A new era of live music kicked off in Fort Smith, Arkansas, on Monday, May 18. The crowd was ready, the artists were thrilled, but no one could ignore the elephant in the room.
Everyone asking when America would see live music return caught a glimpse of what the immediate future holds Monday night, May 18, when Bishop Gunn frontman Travis McCready hit the stage at TempleLive in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Hailed as the first “socially distant” concert, the performance welcomed a tiny crowd into a massive space with new rules put in place to keep everyone safe from COVID-19.
The capacity for the TempleLive performance was 229, a fraction of the venue’s standard 1000. Though its unclear how many tickets were sold, photos and videos of the event reveal people scattered throughout the site in what Ticketmaster is calling “fan pods.” The concept, which is likely to gain popularity in the months ahead, allows consumers to purchase enough tickets to sit with friends without allowing other attendees to sit too close.
Other new ideas implemented for the event included temperature checks for all attendees, limits on bathroom occupancy, and the placement of twenty-five sanitation stations throughout the venue.
In our latest Music Biz News update, host James Shotwell takes us inside TempleLive in Fort Smith, Arkansas, to learn how the event came together, what it looked like, and we may lie ahead for the future of live music.
Until there is a vaccine for coronavirus that is widely available to the general public we will likely see more “socially distant” concerts taking place. Whether or not they look like this event is anybody’s guess. Hosting live music in the age of COVID is an experiment, and anyone attending is a test subject. Rules and regulations will shift as needed to ensure the safety and comfort of the crowd. If that doesn’t feel safe to you, go ahead and stay home. Music is resilient. The concerts you dream of will inevitably return. We’re just not sure when that will happen.
Arkansas’ Governor has issued a cease and desist order against TempleLive for their plans to host America’s first “socially distant” concert later this week.
Music publications around the world have spent the better part of two weeks covering an upcoming May 15 performance from Travis McCready. The Bishop Gunn frontman was set to headline the first “socially distant” concert in the United States at TempleLive, which was also going to serve as a testing ground for live music in the age of COVID-19. However, a last-minute intervention from the state’s governor has canceled the event.
Arkansas, like most US states, is still working to slow the spread of coronavirus through a statewide lockdown. The current restrictions on public activities expire May 18, which is three days after the McCready concert was set to happen. The staff at TempleLive was making efforts to make the show as safe as possible, including cutting capacity from 1800 to just 229. Still, Governor Hutchinson decided this week those efforts were not enough.
The proposed seating chart for the first “socially distant” concert, which was canceled earlier this week.
“You can’t just arbitrarily determine when the restrictions are lifted. That is something that is done based on a public health requirement,” said Hutchinson at a news conference, citing guidelines for venues that stipulated events of 50 people or more must be operating at less than 34 percent capacity and must have plans approved by the Department of Health. He added, “Clearly, it is three days before we determined it was an appropriate time to open up to a limited capacity in some of those informal venues, and even if you’re going to have 250 people at a venue, you still have to have a specific plan that would be approved by the Department of Health. None of that was done in this case.”
It’s surprising to see the decision to cancel the event happen so close to the show date. After all, the media has been covering the concert since early May. Those in a position to deny the event have no doubt been aware of its existence as long as the rest of us, if not longer.
TempleLive has not announced any additional concerts at this time, but the news of this cancelation is yet another example of our ‘new normal.’ As we covered in this week’s Music Biz 101, the live music business is going to be experimenting with events for the foreseeable future. Shows will happen, but what they look like, how they operate, and how often they occur will change frequently. Some states may allow concerts for a short while only to ban them again as COVID-19 infection rates vary. For now, the best thing any of us can do is be patient. Live music isn’t going away forever. We will sing and dance together again.
A recent global survey of 10,000 concertgoers reveals consumers are anxious to see live music returns.
Live Nation issued its first-quarter 2020 results earlier this week amid concerns that the continuing proliferation of coronavirus around the globe would place a financial pinch on the entertainment giant. Not surprisingly, the report exposed a business struggling to adapt even though the lockdown began in the last three weeks of the quarter: Revenues were down 20% year-on-year, concert revenue was down 25% (from $1.318 billion to $993.4 million) ticketing was down 16% and, significantly, fan attendance was down 6.2%. However, CEO Michael Rapino remains optimistic about his company’s future, though he admits it may be the third or fourth quarter of 2021 before things feel normal again.
To reinforce his positivity, Rapino shared insights from a global survey of more than 10,000 concertgoers about their feelings regarding live music. The result show an overwhelming support for the performancers and an eagerness to see concerts return with over 90% of consumers choosing to hold onto tickets rather than request refunds. Additionally 91% say they’re likely to return to music venues after COVID-19 fears subside, which is higher than movie theaters, conferences, and other places where large groups of people typically gather.
Elsewhere in the report, 79% of fans are planning to return to a music venue within four months of coronavirus restrictions lifting. If the current plan in the US stays in place, that would mean that the overwhelming majority of concertgoers plan to step foot inside a venue by September or October 2020.
Additionally, 72% claim that watching livestream events makes them more excited for future concerts, which is good because the entire industry is hoping streaming can sustain fan engagement until things return to normal.
Independent venues around the country are joining forces to ask for help, and you can play a significant role in making sure they survive the coronavirus pandemic.
Have you heard about NIVA? Otherwise known as the National Independent Venue Association, NIVA brings together more than 800 venues across the country in an attempt to keep their businesses afloat while COVID-19 makes live performances impossible. Independent venues are more vulnerable to permanent shutdowns amid the coronavirus pandemic because they do not have the multi-million dollar backing venues owned by Live Nation or AEG possess. Their independence grants them the ability to take a chance on talent that may not normally get a chance to shine, and they need your help to survive these chaotic times.
NIVA is calling on all fans of live music to write their senators and representatives to demand the government help these organizations stay alive. Visiting the NIVA website will allow you to quickly fill out of a form letter and send it to those in power with just a couple of clicks. It takes only a few moments to complete. Please do your part.
A message from NIVA reads:
National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) is securing financial support to preserve the national ecosystem of independent venues and promoters. These entertainment hubs are critical to their local economies and tax bases as employers, tourism destinations, and revenue generators for neighboring businesses such as restaurants, hotels, and retail. Independent venues exist in every state across the country; they were the first to be closed, they will be the last to open. The economic recovery process will extend past just reopening the front doors, requiring solutions unique to the industry.
The vast majority of musicians rely on independent venues to tour and sustain their careers. Your efforts to keep these businesses going will make an impact on the livelihood of your favorite artists and the artists you’ve yet to discover. Action is needed. Do your part.
The popular digital music store and streaming platform Bandcamp is waving any claim to revenue generated through its store to support artists during COVID-19.
The bright side of living in the age of coronavirus is that many people and companies are going out of their way to help those in need. For example, millions of dollars and non-perishable goods have been donated around the world to help anyone unable to buy feed and pay their bills. Acts of loving-kindness are what make the direst circumstances seem manageable, and luckily, Bandcamp is doing what it can to help musicians while touring is on hold.
Today, May 1, Bandcamp is waiving its claim to any revenue generated on its platform. Bandcamp ran the same promotion on March 20, which generated millions of dollars for labels and independent artists who are currently unable to tour.
To be clear: Every cent spent on Bandcamp today will go directly to musicians in need. Considering that no one knows when live music will return anywhere, let alone when touring can happen again, your support of independent music is desperately needed.
Bandcamp has incredible discovery tools that will help you find new music that matches your interest, but if you’re open to suggestions, we have a few recommendations:
Circa Survive frontman Anthony Green has built a thriving solo project over the last twelve years that has produced numerous beloved albums. To celebrate Bandcamp’s COVID-19 fundraiser, Green is kicking off a new bootleg series of live recordings with audio from a 2016 concert at The Social in Orlando, FL. The sixteen-track digital release features songs from Green’s catalog and the joyous sounds of a packed room singing along as loud as possible.
The second full-length album from Canada’s Also Also Also does not disappoint. The haunting vocals of Eden Rohatensky pair perfectly with their hypnotic synth production to create a deeply moving collection of songs that seek answers to existential questions about the nature of love and death. Answers are few and far between, but the journey is one you will want to take again and again.
Before they were internationally known as the #1 Hot New Band, Michigan’s Hot Mulligan were building their brand one fan at a time with unique songs that challenged pop-punk traditionalists and captivated young music fans. The group’s early releases speak to the members’ passion and devotion with big hooks that no listener can ever shake (“Dary” is a standout). Opportunities is just one of multiple early releases available on the Hot Mulligan page, but it happens to be our personal favorite. Buy as many as you can. The band deserves it, and so do you.
Bandcamp’s decision to help those in need is inspiring musicians to follow its lead. Killswitch Engage is sharing six (6) b-sides from their 2019 release Atonement for one week only to raise money for charity. The tracks deliver the same ferocious energy fans have come to expect, with frontman Jesse Leach delivering hopeful, yet grounded lyrics over thunderous production that will incite mosh pits around the world. It’s unclear if the band will perform these songs when live music returns, but the strength of the material gives us hope at least a few will appear in future setlists.
Straylight Run – Live At The Patchogue Theatre (Stream It/Buy It)
The vast majority of musicians record more often than fans realize. From demos and b-sides that never make it to the public, to live recordings from various tours that get lost in the gears of the industry, the annals of music history are filled with material the majority of listeners never get a chance to hear. Live At The Patchogue Theatre was almost a lost release. Recorded fifteen years ago when Straylight Run was at the height of their career, this incredible performance captures a moment in time when emotion and lyricism meant everything to alternative music fans. Over the course of eleven tracks, listeners can hear the group deliver one soul-stirring rendition after another of songs that deserve more love and attention than they may ever receive. It’s a testament to how great songwriting never ages and a reminder of why we need to preserve the live music experience for future generations
If that isn’t enough to move you, Straylight Run is donating 100% of the proceeds from the live LP to help feed the hungry. Help them help others and get a great release in return.
Inside every person is the knowledge they are unique. Many try to squash this notion in hopes of fitting in with the masses, but others choose to use what sets them apart to their advantage. Witch Taint is an example of how leveraging the things that make us different ultimately makes the world a better place. Sons Of Midwestern Darkness is an album that took sixteen years to exist, and it showcases the very best elements of black metal and heavy music in a manner few records can claim. It’s the kind of release that seems to know your life before you hear it, and it’s likely to be the soundtrack to existence for many moving forward. Witch Taint is the future, and the future is brutal as fuck.
Headlines claim that the entire music industry is suffering because of COVID-19, but certain artists are thriving thanks to the power of great songwriting.
In the weeks following the first US death from Coronavirus, multiple news outlets ran articles about the decline in music consumption. Analysts pointed to a drop in streams for the top 200 Spotify songs as proof of this being true, as well as a decline in radio listening due to fewer people commuting for work or other activities. While those data points are true, they do not paint a complete picture of consumption in the age of COVID.
People are still listening to music, but their song choices are changing. A report from CNBC shows that music consumption through smart speakers is up over 30% in the last month, which points to families choosing to listen together. That decision typically draws people away from playlists like New Music Friday or popular songs charts in preference of more familiar, arguably safer content.
Additionally, a lack of social gatherings is inspiring listeners to revert to their personal preferences. The top 200 charts, much like pop radio, is driven primarily by songs that a large number of people enjoy to one extent or another. Without concerts, parties, and other events, there are very few scenarios where people feel the need to put on music that everyone enjoys. Instead, consumers are turning to their favorites artists and release. They’re listening to the music that serves as the soundtracks to their lives, and their tastes vary greatly because every person’s journey is unique.
Then there is the elephant in the room that most are not ready to discuss. Living through the coronavirus is a traumatic experience. When confronted by instances of great stress and pain, people tend to reach for familiar sources of comfort, and the current state of the world is pushing people toward the music that gets them through trying times.
In this episode of Music Biz, host James Shotwell breaks down the reality of music consumption during the coronavirus pandemic. He explains the meaning of ‘comfort listening,’ as well as how up and coming artists should use this time as an opportunity to plan for greater success in the future.
Two of hard rock’s leading bands are asking fans and authorities to help them recover nearly $200,000 worth of stolen equipment.
The continuing spread of coronavirus is hurting musicians at every level of the music business. Without touring, many artists are struggling to make ends meet, and those with savings are beginning to ask how long they can survive without getting back on the road. There are no easy answers, but one thing is certain: Everyone needs all the help they can get.
Static-X and Dope spent 2019 touring the world in celebration of album anniversaries and the legacy of late vocalist Wayne Static. Their combined touring efforts sold-out dozens of performances, which drew a demand for even more shows in 2020. Those plans were postponed due to coronavirus, and the band’s stored their touring gear in a Los Angeles warehouse before entering quarantine.
This week, someone (or multiple people) broke into the storage facility and robbed both bands of nearly $200,000 in gear. The two groups were advised by LAPD to take their story public, in order to help raise awareness with other small business owners and bands alike.
“With most of us in lockdown, and those who aren’t locked down, wearing masks in public, apparently it’s a great time to be a thief”, says Static-X drummer Ken Jay.
An official statement on the incident from Static-X reads:
“We want to encourage our community to keep a close eye on your property and on your facilities during this unprecedented time… We also ask for our fans to keep an eye out for the stolen items and maybe we can help the police find these people.”
The band has publicized a list of stolen equipment, complete with many of the serial numbers. The list includes: Multiple LED video panels, 2 drum kits, 40+ cymbals, various high-end audio/video gear, microphones, racks, branded backdrops, etc. View the full list of gear, as well as pictures of many items, here.
They have also set up a tip center where you can share any info that may help in the investigation.
“This is a tough one to swallow,” says Edsel Dope. “Our bands are small businesses that have developed and refined our touring systems over the years. The amount of time and effort that has gone into building out the tech and AV production alone is hard to quantify. It’s allot of money. We own all of our own gear and have built our touring business through years of continuous investment back into ourselves.
“In the end, we recognize that there are far worse things happening around the world. We want to send out positive vibes to everyone in this crazy time. Stay safe, protect yourself from ALL the threats, and take care of each other. We will learn from this experience and take the necessary steps to rebuild during this downtime, while allowing ourselves to be a cautionary tale for others. Stay safe and we’ll see you soon!”
Statix-X is scheduled to release their new album, PROJECT REGENERATION Volume 1, on May 29.
There is no excuse for a musician to be bored during COVID-19, and we have a list of reasons why.
By the end of April 2020, most people will have spent at least six weeks or more in quarantine. Social distancing measures continue to slow the spread of coronavirus, but more work is needed before life can quote/unquote “return to normal.” Nobody knows when live music will resume, but conservative estimates suggest we may see artists performing for audiences again before summer ends. Larger events, such as festivals, most likely won’t be part of our lives again until 2021.
That timeline is depressing for many fans and scary for most musicians. Artists often rely on touring revenue to stay afloat, and the uncertainty surrounding live music has many worrying about how they will continue paying their bills. Some are adapting by creating new revenue streams online, but many are sitting at home in quarantine wondering what to do with themselves.
We don’t have all the answers, but we know one thing: No artist should be bored.
Boredom stems from having nothing to do. The traditional tasks that make up an artist’s daily routine may be on hold, but that doesn’t mean they have nothing to accomplish. From updating their archives and organizing merch, to branding and exploring potential revenue streams online, there is plenty for driven musicians to work on while in quarantine.
In this episode of Music Biz, host James Shotwell offers nearly a dozen ideas for artists who feel bored or believe they have nothing to do. We believe there has never been a better time to position yourself for longterm success in music than right now, but it is the artist’s responsibility to put in the necessary work. No one can make you a star. If you want to succeed, then you have to get up every single day and move mountains. We’ll tell you where to start.
Coronavirus claims the tenth anniversary of Electric Forest among the numerous festivals and concerts canceled by the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.
Music fans everywhere are beginning to accept the hard truth that major festivals of all varieties will not be happening anytime soon. As COVID-19 continues to spread and social distancing remains essential to our survival, events far and wide are forced to postpone or cancel in the name of public health. Electric Forest held out hope that the state of things would change, but with the famous EDM gathering has succumbed to the same fate as most, if not all, summer music festivals.
Today, April 21, organizers for Electric Forest announced the cancellation of their 2020 event by choosing to look ahead to 2021. A message posted to the festival site reads:
After weeks of discussions, input and direction from state and local authorities, and with a full focus on the safety of our community, we have made the decision to look ahead and reunite in 2021.
Sit back from your screen for a moment, close your eyes, and imagine the energy when gates finally open to celebrate the 10th chapter of Electric Forest. Imagine the moment music begins to fill the air. Imagine positive vibrations at levels we have never felt in our lifetimes. It will be an immense moment of celebration, and preparing for that energy will keep Forest HQ working tirelessly until opening day.
In times like these we are grateful to stand strong with you as the Forest Family. We are also eternally thankful to the family members who come together to create so much each year. This includes the artists, actors, builders, food and craft vendors, law enforcement, medical partners, operations teams, production teams, supply partners, and so many others who individually and collectively make Electric Forest so very special and unique.
We are stronger as a community than we are as individuals. Knowing that we will all gather again soon will remain a bright spark and a guiding light—and we will build our moment together.
Those with wristbands and lodging for the 2020 event have the option to either retain their passes for 2021 or request a full refund, including fees. Forest family members can expect a message detailing both options later this week. An FAQ regarding the festival cancellation can be found here.
Festival cancellations are happening too often for anyone to cover every announcement, but we will continue doing our best to bring you all the details here, as well as through our Facebook and Twitter channels. COVID-19 is ruining a lot of plans, but we believe it will only bring us closer as a music community.
Thanks to coronavirus, the world is changing, and artists need to change as well. Where do you start? We have the answers in this week’s episode of Music Biz!
After weeks of covering COVID-19 and its impact on the music business, it seems safe to say that everyone is adjusting to the new normal. The world as we know it will never be the same, and while change is difficult, it’s also necessary. Some of the best things to ever happen arose from the sudden need to evolve, and we’re hoping that will be the case for many artists’ career as we move forward.
But where should artists start? After all, the information we are receiving every day is too much for anyone to consume, and most of it seems completely useless by the following morning. Today’s headlines are only as good as the value they retain after tomorrow’s revelations, so what can be done before the scientists of the world get a handle on this thing called coronavirus?
In today’s episode of Music Biz, host James Shotwell presents a series of questions that artists should be asking themselves while in quarantine. Now more than ever, the ability to adapt to the changing economy of music is essential for longterm survival. No one should leave quarantine the same way they entered, and anyone who does will be left behind as the industry moves forward. Artists need to be examining their branding, goals, relationships, and personal satisfaction, among other things, while they have the time to change behaviors.
