Please don’t stop the music – how artists have fought back against the pandemic

Music creatives are close to a standstill thanks to the pandemic, with livestreams currently their only option when it comes to connecting with fans through live performances.

A summer season full of tours, festivals and fun is gradually being pushed back to later in the 2021 (where possible) or, for some major events and tours, moved to 2022. The hopes of better days for music fans being just around the corner have been dashed, with festivals including Glastonbury in the UK and Coachella in the US being cancelled for a second consecutive year.

However, for a brief, joyful moment between lockdowns last year, gigs managed to take place, in bubbles and socially distanced with strict limits on capacity. A moment every music lover made the most out of while it was possible, supporting upcoming artists and smaller venues. But, almost as soon as the live music scene had stumbled back onto its feet, restrictions returned and put it hold once again.

Nearly 90% of England’s grassroots venues who applied to the government’s £1.57bn Cultural Recovery Fund were successful, with additional money to support them being raised by the Music Venue Trust. Thanks to these initiatives, many smaller venues have managed to survive, however there are still so many that are struggling. You can donate here to help them stay afloat.

Radio 1’s Big Weekend – which is staged in a different UK location every summer – was one of the big events that was impacted and therefore went virtual last summer, alongside the Isle of Wight Festival. Both of these featured recorded sets from previous years, whilst some artists played live for a streaming audience.

Singer-songwriter and actor YUNGBLUD is one of the many artists who tried to make the most out of these tough times, filming in a warehouse with festival-like lighting and staging. The hour-long live performance, entitled ‘The YUNGBLUD Show‘, was streamed on YouTube and his social media accounts, and featured artists such as MGK, Bella Thorne and Oliver Tree. To date, it has accumulated more than one million views.

Talking to Rob Copsey in an interview for Official Charts, YUNGBLUD spoke about why he made the decision to create ‘The YUNGBLUD Show’. “I want fans and newcomers who might be feeling scared or alone to feel like they’ve got a friend to watch an interact with. What’s so sick for me is it’s bringing a lot of people together. For an hour they get to forget about the s**t that’s going on right now, and that’s a job well done for us.”

A very successful first livestream then led to two more episodes which can be found on YUNGBLUD’s YouTube. Below you can watch his performance of ‘Weird’ recorded for Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2020.

Alongside COVID, Brexit sparked another issue for musicians, with newly enforced rules meaning they are not permitted to travel and tour in EU countries without a working visa. This means that for every country they tour, they will need to fill in a whole new set of forms to get a visa. This has prompted many people to sign a petition calling for co-operation between Britain and the EU to give musicians a 90-day window to work in before needing a visa.

The Financial Times recently posted an article discussing just what is happening post-Brexit, which was also backed up by many musicians and music magazines and websites, including an article written by Rhian Daly for NME. Many artists have used their social media platforms to urge their followers to sign the petition.

“The EU trade agreement allows workers in several industries to enter the EU without a visa, but does not include musicians. To tour Europe, bands and artists may need secure visas for each country they are scheduled to perform in” – Rhian Daly, NME

Last October, The Independent share the findings of a report which found revenues generated by the live music sector had fallen by 81% in 2020, compared to the previous year, and that the live music sector was facing jobs losses of up to 170,000 by the end of the year – 64% of those working in an industry which contributed £4.5bn to the UK economy in 2019.

Chris Carey, an economist and co-author of the report, said: “From the artists on stage to the venues and the many specialist roles and occupations that make live music happen, this research shows clearly that the entire ecosystem is being decimated.”

However, many independent venues and record labels have been attempting to find new ways to spread their love for music and spreading positivity in such uncertain times.

They have been putting together podcasts, live weekly music shows streamed online, and fundraising for mental health charities, such as CALM who have played a big part in supporting musicians and creatives struggling due to the lack of work.

One of CALM’s ambassadors is Arlo Parks, a singer-songwriter and poet who writes a lot about her struggles, and highlights how important it is to speak out about how you are feeling.

So if there is anything you take from this, let it be to support and help creatives in any way we can and ensure you check on your friends and family, check in with them and let’s all work together to help those struggling with mental health.

Feature image by Yannis Papanastasopoulos via Unsplash.