Managing Audiences and People

One of the best feelings I’ve experienced is when I’m mixing for a huge event with a ton of people dancing, waving their arms and singing along. A successful event is more than just a bunch of cool gear performing properly, or a well-known band. It’s an event that is well attended, which means large crowds of people packed into the venue…and a whole slew of potential issues to contend with because of them.

Novice promoters are usually pretty good about making sure the bands, AV gear and staging are in place, but often miss the need to manage the attendees. Even experienced promoters in unusual or new venues can have trouble predicting how crowds will behave. Things like shade on a sunny day, rain, and bathroom access can cause unpredictable crowd behavior.

Here are some crowd management concerns to consider when planning an event:

People are a lot like cattle, especially when there’s alcohol involved. They will take the path of least resistance to get to where they want to be, even if that means walking through your performance space, especially in outdoor parks and street fairs. It’s important to make the barricades and appropriate routes obvious. Even a simple bicycle fence can deter people from being where they shouldn’t be.

Productions require a cable path from the stage to the mix/control position, usually 40-80’ from the stage in the middle of the audience. Think about a path that can be protected from people, cars, bicycles, etc. Also, cables are tripping hazards, even without alcohol involved. Where cables cross high-traffic areas, cable ramps or covers need to be used.

Stages are full of dangerous things, like high voltage power, delicate wires, and things that are easily stolen. Also, production equipment often uses cabling and power distribution that is only legal when the stage and the area around it are protected from public access. It is important to keep the public away from the stage area.

While most bands are respectful and cooperative (they want a good show as much as you do), they also don’t do well without specific instructions. In a festival where you have multiple bands throughout the day, plan for a staging area where they can securely offload and store their gear. Bands often bring large vehicles or trailers and need access close to the stage. Having a stage manager who knows the schedule and the layout of the stage area and is confident enough to wrangle the bands is essential! I have worked festivals where the next band would walk on stage with their gear and start setting up while the previous band is still playing. 

Think about where people need to go. I recently did a Fair-type event where the staff fenced in the bleachers once they were full of people. That meant that there was no way to get to the bathroom or the concession stand once you were seated for the concert! People will need to get to bathrooms and you want them to buy concessions. Also, production crews will need to be able to get from the stage to the mix/control position easily and without having to go through a big crowd.

You may not have the Fire Marshall involved in every show, but they are pretty adamant about making sure people can get away from danger in case fire or some other calamity breaks out. There are rules about capacity, number of exits, and having clearly marked routes out of a venue. These apply to outdoor venues, as well.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) also has requirements for every venue, even outdoor. Wheelchair accessibility, handicapped parking and wheelchair friendly seating is all a requirement. Special assistive listening devices are also technically required, though not enforced as much for outdoor venues.

If you serve alcohol or are doing a street fair where anyone can wander in, there’s always a good chance that someone will try to pull something. I’ve seen everything from people passing out to fist fights, to a guy with a syringe and needle tucked behind his ear that tried to lure a small child away from its mother. Having medical personnel on site is a must, especially when it’s hot out.

If this seems overwhelming, there are multiple agencies that can handle the crowds for you. They’re trained in de-escalation, emergencies, medical care and come equipped with needed gear, like medical equipment and radios for communication. Oh, and they have experience in handling crowds for venues and special events. 

A large crowd of people who enjoy an event safely is the whole goal of event production. Handling large crowds is not difficult; it just takes some planning.