MANCHESTER, TN (RNN/AP) – Summer is a great time to get outdoors and watch some live music, but the heat can easily overwhelm the biggest music lovers.
Veteran concertgoers advise that individuals should take responsibility for their own well-being by drinking plenty of water and paying attention to their bodies' reactions to the heat.
With many major concerts still to come, a couple of tragedies at an early summer event should serve as a warning. According to the Associated Press, two people died at the 10th annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, TN in mid June.
Upcoming Concerts
Missouri: Fair St. Louis
When: July 2-23
Where: under the Gateway Arch, St. Louis
Who: Bell Biv Devoe, Gavin Degraw, Keb' Mo' and Barenaked Ladies
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When: Aug. 5-6
Where: Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, KS
Who: 38 bands including The Black Keys, A Perfect Circle, The Flaming Lips, Primus and Cage the Elephant
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Coffee County Sheriff Stephen M. Graves said 24-year-old Christopher Yoder of Raleigh, NC, died of hyperthermia after being airlifted from the Bonnaroo grounds to Erlanger Hospital in nearby Chattanooga.
The announcement came after the body of Beth Myers, 32, was found in one of the Bonnaroo tents several evenings before. The cause of her death was not announced.
"The safety of our patrons is our No. 1 concern, and we are deeply saddened by this," concert organizers said in a statement.
Temperatures ran into the mid-90s during the festival, and officials said they treated about 1,000 people for heat-related issues.
J.T. Burns, an attendee at Bonnaroo, said he did all he could to keep cool.
"The key for me was to continually drink water and stay out of the sun during the day," he said in an email. "Being at a festival like this, it is really easy to get caught up and drink alcohol all day and become really dehydrated."
Burns said the concert also offered methods to keep cool, like water bottle filling stations and a $10 waterslide. But they weren't always easy to access.
"The lines varied in length. At peak times, you might have to wait five to 10 minutes to refill your bottle, but other times there was no wait," he said.
Burns pointed out that attendees were also responsible for taking care their own hydration.
"If you came to Bonnaroo without any water of your own, you probably were in trouble anyways," he said.
There are many ways to beat the heat when outdoors at a concert. Many venues offer free water filling stations or allow attendees to bring their own drinks.
Dr. Melissa Conrad explained 15 ways to keep cool both indoors and outdoors in an article on MedicineNet.
"If you're wearing a cap or hat, remove it and pour a bit of ice cold water into the hat, then quickly invert it and place on your head," she wrote.
Other suggestions she offered include:
- Wear loose-fitting clothing, preferably of a light color.
- Combat dehydration by drinking plenty of water along with sports drinks or other sources of electrolytes.
- Use small, portable, battery-powered fans. Some versions attach to a water bottle that sprays a cooling mist.
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol as these will promote dehydration.
Copyright 2011 Raycom News Network. All rights reserved.
A large crowd watches The Decemberists perform during the 10th annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival on Friday, June 10, 2011. (Source: J.T. Burns)
