Concerts Return Amongst COVID-19
photo by mia wurster
Concerts have been constantly pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the release of the Pfizer, Moderna, and the J&J/Janssen vaccines and new public health regulations the world is starting to look a little more normal.
Online concerts were used during the pandemic by performers, but now they’re ready for the big stage. How will it be different? How is the world reacting?
Chicago’s 2021 Lollapalooza set the tone for the upcoming concerts. Requiring concert goers to present a vaccination card or a negative COVID-19 test, the event seemed safe.
Yet concerns started to rise once 200 of the 385,000 fans tested positive two weeks after the event, writer Kate Mabus at USA Today reported. Because of this situation, artists have been very cautious about whether they are ready to hop on the stage again.
Kennedy Yeagar, 12, and Ally Mandarino, 12, recently saw artist Harry Styles in Detroit. They explained they were required to show a negative COVID-19 test or a vaccination card for concert entry and were required to wear masks.
Despite this, the two expressed concerns about concert-goers taking masks off during the event. Both explained they do not think performers should be held responsible for any cases when audience members won’t listen to safety protocols.
Some artists have chosen to remain coutis, such as country band Florida Georgia Line, who canceled their upcoming “I Love My Country Tour” over safety concerns. They announced the decision on Instagram August 20, ending their message with, “can’t wait to be back when the time is right.” Another artist, Michael Buble, canceled his Austin, Texas show after they did not accommodate his request for strong COVID-19 protocols, Mabus also states. Even more, other artists have moved concert dates from 2020 to 2021.
“I’m relieved because I bought the tickets to see Harry Styles [in] September 2019 for a show July 17, 2020 and then it got postponed to September 20 2021, so I waited two years to see him,” Kennedy said when asked how she feels about finally getting to be able to go to concerts again.
People are hesitant to buy concert tickets again with their risk of the event being canceled or postponed. Buying tickets is now a calculation of the risk of whether or not you’ll be able to get money credit back if events get canceled.
“If you end up going to a concert soon, especially during the pandemic, do not take it for granted. It is so surreal, and you never know when you’ll be able to have another experience like it,” Ally and Kennedy advised.