UNITED IN GRIEF
Members of the public attend a vigil in Manchester, England, to mourn the victims of a terror attack on Monday. The U.K. raised its terror threat level to critical; Montreal promoters assure concertgoers that safety of fans and staff is a priority.
Montreal concert promoters are tight-lipped about how the Manchester terror attack that killed 22 people Monday night will affect security at concerts here.
“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the tragic events which took place ... in Manchester,” the city’s biggest promoter, Evenko, said in a statement.
“We would like to remind everyone that our priority is the health and safety of our fans and employees at all our events. As a preventative measure, we cannot divulge the details of our security plans.”
The deadly suicide bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, also injured dozens of people.
Evenko put on Ariana Grande’s Montreal concert in March. The company runs the Bell Centre, which will be filled next by Chance the Rapper, Thursday. Evenko also hosts the Osheaga Music and Arts Festival, which will be held in August on Île Notre Dame.
Spectra, which owns the Ste-Catherine St. E. concert venue Metropolis and organizes the Montreal International Jazz Festival and Les FrancoFolies de Montréal, was also unwilling to be interviewed on the topic, but issued a similar statement. (Spectra is owned by Evenko.)
Safety at concerts is an ongoing concern and has increased in recent years, according to Nancy Ross, vice-president and director of indie promoter Greenland Productions, which collaborates frequently with Evenko.
“Even when we do shows at the Bell Centre, they handle (the security) side of it,” Ross said.
“I know everything has been stepped up for quite a while. People can’t bring backpacks into the Bell Centre, and you certainly can’t leave the show, to step out and come back in. That’s the policy now at bigger venues.”
The Bell Centre is equipped with walk-through metal detectors and concertgoers are often individually frisked and examined with hand-held metal detectors. Individual pat-downs are also the norm at Metropolis. But while safety is a top priority for local promoters, the Manchester attacks are a reminder that there is no foolproof prevention against terrorism.
“Obviously, it’s horrific. Our hearts go out to people just wanting to have a normal time at a concert,” Ross said. “I don’t think there’s anything you can do to stop people from doing horrendous acts.”