Germany will see its first large-scale concert since March in September, as Return to Live takes place at Merkur Spiel Arena in Düsseldorf. The event will feature Bryan Adams, Sarah Connor, Rea Garvey, The BossHoss, Michael Mittermeier, and Joris. It is expected that 12,000 will be able to attend at the 54,000 capacity outdoor stadium.
“The fans, artists, and crew, as well as the entire music industry, have been eagerly awaiting this moment” says Live Nation Germany CEO Marek Lieberberg. “We are opening the door for the return of live music which now has the opportunity to resume after the unpredicted intermission. We know that fans are enthusiastic to experience live music once again, and we’re excited to be able to bring them that opportunity.”
Germany has seen a largely successful response to the coronavirus, with a 7-day moving average of under 1,000 new cases since early May after seeing numbers as high as 6,800 new cases in a single day in April. Fewer than 10,000 known fatalities have been attributed to the pandemic. The country has already seen some live entertainment return, though large-scale events have been declared illegal until at least November, unless organizers can get approval from authorities for their social distancing plans to show their event can avoid becoming a potential super-spreader scenario.
The country will see an August 22 performance at Leipzig Concert Hall by Tim Bendzko, designed to test social distancing measures in a scientific fashion to find a way to hopefully hold live events safely, even indoors. In September, amphitheater events are scheduled to return to Berlin’s Waldbuhne with a 5,000 patron capacity (compared to the venue’s 22,600).
Safety measures will be in full effect for Return to Live, per IQ Mag:
Fans attending Return to Live will have to register their contact details when buying their tickets and agree to the special terms and conditions which includes wearing a face mask and adhering to the social distancing set out in the seated arrangement.
Further measures include larger waiting areas outside the stadium, tiered entry and exit time slots, an alcohol ban as well as regular disinfecting and additional hygiene precautions.
Photo: Bryan Adams performs in Germany in 2007. Credit – Marco Maas (via Flickr)
