Bleachers say audience for upcoming tour must negative test for or be vaccinated against COVID-19

Bleachers are the latest act to issue a vaccine mandate for audiences attending their upcoming tour.

• READ MORE: Bleachers: “This album is about wanting to hold joy, and not understanding why you can’t”

Jack Antonoff made the announcement on his Twitter, telling fans that all shows will require attendees to be fully vaccinated, or provide a negative COVID-19 test.

“We’re not messing around,” Antonoff wrote. “Every show will be as safe as possible without any weirdo bullshit.”

working with the promoters and venues now to make sure all shows are vaccine / negative test for entry for the bleachers tour. we're not messing around. every show will be as safe as possible without any weirdo bullshit.

— jackantonoff (@jackantonoff) August 11, 2021

Antonoff joins a growing list of musicians who are implementing such policies at gigs. Yesterday (August 11), Jason Isbell cancelled a tour date in Houston, Texas after a venue allegedly wouldn’t comply with his vaccine policy, which would also allow attendees with a negative COVID-19 test.

“I’m all for freedom,” Isbell said in an interview about his band’s stance, “but I think if you’re dead, you don’t have any freedoms at all. It’s probably important to stay alive before you start questioning your liberty.”

Upcoming US festivals Bonnaroo and Summerfest will also require the same from attendees, with Lollapalooza setting the standard last month. “Bonnaroo strongly encourages vaccination,” the festival wrote. “The last day to receive the second shot of Moderna or Pfizer, or a single dose of Johnson and Johnson is Thursday, August 19th.”

Bleachers are expected to kick off their tour supporting new album ‘Take The Sadness Out Of Saturday Night’ on September 11th in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and remains on the road through December

In a four-star review of their latest album, NME’s Rhian Daly wrote that Antonoff “crafted an album full of desperation and longing to break free”.

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