A lifetime ago, I worked in the music industry. Music is very important to me and I still go to loads of concerts. And I have a complaint. Most Boston-area venues limit you to having one companion in accessible seating. What is that about? Because I have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, dysautonomia, and a myriad other chronic illnesses, I use a rollator/wheelchair. It’s so frustrating to have to pick just one person to sit with.
When I’m at a club show, the alternative is to stand with the aid of my rollator and then sit in between acts. But that’s exhausting for two reasons: 1. I don’t have the stamina/pain tolerance to stand for hours 2. Drunk people aren’t cognizant of their surroundings and they crash into the rollator and/or me. I recently put reflective tape on my rollator in hopes of making it more visible.
Luckily, some of the newer venues, like MGM Music Hall at Fenway, thought ahead and have enough accessible seats to accommodate me with three others and with a great view of the stage. Meanwhile, at TD Bank Garden, I can only have one companion sit with me. At The Paradise and the 2-year-old Roadrunner, the ADA section is next to the stage and tiny.
The other fun part? You can’t simply buy handicapped seating online for the majority of club venues. You have to call or email and request accessible seating. Larger places, like the Xfinity Center (FKA Great Woods), have actual accessible seating that you can purchase online and you can have more than one companion seat. The Royale is like, “We don’t have an ADA section but we’ll find a place for you.”
And don’t get me started on the bathrooms. Public bathrooms in general are a nightmare. PSA: if you’re not disabled, please don’t use the handicapped stall. I love that the Boch Center – Wang Theatre polices its handicapped bathroom!
Enjoying concerts should be accessible for everyone. It’s 2024. The Americans with Disabilities Act passed in 1990. Do better.
This Charming Amy 
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