Scott Johnson died on June 16, 2012, at Downsview Park in Toronto. The stage roof collapsed just before the final sound check for the Radiohead concert to be held that night.

As it says on his tombstone "Scott was a beautiful boy and a kind and gentle man". He had been touring as a drum technician with bits of guitar work and stage management and had considered himself at the top of the tree working with Phillip Selway and Clive Deamer with Radiohead but had worked with Keane for seven years and Australian Pink Floyd, Killers, Robyn and many others. His work in the studio is acknowledged on Keane and Killers albums. He was an accomplished player himself, recording and playing in London as a 15-year-old.

He need not have died.

Miriam Stone has worked in the events industry all her life, starting out as a theatre and venue technician for Hounslow Council.  She has been an Events Manager since 1997, planning and operating outdoor events including BBC Music Live, BBC Proms in the Park and the Summer Pops – and orchestra season under canvas in Liverpool as well as touring with artists as Promoter Rep. She started at the AO Arena in 2006 as Events Manager ending up as Director of Operations until 2025.

Having worked on events as diverse as the Urban Farm Show to World Championship Boxing, her hands on experience of events, event management and crowd behaviour is extensive.  She is a people-centred manager and events professional, focusing on the individuals who work across the industry and, ultimately, who will respond in a major incident, while remembering that people work and play in the events industry for the joy it brings.

Miriam is now a consultant in venue and event operations, and as such, her work is broad. From speaking engagements across diverse industries through to longer term working with old and new venue teams to review and develop structures and processes. In a constantly evolving industry, robust operations which support those who work within them and enable them to feel safe and considered, will help to make events safe, secure, and fun for everyone.

Eric Stuart QPM, BA, is the director of Gentian Events, and also the retired chair of both the UK Crowd Management Association and the Global Crowd Management Alliance.

He has been involved in Crowd Safety for nearly 20 years and was the police planning lead for Notting Hill Carnival 1.1 million, London New Year’s Eve of 450k and the 70-day London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, viewed by an estimated 14 million people. At the end of his service, he was awarded the Queen’s Policing medal for dedication to duty, leadership and professionalism in his 33 years of police service.

He was a witness at the Manchester Arena Inquiry, specifically in relation to the role of private security in counter terrorism roles. He is currently acting as a tactical advisor to the Metropolitan Police in London investigating a double fatality in a crowd crush at the O2 Academy Brixton in December 2022.

He was the author of three aspects of the Baroness Casey Review into the Wembley Euro 2020 Finals disorder, particularly Wembley’s fitness to continue to operate, the impact of security shortages and skills and lastly, the crowd safety issues that led to the declaration of the nearest of near misses since Hillsborough.

He was a Crowd Safety Manager for events ranging from summer festivals and concerts through to Edinburgh Hogmanay and is also engaged with crowd management at many complex ‘crowded space’ environments including large shopping centres and religious gatherings across the US, Canada and the UK. The largest of these include the 800,000 Vaisakhi Parade in Vancouver, BC, Canada. He was the crowd safety advisor to the Calgary Stampede and Global crowd advisor to F1 Grand Prix races.

He holds a FdA and BA in Crowd Safety Management and was the co-author of the 2015 and 2019 UK Good Practice Guide to working in Safety Advisory Groups. He authored and reviewed chapters of the ‘Safer Crowds, Safer Venues’ published in 2023. He has recently completed a review of crowd safety aspects of the Liverpool FC Victory Parade in May 2025.