The landscape of live music in South America is changing radically in favor of protecting public health. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has signed two federal decrees introducing permanent rules for the organization of large figurative and musical events, a regulatory package renamed the Taylor Swift Law.
The legislative intervention originates from the tragedy that occurred on November 17, 2023 at the Nilton Santos stadium in Rio de Janeiro, where twenty-three-year-old Ana Clara Benevides Machado lost her life during the inaugural stage of the American pop star Taylor Swift’s tour. The young woman suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest caused by heatstroke caused by the perceived temperatures close to 60 degrees that were recorded inside the structure where there was a strict ban on introducing containers of liquids from outside combined with the extreme difficulty in finding drinks on site.
The new protections for hydration and anti-touting measures
The legal device transforms into a permanent restriction what had previously only been arranged via temporary ordinance. The organizers of shows with an attendance of more than 1000 people will have to guarantee access to participants equipped with personal water bottles, allowing free hydration and dispensing free drinking water through fountains or dedicated packs positioned in strategic points of the venue.
The decree also requires the presence of rapid relief structures and the constant monitoring of prices by consumer protection authorities, in order to avoid economic speculation on the sale of drinks. At the same time, the second presidential decree introduces ticket traceability tools and IT barriers against the use of bots and scripts, eliminating the phenomenon of online touting and protecting the primary purchase of coupons.
The Italian response with the organizational revolution of Ultimo in Tor Vergata
The debate on safety and reception management during the torrid summer seasons has also become urgent in Italy this year, precisely due to the extreme heat that has characterized the last few months. An answer to all this was found on the occasion of the Ultimo maxi-event entitled The fairy tale foreverorganized by Vivo Concerti at the Tor Vergata esplanade in Rome.
The public has in fact obtained the right to cross the gates with plastic or silicone water bottles and water bottles of up to 0.5 liters with caps, together with light foodstuffs such as fresh fruit, sandwiches and mineral salt supplements. To counteract the risks associated with prolonged sun exposure, the production has also arranged the presence of free water refill points distributed throughout the entire area, allowing the entry of comfort devices such as small umbrellas without tips, towels and neck fans.
This change of direction marks a clear break with the past: when the well-being and safety of the public once again becomes the real priority, the alibi of the alleged safety reasons used to justify anachronistic bans collapses. The turning point promoted by Ultimo and now the new Tylor Swift law demonstrate how it is possible to combine the management of large numbers with an ethical and human approach, paving the way for an entertainment industry finally capable of putting the care of people before the logic of profit.
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