Destruction Releases Short Documentary on Socially Distanced Switzerland Concerts

Do you find the fact that Destruction recently played a show in Switzerland to be somewhat disconcerting, given the current global coronavirus pandemic? The band’s new short documentary, Live Through Corona Times (that could roll off the tongue a little smoother, eh?), may or may not ease your anxieties.

The esteemed Teutonic thrash outfit performed at the Z7 club in Pratteln, Switzerland on Saturday, July 4, for a crowd of 300 people — just 19% of the indoor venue’s capacity. The small crowd size was meant to ensure that attendees could remain at least 1.5 meters (roughly five feet) apart.

Still, these shots of the crowd (which I’ve brightened for clarity) don’t look very socially-distanced, and there’s a serious dearth of face masks for an indoor space:

On the other hand, there’s also this fan, with whom I want to be best friends:

ANYWAY, the video is clearly meant to reassure everyone that Destruction ain’t no Great White. In interviews, the band claims that save for a mosh pit (!) which lasted approximately two minutes (!!), the crowd did indeed obey social distancing rules. Elsewhere, the doc notes that there was a tracing form attending fans were required to fill out, that bars and bathrooms had markings on the floor to enable social distancing, and that the concert was perfectly acceptable under Swiss law.

And it’s definitely worth noting that Switzerland is doing pretty okay with the virus: yesterday, July 14, they reported 70 cases (none of which were in Pratteln), whereas the U.S. reported nearly 62,000 cases.

Still, there’s this:

So that’s reassuring.

Watch the doc below: