Atlanta’s music scene has historically been an integral part of our city’s culture, with stars such as, Usher, 21 Savage, Migos, Future, Childish Gambino, John Mayer, Clairo, Ken Carson and many others getting their start in the Big A. Fox Five has now labeled Atlanta as the biggest rap city in the world, and according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Atlanta’s music industry employs around nine thousand people and generates almost 990 million dollars annually.
As music is an essential part of Atlanta, there are colossal concerts here that commonly sell out, with State Farm Arena hosting at least ten big-name concerts this month alone. Childish Gambino, Usher, Peso Pluma, and Charlie XCX are just a few names among a star-studded cast. Many other venues in the greater Atlanta area host big names as well. In October, Mercedes Benz will host Lady Gaga, and Post Malone will play at Lakewood Amphitheatre.
These different venues each have their pros and cons, with venues ranging in levels of safety and different outdoor or indoor seating options. From metal detectors to clear bags, each venue takes different security measures. With the recent terrorist scare in Vienna at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, as well as deadly stampedes in concerts such as Travis Scott’s Astroworld tour, many are fearful of attending concerts in this day and age.
This raises the question: can concerts be fun and still be safe? “I went to a lot of concerts this summer, and I think that the venue plays a large part in the safety of concerts,” Paideia sophomore Izzy Yepez says. “Concerts at Mercedes Benz’s felt the most unsafe because the security didn’t seem adequate for such a big venue. On the other hand, the outdoor concerts I went to felt much safer because they were smaller and outside, but still had similar protocols, like clear bags, that big venues have.”
