Vaccines are ‘your ticket back to shows,’ says major Charlotte venue on new COVID rules
Beginning this fall, PNC Music Pavilion in Charlotte will require performers, fans and its employees to show proof they’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19, or have negative test results for the virus, a spokeswoman confirmed Saturday.
The mandate starts on Oct. 4 at every U.S. venue and festival fully owned by Live Nation Entertainment, which includes the outdoor Charlotte venue, according to an email from Live Nation to The Charlotte Observer on Saturday.
Until then, the company has given individual performers the ability to set rules around COVID-19 safety for their shows. Country group Alabama did not require vaccines or proof of a negative test for Friday’s show at PNC. Maroon 5, on the other hand, has announced concert-goers will need to be vaccinated or prove they don’t have COVID-19 at its upcoming Sept. 8 show in Charlotte.
Ticket holders are being alerted in an email with the details pertaining to their show, Live Nation officials said.
“Vaccines are going to be your ticket back to shows,” Michael Rapino, Live Nation Entertainment president and CEO, said in a statement to The Charlotte Observer and other media outlets on Saturday.
“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,” Rapino said.
PNC Pavilion in Charlotte, the largest outdoor music venue in the area, has eight concerts with tickets on sale for October, including a performance by the Jonas Brothers, Florida Georgia Line and Pitbull, which will fall under the new vaccine rules.
Live Nation also has in Charlotte The Fillmore, the Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre and The Underground. All have announced fall concert lineups.
Vaccine or test for concerts
North Carolina no longer has pandemic-related capacity restrictions on music venues and businesses.
Some venues, locally and across the country, have announced similar plans to Live Nation.
The Evening Muse in Charlotte’s NoDa neighborhood announced that it will begin the same requirement on Friday, the Observer reported earlier Saturday.
Because COVID-19 cases are rising locally and nationally due to the Delta variant, “and based on the latest recommendations of scientists and health officials, we feel the vaccine provides the best protection against severe infection,” Evening Muse management posted on Facebook Friday.
In recent months, some Charlotte nightclubs, including Fire House and Recess, have required patrons to show proof of vaccination if they want to shed the mask requirements at the clubs.
This story was originally published August 14, 2021 at 4:15 PM with the headline "Vaccines are ‘your ticket back to shows,’ says major Charlotte venue on new COVID rules."