7 Essential Concert Safety Tips

For many people, the explosive energy of a concert or music festival offers a much-needed escape from reality. Seeing your favorite artist or performers in person can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, particularly when you enjoy the event with some of your closest friends. Unfortunately, at any packed venue, there is always the chance of a terrible accident. At any large music event, there is always the risk of an unsafe crowd condition or stampede. Over the past weekend, Houston's Astroworld festival was marred by tragedy when at least eight concertgoers were killed and dozens more suffered substantial injuries as the resulted of an alleged crowd surge. While we mourn the victims that senselessly lost their lives in this horrible situation, the following tips may help you protect you and your loved ones in a similarly crowded venue.

1. Have an Escape Plan Ready

It may sound self-explanatory, but it's crucial to be aware of your surroundings and have an escape plan ready from the moment you enter the festival grounds. Perhaps most importantly, observe where the nearest exits are, and take note of how accessible they would be through a crowd of people. By understanding how many exit options are available to you and how a crowd would likely react in an emergency, you and your loved ones can quickly seek safety if needed. Consider asking a security guard or event coordinator what the venue's protocols are in the event of a crowd surge or emergency.

2. Always Stay Standing

When you've been on your feet for hours singing your favorite songs and dancing with the crowd, it can be tempting to take a seat and rest for a few minutes. Resist the urge and remain standing as long as you're within the crowd. Once you sit down, it can be difficult to regain your footing and people may trip over you. Be sure to keep all of your possessions on your person; don't set a backpack, purse, or other items on the ground. Such items act as a tripping hazard, which could put your life or the lives of other event attendees at risk.

3. If a Surge Occurs, Go With the Flow

If there is a sudden surge of panic or excitement and the crowd begins to move in one direction, your instincts may tell you to push back. However, doing so can be a mistake. When you set your momentum against the movement of the crowd, you increase your odds of being knocked down or tripped. If you fall, it can be difficult to regain your footing and you are at risk of being trampled by your fellow concertgoers. As an additional risk, fighting the crowd requires you to expand energy that you may need later to escape to safety.

4. Take a Good Angle Towards the Closest Exit

As you coordinate your movement to match the crowd's momentum, try to move diagonally towards the most accessible exit. The goal here is to carve a path towards the outer edge of the crowd surge. There, you're at less risk of being thrown down or trampled, and you won't get trapped at an immobile chokepoint, such as a stairwell or doorway.

5. Find an Environmental Barrier to Shield Yourself

If your movement is limited and you can't make it to the outer edge of the crowd, you may be able to use your surroundings to your advantage. Search for a sizeable, strong, and difficult-to-move structure to use for cover, such as a support pillar, wall, or event prop. Make sure that the object you're hiding behind is stable enough to withstand pressure from the crowd's movement. A flimsy event decoration, for example, may be as likely to fall upon you as it is to protect you.

6. Create Space Around You

In many crowd surge tragedies, victims find themselves unable to breath in the crush of bodies. This can lead to asphyxiation. The lack of oxygen, even if not fatal, may be able to leave the victim with life-long brain injuries or other medical complications. To create valuable space around yourself in the event of a crowd surge, experts suggest placing your arms in front of you to act as a buffer. It's important to note that this may be difficult or even impossible to achieve - attendees at the recent Astroworld festival noted that the pressure of the crowd was so intense that it was impossible to raise or lower your arms.

7. If Things Go Wrong, Help the People Around You

In the event of a crowd surge or other emergency, try your best not to panic. Evaluate the situation around you and try to guide yourself and those around you to a place of safety. If you notice that someone near you has fallen and cannot get up, help them to their feet if you can do so without risking serious harm. By looking out for the people around you, you increase the chances that they will reciprocate your positive actions. As you escape, look for an event worker, medical staff, or security member to alert them to the dangerous condition.

Enjoy Your Next Event Safely

While it's unlikely that you'll encounter a situation as dangerous as that of the 2021 Astroworld festival, it's important to be prepared. I hope that my tips help you avoid such a situation, and that you're able to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience at your next music festival!