Harry Styles is drawing a thick line for his long-awaited "Fine Line" tour when it comes to COVID-19 safety protocols, including new plans for his St. Paul date at Xcel Energy Center on Sept. 22.
The pop megastar announced Wednesday that he will not only require proof of vaccine or negative test results at all his upcoming shows, he is also implementing a mask mandate each night.
This is the strictest two-part policy yet by a major concert tour since the delta variant started driving up virus infection rates again this summer. An Xcel Center representative confirmed that the new rules will be implemented at the show in St. Paul.
"Requiring testing, or proof of vaccination, is the best way to protect the health and safety of our crew and fans, and is quickly becoming the new standard for concerts around the U.S.," reads the press release from the tour's promoter Live Nation, which has so far left COVID rules up to the artists. "There will be no exceptions to these policies."
The announcement specifically recognized the fact that many of Styles' fans are not old enough to get the vaccine.
"Children under the age of 12 may attend the concert if they provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 48 hours of the show," the release also read. (Note: That's one day tighter than the usual 72-hour window.)
Styles was originally supposed to hit Xcel Center last summer around the release of his second solo album, "Fine Line," but he postponed all 2020 dates during the first big COVID wave. Los Angeles indie-rock/alt-twang vet Jenny Lewis — long a favorite in the Twin Cities — is still slated to open all the U.S. dates on the tour, which is due to kick off Sept. 4 in Las Vegas.
The Jonas Brothers also announced vaccine or test-result requirements this week for all their upcoming dates, news that resulted in their Minnesota date at Mystic Lake Casino Amphitheater now being questionable.
Not many other major tours have announced such policies yet, though the Eagles — due to play two nights Oct. 1-2 at Xcel Center — did require vaccine/test-result documentation at their recent Seattle shows. Some other big acts have outright canceled tour dates out of virus fears, including Garth Brooks, Stevie Nicks, Nine Inch Nails and Florida Georgia Line.
Xcel Center also has Hall & Oates coming up on Monday and Guns N' Roses on Sept. 21, neither of which has added any new COVID protocols.
Chris Riemenschneider • 612-673-4658
@ChrisRstrib
