While the Prime Minister announced the timetable for the gradual lifting of restrictions intended to curb the progression of Covid-19, Aurélie Hannedouche, general delegate of the Syndicat des musiques contemporaines, said to herself on Thursday January 20 on franceinfo “relieved”, but shares his “biggest misunderstanding”. Jean Castex indicated that from February 2, cultural and sports establishments will welcome the public without a gauge if they remain seated. And from February 16, nightclubs can reopen, standing concerts can resume and standing consumption in bars will be allowed again.
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Aurélie Hannedouche does not understand “this stigma” of one “two-step schedule” doing “resume standing concerts after gauges are removed”. She points to a decision “completely wacky”. According to her, there is “no objective and scientifically based reasons why standing concerts would be more dangerous than seated concerts; we still don’t understand why we have to go after”. Aurélie Hannedouche has “fear that it will leave traces and that the public will really believe in a lasting way that we are dangerous places”. She believes that professionals will have “a lot of trouble bringing the public back to theaters.”
“It’s going to be weeks and months before audiences actually return to theaters.”
Aurélie Hannedouche, general delegate of the current music unionat franceinfo
The general delegate of the current music union affirms that “all the studies have shown that from the moment the public wore a mask, whether they were standing or sitting, the conditions for the circulation of the virus were exactly the same”. She wonders why “the government wants to put our heads under water even more and dissuade spectators from coming to see standing concerts.”
According to her, “it’s almost all the tours in February that have already been canceled, because no one is able to project themselves”. For professionals, “It wasn’t a three-week suspension.” The restrictions have “an impact for months.”
“We are delighted to have been heard”, reacted on franceinfo Gilles Petit, vice-president of Prodiss, national union of musical entertainment and variety after the announcements of Jean Castex. “Finally we have visibility, because the ‘stop and go’ for us is dramatic, he continued. The shows will resume under the conditions that we now know a long time in advance.
“We will be able to invite spectators back to our rooms according to known health standards and we hope that this will allow shows to get back on the road.”
Gilles Petit, vice-president of Prodissat franceinfo
Gilles Petit also recognizes that “the world of live performance will take time to resume its activities”. He invites viewers “to return to theaters, to take back tickets, to come back to see our artists.”
“Today, we see the sky clearing up a little, recognizes the vice-president of Prodiss. We have the possibility of offering shows in gauges above 2,000, soon shows in standing gauges with the bars open, which is fundamental to the economy of our sector. And obviously for festivals, it’s also extremely positive to see that all the measures seem to be going in the right direction.”