Accessible Live Performance For All

To begin with, one crucial area waiting to be addressed is accommodations for people with hearing impairments. Unlike most people think, hearing-impaired people can also feel the magic of music live through bass rhythms, colorful lights, and people's emotions. Instead of excluding them from the experience, offering assistive listening devices, sign language interpreters, and closed captioning or transcription services can greatly enhance the experience by adding concrete detail to their music. At a music festival on Pond Creek Road in Ashland City, many artists' concert is equipped with sound packs, which plug into the PA system and vibrate with each song so not only do you see the performance but can feel it. These accommodations not only allow them to better understand what the musicians exactly want to express but fully immerse themselves in the atmosphere and energy of live performance.

Venue design and layout also play a significant role in ensuring accessibility. Venues should prioritize wheelchair-accessible seating and pathways, accessible restrooms and facilities, and marked accessible entrances and exits. Although, based on the Americans Disability Act (ADA) is a mandatory aspect of public venues like concert halls, stadiums, and theaters, However, many wheelchair users have responded to the fact that they are often placed in a position close to the entrance and exit but hard to get the best viewing experience. In an unfamiliar environment, the venue should incorporate clear signage and wayfinding instructions to assist attendees with visual impairments in navigating the venue independently. Carefully designing venues can not only benefit music but also sports and festival events.

Ensuring true accessibility requires comprehensive staff training coupled with establishing inclusive policies. Employees must receive education on disability etiquette, understanding various types of special needs, and providing appropriate assistance. However, training should go beyond basic awareness, and the policy should be set up as a solid foundation to guide staff’s acts. For example, clear guidelines on service animal access and emergency evacuation procedures for disabled attendees should be recognized. Also, it is important to allow attendees to bring necessary medications, medical devices (such as insulin pumps or oxygen tanks), and other essential items into the venue without issue, and then train staff to understand the importance of these items and how to properly handle situations where attendees need to access their medication or equipment. While ensuring the overall safety of attendees is necessary, this is not an excuse to neglect to improve the inclusive policies for those who truly need accommodations and assistance.

Promoting Accessibility and inclusion at live music events has also become a priority for several artists recently. Bands like Coldplay are enhancing the accessibility of their live shows in 2022/23 by providing Subpacs, which are wearable bass-delivering vests, along with sign language interpreters for D/deaf and Hard-of-hearing guests during their tours. By implementing these measures and working hand-in-hand with disability communities, these artists using their influence pave the way for a more inclusive and accessible live music experience.