Crowd Control Barriers vs Concert Barriers: What's the Difference?
Crowd control barriers and concert barriers are both used to manage how people move through event spaces, but they are designed for different purposes. Standard crowd control barriers are commonly used to define queues, guide pedestrians and separate public areas. Concert barriers are specialist systems designed for locations such as the front of a stage, where audience pressure and event-specific operational requirements need to be considered.
The distinction matters when planning a festival, concert, sporting occasion or other public event. A barrier that works well along an entrance queue is not necessarily suitable for a densely occupied audience area close to a performance.
At Temp Fencing 247, we supply crowd control barriers, concert control barriers and other temporary event infrastructure throughout the UK. This guide explains how the different systems are used, what to consider when choosing between them and why a larger event may require several types of barrier.
Crowd Control Barriers vs Concert Barriers: A Quick Comparison
Feature | Crowd Control Barriers | Concert Barriers |
Primary purpose | Guiding pedestrians, defining queues and separating areas | Providing a specialist barrier system for designated audience and performance areas |
Typical locations | Entrances, pedestrian routes, queueing areas and event boundaries | Stage fronts, audience divisions and other locations identified in the event's crowd management plan |
Construction | Typically individual metal barriers with connecting arrangements | Specialist interconnecting barrier sections, with construction and features varying by system |
Audience pressure | Not automatically suitable for areas subject to significant crowd pressure | Designed for specified crowd-loading applications, subject to the selected system and installation design |
Layout | Often arranged in straight runs, queueing layouts or temporary pedestrian divisions | May form straight or shaped audience barrier arrangements, depending on the system |
Planning requirements | Pedestrian movement, access, stability and expected use | Crowd behaviour, anticipated loading, access, emergency arrangements and specialist installation requirements |
Barrier specifications and capabilities vary between products. The suitability of any barrier arrangement must be established for the particular event and location.
What Are Crowd Control Barriers?
Crowd control barriers are portable barriers used to organise pedestrian movement and establish temporary divisions in public spaces.
They are familiar sights at festivals, sporting events, outdoor markets, exhibitions, public celebrations and other occasions where organisers need to establish clear routes or separate particular areas.
Standard metal crowd barriers generally consist of a framed section with vertical bars and supporting feet. Individual sections can be connected to create longer runs or arranged to suit the intended layout.
Common applications include:
Defining entrance and ticket-checking queues.
Separating pedestrian routes from designated operational areas.
Establishing temporary boundaries around public activities.
Guiding visitors towards entrances, exits or facilities.
Creating designated waiting areas.
Separating spectators from activities where the barrier system is suitable for the expected conditions.
These barriers are particularly useful where the main requirement is to guide people or establish a visible division rather than create a substantial temporary perimeter.
Our fencing and crowd barrier hire range includes equipment for public events, festivals and other temporary requirements.
What Are Concert Barriers?
Concert barriers are specialist barrier systems used in designated audience areas at concerts, festivals and other live performances.
They are often installed at the front of a stage, where the audience is separated from the performance and production area. Depending on the event design, specialist barriers may also be used to divide audience sections or establish controlled access arrangements.
Concert barrier systems differ from ordinary pedestrian barriers in their construction, connection methods and intended loading applications.
Some systems incorporate features that assist with operational access or provide a working area for authorised event personnel. The available features depend on the particular product and configuration.
At Temp Fencing 247, our specialist concert barrier offering includes Mojo barrier systems for live events.
Why Can't Standard Crowd Barriers Always Be Used at the Front of a Stage?
The front of a stage can present different conditions from an ordinary pedestrian queue.
Audience members may move towards the performance area, stand close together or exert pressure on the barrier. The level and direction of that pressure can change during a performance, particularly where audience movement is concentrated in one area.
A standard crowd control barrier should not be assumed to have the structural characteristics or installation arrangement required for these conditions.
Specialist concert barrier systems are designed for defined audience applications, but selecting such a system is only one part of the process. Its configuration, loading limits, ground conditions, installation and the wider crowd management arrangements must also be considered.
The event's crowd management plan should establish which barriers are appropriate for each location rather than treating all metal barriers as interchangeable.
What Are Mojo Barriers?
Mojo Barriers is an established supplier of specialist aluminium stage barrier systems used at live events, including festivals, concerts, tours, sporting occasions and corporate productions.
Its concert barrier systems are designed for applications where audience management and the separation of public and operational areas require specialist equipment.
Mojo barrier products include interconnected aluminium sections that can form part of a planned stage-front or audience barrier arrangement.
The precise configuration depends on the event, the barrier system selected and the operational requirements of the venue.
Temp Fencing 247 can discuss specialist concert barrier hire as part of a wider event infrastructure requirement, including temporary fencing, steel shielding and standard crowd control barriers.
Where Should Crowd Control Barriers Be Used at a Festival?
A festival site can have several locations where standard crowd control barriers are useful without requiring a specialist stage-front system.
Entrance and Ticketing Areas
Barriers can help establish organised approaches to ticket checkpoints, accreditation desks and designated entrances.
The layout should provide sufficient space for the expected arrival pattern and avoid creating obstructions to essential routes.
Pedestrian Routes
Temporary barriers can indicate where visitors should walk and distinguish public routes from areas used for deliveries, equipment or event operations.
Where vehicle and pedestrian movements interact, the appropriate separation arrangements should be determined through the event's site and traffic management planning.
Food and Refreshment Areas
Food outlets can attract queues that extend into nearby walkways. Where appropriate, barriers can help define waiting areas and keep designated routes clear.
Our event catering units can also form part of a larger temporary infrastructure package.
Spectator and Activity Areas
Standard crowd barriers may be suitable for certain spectator boundaries and public activities where the expected loading and behaviour are compatible with the selected barrier system.
Areas where significant crowd pressure may develop require separate consideration and may call for specialist equipment.
Where Are Concert Barriers Used?
Concert barriers are commonly associated with stage-front arrangements, but their use is not necessarily limited to a single straight line in front of a performance.
Depending on the event and the capabilities of the selected system, specialist barrier configurations may be used to establish audience divisions, controlled access points or other designated areas.
The arrangement should be developed with reference to the expected audience, venue layout, performance characteristics and operational requirements.
For example, a large outdoor concert may need to consider the relationship between the stage-front barrier, audience access routes, stewarding positions and arrangements for responding to incidents.
These requirements should be assessed as part of the overall event plan rather than deciding on barrier quantities or layout solely from the width of the stage.
How Do Barrier Layouts Affect Crowd Movement?
The position of a barrier can influence how people approach an entrance, join a queue, move through a venue or occupy an audience area.
A poorly considered layout may create unnecessary congestion, obstruct a route or concentrate people in an unsuitable location.
For this reason, barrier planning should consider how the space will operate during the busiest periods, not simply how the site looks before visitors arrive.
Questions worth addressing include:
Where will people arrive, and how will they enter the venue?
How many visitors are expected to use each route or entrance?
Could queues obstruct other pedestrian routes?
Where are the designated exits and emergency access points?
Will visitors move between different areas during the event?
Are there locations where significant audience pressure could develop?
How will authorised personnel access operational areas?
The answers help establish where standard crowd barriers may be suitable and where a specialist concert barrier system or a different site arrangement is required.
How Many Crowd Control Barriers Do I Need?
For a straightforward barrier run, the initial quantity can be estimated by dividing the required length by the effective width of each barrier and rounding up to the next whole section.
Estimated barrier quantity = Required barrier length ÷ Effective width of one barrier
For example, if a particular barrier system provides an effective connected width of 2 metres per section, a straight 40-metre run would require an initial estimate of 20 barriers.
This is an illustrative calculation rather than a specification for our hire stock. Actual barrier dimensions and the effective width of connected sections should be confirmed before ordering.
Queueing layouts, corners, entrances, gaps and other configuration requirements may affect the final quantity.
For a more complex public event, the number of barriers should be determined from the intended layout and crowd management requirements rather than perimeter length alone.
How Many Concert Barriers Do I Need?
Concert barrier quantities require a more detailed approach than measuring the width of the stage and dividing it by the width of a barrier section.
The appropriate arrangement depends on the selected system, anticipated audience conditions, barrier geometry, access requirements and the wider crowd management plan.
Specialist configurations may include different section types, corners, access arrangements or other components. Their availability and suitability depend on the system being supplied.
Provide your barrier supplier with the stage dimensions, site layout, audience information and relevant event planning details so the requirements can be considered properly.
For specialist concert barrier installations, the final configuration should be established by competent personnel using the appropriate system information and event-specific assessment.
Do You Need Temporary Fencing as Well as Crowd Barriers?
Many events require more than one type of temporary boundary.
Crowd control barriers may be appropriate around entrance queues and designated pedestrian routes, while temporary mesh fencing can establish a taller boundary around the venue perimeter or operational compounds.
Our steel shielding fencing provides another option for locations requiring a substantial solid boundary and visual screening.
A concert or festival may therefore use several systems for different purposes:
Temporary mesh fencing for designated site boundaries.
Steel shielding for selected backstage or production areas.
Standard crowd control barriers for suitable pedestrian and queueing arrangements.
Specialist concert barriers for designated audience areas.
The objective is not to use the same barrier everywhere. It is to select equipment appropriate to the function and conditions of each part of the venue.
What Should You Consider Before Hiring Event Barriers?
Before arranging crowd control or concert barrier hire, establish what each barrier run needs to achieve.
For standard crowd control barriers, useful information includes the proposed layout, approximate run lengths, expected pedestrian movements, ground conditions and hire duration.
For specialist concert barriers, further details may be needed concerning the stage, audience, venue configuration and event operations.
It is also important to establish when the equipment can be delivered and installed, whether the site will be accessible to the installation team and when dismantling can take place.
Where barriers form part of a larger festival or outdoor event, consider whether additional infrastructure is required. Temp Fencing 247 also supplies trackway and temporary flooring and portable toilets and welfare facilities.
Crowd Control Barriers vs Concert Barriers FAQs
Are crowd control barriers and concert barriers the same thing?
No. Standard crowd control barriers are generally used to guide pedestrians, define queues and establish temporary divisions. Concert barriers are specialist systems designed for designated audience applications, including appropriate stage-front arrangements.
Can standard crowd barriers be used at a concert?
Yes, standard crowd barriers can be suitable for certain parts of a concert venue, such as entrance queues and designated pedestrian routes. They should not automatically be used in areas where significant crowd pressure is anticipated.
Are Mojo barriers suitable for outdoor festivals?
Mojo barrier systems are used at outdoor festivals and other live events. The appropriate product, configuration and installation must be established for the specific venue, anticipated audience conditions and operational requirements.
Can crowd control barriers be installed on grass?
Barrier suitability depends on the system, ground conditions, expected use and installation requirements. Uneven or soft ground can affect stability and should be considered when planning the layout.
Do concert barriers stop crowd surges?
A specialist concert barrier can form part of a crowd management arrangement, but no barrier should be treated as a guarantee against crowd surges or dangerous crowd pressure. Audience management, event planning, monitoring, staffing and appropriate operational responses remain essential.
Can crowd control barriers be used to create a queue?
Yes. Standard crowd control barriers are commonly used to define queueing areas and guide people towards entrances or service points. The layout should account for expected demand, pedestrian movement and access requirements.
Do I need concert barriers for every live music event?
Not necessarily. Barrier requirements depend on the audience, venue, performance, expected crowd behaviour and event-specific risk assessment. Some events may require specialist audience barriers, while others may have different arrangements appropriate to their circumstances.
Can you hire crowd control barriers and concert barriers together?
Yes. Temp Fencing 247 supplies both standard crowd control barriers and specialist concert barrier systems, allowing different areas of an event to be considered as part of a wider infrastructure requirement.
Nationwide Crowd Control and Concert Barrier Hire
Temp Fencing 247 supplies crowd control barriers, concert barriers and temporary event infrastructure for festivals, concerts, sporting occasions, corporate events and other public activities throughout the UK.
With over 40 years of experience in the entertainment and events industry, we understand that a successful event requires equipment suited to the particular location and intended use.
Our fully trained staff can deliver and install equipment, and we are fully covered by public liability insurance.
We support events in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow, Leicester and other locations nationwide. You can find further information on our areas covered page.
Discuss Your Event Barrier Requirements
Whether you need standard crowd control barriers for an entrance queue, specialist concert barriers for a live performance or several types of temporary fencing for a larger event, contact Temp Fencing 247 to discuss your plans.
Tell us where the event is taking place, the dates you require the equipment, the proposed barrier locations and the intended use of each area.
Our team can discuss the available hire options and delivery and installation arrangements for your project.
Office: 0800 009 6520 Mobile: 07773 397949 Email: info@tempfencing247.co.uk
Temp Fencing 247: nationwide crowd control barrier, concert barrier and event infrastructure hire.
Comments