IT’S MOSH ADIEU!

Buh-bye to packed crowds at concerts

Venue owners will have to pull the plug on crowd surfing and mosh pits at live music shows if they want to reopen safely as the coronavirus crisis eases off, according to new guidelines from an industry group.

“A few obvious changes will be necessary whenever GA [general admission] events do reopen,” says the lengthy report released by The Event Safety Alliance and Ticketmaster this week. “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.

“[Even] hallways and smoking areas where patrons congregate will have to be monitored to enforce health policies,” the recommendations continue.

To keep rowdy rock fans from forming circle pits — or just getting too close — the guidelines advise using chalk or cones to mark 6-foot gaps on the ground or even using rope barriers to separate people.

Two ESA execs, Steven Adelman and Jacob Worek, put together the detailed, 29page guide in consultation with 400 industry players in an effort to help venues navigate a very new world postpandemic, Billboard reported. “They’re going to miss stuff because they never had to think about it before,” Adelman told Billboard. “Everybody wants to keep their stuff clean and in good shape but, my goodness, to avoid transmitting COVID-19 and killing people — that’s a lot to lay on somebody who’s a theater manager who’s used to wearing all black and Dickies shorts 12 months out of the year.”

Kansas bars are set to reopen as of May 18, but only at half-capacity, and live concerts may start up again in Branson, Mo., by Friday, Billboard reported.

Meanwhile, an Arkansas venue is working to put on a social-distancing-compliant concert this week and Live Nation hopes to put on reduced-capacity and drive-in shows, Brooklyn Vegan reported.

Some other recommendations in the guidelines include staggering entry times, limiting the flow of people into bathrooms, screening customers for fevers and placing plastic shields at ticketing windows.