Co-authored by professors at Mathematical Science Research Institute in Berkeley, California and Middlesex University across the pond in London,
a 19-page research paper entitled “The effect of messaging and gender on intentions to wear a face covering to slow down COVID-19 transmission” revealed a frustrating finding: In the age of the coronavirus, men are less likely to wear a mask in public. Despite memorizing the entire Carcass discography, we don’t have the proper medical credentials to speak eloquently about COVID-19 on any kind of authoritative level. What Decibel does have, however, is a largely male demographic and many, many friends in the music industry with a very real sense of what’s at stake.
What it will take for metal shows to come back is most likely an eradication of the novel coronavirus. Though you may not be a doctor or research scientist, you are still an active member of society, tasked with holding yourself to a certain set of responsibilities not only to ensure your comfort but the general safety of those around you. And if the general welfare of your community isn’t enough, let us break it down in the most selfish terms possible: no mask, no show.
Wearing a mask isn’t difficult. Spending over a year without experiencing a live concert will be, however. Which is why the over 140 artists here—metal gods, local bands, white, black, Asian, celebrities, laborers, health care workers—are asking you to do your part to get behind the mask. We can all limit the spread of coronavirus; help protect each other and get one step closer to a time when we can safely watch these artists perform live in the flesh.
