The live music industry has all but ceased to exist thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. Mass gatherings simply aren’t possible in the way they were before the virus forced many parts of the world into lockdown. But with last week’s news of a vaccine with 90 per cent success rate being just around the corner, organisers are already looking into how they can bring back live gigs and concerts in a safe way. 

Ticketmaster, one of the world’s leading ticket sales companies, has announced plans to check the vaccine status of concertgoers before allowing them to attend gigs, according to Billboard. This could potentially see large numbers of people gather safely without worrying about transmission.

The company has been working on a framework for post-pandemic safety measures, which includes using fans’ smartphones to confirm their vaccine status and whether or not they’ve tested positive for the virus over a 72-hour window. If a test came back positive, the individual would not be able to attend the event.

Ticketmaster president Mark Yovich told Billboard: “We’re already seeing many third-party health care providers prepare to handle the vetting – whether that is getting a vaccine, taking a test, or other methods of review and approval – which could then be linked via a digital ticket so everyone entering the event is verified.”

He added: “Ticketmaster’s goal is to provide enough flexibility and options that venues and fans have multiple paths to return to events, and is working to create integrations to our API and leading digital ticketing technology as we will look to tap into the top solutions based on what’s green-lit by officials and desired by clients.”

Back in August, the UK hosted its first socially distanced gig at Newcastle’s Virgin Money Unity Arena, a temporary, outdoor event space built to stage live music, comedy, and theatre. Fans were gathered in groups of up to five in hundreds of private pods spaced two metres apart from one another. It looked truly awful. Let’s hope Ticketmaster’s plans come to fruition, and artists and fans can return to live concerts as they once were sooner rather than later.