'Help!' cry British musicians, warning of crisis in live music industry

Toasted HereticToday  09:52 pm JST

Forget about the uber rich for a moment.

Think about studio engineers, general staff, people who schedule and answer the phone, roadies, sound people, people who work in concert venues, ensuring you have a good night, serving your beer.

The backbone of the industry

And there are several serious musicians who want to entertain, it's their passion. They've been doing it not for a quick buck but because they really enjoy it. For the past few years I saw (and even met a few) 'long haul' stars who have been at the game for 40 years or more - Phil Collins, Bryan Ferry, Jeff Lynne's ELO, Daryl Hall and John Oates, Graham Parker, Webb Wilder, Nick Lowe, Weird Al Yankovic, the Rolling Stones, L7, Dinosaur Jr., Kenny G, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Bruce Springsteen, ZZ Top, Cheap Trick and more. They draw in the people, stay in hotels, dine in restaurants, help the city economy by their patronizing the businesses (they gotta eat too), souvenir sales, parking at events, security (I've done that in the past), road crew, booking agents, etc.

And summertime is the peak time for all this - whether it's stadium events, inside arenas, state fairs, balloon fests, benefits or whatever. And after the show people often chill out at a pizza joint or a bar across the street - more business, more profits, win-win.

With the coronavirus affecting everything this year, even the scuzzy scalpers are losing out. This scenario just plain sucks for everyone concerned.

Forget about the uber rich for a moment.

Think about studio engineers, general staff, people who schedule and answer the phone, roadies, sound people, people who work in concert venues, ensuring you have a good night, serving your beer.

The backbone of the industry.

Maybe they should hold a benefit concert for themselves? MusicianAid? Oh, wait . . .

@commanteer

Exactly. Time to show some compassion here with your fellow artists.

One of the silver linings of all this is that it might be the greatest opportunity for some people to think over about their life choices, wake up to the real world and ask themselves if they really have the passion to become a career entertainer or if they are just daydreaming about easy money and spotlight.

Just try to think how many young people might just have found a path to follow, a noble job that really contributes to society in a positive way after finding out they can't put all their eggs in a basket and daydream about becoming another silly 'idol'.

I have a novel idea. Music is filled at the top with ultra-wealthy artists. Maybe instead of forcing their working class fans to support these musicians and venues, the top 1% of artists can do it themselves. Putting their money where their mouth is.

Otherwise, it's just super wealthy people with multiple mansions in multiple countries demanding that families who are struggling to get by and pay rent in their tiny flats help support those wealthy people's peers.

Music, as well as other arts and culture are essential, they belong to life. We are human beings, not robots. Music soothes the soul, eases tensions, in particular in tough times as these.

Music has already been facing tough times - digital media has brought down the record industry and property development has been threatening small, grass-roots musiv venues. With both lines of traditional income revenue now severed the existence of the art from joined with an industry full of very highly talented and skilled people is under thread.

While I have much sympathy for the preforming arts during this crisis, the cold fact is they are not essential. They, like millions of others, are just going have to tough it out.