Post-Covid Concerts – What’s Changed?

With the arrival of Covid-19 and the many hardships it brought, many common activities enjoyed in day-to-day life were suddenly and entirely out of the picture. Among these activities were concerts, which, due to the nature of a crowd and the sheer amount of people in one area, would have been highly irresponsible in a time of such danger and unawareness. After learning about, and acting against the virus for a year and a half, some of the joys of pre-pandemic life, like concerts, are coming back into play. However, they are conducted in new ways to ensure safety and limit the spread of sickness as much as possible.

I had the joy of attending a concert myself for the first time in years on September 27th, 2021. I watched Phoebe Bridgers, an indie rock musician, perform at Leader Bank Pavilion. It was nerve-wracking seeing and being around such a crowd for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, during which most of us lost many of our social skills and gained new anxieties. However, with the precautions being taken by the venue and the musicians performing, I was able to ease some of those anxieties. Everyone attending the concert, including staff, was required to be completely vaccinated at least two weeks before the event and had to have proof of vaccination with them along with an identification to match. Negative covid tests would not suffice. In addition, although not quite possible to institute strictly, every attendee was required to wear a mask at all times. With these restrictions and precautions being taken, concertgoers were able to finally enjoy live music surrounded by people who love the same music as them while still ensuring their safety and others. It was a magical experience, and I hope we can all continue seeing concerts and participating in events without danger from now on.