Manchester Attack: Concert Safety

Each year, I write a post about concert safety. In light of last night's terror attack during the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, now is a good time to revisit some common sense safety tips. I've been a passionate proponent of concert safety precautions for years. After all, Dimebag Darrell was shot in my home state of Ohio. I was producing news then and I had to work the night of that show. If I didn't have to work, I would have been at the Al Rosa Villa in Columbus that night. So, we've had a mass shooting event with Dimebag. We had the horrible fire with Great White and now a terrorist attack with Ariana Grande and also the Eagles of Death Metal at the Bataclan in Paris.

Not all chaos is manmade. I was at Rocklahoma in 2008 when the weather got really severe, really fast and a stage collapsed and people got hurt. So, here's some common sense tips to stay safe and ensure a great time while enjoying your favorite bands: 

pic.twitter.com/HNE7ZmsAEs

— Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) May 22, 2017

1. When you walk into a venue, always pay attention to which door you enter. It will likely be numbered if the venue is large enough. 
2.  Always look for the exists - the bigger the venue, the more eggress options. Notate the two closest exists to your seats. 
3. Know the cell number of every person in your party.
4. Have a quick conversation with your party about an unlikely emergency. Make a pact to get out and don't wait for each other if something bad happens. Pick a landmark to meet at on the outside of the venue.
5. Ladies: wear flat shoes and not flip flops. This is better for dancing and being comfortable during the show, but if you need to run, you can.
6. Go easy on the alcohol. Keep your wits about you. It's too expensive to drink a lot at a show anyway. Save it for the after party at the hotel.  
7. Know and understand the crowd you'll be around. You can sense when a crowd is getting aggressive or out of control. This is especially important for large festival shows with crowd surfing and a barrier. These are the sorts of events where "crushing" events have happened.
8.  Most importantly: don't let fear keep you from seeing the bands you love and living your life.

19 killed after a "huge bomb-like bang" at the end of an Ariana Grande pop concert in Manchester, Britain pic.twitter.com/W84PNz7iA5

— AFP news agency (@AFP) May 23, 2017

Comments

[Shawn]

Great Post Allyson. It is a terrible shame that we now have to think about how to be safe while trying to enjoy life. This is the goal of terrorism, not only to kill but disrupt our way of life. There is no sure fire way to stay safe but your tips are dead on - just being aware of what is happening around you and having a plan on how to react in an emergency situation is important. If you have some pre-thoughts about a potential emergency your less likely to panic.

I feel for the families and loved ones of the concert goers. Just really sad.

[Bob]

Shawn makes an excellent point. when we stop living our lives because we're afraid something bad might happen, we might as well stop living. That's why I'm a particularly big fan of tip #8 in that list. next month, my wife and I are going to see the Moody Blues at the Hollywood Bowl. You know what?...We're going to get stoned, kick back and enjoy the amazing music. If something happens that night, at least we will leave this world enjoying our lives to their fullest.

[Gary]

@Bob Amen brother,Amen! Shawn hit the nail squarely on the head. You stop doing the things you love for fear of a coward attack, the cowards have then won. There's a special section in hell for these pussies, and I'd be willing to bet there won't be 72 freaking virgins waiting there, although f I were Satan there would be. (But they'd be 48 year old fat guys who lived in their moms basements their entire lives,and who had a hankering for some "terrorist lovin' "...)

[Shawn]

Awesome Bob have fun at the show.. Gary you are right a special place for terrorist with 48 year old fat guys LOL .... On a side note I got KISS tickets - pretty good seats and will be trying to follow Bob's guidance LOL..

[Gary]

@Shawn Have a blast bud!! On a side note The world would be a better, much more laid back place if we all followed Bobs "concert guidance"! 😎 Lol

[Bob]

Indeed -- I live my whole life by the same way I approach a concert. it makes the daily grind much easier to handle. Mellowing with age has been very good for me. I hope all of my BBG compadres have a wonderful day.