Live Nation will allow artists doing shows with the company to require guests in the U.S. to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to get into a concert.
A “best practices” document that was shared with artists’ teams Friday and was obtained by TheWrap gives touring artists and bands working with Live Nation the option to require a vaccine or a negative test for all attendees or staff at one of its shows, where applicable by law.
Artists will decide whether they want to mandate the option on their show, but Live Nation is encouraging it and is already seeing momentum toward adopting the model. The company says it already saw success when it was implemented at the recent Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago.
“We know people are eager to return to live events and we hope these measures encourage even more people to get vaccinated. That is the number one thing anyone can do to take care of those around them and we are encouraging as many shows as possible to adopt this model,” the note reads as signed by Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino.
“I think what we’re seeing is a shift to increasing requirements for entry of either tested or fully vaccinated. We had that at Lollapalooza over the last weekend very successfully done. Over 90% of the people were fully vaccinated, which I think was a great signal in terms of people’s commitment and support of being vaccinated in order to go to these shows,” Joe Berchtold, president & CFO of Live Nation Entertainment said on the company’s Tuesday earnings call.
Live Nation is also following the lead of many other companies and requiring that all Live Nation employees returning to their offices also be vaccinated before entering events, offices or venues. That policy will take effect Oct. 4. The company is also providing an extra day of paid time off for employees to schedule appointments.
“Our business and our industry is about uniting people and vaccines are one of the greatest tools for making sure that everyone can continue to enjoy live music together,” the note continues. “We’ve gone through a lot this past year and it’s remarkable to see how far we’ve come. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to your HR partner. And thank you for continuing to play a role in our continued success.”
Rapino recently said that he expects 2022 and 2023 to be a “roaring era” for the live music touring business, and in terms of ticket sales, this past June was one of Live Nation’s best months ever in North America, with many music festivals selling out rapidly.