Another week of record-breaking heat and poor air quality hasn’t kept thousands of music fans from attending outdoor concerts across the city.
RBC Amphitheatre hosted Jack White on Tuesday as the humidex climbed toward 40 C, while rock band Muse took the stage Wednesday despite hot, hazy conditions caused by wildfire smoke from Northern Ontario that pushed the air quality health index into the “high risk” category. On Friday, the Amphitheatre will host electronic music producer Chris Lake.
Aaron Cockburn has spent years dancing through Toronto’s sweltering summer concerts, but lately the intense heat has made the Oakville resident rethink how he prepares for show days.
After seeing stories about fans collapsing from dehydration at past local shows, Cockburn started wearing a hat, applying sunscreen and carrying a reusable water bottle. He believes concert venues have also stepped up efforts to keep fans safe.
“Free water stations are absolutely everywhere now,” said Cockburn, 28. “It seems like organizers realized that people passing out isn’t good for the rest of the show.”
The risks of intense heat
The physical dangers of heat exposure at concerts are clear, said Glenn Kenny, a physiology professor at the University of Ottawa.
“The biggest harmful effect is the lack of air flow because you’ve got so many people compressed together that are generating heat,” said Kenny, adding that the city centre is about 7 to 10 degrees hotter on a summer day than the outskirts. “For good evaporative cooling, you need people’s bodies exposed. But then you’ve got people dancing around. They’re putting themselves at risk by being more active and engaged.”
Kenny is skeptical that misting stations or portable fans offer much protection. “Air temperature above 33°C is not going to be lowered by the use of fans,” he said. “It makes you feel better, but it doesn’t reduce the risk.”
Sheena Sharp, a principal at Coolearth Architecture, argues that fans and misting stations are not the answer. “Any solution we come up with is either half-arsed or it’s so terribly expensive that concert ticket prices will be sky-high,” she said. “We’re trying to fix stuff with technology and we’re starting to hit a point where that is not going to work.”
How Toronto venues are addressing the heat
Some Toronto venues already have features in place to keep concertgoers cool, including two of the largest outdoor spaces.
RBC Amphitheatre sits on the shore of Lake Ontario, where cooler evening air helps moderate temperatures around the time concerts usually begin. A Live Nation spokesperson said the 16,000-capacity venue has allowed concertgoers to bring empty refillable water bottles for more than a decade and provides free drinking water at three refill stations throughout the grounds.
Rogers Stadium, which is now dormant for a month, also increased the availability of free water at its 50,000-person venue following feedback last summer. There are now more than 30 stations both inside the premises and outside the gates, according to a representative. Its operators have also added more trees to the asphalt surrounding the venue to shade ticket holders before the show.
For smaller events, however, the challenge is often logistical.
The Toronto Jazz Festival narrowly avoided last month’s prolonged heat wave. “The response is to not take concerts away,” said Josh Grossman, the artistic director at the Toronto Downtown Jazz Society, which produces the festival. “It’s to make people as comfortable as possible while they’re enjoying this experience unique to the summer.”
In past years, the festival has hosted a water station provided by the City of Toronto, but this year they didn’t.
“It was more a space issue than anything,” said Grossman.
‘If we don’t adapt, it won’t be sustainable’
Sergio Emilio Parra, research and program manager at the Canadian Live Music Association, said climate change is one of the most serious challenges facing festivals across Canada. A recent survey of their 300 members found that 83 per cent believe climate change is affecting their events, with 87 per cent expecting those disruptions to grow over the next five years.
“Everybody is doing what they can with what they have,” said Parra. “It’s a very diverse industry that ranges from multinationals — that have all the resources — to smaller indie operators that cannot devote much of their time and resources to this issue.”
Parra sees potential in corporate partnerships to help fund cooling measures, but warns the status quo is increasingly fragile. “If we don’t adapt, it won’t be sustainable for our industry, unfortunately,” he said. “We might see major disruptions. We’re talking about festivals shutting down, venues shutting down.”
Expert tips for summer concert-going
Physiology professor Glen Kenny shares his tips for summer concertgoing in Toronto.
1. Take a seat
While performers love it when a crowd gets on their feet, Kenny suggests it’s smarter to sit down when the heat is on. The issue is that when you’re standing upright, blood is moving down to your feet, and what your body really needs is warm blood travelling to the surface of your skin where heat can more easily escape into the air. “Anybody standing for long periods of time in hot environments is going to potentially succumb to the effects of heat stress,” he said.
2. Wear a hat
“When our skin surface is directly in contact with solar radiation, that becomes problematic,” said Kenny. “The sun beaming down on you is going to heat the body up fast.”
3. Find some space
Try to distance yourself from other people since they are also generating heat. Cramped quarters are a “recipe for extreme danger,” Kenny said. “When I was 16, I’d be right at the front. Now you’ll see me further back where I get adequate airflow.”
4. Water won’t solve everything
Staying hydrated at outdoor events is crucial because it maintains sweat output. But the process should not begin in the middle of a concert. Drink water before you head to the show, and be aware that your body and mind will play little tricks on you. “Your thirst sensation never keeps up with the rate at which you dehydrate,” Kenny said. “Your gut will fill up, but it’s still not enough, so you’re always behind the eight ball.” Alcohol and caffeinated drinks aren’t helpful either, he said. “Certainly you’ll get hydrated, but there are other side effects that are going to put you at greater risk of developing heat stress.”
5. Use a buddy system
Kenny suggests working out a system of checking in with friends, especially if they’re consuming alcohol or moving around to the beat. “If a loved one starts to realize you are not responding the same way, that’s a good sign you’re showing signs of heat-related disorders,” he said.
