Live events have been by far the hardest-hit segment of the AV industry since the coronavirus outbreak launched earlier this year in China and has spread around the world, killing millions of people and causing many others to suffer severe health problems.
It seems there’s a bit of a thawing of the ice in that space, though, based on recent developments in England along these lines. No, we’re not talking about a virtual event or anything that forces you to click a link to watch a performance or presentation.
This isn’t a concert at your local drive-in movie theater or even a concert film shown on the big screen at the drive-in. This was a real-life, actual music festival, with live performers and a fairly large crowd, all separated to preserve some semblance of safety and social distancing.
Here’s more from the Huffington Post report:
Roughly 2,500 fans gathered Tuesday for the premiere concert at Britain’s first music venue dedicated to accommodating social distance. The Virgin Money Unity Arena, in England’s northeast in Gosforth Park, Newcastle, kicked off the first of its scheduled events with a show by English rock singer-songwriter Sam Fender.
The pop-up venue bills itself as the first of its kind, giving hope to an entertainment industry brought to a standstill by the coronavirus pandemic.
It has 500 separated viewing sites, most with raised metal platforms. The spaces are about 6 feet apart and fit up to five people, all of whom must arrive in the same car.
Guests are not to leave the platforms unless they’re going to the restrooms, which are at the end of every row of platforms.
Promoter SSD Concerts, which announced the concept earlier this year, has more than 20 other artists on the schedule through September, including Two Door Cinema Club and Patrick Topping.
Recent attempts at socially distanced concerts in the U.S. ― including an event in the Hamptons in New York, featuring a Chainsmokers DJ set that made nationwide headlines for its attendees’ apparent disregard of health guidelines ― have raised concerns for pandemic-era adaptations for entertainers.
This is great news for the live events industry, even if it’s an isolated event. It means people are at least planning mass gatherings and will be seeking help in planning, setting up and tearing down the AV equipment at the venue. There’s work out there if you look hard enough.
My biggest question when I see things like this is why can’t a similar approach be taken at sports arenas and ballparks across the U.S.?
Let families sit together and give them a few rows all around them to spread their legs and keep safe from the continued spread of the pandemic.
I suppose the biggest reason this hasn’t happened or been considered as far as I know in most sports stadiums is because Europe is much further along in slowing the spread of the coronavirus than we are in the U.S., so it might take us a while before we’re allowed to rock out or let the music wash over us.
