UPDATE: More concert venues in region to begin requiring proof of vaccination or negative test

Correction: The proof of vaccination or a negative test does not apply to The Rose Music Center.

More area concert venues will begin requiring proof of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine to attend concerts citing the rise of Delta variant COVID-19 cases.

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On Monday, Music & Event Management Inc., the operating group of Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati and others, announced a change in their policy and will now also begin requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination, or a negative test, in order to attend events at their facilities starting October 4.

“The policy is being enacted in an effort to safeguard the health of concert-goers, touring artists and employees, and to prevent another shutdown of live music which devastated the business amidst the pandemic in 2020 thru May of 2021,” a MEMI spokesperson said in a media release Monday.

The MEMI policy requires fans to be at least two weeks removed from receiving their final COVID-19 vaccine dose, and must provide either the original vaccination card or a printed copy of the card that will match the person’s ID. If unvaccinated, the person wishing to attend the concern must have had a negative COVID-19 diagnostic test within 48 hours, and must submit proof of the negative test to security prior to entering the music venue.

MEMI also operates The Rose Music Center in Huber Heights, but the policy does not apply to them.

MEMI previously announced that Maroon 5 has requested attendees to its August 28 show at Riverbend Music Center be vaccinated and show proof to attend the show or have a negative COVID-19 test.

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“Per the artist request, all attendees of the Maroon 5 concert at Riverbend Music Center on Saturday, August 28 must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have received a negative COVID-19 diagnostic test within 48-hours prior to entry to the event,” MEMI said in a statement.

Riverbend concerts for Dave Matthews Band and Dead & Company, both scheduled before the official MEMI policy would take effect, will also require proof of vaccination.

Last week, operating group AEG Presents announced they also will “be requiring proof of vaccination for entry into its owned and operated clubs, theatres, and festivals.”

AEG Presents operates A&R Music Bar, Express Live!, Newport Music Hall and The Basement in Columbus. The agency also runs the Promowest Pavilion at Ovation in the Cincinnati area.

“The decision comes on the heels of the dramatic surge in Covid-19 cases as the Delta variant spreads throughout the United States,” AEG Presents said in a statement on its website. “The vaccination policy, limited only as required by law, will be in full effect nationwide no later than October 1, 2021.”

Kettering city officials said the Fraze Pavilion has no plans at this time to require proof of vaccination for events there.

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