Moshing and Crowd-Surfing Could Be Outlawed in Concerts' New Normal

A newly released safety guide states the practices must be "absolutely prohibited" in the name of social distancing

BY Brock ThiessenPublished May 12, 2020

As the live music world sets its sights on reopening, concertgoers are going to be facing a new normal. And this likely will be one that includes no moshing or crowd-surfing.

Non-profit Event Safety Alliance has outlined a series of new guidelines for venues and promoters to consider, as the world slowly — and safely — looks to lift lockdown measures due to COVID-19.

Steven Adelman and Jacob Worek of the Event Safety Alliance spent the past month crowd-sourcing more than 400 tour promoters, managers and Ticketmaster employees, among other industry insiders. This week, their finding were released as a 29-page guide, offering up guidelines for both venues and promoters to follow — including no moshing and crowd-surfing.

"A few obvious changes will be necessary whenever GA events do reopen," the guide reads. "Patrons cannot all stand at the front of the stage like they are accustomed; moshing and crowd surfing are violations of social distancing per se and must be absolutely prohibited during this pandemic."

Besides that, here is a selection of other guidelines published by Event Safety Alliance:

● Hand-washing every hour, as well as after sneezing, mopping, smoking, eating, drinking and other select activities.

● Required masks.

● Sanitizing door handles, sink faucets, soap dispensers, elevator buttons, phones, water fountains, vending machines, trash bins and computers, among many other things.

● Stagger lines into venues so patrons don't have to cluster in lines.

● Temperature screening for every customer.

● Clear protective shields for will-call and box-office windows.

● Employers must provide paid sick leave.When employees can't stay six feet away from others, they should form work teams "in which people routinely work together, but they keep their distance from everyone else."

● Educate fans "in a word, everywhere," including mobile apps, ticket-selling sites and social media.


As previously reported, the report follows an announcement from Live Nation that the concerting giant doesn't expect events to go "full scale" until the fall of 2021. In the meantime, the promoters plans to pursue a variety of social-distancing initiatives, including drive-in concerts, to fan-less events and reduced-capacity festivals — all of which will likely not include moshing and/or crowdsurfing in any way, shape or form.
 

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