Events and crowds go hand in hand, and a sound crowd control strategy can mean the difference between a successful, safe event and chaos. In the music and entertainment industry, it can make or break a performance.
Safety for the crowd—and the artist– is one of the biggest concerns faced by venue management. This is particularly true when a crowd assembles to see a celebrity who is the object of teen infatuation. Here’s an example.
About a year ago, when Justin Bieber first emerged as a global Tween heartthrob, he was touring Australia and set to perform outside the studio during a morning talk show. As an unexpectedly large crowd of swooning fans assembled, poor crowd control and safety issues forced the performance inside.
If security and facilities management workers had designed and planned a crowd control system suitable for the people on-site and the venue, this could have been avoided. Outdoor barriers would have helped keep people in designated areas, giving security a better chance to watch them, and it could have provided Bieber a safe venue in which to perform. It was the difference between disappointed Justin Bieber fans and happy fans.