Modern Baseball set up fan safety hotline that people at gigs can text if they feel unsafe

A US band has set up a hotline for fans to text at gigs if they feel unsafe.

Modern Baseball, who are set to play at Reading and Leeds festivals this year, put out a video featuring the number to text.

On the end of the phone will be their tour manager, who'll come and help whoever's sent the text.

The band have trialled the hotline in the US, and now want to bring it to their gigs in the UK, too.

Watch the video announcing the hotline

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We spoke to vocalist Brendan Lukens and guitarist Jake Ewald to find out what inspired them.

"We've had a surprising and unfortunate number of people come up to us after shows and say they got kicked in the face a bunch of times, or felt like they were being groped," says Jake.

"We had no idea, and no control over it because it's such an overwhelming environment at a show.

"There's a band in the States called Speedy Ortiz who tried the hotline out a few tours ago, and we thought we should give it a try."

Jake explains their tour manager will either come and help the fan himself, or contact security if the situation looks serious.

"It's a case-by-case basis depending on what the person asks for," he says.

Modern Baseball's 'safe space hotline'

"Last night there was a young woman who felt uncomfortable going into the show alone, so our tour manager went out and escorted her in."

Brendan says he'd like the hotline to become standard practice at all their headline shows.

"We're hoping to bring this with us wherever we go touring," he says.

"We feel a little more comfortable as a band in the US because we've toured here more, so our relationship with promoters has a little more depth.

"We understand it's going to have some hiccups early on."

Groping at gigs

Modern Baseball aren't the only band who want to make sure their fans are safe.

Earlier this year, the metal band Baroness wrote a long Facebook post saying they have "no tolerance for sexism, or any form of intolerant/insensitive behaviour".

It was a response to a blog by Rosie Solomon, a University of Birmingham student, who described a man "thrusting his groin" into her as she watched the band.

Slaves have also spoken out on Facebook.

"Putting your hands all over any woman without her permission is not on at any sort of concert," they said.

"Yeah it sucks that [groping] is prevalent," says Jake.

"But it definitely feels like there is a bigger conversation about it.

"Our friend [punk singer] Jeff Rosenstock had an uncomfortable sexual assault situation at one of his shows.

"He made a big Facebook post like 'hey, if you're going to come to our shows and do this, don't come to the shows.'

"So people are trying to talk about it a lot more and trying to find ways that we can make it happen less, and ideally, not happen at all."

Self-awareness

It's not just sexual assault that Modern Baseball are concerned about.

"[You need] to be self-aware and aware of your surroundings," says Brendan.

"There's a time and place to crowd surf, and there's a time and place to push and shove.

We're just trying to promote a positive mindset so everyone going to the show is on the same page and feels safe."

It's the band's first time playing at Reading and Leeds festival.

They toured the UK late last year, and tell Newsbeat they can't wait to come back.

"People were so supportive and rallied around us last time," says Brendan.

They've just released their third album, Holy Ghost, on which Brendan candidly sings about his battle with bipolar disorder.

"We were extremely nervous about opening up about our personal lives," Brendan admits.

"But everyone's been so amazing and wonderful.

"It's so great that people have been coming up to us at shows and saying we helped them in any way at all.

"It makes us feel so good inside."

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