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Crowdsurfing and moshing should be banned when concerts return, experts say

New guide warns that such behaviours are ‘violations of social distancing per se and must be absolutely prohibited’

Louis Chilton
Wednesday 13 May 2020 14:17 BST
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Bruce Springsteen crowd surfs

Experts have warned that mosh pits and crowd-surfing will be banned at gigs when live music is allowed to return after lockdown.

The nonprofit organisation Event Safety Alliance (ESA) has published new guidance on how to keep venue employees and concert-goers safe when gigs resume, which includes a temporary ban on moshing and crowdsurfing.

The guide was written after the organisation consulted more than 300 promoters, caterers, Ticketmaster employees and industry workers across the US.

Other instructions include properly sanitising venues and ensuring the health of employees by staggering entry times and making sure that all merchandise purchases are contactless.

The guide states: “A few obvious changes will be necessary whenever GA events do reopen.

“Patrons cannot all stand at the front of the stage like they are accustomed; moshing and crowdsurfing are violations of social distancing per se and must be absolutely prohibited during this pandemic.”

Reading and Leeds festival was recently cancelled, representing the latest in a slate of high-profile cancellations across the music industry, which included Glastonbury and the British Summer Time dates in London’s Hyde Park.

Many experts have predicted that live music will not be allowed until 2021.

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