No Concerts Until 2021?
There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone on one level or another. Whether it be directly or indirectly, we are all feeling the consequences of every facet of this.
The news was announced yesterday that sporting events and concerts may not return until Fall of 2021!
For many bands and artists, this could be a crisis as live performances are the bread and butter if the new music industry model.
Live performances and merch sales make up the majority of a musician’s income. Merch sales typically increase at concerts.
so what now?
As with any industry, we have to learn to adapt and overcome to the changes of the global and social environment, no matter how shitty they may seem.
Now is the best time for bands and fans to come together and support the need for one another.
what can bands do?
Well since we are looking at the possibility of not being able to do live performances for about a year and a half, a band can still perform for their fans. We simply have to adapt with what we have and we have to be creative with it. Tools such as Facebook and Youtube live streaming opens a world of possibilities for artists. The problem is that live streams do not earn revenue. So how can a band overcome this?
Merch sales during these live streams would be ideal. How likely are fans to tune in and buy merch though? That’s debatable considering it’s often difficult to get fans to engage in regular content on a regular basis. This part is entirely up to the fans and how far they’re willing to go to support their favorite bands.
The sad reality is that many will think “during a time like this, concerts aren’t important.” The truth however is that concerts are very important for the artists. This is our livelihood. It’s how we put food on the table and keep the lights on at home.
The upside of live streaming concerts is that it allows bands to interact with fans on a level that can’t be accomplished at typical live concerts.
This really could be a win win for both fans and artists alike during this time.
It will be interesting to see what other artists and fans come up with.
Do you have an idea to bring live music to the fans while we can’t have concerts? Drop a comment and let us know.
There seems to be a new trend over the past few years in which celebrities as well as every other fashion guru has started wearing t-shirts and other merchandise of bands (specifically rock and metal bands) that they likely never heard of…because it’s cool.