Pitfest Halted After Concertgoer Dies During Gorilla Biscuits Set

The Dutch festival Pitfest ended its 2026 edition early after a visitor died during Gorilla Biscuits’ performance on Friday, June 6. The three-day hardcore, punk, and metal event in Emmen, Netherlands, was halted and remaining sets—including Dark Funeral and Gutalax—were cancelled. Organizers later said the death was due to natural causes; Lambgoat reported the person suffered a heart attack.

In a statement shared to Instagram, festival staff described the sequence: someone became unwell during Gorilla Biscuits’ set, and emergency services responded quickly but could not save them. “It was later determined that there was a natural cause of death,” the statement read, adding that the live music was stopped “out of respect for the deceased, their family, friends and everyone else affected.” The note also thanked first responders, staff, volunteers, and attendees who assisted.

Harley Flanagan of Cro-Mags, who had played the festival earlier that day, posted a message acknowledging he had heard about a death but knew few details. He extended condolences, then addressed mosh-pit behavior. “People please be careful when stage diving, catch each other. And when people fall, help them up,” Flanagan wrote. He went on to condemn “crowd killing,” calling it “childish” and blaming it on “bullies who are starting fights and jumping people at shows.”

Pitfest has built a reputation as a gathering rooted in music and community, which made the loss resonate deeply with its audience. The festival had run from June 4 to June 6 before being truncated.