J.Grillo
Lineup set for local music festival.
As of Apr. ninth COVID-19’s death toll reaches 89,000 worldwide, and music fansand concert goers are understanding of preemptive cancelations and safety measures,but are confused about the future of their investments.
“It makes sense, it just really sucks,” said a junior Nursing major, Emily Vick whendiscussing the cancellation of several concerts and festivals she was supposed toattend this Summer in the Nashville area. The same story can be heard from millions ofothers who had plans anytime from now until late June. In order to reduce the spread ofthe virus, the CDC has recommended that gatherings of 50 or more people becanceled.
Students like Vick saved their hard earned cash to buy tickets for music festivalsin hope that they would be the experience of their Summer. Festivals like Bonaroo inManchester, TN, Buku Fest in New Orleans, and Hangout Fest were all postponed orcanceled (Hangout has been canceled but may end up being rescheduled). Localconcerts were also postponed or canceled. Acts like Jason Isbell, Buddy Guy and hisband, and the Allman Betts Band have all rescheduled their performances until later inthe year. Some, like Justin Hayward, who was scheduled to play at the Saenger Theatreon Apr. 15, had their shows just flat out canceled. While rescheduling is the best optionfor getting concert goers their money’s worth, it doesn’t come without it’s own problems.
Most people today have very busy lives and if they want to do something likeattend a concert they have to plan it into their schedule. The rescheduling of theseevents puts many people at a disadvantage as far as whether or not they will be able toattend the new date. For example, one of the festivals that Vick was planning on attending in June was Bonaroo. Now with the festival planned for Labor Day weekend,Vick is not so sure she’ll be able to attend. As an incoming senior nursing student, she will be extremely busy around the clock, and attending a weekend festival all the way back in her home state of Tennessee may not be possible. “I might have to just sell the tickets or something,” said Vick. As a nursing student, she knows the dangers of COVID-19 but still expressed sadness that she might not be able to see her favorite band, The 1975, perform.
Mourning the loss of a concert or music festival may seem a bit shallow at a timewhen people are dying every day from complications created by COVID-19, butconcerts being canceled causes grief in people’s lives in more ways than one mightexpect. For the artists involved, particularly artists who bring in most of their incomefrom touring and the sales of merchandise, this crisis is hitting hard. One local folk artist,Abe Partridge, has had a whole tour’s worth of shows canceled on him. He wasplanning on playing at the Opelika Songwriters Festival scheduled for Mar. 27-29,leaving for shows from Mississippi to Georgia, and then meeting up with a fellow singer-songwriter, David Childers, in North Carolina to open up shows for him all the way toCleveland, Ohio. “It was basically just a massive tour I had scheduled, and now I’mlosing dates all the way into May,” said Partridge. All of those shows were canceled withthe CDC order and since then Partridge and other artists like him have been trying topick up the pieces as best they can.
Rescheduling these dates seems to be as difficult for the artists involved as it isfor the fans. “The problem is that most of the stuff that’s getting rescheduled is justgetting rescheduled over dates that I already have booked,” said Partridge. In addition to being a songwriter, Partridge is also a painter and folk artist. He had been scheduled to showcase his art at one of the biggest folk art festivals in the country. He has “been trying to get in” to the festival “for years” and with it being rescheduled to Labor Day, the same day as another festival he has booked in Northern Alabama, he won’t be able to do it.
Like Vick, Partridge understands the need for the COVID-19 precautions, saying“ I wouldn’t be excited to be crammed in a small venue with a 100 people right nowmyself,” however, the fact remains that the virus has harmed him financially. “The lastthing we had was playing shows man,” said Partridge when speaking about thedifficulties of turning a profit as an musician. Partridge is looking one step ahead though,and has created an art subscription service on his website for loyal fans who want tosupport him in these times. He started the Alabama Astronaut Art Club, where for$29.99 a month, he sends subscribers a one of a kind signed and numbered art print.
Partridge also spoke about his fears for the future of music festivals, saying that“after this music festivals might not be something people want to line up for.” With Bukuin New Orleans set for Labor Day weekend, and Hangout Fest possibly beingrescheduled, the world will certainly see if large gatherings are safe after this period ofquarantine. In all situations, the theme seemed to be uncertainty. However, Partridgewas certain about one thing: “there was a pre-virus world, and there will be a post-virusworld, and those of us who figure out a way to adapt in the post virus world will thriveand those of us who don’t will not.”