Crowds and Identities: John Drury’s Research Group

Understanding and enhancing crowd safety and audience experience through psychology

The Live Nation project

Some of our most important experiences take place at live music events. This research project aims to understand people’s positive and negative experiences at live events, their understandings of risk, and the possible psychological benefits of attending live events.

image of a singer on stage clapping their hands - they are surrounded by a crowd who also have their hands clapping about their heads

We are also interested in concert-goers’ experiences of artists’ behaviour at show-stops and anything they have noticed about audience behaviour after events re-opened in 2021. We are interested in the role of relationships – among audience members and with staff – in positive and negative experiences and in making you feel safe at live events.

The research is funded by Live Nation but is being designed and run by independent researchers from the University of Sussex, UK. 

 Research topics

      • Understanding ‘atmosphere​’
      • Wellbeing and mental health benefits of live events
      • Changes in audience behaviour after Covid ‘lockdown’
      • Show-stops
      • Experiences of risk and safety

  image of a crowd at a music concert. two men are in focus in the middle of the image, both with one hand in the air. one purses his lips, the other smiles widely