The Killers Mandate Both Vaccination and Negative Test for NYC Warmup Show

The Killers will require fans attending their New York City warmup gig on August 19th to be both vaccinated and show a negative Covid-19 test, perhaps the strongest mandate for audiences to date.

The Bowery Presents told ticket buyers on their website, “In order to be allowed in the venue you must: 1) be fully vaccinated (i.e., 14 days post-final dose of the Pfizer, Moderna, or J&J vaccine) 2) provide evidence of a negative test result for Covid-19 (PCR or antigen), taken within 48 hours before the show.”

The venue also warned, “No refunds will be given for any failure to meet these requirements.” (Mask wearing, however, is “encouraged” within the venue, but not mandatory.)

Following their appearance at the We Love NYC homecoming concert later this month, the Killers will embark on their tour in support of their upcoming album Pressure Machine in September. While the band has not yet stated a blanket policy in terms of vaccinations and negative tests for the trek, AEG — which is promoting some of the tour’s concerts — have said that fans attending the shows must be vaccinated, a stronger policy than Live Nation’s choice of vaccination or negative test. (Some of the ticket listings for the Killers’ AEG-promoted shows have already been updated with this requirement.)

Speaking to IndieLand earlier this month, the Killers were cognizant about touring amid the spread of the Delta variant. “We don’t want to be the band that brings back Covid, the K variant,” Ronnie Vannucci said. “There’s a lot of conjecture involved in touring and liability. And just out of general respect for people out there and keeping everyone healthy, we just wanted to be careful about that and not jump the gun.”