Ultra Music Festival unveiled their list of items that are being allowed within their gates and those that are now prohibited from entering . Some of the changes may anger fans while others may be welcomed. Among the things at the top of the prohibited list include: non see-through backpacks, camelbacks, though you can bring in the water container to carry around, glow sticks and selfie sticks.
Selfie sticks have increasingly been met with ire by governments, museums and venues around the world as they can be a menace to society by causing individuals to live online instead at the concert, well that was happening anyway, but can also block the view of others or hit fellow attendees if the holder is not careful. Several venues in London have already taken the step to ban them, so it isn't surprising to see Ultra do the same. Any other pole or totem that is popular at US festivals is also banned. Now you can see the stage that you paid for!
Note: 'Selfie sticks' or other poles are not allowed at #Ultra2015 They will be turned away and we'll probably make fun of you
— Ultra Music Festival (@ultra) March 5, 2015
Action Cameras (including GoPros) are fine. The full list of allowed/not allowed items are listed at https://t.co/fmvCk7JQeB — Ultra Music Festival (@ultra) March 5, 2015
As dance music attempts to grapple with the nasty headlines, predatory or not, about drug use and the resulting hospitalizations or even worse, deaths at its events, promoters are taking steps to try and advance their zero tolerance policy by weeding out ways for individuals to sneak drugs into festivals.
Diplo's Mad Decent Block Party did this by banning kandi from its event and Ultra is taking a similar step by banning any sort of mask, which can be made of kandi. There will be no pacifiers, which is just yelling to a security guard "hey I am on molly." Two very important exclusions will be laser pointers and whistles, which should be banned from all musical events, because laser pointers are distracting for all parties, artists and fan included and unless you are seeing a set of entirely whistle songs, leave them with your referee uniform.
See the full list of banned and permitted items on Ultra's website and go and get the remaining tickets there. See the full lineup of acts here.
