A concert venue has a responsibility to keep guests safe, within reason. When the owner neglects to implement adequate safety measures, doesn’t have adequate staff for crowd control, or doesn’t have emergency protocols, a situation can quickly turn dangerous for the audience.
How Entertainment Venues Let Down Their Audience
A concert venue must comply with local, state, and federal law to keep the crowd under control and safe, and the owner will want to keep concert attendees safe to protect the establishment’s reputation. Without certain regulations in place, a good time could turn into a dangerous situation, with stampedes, hyperventilation, and other serious complications.
Not Limiting Occupancy
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a venue larger than 10,000 square feet should have only one person for every square foot. Not following this rule can lead to what happened in 1979 at The Who concert in Cincinnati’s Riverfront Coliseum. During this event, eleven people died in a crowd crush, which is when too many people are in a confined space and are unable to breathe, move, or reach an exit.
Not Having Adequate Staff to Manage Crowds
Though the specific laws depend on the state, city, borough, township, or municipality, the NFPA recommends that a venue have at least one crowd manager for every 250 occupants. These individuals direct traffic to prevent stampedes, prevent panic from breaking out, and monitor crowd behavior to de-escalate conflict rapidly.
In 2021, 10 deaths and hundreds of injuries occurred at Astroworld Festival in Houston, TX. During Travis Scott’s performance, a crowd surge happened due to overcrowding and a lack of crowd monitoring and personnel. When signs of distress arose, nobody reacted in time to stop it.
Not Having Sufficient Barriers or Fencing
Barriers and fencing control traffic and keep guests from entering restricted areas. Without them, crowd surges and crushes can occur, or a person could sustain an injury by falling in an area unsafe for foot traffic.
Not Having an Evacuation Plan
When an emergency breaks out, panic can spread, with people not knowing how to respond to get to safety. When everyone has a different plan, it can lead to people not exiting the building in a timely manner, such as the fire that broke out at The Station nightclub during a Great White concert. No evacuation plan was in place, and many exits were blocked when pyrotechnics caught the soundproofing foam on fire.
Not Having the Appropriate Fire Safety Equipment
State and local codes often require most indoor venues to have a fire extinguisher on hand. A sprinkler system is sometimes necessary. Without these, a small fire could turn into a large one in a short amount of time. Take The Station nightclub fire mentioned above. The venue lacked sprinklers and enough fire extinguishers.
Not Having Appropriate Security Screenings
State and local laws are in place to ensure staff check bags for guns and knives at major events, especially indoor ones. The purpose of security screenings is to prevent incidents like the 2016 Irving Plaza shooting during a T.I. concert, when guests didn’t go through metal detectors, allowing guns into the venue.
Legal Implications for Venue Negligence
When a venue acts negligently, civil suits may happen, leading to injured parties suing for pain and suffering, medical bills, and time off work. If a large number of people were part of the incident, the attendees could convene and file a class-action lawsuit.
Those who own and operate concert venues should keep people safe. Sometimes, it’s more than a best practice; it’s the law. If not, attendees could get hurt, and the venue could be held responsible.
