Proposed Ban on 18+ Music Shows in Minneapolis

One of the roles of the Public Health Advisory Committee, a board that advises and makes recommendations to Minneapolis City Council, is to investigate ways to reduce binge drinking, especially in young adults.

A February proposal to ban happy hours, drink specials and drinking games in Minneapolis bars failed to win the approval of the city council, so the next attempt the PHAC is making to deal with the problem is to propose a ban on 18+ shows at music venues where alcohol is served.

Currently, all-ages shows don't serve alcohol unless an over-21 bar area is separate from the all-ages crowd, such as at First Avenue's main room. 18+ shows mark the hands of everyone under 21 to distinguish who can be served alcohol. And then there's over-21 shows.

The problem that PHAC sees with 18+ shows is that people over 21 can buy drinks for underage concert goers. They propose banning 18+ shows, and only permitting all-ages, and over-21.

Venues and concert bookers see disaster for Minneapolis venues if 18+ shows are banned. Venues like 18+ shows because they appeal to the widest audience and sell the most tickets. Bands also like to play 18+ shows, because they have plenty of 18, 19 and 20 year old fans who can't drink but have money to spend. So instead of beer, they buy the artist's merchandise and CDs at the show.

So will banning 18+ shows reduce alcohol consumption in young adults? I don't think so.

In situations where alcohol can be obtained by minors, at a concert is probably one of the more benign.

If underage adults want to drink, they will find a way. Banning 18+ concerts to remove alcohol from under 21s will likely move the problem outside the venues. If the problem is underage adults getting their 21+ friends to buy them alcohol, what's stopping their 21+ friends buying them beer in liquor stores? At least if they are at a concert, they might spend more time listening to the music than drinking. From the point of the 21+ friend, why give up your hard-fought spot near the front to go and get your underage friend another drink?

Binge drinking in teenagers and young adults is a serious problem, and isn't an easy issue to deal with. Part of the solution is to give teenagers alternatives to getting drunk and live music is something the majority of young adults love. Why take their concerts away and make it harder for them to enjoy themselves without alcohol?