Written by Hannah Dang with support from the DAC team
It wasn’t initially in my summer plans to check-off another objective on my bucket list.
As someone who grew up classically-trained in music on the violin, I attended and performed in a number of concerts during middle school and high school, but for a long time, I dreamed of going to a live concert for one of my favorite modern musicians. By the time summer hit, my wish was fulfilled. Thanks to my younger cousin and two of my friends, I was one of the lucky few to snag tickets for not one but two of the world’s most famous musicians’ world tour concerts.
Following my final exam season at the end of May, I went to one of Louis Tomlinson’s FAITH IN THE FUTURE concerts at Mohegan Sun, a casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. Outside of a few exceptions, I was never as invested as my diehard-fan younger cousin, who’s favorite pastime was keeping tabs on her favorite celebrities and committing the lyrics of their greatest hit songs to memory. Other than his former status as one of the members of the acclaimed boyband, One Direction, I was entering new territory when it came to Tomlinson’s work as a solo artist.
Per my younger cousin’s command, I was (jokingly) required to study his album to prepare for the concert. Prior to listening, I was drawn to the red and black aesthetic because of its stark contrast to One Direction’s mainly pop-music brand. Pushing aside my biased preconceptions, I pressed play and then fell in love with the indie-rock and punk setlist. I brought up my opinions to my younger cousin, and I’d fondly watch as she gushed about her favorite tracks.
Not only was Louis scheduled to perform, but two other rock bands, The Snarls (whom I fell in love with instantly) and The Academic (who were immaculate performers), were listed as the opening acts. As a huge fan of rock music, I was thrilled to be exposed to new music at my first concert, and the excitement never wore off.
(My favorite tracks from Louis Tomlinson were “She is Beauty, He’s World Class” and “Out of my System,” but I definitely recommend checking out the full album.)
As we waited in line to be directed to our seats, my younger cousin was reminded to adjust her hearing aids. Considering Louis Tomlinson’s punk-rock reputation, the concert was expected to be super flashy, and the music from his live band and the speakers would be blasted at full volume. Curious, I asked if her experience at the concert was affected due to her partial-deafness. According to her, her experience at the concert was barely affected because adjusting her hearing aids took minimal effort. She was happy to explain further: her hearing aids must be charged and then connected to an app on her phone to adjust the noise level of her surroundings. If anything, she experienced pre-concert nerves because she was about to see one of favorite musicians live.
I then began to ponder about concert experiences for different kinds of people as a whole.
As every concert enthusiast knows, heading to the concert venue early is a must because parking spots fill up quickly. At Mohegan Sun, the establishment has free parking and has claimed to have handicapped parking spots located in all of their parking garages. From there, concert attendees would have to travel across the casino to secure a spot in line for the ticket-checks, bag-checks, and concert merchandise. For the body searches, the metal detectors used were relatively tall and wide, but for people who don’t fit, there is an option to be searched by the security guard separately. From what I saw, people with mobility equipment were allowed to bypass the metal detectors without issue, but I imagine the searches are time-consuming because of the large number of concert attendees. Because Mohegan Sun is a major casino and gambling facility, there is the incentive to be accessible-all-around. They plan and build for all of that ahead of time because they want all people and all types of bodies and sizes to have a reason to spend time at Mohegan Sun.
For each row in every section, there were about five seats designated for people with disabilities, but because the venue had only small built-in stairs, it was difficult for people of all ages and sizes to find their seats. As for the seats on the upper level, the seats I was at, the chairs were small and there was hardly any leg room, but because of its ascending construction, it was easy to see the stage. As people danced with their friends, I was mostly worried about their safety because the seats were unsteady to the point a person could potentially trip, injure themself, or the people around them. While there were several exits, I saw many people struggle to reach the exits due to the swarming crowds. On the other hand, there was a bit more room in the floor seats section, but at the same time, the floor seats are the most dangerous section as fans have a tendency to shove one another in hopes of a better view of their idols on stage.
Outside of the auditorium, there were food stands and bathrooms. The food stands’ menus were sparse, but the service was speedy. In my case, I got my hot dogs heated and ready in record time. As there were a multitude of guests, I understand if the food stands opted for efficiency over having more food options, but I wish other types of food were offered for people with different taste palettes or diet plans. As for the restrooms, there were mostly strictly women or strictly men bathrooms, but Mohegan Sun did have three “Family Assisted Restrooms” to offer for their guests with disabilities (Mohegan Sun). Overall, Mohegan Sun has taken steps to promote their agenda to preserve accessibility and inclusivity towards their guests, but I believe more actions need to be taken in order for Mohegan Sun to truly be considered as a pro-accessibility establishment.
The next concert I went to was Charlie Puth’s in Boston, Massachusetts for his world tour and album CHARL!E, featuring the show’s opener, indie pop star Blu Detiger at Leader Bank Pavilion. Because the concert I went to was located in a city, there was no guarantee my friends and I would find parking nearby. Of course, it was truly city culture to not have any parking anywhere. I was scared of entering the venue due to the crowd of people blocking the small entrances in disorganized lines, but for the most part, it was smooth-sailing as the security guards at the check-in stations were efficient at checking the tickets as well as the bag and body searches. Like Mohegan Sun, metal detectors were used, but for people who did not fit, there was a separate line for people with mobility equipment.
The public bathrooms were only accessible through stairs, and there was hardly any room for one person to bypass people who were entering or exiting the stalls, but the reviews claim there are accessible bathrooms in VIP areas. The bars and food stations as well as the merchandise booths were easy to access due to the efficiency of the ushers (Wieselmann).
Making our way to our seats was easy as every seat was nailed to the floor, which was accessible via stairs and ramps, and there were a ton of people on duty who would kindly direct guests to their seats. There were also moveable seats in the upper back levels. The only problem was that all of the seats were on the same level, and as a result, a lot of the attendees struggled to see Charlie Puth and the other performers on stage. As it is customary during modern-day concerts for guests to stand during the performances, a lot of people, especially children, struggled to see. At every section, I saw people watching the concert through blurry phone recordings of the people in front of them. To help the audience members at the back of the concert venue, Louis and Charlie Puth were projected on a screen in real-time by using hidden cameras.
Last but not least, I would like to address the debate regarding prioritizing accessibility or prioritizing artistic freedom. Rather, I believe the center of the venn diagram between accessibility and artistic freedom can be achieved and maintained. For example, at both of the concerts, there was an excessive use of bright and colorful strobing lights, and as a result, people barely saw the artists’ performances.
Although there are concert guidelines which were clear to ticket buyers about the potential risks of epilepsy, vertigo, and other people on the photosensitive spectrum if they went, I believe the shows should make a greater effort to inform their guests. It is an establishment’s responsibility to properly inform their guests to attend with caution or bring their medication or seizure glasses. I personally would have liked it if the lyrics to the performers’ songs were projected on some of the screens, but I understand the majority of the attendees are likely longtime fans and would rather see their favorite artists’ faces over lyrics everyone knows by heart.
At the end of Charlie Puth’s concert, a surge of concert attendees flooded the venue’s exits in a timely fashion. Several of the guests, especially wheelchair users and the elderly, planned ahead of time and exited the concert a bit early to avoid rush hour. For the majority of the time, people were polite albeit a bit overhyped due to the post-concert adrenaline. It would be helpful if the pavilion asked the guests to remain seated until people with mobility equipment or other special needs exited the venue safely, but instead there was a human traffic jam at the exits stretching to the roads, crossroads, and parking lots nearby. Doing so would allow people to not lose their friends or family members in the crowds.
There is something else I have to clarify: the performers should not be blamed for their venues’ and management’s faults. Providing accommodations for their guests with special needs, disabilities, or any other extraneous circumstances is not the performers’ responsibility nor is it in their control. Their job is to entertain you. Although the performance is in their name, it is not their fault if their concert venues are not as accessible or as updated as they should be.
Although the performers have a say in which venues to perform at and which places to visit, it is in the establishment’s jurisdiction and best interest to ensure their customers are provided and accommodated for. Even if an establishment did their utmost to inform their guests about the potential lack of accessibility or risks to attending a concert, the majority of people know what a music concert will entail and will either choose to go or not go at their own risk. Only then can the establishment not be held accountable for the choices their guests make.
That isn’t to say there aren’t people who look out for each other. At both of the concerts, I saw compassion and a mutual love for music at every corner. Amidst the poor lighting, I’d see random acts of kindness sprinkled in the crowd. People would make room for others in the cramped seats, not minding if people need to squeeze past the tight spaces. People would make an effort to not obscure other people’s visions or block their filming. People would let others cut them in line with permission. It warmed my heart to see so many people, differences and all, be connected by their love of music.
I thought I understood music. Now, I truly understand the power music holds. And I have no words to describe each night except for magical. It was magical and a dream-come-true to be present at not one but two nights of people singing their hearts out together. For just one night, everyone was enveloped in a sea of stars and a heavenly chorus of voices belting out lyrics at the top of their lungs as if a small universe is being reborn. Just imagine it for a second.
Regardless, I believe every music concert should be performed for audiences of every race, gender identity, language, culture, age, or disability. Although the world’s music industries plan to monopolize their artists for capital interest, it seems they’ve yet to understand music transcends fortune. It is only a matter of time before accessibility becomes mainstream.
WORKS CITED
“FAQ General.” Mohegan Sun, 2023, mohegansun.com/about-mohegan-sun/faq-general.html. Accessed 29 June 2023.
Wieselmann, David. “Leader Bank Pavilion Boston MA.” Where to Wheel, 2023, wheretowheel.us/listing_details/1213. Accessed 29 June 2023.
Disability & Access Collective 