Pollstar (07/06/23) Chernooki-Lavorato, Alexandra

Pollstar mentee Alexandra Chernooki-Lavorato writes that last month's attack on pop star Bebe Rexha during a performance at New York City's Pier 17 Rooftop, which the author witnessed firsthand, was unconscionable. She raises the ramifications of the assault — and a subsequent attack on pop artist Ava Max several days later — for promoters, managers, agents and venues. Chernooki-Lavorato suggests increasing the space between stage and audience via barricades to reduce the risk of injury from thrown objects, while companies such as Yondr, which supplies pouches to lock personal electronic devices at certain events, could become routine if such violence persists. Meanwhile, security staff at venues are trained to keep a closer eye on inebriated and uncooperative patrons. With mental illness also a factor contributing to disruptive behavior at venues, Chernooki-Lavorato writes that "fans should look out for one another. If we see someone who might not be feeling well, talk to them and see if you can help them. Or if you sense something is off and/or possibly dangerous, let security staff know so they can monitor the situation and handle it before anything escalates. If we are all aware of our surroundings and proactive with situations, there might be less likelihood of violent scenarios arising such as what happened to Rexha and Max." Another proposed security measure is to ban assailants from the venues where the incidents occurred or any other venue.

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