A pair of concerts in Germany’s Saxony region took place over the weekend, seeing a combined 1,500 fans in attendance in socially distant fashion, the first such performances in the country since the coronavirus shutdown was rapidly enacted earlier this year. The region currently allows performances with up to 1,000, and has plans to remove the capacity limit in September if tracking and tracing plans are followed, per IQ Magazine.
Featuring rock band Goizche Front in one and DJ duo Gestort Aber Geil in the other, the performances were set up with crowds segregated by barriers into four-person blocks. The blocks in closer proximity to the stage were more pricey than those further back, and promoters operated a one-way travel system for those entering and exiting the seating areas.
“Feedback from the more than 1,500 guests over the weekend was consistently positive,” organizers said. “Fans showed their gratitude for the shows on the acts’ social media channels too, viewing them as a first step towards normality.”
Germany has led a largely successful containment plan in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Much like other countries, March saw a rapid rise in cases, but by April the case totals were dropping rapidly. The 7-day average of new cases dropped below 1,000 on May 2, and has hovered below 650 ever since. All told, the country has seen fewer than 10,000 deaths attributed to the pandemic.
Outside of the region where these shows occurred, Germany continues to restrict public gatherings, with plans to loosen the maximums in November assuming continued progress.