Famed singer-songwriter has recently spoken out against reduced capacity concerts, during a statement uploaded onto the Save Live Music website on August 21. The performer, who is currently in the midst of a reduced capacity and socially-distant tour, called these events “pseudo-science” and urged for “full capacity audiences going forward.”

“This is not a sign of compliance or acceptance of the current state of affairs, this is to get my band up and running and out of the doldrums,” Morrison wrote. “This is also not the answer going forward. We need to be playing to full capacity audiences going forward.”

He also urged musicians to “Come forward, stand up, fight the pseudo-science and speak up,”  to help get the concert industry up and running again. He also stated that only himself and famed theater composer Andrew Lloyd Weber “appear to be the only people in the music business trying to get it back up and running again.” Weber presented a few ideas on getting shows up and running again without the need for social-distancing and claimed that theater was considered less important than other businesses that are reopening

Frank Turner held an indoor test show last month, which was shown to not be a success, however Turner urged for changes in the format, stating that restrictions need to change or their needs to be more funding placed on venues. The musician came to the same conclusion as Morrison, who stated that these events would not be economically viable.

Read Morrison’s full statement below:

As you know, we are doing socially distanced gigs at Newcastle Upon Tyne’s Gosforth Park, Electric Ballroom and The London Palladium. This is not a sign of compliance or acceptance of the current state of affairs, this is to get my band up and running and out of the doldrums. This is also not the answer going forward. We need to be playing to full capacity audiences going forward.

I call on my fellow singers, musicians, writers, producers, promoters and others in the industry to fight with me on this.

Come forward, stand up, fight the pseudo-science and speak up.

Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and myself appear to be the only people in the music business trying to get it back up and running again. Come forward.

It’s not economically viable to do socially distanced gigs. Come forward now, the future is now.

We would like to publish a list of names of all those who are supporting the industry. If you would like your name included contact us at webadmin@exileproductions.net