It’s pretty clear that when the live concert industry eventually returns, it is going to be under far different circumstances than we were used to—at least for the initial duration. The COVID-19 pandemic has effectively reshaped the world as we know it and live music and sporting events are unfortunately among the industries hit hardest by it.
Event Safety Alliance, a consortium of music and live industry professionals, have newly published ‘The Event Safety Alliance Reopening Guide‘—a 29-page set of guidelines intended to be followed upon the reopening of the concert industry. As you may suspect, the freedoms metal and hardcore audiences previously enjoyed are among those most frowned upon in it. An excerpt from the guide reads:
‘A few obvious changes will be necessary whenever GA [general admission] events do reopen. Patrons cannot all stand at the front of the stage like they are accustomed; moshing and crowd surfing are violations of social distancing per se and must be absolutely prohibited during this pandemic; even hallways and smoking areas where patrons congregate will have to be monitored to enforce health policies.’
You can read the entire guide here. As most industry professionals agree that touring won’t be viable again until 2021, they also seem to be in agreement that some big changes will be implemented until the threat of COVID-19 is conquered and put behind us.
Experiments with drive-in concerts and venues with limited distanced seating arrangements have been taking place. However, the limited capacity of such events will make these events a practical financial impossibility from the artists in the heavier music scene without a drastic increase in ticket price.
With most people in North America (and much of the world) already feeling the crunch on their wallets amid an ongoing quarantine, that price hike likely won’t be financially realistic for fans for awhile yet either.
[via Lambgoat]
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