Suffocation. Stampedes. Dislocations. Black Outs. Death. All can occur during a concert. Over the course of fifteen years, an average of 45 deaths were reported due to unsafe concert conditions such as audience fights and drug and alcohol consumption. This count excludes several unreported deaths and injured attendees. At most concerts, there are numerous safety procedures to keep both the artist and fans safe. These procedures include metal detectors, a maintained distance between the performer and audience, security guards surrounding the stage and areas around the arena, and plenty more. Even after these precautions, concerts can break out into chaos, causing major injuries and even death.

Freshman Grace Barsotti attended a Harry Styles concert in September of 2022. When asked if she ever felt unsafe, she responded with “No.” On the other hand, Freshman Lauren Doll, who attended a Zac Brown Band concert stated, “I was a bit uncomfortable when the people behind me and my mom started getting really drunk and were smoking weed. They also spilled their alcohol on our blanket.” Doll’s experience at the Zac Brown Band concert is unfortunately quite common in this day and age. Drugs and alcohol are used more than ever before at concerts and it’s starting to affect high school students. For example, an annual survey given by the National Library of Medicine found that high school seniors showed “attending concerts was associated with higher odds for use of alcohol, cannabis, ecstasy, and nonmedical use of prescription stimulants and opioids.” Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), also known as molly or ecstasy, is the drug most commonly brought, sold, and consumed. Alcohol and drug consumption is the leading cause of aggression, fights, injuries, sexual assault, and post-visit drunk driving. This has led to a debate on whether or not drugs and alcohol should be banned at concerts and festivals.

Senior Akshar Patel attended Drake’s  It’s All a Blur Tour in mid July. Patel had floor tickets and was right next to the stage. Floor seats are the most wanted by mega fans because they are up close to the artist. Fans may even get to have small, special moments with their favorite performer, making the experience all the more memorable. Despite that, floor seats tend to be the most dangerous because fans may try to push their way to the front. This behavior may be enhanced by alcohol or drug abuse and can affect everyone at the concert including the artist. When Patel was asked if he ever felt uncomfortable, he noted, “it was really packed but that’s to be expected. I made sure [my friends] were blocking everyone off from squishing me.” On the contrary, Shenandoah University Freshman Rebecca Acolatse, who attended a Twice concert, voiced that, “the only time I felt [uncomfortable] was when I was alone.” Additionally, Doll mentioned that she “…probably would have felt more safe with a bigger group.” Doll is not the only one who feels this way. Barsotti agreed with Doll when she said, “if there were more people [in my group] I probably would have felt a little safer.”

Moreover, the way every artist reacts to audience fights varies. Some flee the stage, some stop the show to call for help, and some just outright ignore the situation and keep the “the show must go on” mindset. In 2019, A$AP Rocky stopped his show when he noticed fans were piled on top of each other and crushed against the barrier. “Everybody back up,” he yelled at the crowd. “Pick them girls up!” he added, spotting a group of women who were nearly crushed. Another artist who stopped mid performance to ensure the safety of his fans is Niall Horan. In 2018, Horan saw the crowd getting out of control and quickly told them, “we don’t want anyone getting hurt or squashed. It’s not gonna work the rest of the night. Let’s organize this before we go any further, ok?…your safety is my responsibility.” To continue, many fans have tried throwing their personal belongings on stage to get the performers attention. This tends to anger the artist and some may even retaliate. In 2007, Akon brought a fifteen year old fan on stage after he allegedly threw something at the singer. Akon proceeded to lift the teen onto his shoulders and toss him into the crowd, reportedly injuring other fans in the process.

Overall, drug and alcohol consumption are the leading cause as to why concert conditions become hazardous. But, there are many ways to stay safe like familiarizing yourself with the layout and location of the venue, keeping your valuables out of sight and bringing a small emergency kit. These small precautions can help you keep safe from the possibility of suffocation, stampedes, dislocations, black outs, and even death.