Add the Eccles Theater to the list of venues that will require ticket holders to get vaccinated against COVID-19 — but the requirement only applies to concertgoers for now.
MagicSpace Entertainment, the booking agency for the Live at the Eccles concert series, sent an email to patrons Tuesday, saying anyone attending a show in the downtown Salt Lake City theater now must show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative test taken within 48 hours of the performance.
The next performer scheduled for the Eccles is the country quartet Little Big Town, on Sept. 10 and 11, followed by comedian Bill Maher on Sunday, Sept. 12. Upcoming performances by two podcasts — “Armchaired & Dangerous” on Sept. 16 and “The Last Podcast on the Left” on Sept. 25 — as well as Mexican sextet Los Ángeles Azures (Sept. 30), Christian pop singer Amy Grant (Oct. 9) and comedian Tom Segura (Oct. 14) are also covered under the new policy.
The Eccles is one of four downtown Salt Lake City arts venues operated by Salt Lake County. Though the venues are operated by a government entity, they contract with a private company, MagicSpace, to book concerts at the Eccles — and, therefore, are not covered by a state law that prohibits a government entity from setting a vaccine mandate.
That law is why the rock band Counting Crows, which required proof of vaccination for ticket holders, canceled its planned Aug. 26 concert at Red Butte Garden. The garden is part of the University of Utah, making it part of the state government — and because Red Butte also books the shows, it could not enforce a vaccine rule.
Broadway Across America, the company that books touring Broadway shows at the Eccles, has not announced its plans for any COVID-19 rules, a spokeswoman for Salt Lake County said Tuesday. The next touring Broadway show scheduled for the Eccles, Disney’s “Frozen,” doesn’t open until Oct. 26.
A spokeswoman for Broadway Across America said, in a statement, that the company is “actively working alongside our colleagues at the Eccles Theater to bring Broadway back to Salt Lake City following local, state and federal health guidelines.” Specific rules will be announced to ticket holders at least two weeks before a performance.
Other musical acts and venues are also requiring patrons to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test.
Three upcoming shows in the Ogden Twilight Concert series — Spoon on Friday, Death Cab for Cutie on Sept. 10, and Grouplove on Sept. 25 — have set vaccination rules for their shows.
The national concert promoter Live Nation will start requiring proof of vaccination at its venues starting Oct. 4. In Utah, Live Nation operates Usana Amphitheatre in West Valley City and The Depot in downtown Salt Lake City.
The State Room and The Commonwealth Room also have a vaccine rule in place, as do Salt Lake Acting Company and Plan-B Theatre.
