State of the Music industry: Realistic Timeline for the Return of Live Events

By Dominic Wren

The return of large-scale music events has been a major point of discussion within the music industry. Some want to see the return of festivals by the fall of 2020 and others are wanting to hold out as long as possible for the health and safety of music event attendees. Generally, the consensus is of a hopeful return of our favourite Canadian festivals by summer of 2021. Concerts, such as VELD, Shambhala, Escapade, Ile Soniq, and so many more have been postponed or cancelled until 2021.

Data from a New York Times survey of 511 virologist, physicians and scientists that specializes in the study of viruses and infections, showed that 64% of them said that we are not going anywhere for at least a year. With this said, EDM Canada had the chance to have a chat over the phone with Ali Shaffaee, who is a partner at DNA Presents, the company that operates Escapade Music Festival. EMF is set to return in June of 2021 but he mentions that people should not expect that festivals will be operated just like before. There are many things to consider when reopening a large-scale event, such as Escapade. One of the first thing to think about is how to keep people separate and safe in front of stages, in service areas, smoking zones, bathrooms, and how to get people in and out of venues safely. Another important factor to consider is how much people are willing to pay for extra post-covid costs like extra insurance (not only for festival attendees but also for all the workers too) and increased hygiene services. It might not sound like a lot but for organizers having to manage 35 thousand people, the costs will go through the roof and one way to manage that is by increasing the cost of individual tickets.

In an interview with Allan Cross, recognized for his legendary contributions in music journalism in Canada and around the world, he mentions that organizers and promoters must also consider the PTSD that will come out of this crisis. He states: “how willing are fans to go back to these venues next to all these strangers and potentially get sick.” Many political and medical authorities from Canada and around the world have claimed that large gatherings for festivals and other sorts cannot happen before a vaccine has been properly tested but that is at least a year or two away.

Throughout our interview, Mr. Shaffaee suggested that he does not believe that waiting 2 or 3 years for the return of normal life is realistic. He states that we are not a society that can live without contact, sports, and live entertainment for that long because it is such a huge part of people’s lives. In the end, the reality is that no one can be sure when big concerts will return. Not yet at least… We can only plan to reopen for the festival season of 2021 but that is still only a possibility. The only way to accelerate the fight against COVID-19 and actually make this a reality is to help prevent the spread of virus by wearing masks in public, frequently washing your hands, and social distancing. 

Our favourite artists are also stuck at home and having to social distance just like us. This is especially hard for DJs that need crowds to find exposure and grow their brand. The next article will look at what DJs and producers have been up to during their time in confinement. Stay Tuned!