Bob – know which President first mandated our army get vaccinated? George Fucking Washington. (Not his actual middle name.) On Feb 5, 1777. Seven months and a day after they signed the document that Declared our Independence. So if these Freedom Lovers want to return to the glorious days of our Founding Fathers, how about they take one for the team and jab up.

Enough already.

Eric Chaikin

LA, CA

Source: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.statesman.com/amp/5456106001

_________________________________

Ben Franklin was pro-vaccination, one of the first to understand and promote it. For small pox, that is. And he published his own newspaper because his own brother was an anti-vaxxer, and he wanted to present the facts. Then… his wife was also an anti-vaxxer, and as a result their son, Franky Franklin, caught small pox and died at age four. (At the time they claimed they’d delayed because Frank had a stomach bug, but the truth later came out.)

Just as with Napster, history has a thing or to teach us still, eh?

Ralph Covert

https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2021/08/14/ben-franklin-smallpox-son-vaccine/

_________________________________

Just got home from seeing Matt Nathanson in downtown Napa CA. The outside concert required vaccination proof. Easy as shit, showed up with Vac card and photo ID, walked right in… took less time than the old pat down/search…. Felt good to be back at a concert, and as a working musician it felt great to perform twice this weekend. Get the vaccine people and let’s get back to the living.

~ Alec Fuhrman

_________________________________

My wife and I attended the Pasadena Pops concert last night which was outdoors at the Arboretum in Arcadia (the first concert I’ve been to since the pandemic). Two people in front of us were barred from entry because they weren’t vaccinated, simple as that.

Samuel Jones

_________________________________

Actually, we were the first, but too small to get the credit—only 12 venues and 16 stages.  Not a 900 pound Gorilla yet.   We have been Vaccine only since April in NYC and then first in every market since July.   We had protesters at our Nashville location when we were the only ones requiring it.  Now many small clubs are.  I was on the record on at least 20 TV, print and radio interviews saying exactly what you were saying, and telling AEG and LN to step up, glad AEG listened.

Michael Dorf
CITY WINERY | CHAIRMAN & CEO

_________________________________

Excellent observation. Letting in the unvaxxed is ultimately bad for business. Who wants to get dosed by some rube asshole? Who wants to sit or stand next to them? Who wants to accept the liability? As we learned from Watergate and everything since, follow the money. When all they can see are washed up idiots like Van or Clapton, they’ll buckle. Not arguing and not rolling around in the mud with these fools is partly how we got rid of Trump. It’s a proven formula…ignore them. It’s what Biden generally does…

Kent Zimmerman

_________________________________

Worldwide 4.7 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered. In the United States 164 million people, about half the country have been fully vaccinated. Last time I checked there haven’t been bodies of vaccinated people piling up on our streets. No reports of zombies either.

What we do have are overloaded hospitals and dying people begging to be vaccinated. It’s too late for them. I hope other unvaccinated folks come rapidly to their senses. It’s not worth dying just to own the libs.

George Laugelli

_________________________________

I have my first show in 2 years (in Denver, in Nov)  and I will let fans know on twitter and instagram that people need to be vaccinated to attend, if they don’t like it they can stay home.

Tep No

_________________________________

Subject: Canada Announces Vaccine Mandate for Air Travel

Jake Gold

_________________________________

I am surd you saw this, interesting that negative tests will NOT be accepted. As you predicted the divide begins. Takes courage.

I remain skeptical re Lolla. I know two friends whose kids that brought delta home. Time will actually tell, the tracing takes time.

All hail Jason Isabell. Have principles, stick to them, ignore short term financial downside. Do what matters, not what’s easy. Be first, LEAD, stop following!!!

Thanks for sticking to your principals Bob. Keep fighting the battle. Ignorance is NOT bliss, might be truly perilous.

Best
Jonathan Pines

San Francisco will be first U.S. city to mandate full vaccination for many indoor activities – San Francisco Chronicle
https://apple.news/ASWCKjHt9QT6wUR1Br_kWmQ

_________________________________

Wow Bob, that was a great piece. Thanks for that. I just came from the Phish show in Atlantic City. Maybe 5% of attendees wore masks. I didn’t. It was outside on the beach. But I felt more safe at my beloved neighborhood club Nowadays in Brooklyn, where vax cards are required for entry, with its packed indoor dancefloor, than I did amongst the sloppy Phish crowd (shocker), wondering if the sweaty dude whose arm rubbed up on me had just given me covid or not.

Starting at Phish’s next shows, vax cards and/or negative tests are required and will be for all future shows—agree with you, the tests we know are not super accurate, just make it vax only, unless you have a medical condition and can’t get it. So yes, it’s happening and it’s great to see. We are moving in the direction that will get us past this pandemic for good… eventually.

Derek Russo

_________________________________

As usual, I enjoyed reading your comments. However, you failed to mention one significant problem with a vax card. There is no way to check if the card is legitimate or fake. From what I have read lately, the fake vax card business is booming. Someone is always trying to beat the system, even if it kills them.

Brooks Harrison

_________________________________

They are Not enforcing the ‘Vax Card” or “PCR Test” at the larger venues.
If they do check its a glance at the handwritten Card or in NYS, the Excelsior Pass.
The venues have No capacity to verify that the card you present is in fact yours, as that would require checking Photo ID against the Vax/Test proof.
They ain’t doing that venues that fit 5K+ and its not going to happen.

What’s needed is a Nationwide, universal App that that all vaccinated Americans can show & have “Scanned” for verification.
Clear Secure is about the closest thing to what’s needed at all venues to ensure attendees are Vaxed at this point but its only at select venues.
The cards & the pass can all be copied, edited & distributed to others very easily.

Joe Naz

_________________________________

I love your posts but in terms of this vaccine stuff u r very naive.
I play 5 nights a week and everyone who attends local bars is mostly under 40 years old and brag about their FAKE vaccine
cards!
Just go to googe. Look it up.
People who attend these concerts u mention are way younger than us and wok the computers to their advantage with whimsy!

Kenn Kweder

_________________________________

Subject: Foreigner asking fans to wear masks

Thought this may interest you. It’s something but they should just require masks. This is pussy footin around and scared they might upset a couple people. Ugh

Kevin Thomas

_________________________________

Just yesterday I was talking to a lady boomer who enjoys going to secret techno parties. I asked her the reason for not being vaccinated, although, as she said she’ s never declined a flu shot. She replied “I don’t know what’s in there, it’s not fully authorized, I don’t trust them, it’s all about the money”. I asked her if she really knows what’s in there, in the food/water she consumes. If everytime she goes to the supermarket she pays any attention to the battling deception on food labeling. I asked if there are different scientists when it comes to trusting the flu shot. Without thinking about it she replied “well you know what?..they can’t force me, I’m free”..  she said.. while holding her new “it’s all about the money” iphone that, I suppose, equals “freedom”.

_________________________________

AMEN!
And spot on.
And some of the best advice and best practices we could use to actually CHANGE bad behavior.
“Ignore and enjoy!” My new motto derived from this!
Thank you Bob!
Hope Harris

_________________________________

Bob – you’re totally missing the point – you can’t possibly preach and/or move the needle on dumb and obnoxious.

I wholeheartedly agree with your perspective….however, your country is dealing with a group of fucking morons that will never understand (let alone, agree) with rational thought.

Amerika, I’m afraid, is completely FUCKED.

As a Canadian, I used to look up to your country.

It has now, sadly, become the laughing stock of the universe.

We have our share of conspiracy theorists and anti-vaxers, but the US is so divided that it’s beyond saving – a sad, dumpster fire of epic proportions.

Good luck. God help Amerika.

Doug Collitz

_________________________________

Can you imagine if people put as much passion and concern into taking this vaccine to stay safe then they did with what is dumped and pumped into our food, water and air supply every single day?

Worrying about what long term effects about what this vaccine, which anyone who is anyone Dem or GOP included, pales in comparison as to what we ingest every single day. Between plastics, GMO’s, steroids, anti-biotics, toxins, chemicals, artificial flavors, colors and fillers worrying about a vaccine that is known for protecting us and saving lives makes anti-vaxxers argument against it moot point. This does not include what the anti-vaxxers probably have in their medicine cabinets at home. I could just imagine between the prescription drugs and anything else they are taking to cope in todays world also pales in comparison.

I also like to point out once again, talking about their rights and freedoms is only possible due to the sacrifices of all those people in the military over all the wars that have been fought to ensure and protect those freedoms . To simply ask your fellow citizens to get a shot and wear a mask to protect oneself and one another pale in comparison to those who gave their lives and sacrificed so much for the good of all others. I also find it insulting that people who refuse to get their shot or wear a mask invoke their individual rights and freedoms. To me, that is like spitting on the graves of those who gave their lives for those rights and freedoms for all of us.

Mike DJ

_________________________________

Hi Bob , I’m guessing it would be fairly easy to make a fake vaccination passport . The unvaccinated will find ways to go to concerts or anywhere else for that matter . I imagine it would be harder to get on an airline or cruise ship because they’d scrutinize passports . However for concerts or restaurants?  Forget about it . BZ

John Kieselhorst

_________________________________

Covid has changed so much about the youth culture and the changes aren’t over.

The oldster anti vaxxers may have seen a few of their age peers die off, but the youth in countries outside the USA, as well as some counties in the USA will be ravaged for months to come.

Oldsters expect to die, but the gallant emotions of youth don’t see death coming. Covid will change that.

Electronic distribution of music will escalate beyond the current rates. Music will find a way…

Live shows without masks or vaccine proof will be a special blessing assuming you’ll be able to afford it.

Will Eggleston

_________________________________

I was working at a dot-com running their music department when Napster hit.  A competitor of sorts to Amazon (we lost spectacularly).  But we had a T-1 connection and could download a song in about 15 seconds.  The database manager gave a couple of us a drive to download into.  It was freaking heaven!!  To this day, there is still no better music discovery vehicle than searching a great song or artist and peering into a person’s complete library.  Sorry, paid curators and algorithms will never had the authenticity of a fanatic.

Glad the promoters are taking the lead, but I don’t have much faith.  Fake vaccination cards are too easy to come by, and what incentive does a security guard checking have to spot a fake?

AEG and Live Nation (or someone enterprising) should have been working for the last 18 months on software where a patron had to authorize their health care provider to confirm their vaccination at their request or something like that.  Could have been an add-on to LN’s verified fan program and they could have used it to build that database 100X.

I hope those two find a solution and offer it to small clubs not in their control as well.

We need music, but even more we need trust that these events are safe for everyone.

Blaine Kaplan

_________________________________

The TSA should jump in too. Want to fly? Present your vax card along with drivers license at the security check. It won’t even add much time to the security check.

And if you want to keep yourself on TSA Pre-check? Set things up so that vaxxed people can prove their status to the TSA and have it added to their Pre-check records. Simple.

And this would avoid any issue of having gate agents or other airline people having to do enforcement.

Jonathan Bernstein

_________________________________

Excellent analogy, Bob.  The stick isn’t going to work and is politically problematic.  Let’s hope this carrot does the job.  Disruption always finds it’s way through.

Eric M. Griffin
Assistant Director
Colorado State Universtiy
Music Business Program

_________________________________

Granted it’s a small percentage of the ticket buying public, but these rules currently make it very difficult to have shows for children under 12, or for those of us with kids under 12 to attend concerts with our kids (very few clinics will give a child with no symptoms a rapid COVID test and even then who knows if insurance will cover it). We’re ready for the vaccinations to be available to all.

Stu Walker

_________________________________

Better than needing to be vaxxed to attend the show… make ticket purchasers show proof of vaccination to be able to even buy a ticket.

Dave Wood

_________________________________

“We are living through a revolt against the future. The future will prevail.” — Anand Giridharadas

Joel Zoss

_________________________________

“This is how you solve the problem, not by addressing the past, but the future.”

Love this!

I will be requiring them at my upcoming shows as well.

Onward we go!

Jennifer Nettles