On the BBC today: Live music circuit 'risks collapse within weeks'

[Ricky 4000]

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-52573685

[Lozz196]

I know it’s been speculated on on other threads but it certainly is worrying. I reckon that pubs/restaurants etc will be the last to re-emerge, and then there’s the social distances that have to be put in place. From there it will be finding a way to work gigs/live music back in. It won’t go away, the world over people love live music, but the finger on the pause button is firmly in place at present.

[gareth]

One good thing...........can’t be a great time for ticket touts......every cloud

[Ricky 4000]

55 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

I know it’s been speculated on on other threads but it certainly is worrying. I reckon that pubs/restaurants etc will be the last to re-emerge, and then there’s the social distances that have to be put in place. From there it will be finding a way to work gigs/live music back in. It won’t go away, the world over people love live music, but the finger on the pause button is firmly in place at present.

Yup, and larger events probably last of all. I'm sure that 'music always finds a way', and 'the cream always rises to the top', but that's OK for me because I don't rely on the entertainment industry to pay my mortgage.

[Bassfinger]

Why is it worrying?  We can't change it, so what does worrying achieve?  When the new normality is established we can then start getting back to it.  There are people dying in significant numbers so do hardly regard a mere inconvenience as worrying.

As Ricky points out, music will find away and in a years time we'll be wondering what all the fuss was about in this regard.

Edited May 8, 2020 by Bassfinger

[chris_b]

18 minutes ago, Bassfinger said:

Why is it worrying? 

It is worrying for the tens of thousands of people who make their living from live music and music venues. 

[4000]

And for those of us suffering with mental health issues it’s one of the few things that keep us going. ☹️

[pete.young]

It's worrying for those of us who rely on small music venues and studios for the rehearsal space we need to keep on doing what we love.

Our local small venue and rehearsal space, the excellent Smokehouse in Ipswich, has started a crowdfunding page to help them survive. Some people here might be in a position to help similar local venues be able to open when the time comes.

[jimmyb625]

I think cinemas and theatres will be the last places to return to normality. I'm on the committee of a small, amateur theatre and we can't see any way of staging productions until this thing has gone.

There is no viable way that we can have an audience and still maintain any form of distancing (unless we stream it). We're in a fortunate position in that we own the building and have some money in reserve and also that we don't have staff wages to pay, but I'd imagine that some smaller, pro venues will fall.

[Cuzzie]

I take it ‘seated’ venues can have some form of return as you can sit people at whatever distance is necessary, technically even a Cinema or restaurant could open with this could they not as long as it is not flaunted?

I hope we can find a work around

[jimmyb625]

1 hour ago, Cuzzie said:

I take it ‘seated’ venues can have some form of return as you can sit people at whatever distance is necessary, technically even a Cinema or restaurant could open with this could they not as long as it is not flaunted?

I hope we can find a work around

I suppose it will come down to the financial viability of opening, whilst having a reduced occupancy.

[dave_bass5]

Some of the clubs we have been playing with have to make huge changes to the stage to allow us to stand 6ft apart. Some of the stages are only 6ft wide 😁

[dave_bass5]

4 hours ago, chris_b said:

It is worrying for the tens of thousands of people who make their living from live music and music venues. 

Yeah, when this does all start to normalise people still need to eat and live, and at the moment with the government covering a lot of us for loss of earrings we might not be feeling the crunch yet, 

Then there’s there companies that make music gear, if sales slow down there will be redundancies there. 

With music venues gone there will be so many more out of work, a lot that have never had a proper job ;-). If you are in that position you cant help but worry. 

[ambient]

Like someone said to me on Facebook a few days ago. Apparently the sales of instruments are soaring, he said that musicians need to adapt. Lots of people I know are doing streamed gigs, that might be the future for a lot of artists. It’s certainly an avenue to explore until there’s any semblance of normality.

Edited May 8, 2020 by ambient

[dave_bass5]

1 minute ago, ambient said:

Like someone said to me on Facebook a few days ago. Apparently the sales of instruments are soaring. Musicians need to adapt. Lots of people I know are doing streamed gigs, that might be the future for a lot of artists. It’s certainly an avenue to explore until there’s any semblance of normality.

Yep, i was told by one of the well known stores this was also the case. We are less than 8 weeks in to it though, and not a lot are buying rigs or amps. 

[ambient]

8 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

Yep, i was told by one of the well known stores this was also the case. We are less than 8 weeks in to it though, and not a lot are buying rigs or amps. 

I’m guessing amp manufacturers are panicking. The guy who told me owns a musical distribution company. I know that electronic music equipment in particular is selling well.

[dave_bass5]

2 hours ago, ambient said:

I’m guessing amp manufacturers are panicking. The guy who told me owns a musical distribution company. I know that electronic music equipment in particular is selling well.

Yeah. Like you say, things are changing, although i doubt live music will ever die, its just going to change a bit for while. In a few years time i tihnk we will be back to normal, assume the virus is under control. 

To be honest all those acoustic versions of songs are draining me and i hope this is not the way forward. 

Edited May 8, 2020 by dave_bass5

[Lozz196]

I’m not in a gigging band, and have no intention of being in one, so it doesn’t affect either my playing fun or income. But I like going to gigs. Maybe I shouldn’t have said worried, or maybe I should, after all it is possible to be worried about more than one thing at a time, and they don’t all have to be of the same severity.

Edited May 8, 2020 by Lozz196

[Mykesbass]

Spoke to my pal who plays at a very high level and he's hearing that his level of gigs won't be back until 2022! 

[dave_bass5]

Live music is going to sound bloody awful for the first few months lol. 

[ambient]

There’s a friend of mine organises a weekly jazz club. He’s not booking anyone until next year, he’s not expecting the venue to be allowed to hold events until then

People are making a lot of money from what’s going on, I suspect there are property developers rubbing their hands together with glee, at the thought of the various properties they’ll be able to get their hands on at a knockdown price.

[Woodinblack]

3 hours ago, ambient said:

Like someone said to me on Facebook a few days ago. Apparently the sales of instruments are soaring. Musicians need to adapt. Lots of people I know are doing streamed gigs, that might be the future for a lot of artists. It’s certainly an avenue to explore until there’s any semblance of normality.

I believe the instrument thing, I bought a new bass the other day.

But I can't see how there is any money in doing streaming gigs.

2 hours ago, dave_bass5 said:

Yep, i was told by one of the well known stores this was also the case. We are less than 8 weeks in to it though, and not a lot are buying rigs or amps. 

I can believe that. I was going to get a subwoofer, but there isn't any point until I am gigging again. The bass is fine at home, I have enough amps for my room.

[dave_bass5]

I also have a feeling the surge in new instruments might come from the fact that we cant go and try them out now, so the only option is to buy. Less time wasters i guess.

Just noticed Spain is reportedly going to allow outdoor concerts with 200 or less people from Monday. That wouldn’t effect my audience 😔

[ambient]

19 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

I believe the instrument thing, I bought a new bass the other day.

But I can't see how there is any money in doing streaming gigs.

I can believe that. I was going to get a subwoofer, but there isn't any point until I am gigging again. The bass is fine at home, I have enough amps for my room.

You can set it so they can donate, I believe you can do it so the viewer has to pay; though making a donation is probably better. If there’s a link to your Bandcamp page too, then that might generate some sales. This all obviously mainly applies to original artists.

[Jonesy]

Trying to see a bright side out of all this - if the bigger gigs aren't allowed to go ahead, do you think it might give a boost to the local music scene with people getting their fix seeing unsigned or more cover bands? Or maybe we'll get a chance to see bigger bands playing smaller venues? If those venues are still around that is......