View
comments
The live music industry in NSW had two big wins this week after being granted an exemption from Covid restrictions and funding support for cancelled events.
The exemption to the public health orders published on Monday gives the green light for outdoor music concerts but with one catch that echoes the 1980s classic film Footloose: dancing is banned.
The changes signed off on by health minister Brad Hazzard allow major outdoor events scheduled in NSW in January to go ahead - as long as attendees stay seated and socially distanced.
The public health order exemption will treat these outdoor music events similar to sporting events such as cricket, which has been allowed to go ahead with seated crowds.
However, the ban on dancing and mingling will still cancel dozens of festivals where both are essential to their success, such as dance festivals and mosh pits.
Covid restrictions have been eased for live music events in NSW that will see them treated like sporting events (pictured: The Field Day music festival in Sydney on January 1)
Major music events have been given the greenlight but attendees must remain seated reminiscent of the 1980s classic film Footloose (pictured) in which Kevin Bacon reintroduces dancing to a small town
The amendments state that live event promoters 'must take reasonably practicable steps to ensure attendees remain seated'.
'[Organizers] must ensure that attendees do not congregate away from their seat or seating area [and] must take reasonable steps to ensure that there is no dancefloor at the event, or that any existing dancefloor is not used,' it continues.
Event promoters must also liaise with security guards and Covid marshals to ensure compliance
