Perhaps overshadowing their recent U.S. tour announcement is what Grizzly’s Bear’s Ed Droste posted on Instagram yesterday. Droste used Instagram’s ‘story function’ to post several images of writing that he’d composed to criticize the music industry as it stands today.
Droste pointed out that without “record sales” and having not done a car commercial “in ages,” a band loses money by playing live shows. Bands that are “mid tier or lower” have no place in the industry anymore, according to Droste. Too big for small venues, not big enough to afford festival circuits anymore. He ended the posts by predicting that the world will soon enter a “live music drought.”
Droste’s may have a point even if he didn’t provide any figures. Streaming services changed the music industry in a way that benefits musicians who produce widely streamed hits. Bands with more local appeal—though no less worthy—don’t reach as large of an audience, and have fewer people stream their songs. With the costs of travel and equipment, musicians end up spending lots of money on the road. Without the boosts from heavy streaming, and the accompanying possibilities for entrepreneurship that come with it, bands might end up actually losing money by going on tour.
However, Grizzly Bear still plans to go on its American tour with Spoon, starting on March 23rd, in Houston, Texas. The group will travel north, east and then west, hitting Washington, Massachusetts and New York along the way. Tickets will be on sale by Friday, March 9th local time. One dollar from each ticket will go to PLUS1 in support of Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, who’s mission is to “prevent gun violence and build safer communities.”
UPDATE (5/21): Grizzly Bear has added to their Summer 2018 tour. In addition to their dates with Spoon, the band will be playing a few shows on their own, including one at the Brooklyn Bowl and another in San Diego. They’ll also be playing a show at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley with Arcade Fire in September.
Grizzly Bear Tour Dates:
3/24 – In Bloom Festival – Houston, TX
5/26 – Sasquatch Festival – George, WA
6/15 – Wellmont Theatre – Montclair, NJ
6/16 – Hunter Center @ Mass Moca – North Adams, MA
6/18 – Blue Hills Bank Pavilion – Boston, MA w/ Spoon
6/19 – Capitol Theatre – Port Chester, NY w/ Spoon
6/20 – BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn – Brooklyn, NY w/ Spoon
6/21 – Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, NY
6/22 – Stage AE – Outdoors – Pittsburgh, PA w/ Spoon
6/23-24 – Mamby On The Beach Chicago, IL
6/25 – PNC Pavilion – Cincinnati, OH w/ Spoon
6/26 – Live on 9th Street – Columbia, MO w/ Spoon
6/27 – Summerfest Milwaukee, TN
6/29 – Middle of the Map Kansas City, MO
6/30 – Surly Brewery – Minneapolis, MN w/ Spoon
9/6-8 – Hopscotch Music Festival Raleigh, NC
9/8 – Marathon Music Works Nashville, TN
9/9 – Iron City – Birmingham, AL
9/11 – Acadiana Center for the Arts – Lafayette, LA
9/12 – Stubb’s – Austin, TX
9/13 – Tricky Falls – El Paso, TX
9/21 – The Greek Theatre – Berkeley, CA w/ Arcade Fire
9/24 – The Observatory – San Diego, CA
10/19-21 – Lost Lake Festival – Phoenix, AZ
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