A club in Ohio has been cited for pandemic-related violations over a recent Trey Songz indoor concert.
The Aftermath venue in Columbus was cited for improper conduct and disorderly activities in connection with the performance on Saturday night, NBC News reported. An estimated 500 people were in attendance for the special event, with the Ohio Investigative Unit stating that many were seen "sharing alcoholic beverages and making no attempts to maintain social distancing."
Eric Wolf, the Ohio Investigative Unit enforcement commander, described the event as a 2019-esque "concert environment" when speaking with a regional NBC outlet.
"If you had taken that event and put it in 2019, it would have been pretty much the same concert, same event that was taking place last night," Wolf said over the weekend.
The case has now been moved to the Ohio Liquor Control Commission, which is the agency tasked with handing out any potential fines or related penalties for the violations determined by the Ohio Investigative Unit. According to the report, the Aftermath venue had not put up any physical barriers. Most employees and attendees, meanwhile, were not following mask guidelines.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to stack up troubling stats in the States, many artists have opted for more safety-minded approaches to providing fans with a live performance fix while we all await the return of proper touring. Some, for example, have utilized the drive-in concert approach. Others have held special livestream performances.
