Image credit: You Check

The trials are to be held in London & Bristol in collaboration with You Check, Music Venue Trust and DCMS.

Music venues in the UK are set to trial a new system of digital “health passports” as a way to reopen live gigs safely. 

As we’re all painfully aware, live music has been on an indefinite hiatus since the pandemic begun, bar a few social distanced shows outside of lockdowns. The industry and punters are eager to get back to the action but naturally it needs to be done safely. It has recently been announced that a start-up company called You Check will be trailing a new digital health passport app in collaboration with MVT (Music Venue Trust). The app and trials have been approved by the government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. 

The apps original purpose was to be a ticket/ID system that would combat tours, as well as a communication tool between show audiences and fans. However, now it has been adapted to connect with the test, track and track software. 

Image credit: You Check

Speaking to Events Industry News, Fred Krefting, COO of You Check said: “We’re working, not exclusively, with Innova in terms of testing – technology that looks for a viral load high enough to be contagious with 97 per cent plus accuracy.” He continues, “With COVID the incubation period is two to five days. For the honeymoon phase after the test, it’s the shorter the better, which means you’re good to go to a show for 48 hours.”

The trials will take place at London’s infamous 100 Club and Bristols The Exchange in March. Events will be at 25% capacity with two sets of tests on the same people. The plan would be to extend this trial to other parts of the country with a hope to expand capacity. 

“You Check’s identity first solution has a lot of potential to help venues and promoters manage risk,” said Music Venue Trust CEO Mark Davyd.

“It has a fast and thorough authentication process which enables health information to be stored against portable digital identity and Music Venue Trust is pleased to be working with You Check to explore how this technology might form part of a comprehensive process which enables us to reopen every venue safely and revive live.”

Check out our social distanced gig with King Creature here:

This app is another example of the industry trying as much as it can to open up safely as soon as possible. An impossible task is becoming more realistic thanks to the countries speedy vaccination initiative. If the vaccination targets are met then festival organisers and venues are pretty confident we could see the return of live music by late Spring and Summer. 

However, large scale events are likely  not going to be returning this year, especially with Glastonbury announcing their cancellation earlier in the year. It’s also unlikely it will be back to normal till 2022, according to some specialists.