Eats Airplane, Amen the Animal and A Day to Remember & MyChildren My Bride.
Bernstein said police officials plan to sit down with organizers of the events and Acts 2 officials to find a way “to avoid similar occurrences in the future.”
Steve Stone, (757) 446-2309/2319, steve.stone@pilotonline.com
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The music.
OK so I attend Acts 2. I am also in the Worship band for Acts 2 and I also dance on the dance team. Club Relevant has concerts on the days that we would have are practices for are dances so I would hear some of the music. I know that a lot of people would not like this kind of music, and I would be first to stand up and say I can NOT STAND this kind of music. BUT that does not mean I don't agree with the meaning of Club Relevant. I have known a few of the band that have play there and I know that they are good christian bands playing. I also know a bunch of good strong christian friends that go and tell me how much they love it there. I don't criticize them for what kind of music they like, and they do not do it to me. I personally like country and I know more people that can not stand country to the music at Club Relevant. I personally believe if you can get that many kids off the street to a safer place then walking down most of the streets of today than you have already accomplished a big thing. Then to get them to meet at a church even better. And then to have a few christian bands play there maybe you might even save a soul or two. you never know. But I do know fr
About Relevant as a parent and patron
I have been going to Relevant for a few years now, as well as my daughter goes and many of my and her younger friends. I believe it is a wonderful place for the kids to go see music and keep off the streets. My husband is in a band that does play the venue as well. Everytime I have been there has been security and it has been well organized. I applaud Pastor Mike and staff for all there efforts, no one can control everything, even the police. This venue has been going for sometime now with out problems. If your worried about your kids go to the shows and spend time with them (as many don't spend time with there teens at things there kids enjoy)and see why they love it, the venue is open to all ages. In this world anything can happen and one person can ruin things for all, bars aren't shut down everynight because some drunk drove home or started a problem at the bar. They do not preach at these shows but they do say god bless and encourage others to have an interest in god. The bands aren't all christian but they can not play songs that are negative/offensive or curse on the mike at the venue they will turn the band off and ask them to leave, it has happened. I will see everyone who
It's an outreach
I applaud Pastor Mike for his compassion, and desire to reach out. I would rather make a place available for kids to hear their music in an environment free of alcohol, drugs, and sex; then to put them into a mall for Friday and Saturday nights, or a bar. And friendship evangelism does work. I admit, the music is loud, and it's rough-sounding. However, spend some time with these kids and you begin to see some things that you like about them. They start seeing some things they like about you as well. It's a good way to introduce Jesus. It works.
Pastor Rob
Acts 2 Church
Club Relevant
I called to make sure that they had security, they said yes. This says the "Security" was volunteers, not certified security. Had I known, I wouldn't have let my 16 yr old go. Pastors Mike, Rob, and Matt need to figure out some things when it comes to large crowds. Instead of being money hungry, how about thinking about safety. If you weren't so tight, you would have good security and enough of them there to ensure safety of the kids and security.
In all your shows, has it occurred to you that maybe you should be searching the kids at the door to ensure that it stays Alcohol, drug, and danger free zone for the kids?? In addition to searches, security should learn what is legal and not legal for them to use in these events. There are gangs at the shows as well? If you had enough security, you wouldn't have 20 kids jumping on security when that security guy is trying to kick someone out. No foul language? One band has a song,"F--- me Now!".
Club Relevant
1. I believe Club Relevant is a wonderful place for teens to go. It's (as previously stated) a non-alcoholic, non-profanity, etc kind of place. And for the record. There WERE hired security from a security company there. and there was even a police officer on site that evening for secuirity purposes BEFORE THE FIGHTS BROKE OUT.
2. "Yeahh, I bet the Lord was really 'glorified' over THIS event! Gimme a break. This is secularism at its worst. Nothing wrong with singing praise songs or enjoying music with a message and a meaning. But stuff like that belongs in the garbage. And, those kids need a wake-up call--from a religious perspective, there really IS a right way and a wrong way to express worship or adoration to your God--but it sure isn't THAT way. Sorry. I don't buy it." - waynes21170
Club Relevant was NOT created to be a place of 'worship' or 'ministering with a message' It's run by a pastor and leaders from his church. A group of people that are there for the non-churched kids with love, compassion and care. SO many "Christians" don't care about these kids. The pastor that leads Club Relevant really cares about the teens that go to the shows. He has a hear
Church
You know I have a kid that goes there. They love it and I thought over all it was pretty safe. We have met Paster
Mike and many of the sec gaurds. As parents we normally attned the venues to see she is safe. I do see alot of "older" kids and rough ones comeing in that concern us however I think if by some chance any of them hear the word of the lord or learn you dont need drugs to have a good time it might be worth it. AS a concerned parent Im more interested in now getting the kids patted down to see nothing that can cause harm will enter the building. I was told by a teen who was there the eye injury was a stabbing ? Any proof to this ? Id love to know.
Ignorance is bliss...
Most of you people comment on something you know nothing about. Have you ever been to a "show" or in your words a concert like this before? Probably not. I started going in '94, I was 14. My parent's drove me and my friends to a "concert" hall in Norfolk. The music back then was about revolution, being strong minded, fighting oppression. Although the music has lost a lot of that meaning these days the kids still feel the same about the music as I did then. It is a way to let out the "demons" that build up inside all of us in a positive manner. Maybe not positive to you but it is to the people that volunteeringly "show" up. Some people have church, some have sports, these kids have music as an outlet. These have always been self-governing activities and just in the past 5 years with the MTV-izaion of the music has it been moved into the mainstream... Something the music is not, and eventually this is what happens. People talking about things they shouldn't because they have no idea... Hit a floorpunch to windmill to roundhouse kick for the old heads, kids... Dance the night away...
Normal behavior
What's the problem? This is their normal behavior. It's genetic and programmed into them. We have to realize that some can't grasp what they should do and how they should act in a civilized society. We need to increase the number of law enforcement officers to get them under control before it spills out into the entire area. You can take them out of the jungle but can never get the jungle mentality out of them.
It's cool with me...
Unlike Wayne down there ;-), I applaud Relevant, Harvest, and Acts 2 Church for getting kids to even step into a church building. Many of these kids have never been inside a church, but when they hear a band is playing, they line up to pay to get in. "When 2 or more are gathered..." God is in that place, and getting kids to walk into God's house is an awesome thing, and a step in the right direction.
Beatles song...
"A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance"
Wasn't this a beatles song?"
No. The Byrds- "Turn! Turn! Turn!"
Of course, the orginal lyrics come from Ecclesiastes 3:1
Crowd Problems
The Acts 2 Church says on its web site that the group's events are "not officially" related to its ministry......boy, oh boy! this is surely a crawfish way to try to back out of an ugly incident. FAST!
Scripture Quoting
Be careful how you quote scripture in justifying this situation. Just because the word "dancing" is in a passage doesn't automatically mean it will support a certain argument. Ecclesiastes 3:4 is speaking about the sovereignty of God, His power over time, and his plans for man. Also the dancing described in the verse is one that comes from God's joy not from a frenetic energy that spasms out without regard to your fellow man. The work "raqad" (dance) in the original Hebrew means to skip or leap. There is no mention of shove or hit.
With that being said, these events are a good alternative to what youth could get into on their own, but it should be well supervised. Things can get out of hand quickly without some sort of authority keeping things calm. We still do have the "old man" within us (Romans 7:14 - 25).
Poor excuses
I don't care how anyone, or even Pastor Rob rationalizes it--an event conducted like this is nothing more than an excuse to put a 'veneer' of respectability on a trashy, loud, out-of-control punk rock gathering of overly-hyper, hormonally-driven teenagers. Yeahh, I bet the Lord was really 'glorified' over THIS event! Gimme a break. This is secularism at its worst. Nothing wrong with singing praise songs or enjoying music with a message and a meaning. But stuff like that belongs in the garbage. And, those kids need a wake-up call--from a religious perspective, there really IS a right way and a wrong way to express worship or adoration to your God--but it sure isn't THAT way. Sorry. I don't buy it.
Please!!!!
Don't act like an animal and the will the police will not be called!!!!! Nuff said............
The neighborhood
The neighborhood over there probably isn't helping any either.
Song
"A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance"
Wasn't this a beatles song?
shows
would be fine if they would simply allow us to control ourselves there is no need for security when the old school guys are at a show because everyone there knows how things work if you are in or around where they are dancing expect to get hit dont try to fight over it. the security was way out of hand last night with the way they were handling the kids there was no reason for them to be grabbing guys by the throat for dancing give me a break. this whole incident has nothing to do with church or "teens being out of control". mostly it is about an abuse of power because one guard left who actually understands how to deal with our crowd so the others thought they could try to get tough.
Nice try
Nice try there in your attempt to blame the cops in teens causing problems. Concerts at the Norva has noting to do with a church.
Things got out of hand and the police was called. Put the blame
where it needs to be. Thanks
a time to dance
No ETOH, no profanity, no drugs. Teenagers do have a lot of energy, they were just dancing.
Ecceciatis 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
The Norva...
Things get 100 times worse at The Norva every night. This is just an eposode were cops heard "teenagers", and "loud music" and came to thier own assumptions. Which turned out to be wrong.
relevant
stuff like that happens at every local venue on a regular basis. i go to shows at these venues nearly every week and it is always under control. dancing at shows is something that will always happen. normall if people hit each other they show respect and say sorry if you dont go to shows you wouldnt understand this. also i was at this show and there was security and it was under control until the later bands of the festival where some fights happened which is normal to all venues in virginia beach.
Pastor Rob
Hey, Com' on.
GET OUT FROM AMONGST THEM!
Punkers are punkers. Deal with them when they want to be beter.
You should provide a good place for good kids. Not rent out for$$$$
It's Spring
What do you expect.
Happens at Churches in Virginia Beach
Interestingly enough these types of events happen in church rentals all over Virginia Beach. The cops don't really want toissue tickets to church folk and there is generally no records to indicate there was a problem. The city needs to get a handle on the rental activities of these venues as they create noise, traffic and public safety problems on a regular basis under the umbrella of goodwill...
Not a church dance
It was in a church building, but it wasn't a church dance. This is a ministry to provide kids an environment that is free from alcohol, drugs, and sex. Unfortunately, you can't have them stow their attitudes at the door. Some kids are there to have a good time, and others are there to cause trouble. It's a shame that a few ruin it for the many.
Pastor Rob
Acts 2 Church
Yeah, right
All of this in the name of the Lord? Yeah, right.