CANS312 Final Zine: Concert Safe Zones

Helping make sure that everyone can rock out safely

By Zoe Frantz CANS312 (Disability, Technology, and Public Affairs in Canada)

My Mom and I have always connected over music. She listened to Billy Idol while pregnant with me, and we both love going to concerts.

However, her vertigo diagnosis changed things a bit...

For someone with vertigo, going to a concert can be a scary and unpredictable experience...

When it comes on, the room feels like it's

SPANTING and in the worst cases, vertigo makes people faint and lose consciousness, or BLACKOUT. ✶✶

Gender and sexuality can add further challenges to living with a disability (Smilges and Greenberg, 2025, p. 154). For my mom, being a woman of colour compounds the difficulties of attending a concert with vertigo.

When my mom's vertigo is aggravated, walking downstairs can use half a day's energy, or 6/12 spoons (Miserandino, 2003).

For concerts, she has two options:

1) Attend live music events at her own risk

2) Give up concerts to stay safe

This has left her with a "Hobson's choice" (Janz, 2023, p. 304), but this shouldn't be the case.

I therefore propose concert "safe zones"...

Concert venues can help make things safer for people with vertigo by creating an environment of LOW STIMULATION.

This can include the following provisions & practices:

• N20
• 40 F7
• MUSICIAN'S EARPLUGS

Vertigo is triggered by loud noises. Musician's ear plugs, NOT foam earplugs, mitigate this.

TEMPERATURE THRESHOLD

Concerts can get hot, causing dizziness and fainting. Having a maximum temperature helps ensure body temperature regulation.

CHAIRS/SEATING NEARBY

The energy from concerts can be overwhelming. Having a place to rest provides a way for people to 'take a break, even when they don't want to' (Samuels, 2020, p. 160).

• ADMI
• ADMIT
• NO MOSHING
• AL NE
• ADMIT ON ADMI ONE
• A KEEP YOUR
• DISTANCE
• ADL
• YNE
• ONE
• A RESTRICTED
• SPACE
• ADIT ADMIT
• ONE
• ONE
• for safe zones include:
• MI די
• ON ONE ADMIT

Quick movements and changes in direction aggravate vertigo;

to limit this, moshing would not be permitted

• רוו
• E ADMIT NE
• ADMI
• Vertigo can make people claustrophobic and
• overwhelmed; giving them space is crucial
• ONE

ADMIT

Our world is steeped in ableism (Janz, 2023, p. 300), so limiting safe zones to disabled folk flips this script

N 12345 ONE

ADMI ONE

• ⭑SAFER⭑
• - FOR PEOPLE WITH VERTIGO -
• SECURITY PERSONNEL
• Enforce rules, ensure zone restriction

Men AND women to create comfortability for women and queer folk

SECUR

Lining the section for protection without reducing people to their disabilities

• (Krummel, 2001, p. 66)
• Figure 2.
• Budweiser
• Figure 3.
• Figure 4.

WATER HANDOUTS

Staff with complimentary water to make sure fans stay hydrated (ideally in all concert sections)

BUDDY SYSTEM

Everyone gets a buddy to create a care web rooted in "solidarity not charity" (Piepzna-Samarasinha, 2018, p. 9)

TELUS

Balcony

Security guards/volunteers in plain clothes/minimal uniform lining the section so it blends in with the rest of the crowd (also checking tickets, assigning buddies, enforcing rules)

Safety Zone

Chairs/space near the music to sit and take a break without missing the show

Personnel/volunteers passing out water, earbuds, fans (potentially) - priority is the safe zone but expanding to everyone is ideal

General Admission

Balcony

Another possibility:

expanding these provisions to the balcony, or having pre-booked seating for disabled folk (like a pre-sale)

Balcony

Figure 5.

To conclude:

These are only a few suggestions.

Extending and tailoring Smilges' proposed "language of accessibility needs" to other disabilities can help ensure that everyone gets what they need (Smilges, 2023, p. 40).

Safe zones are just one means of implementation; what is important is that we start the conversation so everyone, including my mom, can keep rocking out.

(Scan for image references)