LIVE NATION Will Require Vaccines Or Negative COVID-19 Tests From Artists, Concertgoers

BLABBERMOUTH.NET

Live Nation Entertainment, one of the country's largest concert and ticketing companies, will require all artists and concertgoers to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test starting in early October, the company announced Friday (August 13). "Vaccines are going to be your ticket back to shows, and as of October 4th we will be following the model we developed for Lollapalooza and requiring this for artists, fans and employees at Live Nation venues and festivals everywhere possible in the US," Live Nation Entertainment president and CEO Michael Rapino said in a statement. The rules will go into effect "where permitted by law," Live Nation said, adding that employees will also have to be vaccinated and will not get a pass with a negative test result. "Beyond October 4th, all of our employees will also need to be vaccinated in order to visit one of our events, venues, or offices," the company said. Live Nation's announcement comes one day after AEG Presents said that it will be requiring proof of vaccination for entry into its owned and operated clubs, theatres, and festivals. The decision was made on the heels of the dramatic surge in COVID-19 cases as the delta variant spreads throughout the United States. The AEG vaccination policy will be implemented as an open-ended one, with any changes or reversals informed by updates relating to infection rates, transmission data, variant developments, and local and federal regulations. Several hard rock and heavy metal artists have canceled shows or whole tours as the concert industry is rethinking its approach to live shows while the delta variant of the coronavirus is spreading nationwide. A number of venues around the country have already instituted policies requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test to attend shows.