2022 i tell all my friends. It's not even about shows/festivals/concerts happening. It's about them happening and operating to at least 90% of what they used to be. Moshing, crowd surfing, just general commrodery in the crowd. I have no interest in going to shows if these things aren't happening.
I'm still on team "nobody knows what the fuck is going to happen," but I'm hopeful that by end of summer/early fall larger scale events will be in full effect and we'll have enough people vaccinated that the virus will be a pretty insignificant concern. It all hinges on a vaccine, which is beyond our control. I just need to keep hoping for that, even tough every time it happens I find myself kicking the can down the road again and re-calibrating my expectations as to when it might actually happen. 2022 feels like a sure thing, but if I think about waiting another 14+ months to see live music? It's going to wear on me thinking about all of the venues that will be out of business at that point, the festivals that won't be able to bear the weight, the bands that might break up, artists who will pass away, etc. I gotta take it day by day. But I heartily applaud everyone who can mentally handle being ultra-realistic about it. Haha. And I mean that sincerely! I'm with you. Not so much with moshing or crowd-surfing, but I really don't feel like attending a festival of any sort with required social distancing. I could definitely see myself attending a live show in that setting. But I'm not much for the pit, these days, and at festivals I almost always find myself toward the back in a wide open space anyway... But part of the appeal of a festival like Riot Fest is being able to "live in it" for a few days. Watch a few songs by some reunited punk band you only kinda sorta are curious about, turn around and see an upstart emo band on another stage followed by a legacy hip-hop act on another. All at the same time. High-fives from strangers because they recognize the band on your t-shirt. Overhearing a drunken guy slur something about the way his nachos taste. All that stuff. I don't want it without that. It would feel too sterile. The tricky bit about outdoor festivals is the number of bands versus the number of attendees. Something like Riot Fest would lose the "scale" that they gain by having so many artists and stages if you implement the proper measures, I think. It limits the number of attendees. I do think we might see more small-scale outdoor things next summer if we aren't quite back to normal (like a Punk in Drublic or that Sad Summer Festival thing). But certainly nothing as large scale as Riot Fest in its current form.
I've seen TFB twice (once in the summer and once last week). It really is such a huge relief listening to live music. Especially when you have front row seats both times.
Let's say that a vaccine comes out to the public around May-June... Can a festival demand that everyone that comes in shows proof of vaccination?
I've also really been wondering about this. I have no idea the legality of that, but it sure would get me first in line for the vaccine. I'll be the guinea pig if it means I can see MCR at Riot Fest 2021
I don't know the laws around that either, but I would imagine doing something like that is legal. That being said, I doubt that happens. It would be a logistical nightmare, and I'd imagine a significant chunk of people would purchase a ticket without reading the rules, etc. I just don't see anybody wanting to take that burden on.
Plus, I imagine a bunch of people wouldn’t comply and try to get in vax-free. That would be a nightmare
I think that would be the biggest thing holding them back from even trying it (fear of having to deal with the logistics of what might go down if that were to happen).
How Ticketmaster Plans to Check Your Vaccine Status for Concerts: Exclusive Ticketmaster has been working on a framework for post-pandemic fan safety that uses smart phones to verify fans' vaccination status or whether they've tested negative for the coronavirus within a 24 to 72 hour window.
They came out yesterday and issued an updated statement to that Ticketmaster clarifies if proposed COVID-19 testing plans will be required
“It was widely misreported yesterday that Ticketmaster will be requiring vaccine status/test results for future events,” the company says. “This is not true. Ticketmaster does not have the power to set policies around safety/entry requirements, which would include vaccines and/or testing protocols. That is up to the discretion of the event organizer. We are indeed exploring these options, but it is still only a potential concept. And Ticketmaster will not be able to require such parameters — it would always be up to the event organizer.” So basically not of it was true, at all. Why it was reported in the first place is beyond me.
I didn't think so. But who the hell knows what Ticketmaster owns at this point, which is why I asked. Hah. Anyway. That means it won't affect Riot Fest. But, depending on how this vaccine thing all rolls out and what cases are like next year, RF may put their own rules in place.
if anything gets passed it would be all large events. so riot fest would be affected even if theres no affiliation to ticketmaster. im sure all the ticket selling companies would have to follow the same/similar guidelines. wouldnt just be concerts. would be football baseball basketball and hockey and soccer. but from what the update said it sounds like it would be up to venues and individual tours to implement something
Damnmit, now I really hope that happens in 2021 I wonder if they would have played 2 days like Senses Fails or a long set like Taking Back Sunday and Against Me!
Gwen Stefani just released a new song today and has a new album coming out. Possibility for Riot Fest?
Don't think so. I think Gwen leans a hit too “pop” for Riot Fest Now, No Doubt returning? That would be quite alright
Yeah, there is zero chance of Gwen Stefani performing as a solo act. I could see No Doubt returning as a headliner at some point... And was anticipating a Tragic Kingdom set as a possibility for 2020 given that it was the 25th anniversary of its release. But I don't see that happening anymore given that the year has already passed. Just feels like the sort of thing where that particular band would say "Nah, fuck it. The moment has passed." No Doubt is a very different beast compared to, say, the Wonder Years and Saves the Day. Both of whom I still think we have a decent chance at getting an album play from.