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NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) – The coronavirus vaccine gave the live entertainment industry hope for a rebound in 2021. Now that COVID-19 cases are on the rise and hospital beds are filling, it feels like March 2020 again.
Tom DeGeorge runs the popular Crowbar Club in Tampa, Florida, which once held around 300 concerts a year, mostly with tour bands. He managed to stay afloat and reopened last fall, hosting about six shows a month. But as Florida cases rise, show cancellations have increased and attendance levels plummeted.
“The number of people that are just coming out is, I would say, about 25-30 percent of what it should be,” DeGeorge said. “I have a feeling that I’ll probably lose most of my fall and winter calendar, but basically I’m mentally prepared for the worst.”
Hoping to save and survive another devastating year, the industry is rapidly moving towards vaccine mandates for concert goers, event staff and crew. In some cases, fans are asked to provide proof of vaccination or a negative test – such as Harry Styles’ upcoming US tour in the fall.
But the politicization of the pandemic and vaccines has dealt another major blow to places like DeGeorge. Across the country, there are countless state and local regulations regulating when and where mask and vaccination requirements can be enforced.
In Florida and Texas, for example, governors have banned vaccination records, some of which also apply to private companies. Some governors’ orders are being challenged – either in court or by companies experimenting with how far they can go.
“What we’ve really seen in Austin are people with a lack of clear direction trying to explore and understand what can be done,” said Cody Cowan, executive director of the Red River Cultural District in Austin, Texas, of the home of 15 music venues is. “I think with both the venues and the musicians there is a feeling that everyone wants public health to be there, even though the state has decided not to regulate public health.”
He said Austin venues are trying different vaccine and testing requirements – but that carries significant risk. Texas state law states that companies cannot require customers to provide evidence of COVID-19 vaccination. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, which regulates liquor licensing, has notified some restaurants and music venues that their requirements have not been met. At most music venues, the sale of alcohol makes up the bulk of their revenue, and Cowan says the state stands ready to penalize venues for violating COVID-19 rules.
“You can have your license suspended, revoked, or permanently revoked if you are trying to enforce public health,” Cowan said. “That’s the kind of fear we live under all the time.”
Adjacent ACL Live and 3TEN venues will comply with requests from artists to require fans to test negative and masks will be required, according to Colleen Fischer, general manager and director of booking for both venues. If a fan fails to provide test results, they will also accept proof of vaccination.
Florida’s DeGeorge said he was spat at by a patron and others tried to physically fight him over the mask requirement. He believes the anger stems from political messages about masks and other antivirus policies.
But he’s more concerned that touring artists won’t bother getting to Florida as vaccination regulations become industry standards elsewhere.
“Touring bands, the best of the best, are not going to come here unless they feel safe and we can’t give them the same assurances as we do in other states,” said DeGeorge.
The pressure on vaccination needs for concerts comes not only from the biggest promoters like Live Nation and AEG Live, but also from artists themselves. The Foo Fighters, Phish, Maroon 5, The Killers and Dead & Company have all publicly stated they are for Fans need proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test.
Singer Jennifer Nettles, who performs solo and as part of country duo Sugarland, said she’s looking at it from a business perspective, looking at the health of the people who work for her as well as the fans.
“We can’t force anyone to get a vaccine,” said Nettles. “But we have the right to say, ‘Okay, if you don’t have it, then you can’t come because it’s dangerous.’ It is not a character judgment that is made. It’s a fact.”
And Nettles is equally frustrated that political divisions and misinformation dominate entertainment among fans and sometimes artists.
“Especially when you look at country music, wowza, considering demographic and political boundaries are being drawn, I find it extremely difficult,” Nettles said.
Other artists have strongly opposed vaccination mandates for concerts, including Eric Clapton and Van Morrison. Country singer Travis Tritt said in a statement that the vaccination policy at concerts is discriminatory.
“I’ve always been a great defender of basic human rights and freedom for all,” Tritt said. “No government, employer, or private entity should ever be allowed to violate these rights and freedoms. I am also very much against any kind of discrimination. All forms of discrimination must be vigorously called out and condemned. “
The differences in these guidelines, as well as changing conditions in COVID prices across states, have made booking national tours difficult and last-minute changes in 2021, said Paul Lohr, president of New Frontier Touring, a booking agency that hires about 80 artists represents, including The Avett Brothers and Rodney Crowell.
“Due to the national deviations, a tour can suddenly look like Swiss cheese,” says Lohr. “If you start – and every tour is different – taking out a quarter, a third, or half of your appointments, that’s the profit margin of a tour right there. And it just torpedoes the whole thing. “
At Nashville’s famous rock club Exit / In, owner Chris Cobb said they had to turn away about 10% of attendees the first time they introduced mandatory vaccination for a show. He says some of those who were rejected were unaware of the policy that had just been adopted.
“We have to bear the burden of figuring out how to do it,” said Cobb. “And it is extremely helpful when artists are not only supportive, but also vocally supportive.”
While the high-profile bands can afford to cancel due to COVID safety concerns, many small and local musicians don’t have many financial options. Roots musician Hilary Perkins saw the pandemic creating inequality and systematic problems for musicians who need regular performances.
“Women are especially concerned and people of color are especially concerned,” said Perkins, who appears as Nell Robinson.
When she couldn’t find industry-wide standards for what musicians and artists could ask for in their contracts, her organization Whippoorwill Arts developed a set of health and safety guidelines for musicians to be adopted by venues and promoters.
“You have the right to ask what you need, you have the right to say what you need, what you prefer and what you can negotiate,” said Perkins.
Nettles shared on social media the data about the unvaccinated people who fill the small local hospital in her hometown of Georgia.
“This is not an artist making a power game,” Nettles said. “People die. There is a way to save people from dying. “
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Follow Kristin M. Hall at https://twitter.com/kmhall
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This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Whippoorwill Arts.
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