Texas Governor Greg Abbott has announced the formation of the Texas Task Force on Concert Safety in the wake of the tragedy at Astroworld Festival in Houston that left at least eight concertgoers dead and injured hundreds of others. The task force will be led by Texas Music Office Director Brendon Anthony and will consist of safety experts, law enforcement, fire fighters, state agencies, music industry leaders, and others. The task force will hold several roundtable discussions to analyze concert safety and develop ways to enhance security at live music events in Texas. Following these meetings, the task force will produce a report of recommendations and strategies to ensure concert safety and protect concertgoers.
"Live music is a source of joy, entertainment, and community for so many Texans — and the last thing concertgoers should have to worry about is their safety and security," said Governor Abbott. "To ensure that the tragedy that occurred at the Astroworld Festival never happens again, I am forming the Texas Task Force on Concert Safety. From crowd control strategies to security measures to addressing controlled substances, this task force will develop meaningful solutions that will keep Texans safe while maximizing the joy of live music events. I thank the members of this task force for coming together to work on this important issue."
In addition to music industry representatives to be announced in the coming days, the task force consists of representatives from the following organizations:
- Texas Music Office
- Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas
- Sheriffs' Association of Texas
- Texas Department of Public Safety
- Texas Municipal Police Association
- Texas Police Chiefs Association
- Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
- Texas State Association of Fire Fighters