Live Nation is taking optimistic actions concerning the future of the live music industry. In response to an announcement by the British government that live music events will be able to return at 100 percent capacity this summer, Live Nation sold about 170,000 tickets to music festivals in the United Kingdom. The allowance of full capacity events is scheduled for June 21, and Live Nation is hopeful that the United States can be on a similar timeline.
The U.S. has a few characteristics that make it more difficult for the company to predict when and where concerts and festivals will be able to take place; whereas Britain was able to regulate and de-regulate the U.K.’s live music scene all at once, the United States’ authority on such matters lies with the States, and even the counties in some areas. This makes it a bit uncertain for Live Nation when trying to plan for the future, as artists are eager to get back on the road and fans are just as antsy to attend events.
Last year was rough for the live music industry, which started out extremely profitable but then tanked with the onset of the pandemic. Events such as the Boston Calling Music Festival and Hellfest have been completely canceled for the year. Coachella is also part of that number, while the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and the Hangout Music Festival have possibly been postponed only until later this year.
There remains hope for the rest of 2021, however. Countries like Australia and New Zealand have begun to open up, and the music industry has come up with creative ways to safely have shows, such as pod shows or the ingenious Flaming Lips bubble concerts, in which the artists and audience members were encased in giant bubbles.
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