Recently, I took my teenage brother to his first concert ever and my first concert post-lockdown. It was the most perfect show I could hope to take my brother to in order to introduce him to the world of concerts.
Given the tragedy at Travis Scott’s Astroworld festival, more people have become aware that further actions can be taken to stop catastrophe. Artists should be able to control the crowd. Staff at the concert venue should establish clear guidelines and prevent disaster.
My brother and I went to a Destroy Boys concert — they did all the previously mentioned and more. They made the venue into a safe space in more ways than one. Here’s the checklist for what to demand from your favorite artists when they go on tour.
Establish COVID-19 related Protocols
Instead of simply asking for a negative COVID test, the concert venue, Chain Reaction, required proof of full vaccination. By additionally mandating facial masks, Destroy Boys demonstrated their solidarity to those at-risk, respect for fans’ health, and love and value of life. This should be the bare minimum, but since I haven’t seen that strongly enforced elsewhere, my respect grew tremendously, and I felt in community with the band and other fans.
Ask Fans for Setlist Inspiration
Musicians grow big due to fans loving songs and playing their music. Artists really should let fans build their setlist since the crowd is the one tuning in. Give the people what they want!
Destroy Boys did this by opening their Instagram comments to pitches for songs to play. They asked for fans’ favorite song from the latest album. I personally wanted to hear something from an earlier album. But I can’t complain because the actual concert setlist featured many of their fan-favorite songs, some of which gained attention from TikTok.
Establish Clear Rules For Safe Fun
Once the concert started, the lead singer Alexia, made sure to let the crowd know of a few things. Alexia said, “If anyone is harassing you, let one of us on stage know. And we’ll be sure to get them the fuck out.” Alexia directly asked the concert-goers to let the band take on responsibility and accountability.
The responsibility doesn’t end there. Alexia continued, “If someone falls down, pick them up! Give other people room. If you find a phone or something, raise it up! We need to take care of each other. We’re here to have fun.”
Here is when I became so grateful to have this be my brother’s first concert experience. What she said is incredibly on the money. I already knew my brother and I would enjoy the music, but I wanted him to enjoy the experience of listening to it with other people. Everyone in the crowd is bonded by the band, but sometimes people can forget that we’re also bonded by humanity. We need to get comfortable with looking out for each other.
Later on, the band encouraged a mosh pit and a circle pit. Maybe I shouldn’t be writing this since the venue had signs that read “No Mosh Pit. You will be asked to leave,” but I absolutely adore that Destroy Boys facilitated pits for the duration of certain songs. As a concert staple, I sent my brother into the pits. He returned with one shoe.
He got his shoe back as someone was holding on to it, waiting for its owner, in the area where the mosh pit was held. If it weren’t for Destroy Boys clearly outlining to members in the crowd to be extra kind, I’m not sure my brother would’ve found it intact.
Connect with the Local Community
Something I hadn’t seen done before, Destroy Boys put out an ask for mutual aid organizations within each local community of each respective concert location.
Leading up to the show, the band asked concert members to bring specific donations. After the opening acts of The Umbrellas and Jigsaw Youth, Alexia introduced the Anaheim Autonomous Coalition. A representative from the organization told us of their abolitionist mission to dismantle systems of oppression, specifically white supremacy, by directly providing for those in need. Alexia encouraged us to engage with the Anaheim Autonomous Coalition by providing donations — out of solidarity, not charity — and/or time, seeing as we’re all from the area.
Destroy Boys did an excellent job highlighting local community needs and resources, and drawing attention to systemic issues. The recreational activity of attending a concert is not a break to stop learning and engaging with other people.
Remember What Got Us Here
Coming out of 2020 — the year of BLM’s resurgence, anti-racism education on social media, and 45’s boot out of office — the year had a lot of political and social developments.
Early on in their set, Destroy Boys performed their song “For What” — which is about a corrupt legal and political system. In the middle of the song, Alexia stopped singing to lead the crowd through a chant.
“When I say ‘Fuck’ you say ‘12.’ FUCK-”
“Fuck 12” is another way of saying “Fuck the Police.” While the “12” is in reference to the drug unit, the police force has prevailing racist origins. Black drug offenders are significantly more likely to receive charges despite using less addictive drugs at a similar and lower rate compared to white drug offenders. Racial disparities run amok in the legal system, as that is the way it was designed. Recognizing the bastardized job of cops is the one step towards recognizing structural and systemic oppression and moving towards prison abolition.
“When I say ‘Land,’ you say ‘Back.’ LAND-”
This refers to the Land Back Movement, a call for Native sovereignty. Colonialism and imperialism affected everyone, but no one was more devastated than Indigenous groups who had their lands and lives stolen from them. “Land Back” doesn’t just refer to returning the physical land but also removing the institutions put in place. Colonial governments stole more than just the land. A Teen Vogue article shares, “They took away the political and decision-making power of Indigenous nations and our right to consent to what happens to our land, people, families, and even our bodies. Our spiritual beliefs and languages were outlawed, and many of our children were forcibly taken to boarding schools, some never to be seen or heard from again.” For those reasons, “land back” symbolizes the reclamation of everything taken and destroyed by colonialism.
Knowing they have a younger audience, Destroy Boys brought attention to critical social movements that affect us all. This is important as Gen Z is growing up knowing the power of advocacy and demanding for change.
On a lighter note, the band knows how to appreciate what brought us together. Guitarist and background vocals, Violet, was so precious to constantly affirm the crowd of the band’s gratitude. The Anaheim concert was their first show on tour and their first sold-out show ever.
Go, SoCal! I am grateful to have been a part of that crowd, to watch the three talented bands perform, and feel loved by the community in return. Watch them on tour for yourself — keep up with Destroy Boys here.