Hosting a concert? Check out these ideas for making your indoor music event as COVID-safe as possible in these pandemic times.

Now that the summer festival season has ended – in the northern hemisphere at least – so will most outside concerts. Unfortunately the pandemic isn’t over, and outdoor events are considered safer than indoor crowds.

But there are ways to make your indoor concert COVID-safe. Whether you’re hosting a festival in several venues across town or a gig in your living room, check out the suggestions for hosting a safe indoor concert we’ve gathered below.

Open some windows

Make sure the venue is well ventilated. Opening windows and doors helps keep airflow moving through, spreading out any virus particles.

Limit numbers

Keeping the concert small lessens the amount of contact between different households. Equally, you could choose a larger venue – a bigger venue means better ventilation.

If possible, hosting two concerts would be safer than one with the same amount of audience members.

Ask for proof of a negative COVID test at the gig

COVID passports are a touchy subject, but consider requesting everyone attending takes a COVID test on the day – band and all – to help reassure concert-goers that everyone is staying safe. Temperature checks on the door are another possible measure.

On a similar theme, you could make the concert only open to vaccinated attendees. That’s a move guaranteed to ruffle some feathers – but it’s your show, and you call the shots. (Pun intended.)

Switch to a seated show

If you’re worried about close contact in a crowd, consider making the gig a seated show. The less people moving around the room passing each other in close proximity, the better. Make sure there’s also visible directions and signs around the venue to help everyone social distance on their way to the bar or bathroom.

Alternatively, you could make like Flaming Lips and put everyone (including the band) in Zorb-like inflatable balls.

Flaming Lips socially distance gigs by putting fans inside inflatable balls
Face mask requirements in the audience

You can either insist on masks at your show or state that face masks are preferred, which leaves it up to the audience to decide. If you’re asking people to mask up, you could also ban food and beverages in the crowd, removing the excuse of taking off face coverings during the set.

Wash those hands

We’re all well used to hand sanitiser now. Make sure there’s plenty available around the venue, especially near touchpoints like doors and the all-important bar area. Check that the venue is cleaned regularly.

Be flexible

Keep an eye on the changing situation and be ready to impose or relax restrictions depending on coronavirus cases in your area and new variants. Have some backup plans in place like switching to a seated event or having an extra matinee show planned to spread out audience numbers.

No indoor event is free of risk, but putting at least some measures in place will reassure your audience and help to keep everyone safe from coronavirus. That way, everyone can relax and enjoy the music.