With coronavirus spread reaching record highs in the United States, Music Biz examines two recent performances and what they tell us about the future of concerts.
Here’s something you might not want to hear: Coronavirus isn’t going away. The disease, which first began to spread around the world at the end of 2019, has infected more than ten million people worldwide. Here in the United States, several parts of the country are experiencing record-high daily case rates. Other parts of the world are fairing better, but the point remains: COVID-19 is far from defeated.
As states and countries attempt to navigate reopening after months of lockdown, several places are now allowing live music to resume. There are rules in place to ensure the safety of staff and patrons alike, but recent events have shown that enforcing these policies can be difficult. Even if venues ask patrons to act or behave a certain way, there are little to no laws that require consumers to follow any guidelines.
The last weekend in June will go down in the history books as a time in the world of COVID concerts. Two significant events took place in two different countries, and the fallout from those performances are making headlines around the globe. The first, a reality TV star turned country musician performing in front of nearly 1,000 people in Tennessee as the state sees a surge in new cases, is being shamed by virtually everyone. The second, a so-called “Corona Safe” stadium show in Germany, is being praised as a glimpse at the future of live music.
This week on Music Biz, host James Shotwell examines these two performances and what makes them unique. He explains the criticism behind both events, as well as what the attendance of each show can tell us about how consumers feel about the return of live music.
