Fans of Dead & Company are selling concert tickets, and demanding refunds, after the band announced that attendees to several of their shows are required to prove they are fully vaccinated or have tested negative for COVID-19.
The band, which has concerts lined up until January 2022, made the announcement last week on Facebook and while some concert-goers applauded the decision, others were dismayed. Within days, Dead & Company tickets were listed for sale on craigslist, eBay, and Facebook marketplace, WRAL reported.
"I don’t think it’s right to have to prove paperwork to do anything that is a freedom in this country," said one concert-goer, Martin Sardis. "What’s next, are you not going to be able to freely travel around the country unless you’re vaccinated?”
Meanwhile, on social media, fans were speaking out against the band and demanding that they receive refunds for their tickets.
"Never in my life did I imagine deadhead hippies full of love and peace become segregationists... I'll be needing a refund because I refuse to play along," one Facebook user commented.
"Refund Now Please on all 5 shows….This should’ve been disclosed on or before buying tickets," another wrote.
"Selling my tickets for Phoenix! They should provide an option to reimburse us because they changed the rules after we bought tickets!" a third added.
In the initial announcement, Dead & Company requested in a statement that fans "provide proof of full vaccination or negative COVID-19 diagnostic test within 48-hours prior to entry, except where prohibited by law," according to The Mercury News.
"Requiring vaccinations & testing is one of the best ways to protect the health and safety of our band, crew, and fans," the news release continued. "There are no exceptions to these policies."
Fans will be required to produce a copy of their vaccination card. If attendees, including children under 12, have not been vaccinated, they must produce a printed, time-stamped test result.
These rules apply to a select handful of the band's shows where fans will be separated based on whether or not they have been vaccinated. Those with general admission "pit" tickets will have to show proof of vaccination.
"If a GA Pit ticket holder does not have proper documentation, they will be relocated to an alternate 'non-pit' seating area. Negative testing is not an available option for pit entry," the band's statement read. Not all ticket holders opposed the requirement.
"Love you guys even more for insisting on this level of safety…for yourselves and for us fans. Thank you!" a fan commented on Facebook.
"Thank you for making our health a priority. I was getting a little nervous about attending a concert but I’m 100% excited again!" another wrote.
"They announced it last Monday, and we had already all been vaccinated except for our son, who is 11," another fan, Buddy Carpenter, told WRAL. "It just makes us feel safer that everyone at least vaccinated or tested."
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Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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