NYTimes.com: Jim Digby, the tour manager for Linkin Park, knows better than most how dangerous a rock ’n’ roll show can be. In 1983 he was a 19-year-old technical director at a new nightclub outside Philadelphia when a piece of equipment he was operating came off a faulty overhead track, plummeted toward the floor and killed a young woman standing just a few feet from him.
11 comments:
I think this is a great thing. Outdoor concerts have always been of interest to me and especially after the Indiana events. I actually played a venue in Indiana a month or so after the stage collapse with the local IATSE crew that was there and the mood of the crew was so different from any other. I've dealt with strict OSHA houses before but these guys were very meticulous in making sure everything was as safe as possible. It's sad that such an event had to occur to spur such action but what these guys are doing is really something that is needed throughout the industry. It may sometimes be a pain to do these safety checks but they are there for a reason.
I'm surprised the New York Times ran an article like this. Usually things of this nature that have to do with the entertainment industry make it through Stage Directions, etc, but rarely do they make print in a huge paper like the Times. Hopefully this will promote awareness of these issues outside of the industry, and will put more pressure on the companies involved to boost their standards, and comply with the safety regulations that are already in place.
I agree with Tyler that this is a great thing, and as annoyingly meticulous as they may seem, safety checks must be thorough for a reason. I wonder how it will affect ticket prices for shows and concerts. How is this organization going to form an alliance with Ticketmaster and agree on refund policies for shows cancelled or interrupted due to extenuating circumstances around safety or weather.
Yes Jess! I am also pretty surprised that the New York Times ran an article of this nature. However, I'm glad that they did. So many people attend outdoor concerts without our being aware of the work and safety that goes into making them possible. Lets get real, safety isnt anyones favorite part of putting a show together, yet it is an absolutely essential part of the whole. We should just be glad that more fatal accidents of this nature haven' t occurred.
To respond to the earlier comment, I don't think that this will have a significant cost effect on ticket prices for outdoor shows. I'm actually very surprised to find out that outdoor rigging doesn't have set standards. It alarms me, in fact, that people can build 3 story stages outdoors and just go with how it seems like it'll stay up. Wind isn't exactly a freak event, it's almost always blowing.... and those stages might not be built for that wind. The sooner the regulations and the manual are set in stone, the safer all outdoor entertainment events will be.
I had no idea that outdoor venues didn't have set standards. I definitely agree that they need to be put in place. I'm really glad this was published in the Times as maybe that will help Digby and his alliance to gain the awareness and support that they need in order to be successful. I'm not really sure if this will effect ticket prices but i think paying a few more dollars to prevent people from dying. I hope more bands are able to find out about this and add safety demands to their contracts because I think that will be the most effective way to insure that the safety regulations are put in place because as much as companies hate spending even just a little more money I'm sure they would prefer that to loosing a performance.
It's unfortunate that bands have to put safety regulations (like those of AEG) in their contracts in order for them to be followed, but I'm glad a few bands have figured that out. It seems like the main people who have the power to really affect change in this arena and demand safer practices is the artists. If a promoter really wants Linkin Park, then they're going to follow the rules sent down for them by Linkin Park. Until nationwide standards are developed, if the state laws are not being strictly enforced, then who else is going to step up and require safer practices? Artists who have safety clauses in their contracts are not only protecting themselves and their crews but also their audiences. It's a win-win situation for everyone. I realize that it's going to be a long road for the Event Safety Alliance to actually put standards into place, so in the mean time I hope that they can concentrate some of their effort towards getting artists to help out.
I am extremely happy that the industry has taken this into their own hands and are requiring for the structures to be extra safe. Also the addition of them bringing meteorologist onboard to check everything is great so that they can have a foot up on what is going on. I find it interesting that a lot of places did not have plans in place if something were to happen. I hope that the laws will be adopted so that everyone has to do this and there are little to no problems in the future. Also I know that OSHA has been doing a lot on this field in inspections and new rules. I am glad to hear that the bands are taking things into their own hands and not waiting for government to step in.
This is a great step forward. It is great when we put safety ahead of profits, entertainment or pride. I am sure the management at Indiana State Fair said things like, “We are going to lose a whole night of receipts- it will ruin the fair- what will people say if we cancel.” It is often very hard to show how a preventative measure saved the day. In the last 5 years were there other shows cancelled that prevented a tragedy? Very hard to say. It is easy to condemn the ISF people for pushing forward with the show. Hopefully this will let other event managers make better decisions in the future. Huzzah.
I was surprised that there weren't set standards for outdoor events especially with the number of live concerts which occur yearly and the large number of audience members who attend.
Also it is always amazing how event planners sometimes make shoddy decisions in order to save money on events. In that regard I do agree with those who think that it is a good idea to have a specific protocol or guidelines for such shows.
However as the article states, many promoters will try to oppose this because what it probably means is spending more money to ensure that things are done correctly. Funny enough the price of safety is always less than a fatality or injuries. Also I do agree with the concerns of the promoters who are skeptical that a “one-size-fits-all set of standards” can be devised to cover all shows. This statement from the article is true, especially when you then say that different states and town will have different procedures and guidelines. Maybe implementing basic outdoor event guidelines, which are relevant statewide, would be the best option.
I am very excited to read the manual that the Event Safety Alliance will be putting out. It is definitely the right path to go in order to encourage uniform guidelines. Lobbying local government to actually pass stage safety laws will realistically never happen to the necessary degree, but making permitting contingent on those guidelines seems like a practical, good idea. The real question will be if the money works in the favor of safety, which it really should. The fact that this is starting from the bands, one of the populations invested in the money making aspect of the business, is a good sign because it will encourage others to do so and shows a commitment to safety.
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