The drought is over! Live music has returned.
Artists such as Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, and Pitbull are back on the road and touring their albums. The arrival of Philadelphia’s “Made In America” and Asbury Park’s “Sea Hear Now” means festivals have finally made their comebacks, too. While this is all exciting, COVID cases are still popping up. As fans, all we want to do is support our favorite artists and have a good time, but is it worth putting ourselves at risk? Are venues taking the right precautions to ensure that fans have a good and safe time?
On September 17, Harry Styles played at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. I, along with many other Temple students, had the honor of attending. For me, it was very surreal to be back at a concert with crowds of nearly 20,000 people after being socially distanced for a year and a half. I decided to keep an eye out for COVID precautions, and I was pleasantly surprised with what I witnessed.
In order to enter the venue, fans had to show proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID test taken 48 hours prior to the event. I feel that this rule is very fair and necessary. I fully support the vaccine and believe it is bringing us one step closer to the end of this rollercoaster of a pandemic. This rule gave me a sense of comfort knowing that the majority of people in attendance were vaccinated.
The venue also required attendees to wear a mask. I was very nervous about people following this rule since nobody wants to be restricted when they are singing their hearts out to their favorite Harry song. The majority of fans, however, were very respectful of the rules and wore their masks properly.
Fans of Harry know his brand is to “Treat People With Kindness,” and this message definitely got through to his fanbase. All of the fans were very respectful and cooperative with the new rules. It was obvious how much this concert meant to the fans, especially as it was probably the first time they had seen Harry in years. Everyone was put in a tough position deciding whether to attend this concert or not, and even though it was different from any other concert I have ever attended, the energy was electric from start to finish and I was glad for the experience. It reminded me how much I love live music and how much I missed seeing artists perform. I’m glad we are at the point where if fans follow all precautions, we can experience this joy again– just with some extra accessories!
Attending a concert at an actual, in-person venue was a much-needed taste of normalcy, a breath of fresh air. Seeing how successful this event was while operating under COVID restrictions gave me hope for the future of live music and other in-person events. The absence of live music has given fans a new appreciation for just how much concerts affect our lives, and it will be a joy to have them back.