WATER MILL, NEW YORK – JULY 25: Andrew Taggart and Alex Pall of The Chainsmokers perform during the ‘Safe & Sound’ Drive-In Concert Fundraiser Presented by JAJA Tequila and In The Know Experiences In Partnership with Bumble at Nova’s Ark Project on July 25, 2020 in Water Mill, New York. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Safe & Sound).
Last weekend, approximately 2,000 people attended a “drive-in music experience” concert with pop group The Chainsmokers in Southampton, New York. The event was a Safe & Sound fundraiser, with tickets costing up to $25,000 for various charities, featuring opening DJ sets by DJ D-Sol (Goldman Sachs executive David Solomon) and Jay Schneiderman (town supervisor).
Unfortunately, due to the nature of live concerts and the human condition, much of the audience ended up standing close together in a crowd near the stage, after exiting their vehicles and dismissing social distancing rules and regulations. New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, Tweeted that he was “appalled” at the actions seen in a video that surfaced from the concert, clearly showing attendees breaking rules. New York authorities will investigate the event and its promoters, which could lead to civil fines and criminal liability.
Videos from a concert held in Southampton on Saturday show egregious social distancing violations. I am appalled.
The Department of Health will conduct an investigation.
We have no tolerance for the illegal & reckless endangerment of public health.pic.twitter.com/gf9kggdo8w
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) July 28, 2020