“Let’s try this again…” is how Phoebe Bridgers, Indie-Pop singer, announced to her fans that she was moving all of her upcoming concerts to outside venues. Through Twitter on Aug. 23, 2021, Bridgers gave an updated list of the new venues and added a requirement for proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test 48 hours previous to her shows. This decision, and everything that it must have taken for her to make it, is, in one word, admirable.
Though many entertainers are requiring vaccines or negative tests, few have made the decision to move their shows outside. With the rise of the Delta variant, there has been a growing cause for concern about large gatherings inside, especially with no masks. It’s understandable that you would want to scream along to your favorite Harry Styles song in Gila River Arena, unmasked and free. However, these opportunities will come if we are safe now and manage to contain the Delta variant. Bridgers moving her concerts outside is a sign of resistance to all the other events going forward, most of which have little to no concern for the ongoing pandemic.
Who even is Phoebe Bridgers? If you are someone who’s not immersed in the pop/indie/alternative music world, there is a chance that you do not know how to answer that question. Though she is a rising star with four Grammy nominations and an infamous SNL performance, she is still somewhat “underground” compared to fellow stars like Lorde and Taylor Swift. Phoebe Bridgers was born in Los Angeles in 1994, and released her first song in 2015. Since then, she has risen to fame with her song Motion Sickness accruing over 100 million streams on Spotify and a subsequent five million monthly listeners.
Along with Phoebe, a few other performers have moved their concerts outside, or just canceled them altogether. A performer who decided to do the latter, causing national press coverage, is country singer Garth Brooks. Like Bridgers, Brooks canceled due to Delta variant concerns. In a statement, he addressed these concerns, saying, “In July, I sincerely thought the pandemic was falling behind us. Now, watching this new wave, I realize we are still in the fight and I must do my part.”
By taking accountability and moving/rescheduling their performances, these artists are helping foster a positive, safe “concert culture.” If a show you’re waiting for gets moved back, don’t worry, because what could be better than dancing outside with your favorite people?