coronavirus concerts Archives - Page 2 of 2

Three months into the coronavirus pandemic, Music Biz takes a look at where we’re at and where we go from here.

Anyone still betting that they get to attend a concert in the remaining half of 2020 would be wise to cash in their chips and stay home. The coronavirus pandemic is surging throughout the United States, and many parts of the country are seeing their worst case numbers to date. That boom is causing many reopening plans to be placed on hold, if not rolled back altogether, and that does not bode well for live music in the immediate future.

But the impact of COVID-19 on music goes beyond concerts. Thousands of industry professionals are laid off, with many more expected to join the unemployed ranks in the weeks to come. There are also venues on the brink of closure, labels bleeding money due to low album sales, and increasing uncertainty about when things will feel ‘normal’ again. To say the mood of the industry is anxious would be an understatement. People are scared.

That said, there is still hope. Tough times force us to adapt, and that change is often a good thing. The entire industry is currently evolving faster than it has at any other point in the last century. Marketing plans for artists and albums of all sizes are being overhauled to meet the demands of a socially distant world. Elsewhere, new jobs are popping up as the needs of the industry shift. There is a lot to be optimistic about, even if it doesn’t seem that way right now.

So, where we go from here is anyone’s guess. In this episode of Music Biz, host James Shotwell applies our current understanding of the virus and our response to it. He takes this information and uses it to make an informed guess about the future of our industry. Will live music return? Of course! When? Well, that’s a tough question to answer.

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.