Accessibility is an issue that tends to be invisible to most people until it affects them or someone they know. It is very much a sort of “out of sight, out of mind” ordeal, and is one of the biggest problems facing advocates today. If people with disabilities are often invisible to society, how do you get able-bodied or able-minded individuals to realize there’s a problem? Whose responsibility is it?
For example, if you have ever injured yourself and had to use a wheelchair, walker, or other mobility devices, a small set of stairs can feel like climbing a mountain, and a ten-block walk can feel like ten miles.
For the abled-bodied, such experiences can be temporary minor inconveniences, but for many, it’s a part of daily life. Participating in fun activities such as attending a concert (or even just getting to the venue) with ease is something a lot of people take for granted. These regular everyday events are incredibly trying for someone with a physical disability. Equality when it comes to sex, gender, sexuality, religion, and much more has become a hot topic in society today, with our voices stronger than ever it seems. However, all too often is the disabled community still left out of these conversations. Why is it that these voices so often go unheard?
So many are stuck in the stubborn mindset that since things have always been this way, why change now? If something is not a typical part of a person’s day to day life, they don’t tend to think about it or see why it is a valid concern. A rather big and pressing issue facing this industry and society today is that only specific disabilities and accommodations are focused on. For example, if a venue doesn’t have stairs, people tend to think, “what’s the problem?”. Many venues lean on the chance of carrying individuals up the stairs if there are any, which poses a whole new set of hazards.
There is so much more that goes into a safe and enjoyable show for someone who is disabled, though. If a venue doesn’t have an accessible bathroom, then we can’t drink water and stay hydrated during the show. If a doorway is too narrow, then people in wheelchairs cannot get into the building at all. If there is excessive use of strobe lights, then that prevents those with lighting sensitivities from attending shows. These issues that seem like no big deal to the average person can be a deal-breaker and what stops an individual from being able to attend a concert.
For me, as a physically disabled concert-goer, accessibility for me means lack of physical barriers, such as stairs or tight doorways, but it also means needing things such as grab bars in bathrooms and wide enough stalls for my chair to fit, which is a major and necessary thing many venues do not have. Disability is a spectrum, what one needs others may not, and even those with the same disability require different access needs. That is why we can’t just have a one size fits all approach to access.
In the past few years, however, many amazing people have started working to make a positive change within the music industry and its accessibility. One of these remarkable organizations is Half Access. According to founder Cassie Wilson, the idea for Half Access first came from a desire to have a productive outlet to work on inaccessibility she was facing at venues. The idea came about after countless issues she faced at a venue in April 2017, after she emailed venues week after week about accommodations to be met with no response and no accommodations, until a band themselves went out of their way to make the needed accommodations themselves.
“After that, I started speaking up on social media about what I was experiencing, and realizing others felt the same way I knew something had to be done, and disabled folks needed to know what a venue was like before buying tickets.” Cassie was the recipient of the Sub City grant presented by Hopeless Records at the 2017 APMA awards to help support the mission of Half Access. With this grant, they were able to officially become a 501 c3 nonprofit. The mission of Half Access is to make live music accessible, but right now, the organization’s primary focus is on their website’s database of detailed venue accessibility information. They currently have over 275 venues included in the database and that consists of both inaccessible and accessible venues, since it’s just as important to know if a venue is inaccessible as it is accessible, but also because accessibility means something different to every disabled person. Not all needs are the same and, as previously stated, even two people with the exact same condition can have different accessibility needs.
So far they have had the chance to work with artists such as La Dispute, Gouge Away, Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties, and Taking Back Sunday to make sure every venue they play on tour is included in their database. Cassie stated, “I’ve been emailing every venue on random fall tour flyers to ask them to submit info, but honestly nothing is as effective as bands asking venues or disabled folks and allies voluntarily submitting info on venues they frequent.”
When asked about what she thought was the most important pieces of information to share when approaching a venue or artist about accessibility at their show she stated, “My answer to this is biased based on my own disability being mobility related, but because of that I’d say that knowing if there’s an accessible entrance, a safe, accessible viewing area, and accessible restrooms are all key things. For other people, none of that may matter, and it could be knowing if there’s unsafe lighting or knowing if there will be a sign language interpreter”.
Wilson’s advice for fans to help make a show experience better for those with disabilities and to be an ally, is to remember not all disabilities look the same and the person standing next to you that may look abled may not be as abled as you think. Remain aware of your surroundings and the people around you, and be respectful and careful. Look before you stage dive, don’t get angry at disabled people for being in the crowd because it may be the only option, as we all must look after each other to maintain a safe and enjoyable show environment. If you want to support Half Access in your city, the best way to do so is to submit accessibility info for venues in your city to their database.
Another groundbreaking organization out there that is making a big difference in the music scene is L.E.A.D DIY. Founded by Ellie Hart, “the initial idea for LEAD actually hardly spurred from live music at all. It came around in the spring of 2018 when The Incredibles 2 came out in theaters. I was SO pumped to see it, The Incredibles has always been my favorite Pixar movie. When it came out, I had probably 7, or 8 friends text me and tell me not to go— turns out the villain’s main power was hypnotizing people with lights, and there was a 2-3 minute long portion of the movie that was strictly strobes. I was so pissed, and as far as I’d seen, neither Disney nor theaters had put up a light sensitivity warning. This is particularly concerning because kids can be a lot more sensitive to lights than adults. I wanted to do something, but I figured that it was easier to take on the DIY music scene than it was to take on Disney!”
L.E.A.D DIY distributes signs that denote what type of lighting the show is using low risk (green) for still or roaming lights, caution (yellow) for fast-moving and flashing lights, and warning (red) for strobes and lasers, they send laminated copies out to whoever requests them through their online form for free. The purpose of the Low-Risk signs is not only to let people with light sensitivity at shows know that they don’t have to stress as much but to bring to people’s minds that some people have to think of that in every live entertainment environment they’re in.
When asked what the most important things are to share when approaching a venue or artist about the harmful impacts that certain lights can have on concert goers with light sensitivity, Ellie stated, “I wouldn’t say that there’s three certain pieces of information in particular that are important, but just to stress that it’s a legitimate health issue that can result in serious injury if strobes are being used. Honestly, I’d say that it’s important to stress not that it just makes a patron uncomfortable or gives them headaches, but that it could cause seizures which can cause other injuries and can be dangerous to people around them. Not to mention that it will definitely interrupt a show if paramedics have to come!”
“I’ve had some pushback in the past, but for the most part, people have been receptive! Any pushback I’ve had I’ve thankfully been lucky enough to have backup from other people on the tour. I try to be polite but firm and keep it together when responding, but it can be really discouraging because I myself have epilepsy, so it can feel like they’re disregarding my personal safety,” Ellie notes. “One time a person running lights rolled his eyes at me when I said that I had epilepsy and would be safer if there were no strobe lights, so I low-key went back to the green room and cried. Yikes, I know. Unfortunately sometimes my emotions get the best of me … let’s just say I’ve gotten myself in a little bit of trouble before.”
According to Ellie, while there is no real best way to be an ally, a good way to help those with light sensitivity is to go up to the lighting person or staff at a show if you feel comfortable and ask if they’re using strobe lights, and if they’d be open to foregoing them for the set. If you’re not comfortable doing that, I’ve found that reaching out to the artist directly on social media ahead of time is another good option. It can be easier to have an adjustment made to the lighting if the artists request it, as opposed to a person attending the show.
If you are interested in supporting L.E.A.D DIY, the best way to do so is to fill out a form on their website, they will send you laminated copies of the signs for free! You’re also welcome to come to any of the tours that they are on, which you can usually find on their Twitter and Instagram pages at @LEADDIY and come talk to them more about light sensitivity at shows.
The accessibility issues mentioned thus far are just a few issues out there and only focuses on one part of the community, there is so much more that needs to be done. As a community, we need to work together to make all aspects of live music accessible, every fan, regardless of ability, should have the same chance to enjoy live music as everyone else.
