Musician and Performance Artist Temper Tantrums at Music Festivals.

An unexpected outburst from an artist scheduled to appear at a music festival can be upsetting for staff and crew members as well as impacting on set times and other logistical arrangements. Putting in place strategies to address potential issues with artists along with processes for dealing with unsavoury occurrences is key for festival organisers.

When curating artists for a festival line-up it is not unusual that some may already have a reputation for temper tantrums. These reputations may be circulating in the industry but on occasions can be reinforced by the artist's management team who will include specific requirements and advice in riders. These riders may highlight potential triggers which are meant to help organisers lessen the chances of anything going awry. 

Mental Health Issues. 
Artist temper tantrums will almost always be linked to some underlying mental health issues which can lay dormant for most of the time but there will be triggers that lead to outbursts. Touring musicians and artists can be under great stress to perform in front of large audiences which may lead to anxiety and emotional overload causing mood swings and irritability. When these underlying issues are combined with substance abuse, alcohol or narcotics, behaviour can become impaired sometimes leading to tantrums. Equally any artist undergoing withdrawal from substance abuse can display similar behaviour. Some artists may be suffering from mental health conditions like bipolar disorder (or borderline bipolar disorder) where emotional instability can lead to behaviour which is erratic, and artists believe that their needs are not being met leading to extreme anger accompanied by outbursts. 

Triggers and Causes at Festivals. 
A music festival environment is full of potential triggers for artists prone to temper tantrums because there are so many logistical elements that need to seamlessly fall into place which they rarely do. Technical issues and the quality of sound systems can be a major factor that can potentially upset an artist. Backstage delays in performance set times and other scheduling issues can certainly raise stress levels in artists. Where an artist’s rider has not been met or there are other hospitality issues an artist may feel that they are not being treated as expected. Other on-site issues could be the crowd behaviour who may heckle or display aggressiveness towards an artist. 

Strategies to Handle Outbursts. 
Understanding a particular artist’s propensity to have temper tantrums will drive how organisers handle them. It is essential that they do their utmost to provide everything requested in technical specifications and riders submitted. The agreements made in the advancing process are vital to fulfilling the requirements of all parties involved. If the artist is known to be under treatment for conditions like bipolar disorder it is essential that they have taken any recommended medication and that they are kept away from alcohol and other substances for example. Organisers should be using a professional artist liaison team who are experienced in handling difficult artists. In some instances, team members may have undergone formal training on conflict resolution where any artist concerns are addressed respectfully with good listening skills and the provision of rapid solutions to dissolve situations. 

Mental health issues have traditionally been a low priority in society but there is an increasing understanding of these conditions. There are now a number of initiatives available which can help sufferers get treatment as well as information on recognising signs, like temper tantrums, which may mean an individual needs help. 

For festival organisers planning their next events using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

Image by npriddey via Pixabay

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