Artists Get ‘Counterterrorism Briefing’ Before Grammys

Ben Hider / Getty Images – Madison Square Garden

Following a year that saw attacks at concerts in Manchester and Las Vegas, musicians attending this year’s Grammy Awards will receive a counterterrorism briefing from State Department and European Union Officials.

High-profile artists including Pink, Chris Stapleton, Run The Jewels and Young Thug will participate in the all-day training session held in a hotel in New York City’s Time Square, reports Rolling Stone.

The artists and their teams will receive guidance on “creating situational awareness, identifying vulnerable points and times of increased risk, avoiding time and place predictability and crafting a contingency plan,” an unnamed official from the State Department’s Overseas Security Advisory Council told the magazine.

It is not unusual for artists to receive security briefings before big events. In fact, the Recording Academy already provides security guidance to its members. But this marks the first off-site briefing to provide counterterrorism training directly to musicians.

“Behind arms, music and entertainment are the largest Western exports, and musicians and entertainers serve as ambassadors around the world,” Dr. Amir Bagherpour, who is one of the briefing’s expert trainers, told Rolling Stone. “Attacks against them generate a lot coverage and send a powerful message. It makes sense that they would be targeted.”

Bagherpour served as the first Director of Analytics in the State Department under president Obama is affiliated with Progress Humanity, the Washington, D.C.,-based non-profit that is providing training to the Grammy attendees. Bagherpour will be one of the trainers.

“Since 9/11, there have been only three major attacks on concerts, one of which wasn’t ISIS or so-called ‘Muslim terrorism’ but a lone wolf shooter,” he said. “But it only takes one 9/11 to change how people respond to each other.”

James Barbour, spokesperson of the European Union delegation in the United States, will give a briefing during the training session on the what the EU is doing to protect artists from terrorist attacks.

In the aftermath of recent attacks at live music events in Paris, Manchester and Las Vegas, the industry has grappled with the question of how to step up security measures at concerts and festivals without frightening fans.

The topic will be discussed at the “From Manchester To Route 91: What Have We Learned” panel at the upcoming Pollstar Live! Conference.